Object Ownership
Order, SKU and inventory each have one authoritative source. The other systems read; they don't argue.
Integrations That Hold State, Not Just Move Data
Stock in the system is meaningless if it doesn't match what's on the shelf. This is how we connect to ecommerce, ERPs, OMS and marketplaces so order, inventory and shipment state stay aligned with the warehouse floor.
- Defined inputs
- Verified checks
- Recorded handoffs
OPERATING PRINCIPLE
Stable Integrations Are Defined, Not Automated
When integrations fail, it's not the API. It's that ownership was unclear or a state transition was assumed. Four rules keep that from happening.
Explicit Status
Transitions wait for evidence. 'Paid' is not 'Ready to pick'. 'Shipped' is not 'Closed with proof'.
Stable Identifiers
When a supplier code or barcode changes, the old and the new coexist in a mapping window. Operations keep flowing while the upstream catches up.
Safe Failures
If the data is missing, we don't accelerate: we clarify. The order holds in an exception queue until the gap is closed.
OBJECT OWNERSHIP
Where the Truth Lives
Most integration noise comes from two systems claiming the same object. The table below is who owns what — and what we do when the data isn't ready.
01
OMS / STOREFRONT
Order Lifecycle
Ecommerce owns the order until accepted. If a delivery address is incomplete or the carrier-mandatory phone is missing, the order holds in an exception queue rather than ship blind.
02
ERP / PRODUCT MGT
SKU & Catalog
ERP owns the master catalog. When a supplier code or barcode changes, a mapping window keeps the old identifier alive long enough for inbound shipments in transit to land without rework.
03
WMS / WAREHOUSE
Inventory Truth
The physical count wins. When ERP or storefront disagree with what's on the shelf, WMS overwrites availability — and the high-volume channels sync on the shortest interval the platform allows.
04
CARRIER HANDOVER
Shipment Proof
An order isn't 'shipped' until the carrier confirms custody. If we marked it handed over but the carrier's tracking stays silent past the cut-off, the exception fires before the customer asks.
05
REVERSE LOGISTICS
Return Disposition
The returns system owns the authorisation; the warehouse owns execution. Returned units stay in quarantine until triaged. Nothing goes back to stock without a decision recorded.
PLATFORMS
Direct Where We Can, Middleware Where We Must
Storefronts via webhook. Marketplaces via SP-API. Carriers via native API. Middleware enters only where the upstream doesn't expose a direct path.
Storefronts & CRM
Order creation and status pushback.
Shopify
Native webhooks.
Marketplaces
Channel execution.
Amazon
SP-API direct.
Operations & Data
Reconciliation and back-office workflows.
Airtable
Routing tables.
Google Sheets
Snapshot exports.
Tool names identify operating context only. No partnership, endorsement or provider access is implied.
CANONICAL STACK
One Place That Knows the Whole Order
Order intake, dispatch, and exception state all land in the same store. No federated middleware deciding what 'shipped' means in five places.
web-builder / production route
Core Database Endpoint core.db / pending_shipments
Surface state Active
Marketplaces & D2C Ingestion Shopify webhooks and Amazon SP-API write into the same pending queue. No aggregator sitting in between to misread state.
Operational
Direct Carrier Integrations Native connections to Correos Express (CEX API) and Packlink couple label issuance to pick confirmation, not to a manual export.
Active
Warehouse Operations & QC PWA Operators follow per-SKU checklists. When defect counts cross a threshold, the affected lot moves to quarantine before the next pick.
ready
Direct Connection Boundary Enforced
Customer and catalog data stay inside the systems that own them. No third-party broker holding a copy outside the boundary.
HANDOFF PATTERNS
Three Ways the Data Gets In
We pick the pattern by what the upstream system actually supports, not by what looks modern. All three coexist in production.
Layer output
API and Webhooks
Near real-time. The storefront pushes orders via webhook; the WMS publishes inventory back on the shortest interval the channel allows. Needs versioned endpoints and idempotent keys to survive replays.
