Order Management Lifecycle

This article provides technical users with information about the Sourcing Profile GraphQL API, which enables configuration and querying of Sourcing Profiles within the Fluent Platform.

The 'Order Orchestration' module is integral to Fluent Order Management. It handles the end-to-end management of orders from creation to fulfillment. It optimizes the fulfillment process, allowing flexibility and control over sourcing and fulfillment strategies.

• Dynamic Sourcing: Selects the best location based on inventory and business rules.
• Split Fulfillment: Supports fulfilling orders from multiple locations.
• Custom Workflows: Allows tailoring workflows for Home Delivery, Click & Collect, and more.
• Fulfillment Management: Tracks multiple fulfillments and manages SLAs and exceptions.
• Retailer Benefits: Reduces costs, optimizes sourcing, and ensures operational flexibility.

Fluent workflows use webhooks for real-time communication with external systems, triggered at specific workflow points. Webhooks provide timely updates for order status, shipping, payments, and inventory movements. The standard SendWebhook rule simplifies outbound communication by sending basic data, allowing external systems to retrieve additional information as needed.

• Webhooks enable real-time communication between Fluent workflows and external systems, eliminating the need for frequent API polling.
• The `sendWebhook` rule simplifies outbound communication by passing essential data that external systems can use to fetch additional details.
• Typical use cases include order status updates, shipping notifications, payment captures, and stock transfers.
• Webhooks should not be used for Inventory domain operations due to scalability concerns, performance impacts, and stability risks, so use Inventory Feeds instead.
• In rare cases where inventory-related webhooks are required (e.g., conditional stock change notifications), contact our team to discuss alternatives before implementation.

This module will guide you through a hands-on lab where you can put all of the theory to practice and implement a simple Fraud Check solution.  This will cover adding new business logic to your workflow, including configuring some user actions to enable business users to approve or cancel orders that have been flagged as potentially fraudulent.

• For this lab you will need:
  • Postman application installed
  • A Fluent Commerce training account
  • A Postman environment file corresponding to your your Fluent Commerce account
• This Lab uses the fc_sports_admin retailer, please make sure to use this retailer when logging into your Fluent Commerce training account

This article provides an example of how OMS selects the next best location for fulfilment

• The below example demonstrate the reference solution on how OMS selects the next best location for fulfilment.

Fluent supports various fulfillment options like Click and Collect, Ship-from-Store, and Ship-from-Warehouse. The process involves checking inventory, reserving stock, and notifying relevant parties at each stage. Orders are managed through the Fluent platform, allowing customers to collect from stores or receive deliveries at home, with real-time updates on order status.

• Click and Collect: Customers order online, collect from selected stores.
• Inventory Check: Verifies stock availability before fulfillment.
• Store Fulfillment: Store staff pick, pack, and notify customers for collection.
• Ship-from-Store: Orders shipped from stores with integrated courier booking.
• Warehouse Fulfillment: Uses webhook communication for real-time updates.
• Order Status Updates: Real-time tracking through Fluent workflows.

The Returns feature is available for any OMX web apps. The following guide will step through the areas of configuration to enable the Returns reference solution.

• A step-by-step guide to enable reference return functionality.
  • Settings setup
  • Create & Assign the Instore Return Role
  • Workflow Configuration (Order, returnOrder and Billing)
  • Manifest Changes for Fluent Store and Fluent OMS

Learn about the typical phases for delivering Fluent OMS projects from Discovery to 'Go Live'.

• Comprehensive Discovery: Ensure thorough gathering of business requirements and precise backlog generation to set a solid foundation for the project.
• Robust Testing: Conduct System Integration Testing (SIT), Performance Testing, and User Acceptance Testing (UAT) to validate all aspects of the solution.
• Client Involvement: Engage clients early, especially before UAT, to familiarize them with the user interfaces and gather their feedback.
• Successful Launch: Execute a meticulous production deployment, including data staging and validation testing, to ensure a smooth 'go live' transition.

The Upsert Location Module contains the workflow and supporting rules to update or create (aka upsert) locations. This page covers the steps to configure and install the Upsert Location Module.

