This document aims to provide detailed troubleshooting steps for resolving issues related to order brokering in HotWax Commerce. The goal is to ensure smooth operation of the brokering engine, proper scheduling, and correct configuration of inventory rules, order batches, and facilities.

HotWax Commerce Order Brokering is a critical function that ensures orders are routed correctly based on predefined rules and schedules. Issues with order brokering can result in delays, incorrect order routing, and inventory mismanagement. This document will guide users through diagnosing and resolving common issues encountered during the brokering process.

Scenario: Shipping Method Not Correctly Mapped

Shipping methods need to be correctly mapped from Shopify to HotWax Commerce and to every facility to ensure that orders are shipped as per the SLA (Service Level Agreement) with the customer. The orders won’t be brokered if the shipping method for the order is not correctly mapped.

Resolution Steps

1. Log In to Your HotWax Commerce Instance: Open your web browser and log in to your HotWax Commerce account using your credentials.

2. Navigate to Your Carrier Integration Page: From the Hamburger Menu navigate to the carrier integration settings. For example, if you'd like to verify shipping methods for FedEx, navigate to the FedEx carrier setup page under the "Settings" heading.

3. Verify the Carrier Shipping Method: On the carrier setup page, ensure that the carrier shipping method (e.g., FedEx Standard Overnight, FedEx 2Day) is mapped correctly in HotWax Commerce. This mapping should match the shipping methods available in Shopify.

4. Verify Facilities Association: Check that the facilities are correctly associated with the carrier. Each facility should have the appropriate carrier enabled to ensure orders can be routed and shipped from the correct location.

5. Rectify Issues Using the User Manual: If you identify any issues with the mapping or facility association, refer to the HotWax Commerce user manual for detailed instructions on how to correct these settings.

For orders to be routed correctly, the facilities need to be associated with the appropriate facility group. If the facilities are not correctly configured in the facility groups, orders might be routed to the wrong locations, causing delays and inefficiencies.

Scenario: Facility not associated with Facility Group

Resolution Steps

1. Navigate to the Facilities App.

2. Navigate to the .

3. Identify the facility group with the "Brokering_Group" subtype.

4. Click on the chip available against the facilities.

5. From the submenu, click on "View Facilities" to verify the facilities or "Quick Edit" to add or remove any facility from the group.

Resolution Steps

1. Navigate to the Order Routing App.

2. Navigate to inventory rules by clicking on the brokering run and order batch for the orders you would like to broker.

3. Click on the inventory rule you would like to configure.

4. Click on "Filter", select "Facilities," and choose the correct facility group to which you would like to broker the order.

Scenario: The Brokering Engine Won't Run Due to Incorrect Scheduling

The brokering engine relies on correctly scheduled runs to process and route orders. If the scheduling is incorrect, the engine won't execute, leading to unprocessed orders and potential delays in order fulfillment.

Resolution Steps

1. Verify Brokering Schedule

   1. Navigate to the Order Routing App.

   2. Click on the Brokering Run card you would like to run for routing.

   3. Verify the run time and the frequency to ensure they are set correctly.

2. Check Inventory Rules

   1. If the brokering run schedule is correct, proceed to check the inventory rules by clicking on the order batch you would like to run.

   2. Verify if the order batches are correctly sorted. The sorting should align with the expected order processing sequence.

3. Verify Inventory Rule Configuration

   1. Check the inventory rules by clicking on the inventory rule associated with the order batch.

   2. Verify if the order brokering facilities are correctly configured. Ensure the facilities to which the orders should be routed are specified accurately.

   3. Verify if the inventory sorting criteria are correctly set to prioritize the orders as needed.

4. Confirm Status

   1. Finally, verify the status of the inventory rule, order batch, and brokering run. Ensure that each status is set to "Active" and not in "Draft."

Read our order routing user manual to learn more

Example

Incorrect Scheduling: If the brokering run is set to execute at 3:00 PM daily but needs to run every hour, adjust the frequency to "Hourly" in the Brokering Run settings.

Scenario 1: Inventory Not Available

Orders won't be brokered if the inventory is not available or if the inventory is less than the brokering threshold set in the inventory rule. Ensuring accurate inventory levels and thresholds is essential for efficient order brokering and fulfillment.

Resolution Steps

1. Click on the SKU from the sales order page to view the product inventory details on the Product Inventory View page.

2. Check the inventory availability across the facilities. Use the facility filter to check the inventory in individual facilities.

3. Verify if the inventory is available for that product. If the inventory is not available or is less than the brokering threshold, the order will move to the unfillable parking.

For example: If an item has a brokering threshold of 10 units but only 5 units are available across all facilities, the order will not be brokered and will move to unfillable parking.

Ensure that the order routing run for unfillable parking is scheduled. This ensures that all such orders are picked up in the next brokering cycle for inventory allocation.

Scenario 2: Partially Unavailable

Retailers sometimes prefer not to split orders to minimize shipping costs. If only part of an order is available at one fulfillment location, the order won't be routed. If inventory is scattered across multiple facilities, you need to decide whether to split the order.

Resolution Steps

1. If you decide to allow order splitting, navigate to the Order Routing App.

2. Navigate to the brokering run > order batch > inventory rule.

3. Check if partial allocation is allowed for that inventory run.

4. Turn the partial allocation toggle on if you want to enable order splitting.

5. Save the inventory rule configuration.