Order Management Lifecycle

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

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.

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.

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.

• Real-time Communication: Outbound communication from workflows.
• Reusable Rule:  

  `sendWebhook`

  rule can be used across multiple workflows.
• Order Status Updates: Triggers for status changes (e.g., order completion).
• Payment Processing: Webhooks manage payment processes post-dispatch.
• Inventory Tracking: Tracks stock changes via webhooks to external systems.

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.

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 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

Learn about the typical phases in 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.

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

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

createFinancialTransaction GraphQL mutation Example

• createFinancialTransaction GraphQL mutation Example