The lab covers creating and managing different order types in Fluent OMS, simulating warehouse and store interactions, and enabling user actions for order cancellation. It focuses on Home Delivery (HD), Click and Collect (CC), split fulfilment, and enhancing workflows with user-configured actions. This lab guide users through hands-on exercises using Postman and the Fluent OMS interface.

• HD Workflow (Home Delivery): Process and fulfill home delivery orders via a warehouse.
• CC Workflow (Click and Collect): Understand click and collect orders and simulate stock management and pickup.
• Split Fulfillment: Explore multi-shipment scenarios when stock is insufficient at one location.
• Order Cancellation: Configure user actions for order cancellation with reasons before fulfillment starts.
• Postman Integration: Use Postman to authenticate, create orders, and simulate fulfillment steps.
• Workflow Customization: Enhance order workflows by adding business rules and user actions.

This article focuses on understanding the Order Domain within Fluent, highlighting orchestrated and non-orchestrated domains. The Order is the central entity that has relationships to sub-entities like Fulfillment, Article, Consignment, and Return Order. These relationships determine the order processing flow, including picking, packing, delivery, and optional returns.

• Order: Central entity in the Order Management domain.
• Fulfillments: One Order can have multiple Fulfillments.
• Article Packing: Fulfillments involve multiple Articles.
• Consignment Delivery: Articles are delivered through Consignments.
• Returns: Optional Return Order linked to original Order.
• Customer Relationship: Orders tied to a Customer for billing purposes.

The Comment GraphQL API allows customers to manage Comments across various Entities.

Multiple Comments can be added against the same Entity, with each Comment automatically capturing:

• The timestamp
• The User who created it (`USER_VIEW` Permission is required to access the User data)

This feature allows Users to record specific business actions and events, providing a comprehensive history of interactions and updates.

• Add Comments to any Entity Type, enabling detailed documentation of business actions
• Specific Permissions are required for Comment operations
• Use the `createComment` and `updateComment` Mutations to manage Comments
• Use the `commentById` and  `comments` Queries to retrieve Comments

Order management in Fluent includes handling cancellations, revisions, and returns. Cancellations can be for entire or partial orders. Order revisions allow modifications to in-progress orders before dispatch, and returns handle customer issues with delivered items. Depending on the business' needs, these processes can be managed manually by customer service or automated within workflows.

• Order Cancellation: Cancels entire or partial orders, resetting inventory.
• Cancellation Timing: Configurable to specific workflow statuses.
• Order Revision: Allows changes to in-flight orders before dispatch.
• Return Workflow: Manages customer-initiated returns for various reasons.
• Action Modes: Supports both automated and manual (self-service and customer service) actions.
• Refund Handling: Automatic refunds are processed if payment is taken.

Split fulfilment allows retailers to complete an Order from multiple locations if a single location can't fulfill the whole Order. Rejection occurs when orders can't be fully met due to various constraints, leading to escalated statuses where customer notification and resolution actions are taken. In-flight revisions enable modifications to order items, allowing flexibility in managing customer orders.

• Split Fulfillment: Orders can be fulfilled from multiple locations if needed.
• Rejection Criteria: Orders are rejected if fulfillment criteria aren't met.
• Escalated Status: Notifies and manages unfulfilled orders.
• Customer Communication: Notify customers of rejected orders.
• In-Flight Revisions: Add or remove items from existing orders.

Fluent Expert Services (ES) are our subject-matter experts who are responsible for ensuring that project implementations leverage the full extent of the software features and capabilities of Fluent OMS, and that best practices are followed.  This article will cover the different service packages that are on offer to help facilitate the project, keep it moving forward and involve all parties (Expert Services, Partner, and/or the Client) working collaboratively to validate choices, monitor progress, and review developments.

• Some of the packages provided by the Expert Services Team:
  • Discovery and Solution Design
  • Order Management Experience
  • Go-live readiness

Returns OMS configuration contains:

• Creating a Return
• Returns List page
• Return Details page
• Return Fulfillment Details page

• Create a return in Fluent OMS
• View returns from all retailers associated with the logged-in user
• View detailed information about a return
• View detailed information about how a return was fulfilled

createFinancialTransaction GraphQL mutation Example

• createFinancialTransaction GraphQL mutation Example