How to fulfill transfer orders in HotWax commerce
When transferring inventory from a store to a warehouse or between stores, the HotWax Commerce Store Fulfillment App facilitates this transfer order fulfillment process. The application streamlines the movement of inventory within the retail network, ensuring efficient handling of stock transfers and accurate inventory tracking. In the case of warehouse-to-store, transfer orders are fulfilled in WMS.
Warehouse managers create transfer orders in NetSuite, specifying the source location as the designated store and the destination location as the warehouse. These transfer orders are automatically assigned a Pending Fulfillment status
A scheduled job Import Transfer Order in HotWax Commerce OMS reads the transfer orders CSV file from the SFTP location and downloads transfer orders in HotWax Commerce with a default Created status.
A scheduled job Approves transfer orders in HotWax Commerce OMS identifies all transfer orders in the Created status and automatically marks them as Approved.
Once approved, transfer orders are automatically reflected at the source location in the Store Fulfillment App so that store associates can create shipments and ship transfer order items. Here’s how store associates can fulfill transfer orders from the Fulfillment App:
Navigate to the Transfer order page in the Fulfillment app.
Use the search bar in the transfer order section to find the transfer order you want to create a shipment for.
Once you've located the desired transfer order, click on it to access its details page.
On the transfer order details page, you'll typically find two tabs: Open and Completed.
The Open tab displays items that have not yet been shipped.
The Completed tab displays items that have been shipped.
After processing a partial shipment of a transfer order item, it will be listed in the completed tab. Store associates have the option to ship the remaining items in the transfer order at a later time, and these remaining items will then be visible in the Open tab.
Store associates can scan barcodes or manually enter the quantity of items to be shipped in the Item cards.
Click on the "Create Shipment" button, located in the bottom right corner of the page.
On clicking the create shipment button, the user will land on the transfer shipment review page. Click on generate shipping label to fetch the tracking code and carrier information or you can manually add the shipping label information.
Click on the arrow icon located at the bottom right corner of the page to complete the shipment.
Store associates are not allowed to insert more than the intended item quantities. The bar turns red if the user tries to overship item quantities
For more details on Transfer order lifecycle refer to this document
Store Associates can print transfer order picklists directly from the Fulfillment App. Store associates can quickly verify products, ensuring that transfer orders are processed efficiently and accurately. By minimizing discrepancies, this feature strengthens inventory management and enhances overall operational efficiency.
Access the Fulfillment App: Open the HotWax Commerce Fulfillment App on your device.
Navigate to the Transfer Order Section: Go to the Transfer Order section to view all active transfer orders.
Select the Relevant Transfer Order: Locate the specific transfer order that you need to process.
Click on the Print Picklist Button: Within the transfer order details, you’ll find a Print Picklist button. Click this button to generate a picklist for the order.
Review and Print the Picklist: The system will generate a detailed picklist showing all items to be transferred.
This document describes the Picklist Functionality for Store Transfer Fulfillment.
When packing items for a Transfer Order, store associates face two key challenges:
Associates are required to pack items into boxes while simultaneously entering the details into HotWax (OMS). This leads to confusion and mistakes if the packing process is not properly tracked.
If items are packed without updating HotWax in real-time, associates might forget which items have been packed into which boxes, causing issues when they try to generate shipping labels later.
To address these challenges, a Picklist Document feature has been implemented, allowing store associates to generate a PDF document that lists all open items in the Transfer Order. This feature serves as a physical tracking sheet during the packing process. This streamlined workflow allows associates to complete one task at a time: first packing and tracking with the picklist, and then performing data entry in HotWax. This approach reduces confusion and errors, leading to improved accuracy and minimized delays in operations.
The picklist includes the following fields:
| Field | Description |
|---|
Follow these steps to use the picklist functionality, and refer to this for a detailed process on transfer order fulfillment..
After opening the TO in the transfer order section of the fulfillment app, click on the Picklist button on the bottom right corner of the page next to the Create Shipment Button.
A PDF document will be generated, listing all open items in the TO.
Print the picklist or keep it available for reference.
As you pack the items into boxes, use the picklist to mark which items are going into which boxes.
Fill in the Qty Picked and Box Number fields on the picklist as you pack.
Once packing is complete, refer to the picklist and enter the packed items into HotWax.
For each box, select the items that were packed, then click Create Shipment.
Generate the shipping label for each box based on the items packed.
Continue using the picklist for any additional boxes or items in the TO.
Once all shipments are created and labels generated, the process is complete.
How to receive transfer order in HotWax
HotWax Commerce’s Inventory Receiving App empowers stock associates to efficiently receive ASN, Purchase Orders, and Returns and update the inventory count in the HotWax Commerce Order Management System.
The Inventory Receiving App enables retailers to precisely track the physical inventory received at their locations and record them in the system. For example, if a store anticipates 100 shirts in an incoming shipment but physically receives only 90, the app facilitates in recording exact inventory counts. This distinction is crucial as it prevents potential order rejections during fulfillment due to discrepancies in inventory levels.
Additionally, the Inventory Receiving App streamlines the receiving process by allowing store associates to efficiently enter or scan products using handheld devices like mobile phones or iPads. As a Progressive Web App (PWA), it offers flexible browser-based access or can be easily saved as an icon on store associates' devices, providing convenient one-click accessibility. This adaptability ensures a seamless and expedited inventory-receiving experience, enhancing overall operational efficiency.
For a step-by-step guide on receiving the shipment, refer to this user guide.
How to manage transfer orders in HotWax commerce
Transfer orders are integral to maintaining inventory balance, minimizing stockouts, and optimizing inventory allocation across different stores or warehouses. By effectively managing transfer orders, organizations can enhance their operational efficiency, reduce costs associated with excess inventory or unnecessary transportation, and ultimately improve customer satisfaction through timely order fulfillment. Inventory transfers can be of various types, such as:
Warehouse to Store: When there is a need to replenish inventory at retail stores from the central warehouse or distribution center, transfer orders can be initiated to move the required items from the warehouse to the stores.
Store to Warehouse: Sometimes, stores might need to return excess or unsold inventory back to the warehouse for consolidation or redistribution. Transfer orders facilitate this movement from the stores back to the warehouse.
Store to Store: In cases where one store has excess inventory that another store requires, transfer orders can be used to transfer inventory directly between stores, optimizing stock levels across the retail network.
No. | Serial number of the item. |
Product Description | A brief description of the product. |
Qty Ordered | The quantity of the item that was ordered. |
Qty Picked | The quantity of the item picked for packing. |
Box Number | The box in which the item has been packed. |