- Order Sync (Webhooks)
- Inventory Sync (short interval)
- Carrier Labels (API)
Layer output
Structured Batch (SFTP/CSV)
Scheduled sync for ERP purchase orders, inventory snapshots, and returns manifests. Strict timestamp naming and header validation; one bad header doesn't poison the rest of the file.
- Daily CSV Ingest
- ERP Inventory Batches
- Returns Manifest Upload
Layer output
Constrained B2B (Email)
Manual or semi-automated handoffs for routing guides and retail POs. Version-controlled PDF or CSV attachments, with a logged check that the inbox matched the expected version before anyone acted on it.
- Routing Guides Ingestion
- Retail EDI Batches
- Manual Overrides
DESIGN FOR BAD DATA
What Holds Up When the Feed Goes Wrong
Bad data is the normal case. Duplicates, partial payloads, half-broken APIs — all of it shows up. These four mechanisms keep an exception from turning into a shipment.
Duplicate Protection
Every payload carries an idempotency key. A re-tried webhook lands once; the duplicate is logged and discarded at the database boundary.
Exception Queues
Orders with a bad SKU, missing address or unmapped variant wait in a hold queue. Nothing auto-resolves into a shipment.
Manual Fallbacks
When an API goes down, the same orders enter via CSV upload. Slower, but the floor keeps moving and the audit trail stays intact.
Acceptance Testing
Before go-live we run partial orders, variant edge cases, bundle allocations and return flows through the integration. Found bugs are cheap; live bugs aren't.
INPUTS WE READ FIRST
Before We Connect Anything
If the data is missing, we don't accelerate: we clarify. These are the four sets of questions we resolve before any endpoint is opened.
1
Technology Stack
Which ecommerce platforms are running? Which ERP or OMS? Is there an incumbent WMS we need to decommission gracefully?
2
SKU & Catalog
How are SKUs identified across systems? Are there variants, bundles or kits? Any planned SKU rename in the next 90 days?
3
Order Rules
When is an order ready to pick — at payment, after fraud check, after warehouse confirmation? Can it be edited mid-flight? How are partial fulfilments handled?
4
Inventory Rules
Where does inventory truth live? How is stock allocated across channels? What does 'available' mean when a unit is reserved but not yet picked?
SECURITY AND ACCESS
Who Can Change What
Every change to inventory, orders or connectors leaves a record. The matrix below is the boundary between what an operator can do alone and what needs a second pair of eyes.
Template
Operations Staff
Warehouse Manager
System Admin
View Orders & Inventory Monitor stock levels, pending queues, and active routes.
Operations Staff Read
Warehouse Manager Read
System Admin Read
Force Physical Corrections Override database physical inventory counts with manager reason.
Operations Staff None
Warehouse Manager Override
System Admin Write
API & Connector Config Create new integrations, rotate keys, and modify connectors.
Operations Staff None
Warehouse Manager None
System Admin Write
Exception Overrides Force release or hold orders with invalid/incomplete payloads.
Operations Staff None
Warehouse Manager Override
System Admin Write
RELATED
Next Pages
Connected reading: how the warehouse runs, how we charge, and how a typical flow moves from intake to dispatch.
Our Facilities
The physical warehouse: layout, security zones, and operational capacity.
How We Work
Picking, packing, and carrier dispatch as a sequence — what each step verifies before the next one starts.
Pricing & Simulator
Standard fulfillment rates and a monthly cost simulator you can run before requesting a quote.
Map the integration before you build it.
Share the platforms involved and the rules around them. We come back with what we'd connect first, what we'd hold, and what data we still need.
Map your flowFAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Short, self-contained answers — the timing, scope, and edge-case questions we hear before a project starts.
How long does a standard ecommerce integration take?
A clean Shopify or WooCommerce connection — when the SKU catalog is already mapped — usually fits inside a few working days. ERP or OMS integrations involve more testing because their failure modes are less predictable, so they're closer to two weeks than two days. We confirm the timeline against your stack before committing to one.
Do you support marketplace integrations directly?
Amazon SP-API is the most stable direct path and the one we run today. eBay, Etsy and Mirakl-based marketplaces depend on the API surface they expose — we confirm scope and stock-sync mechanics before connecting, rather than promising parity across all channels.
What happens if an order is edited after it has been released to pick?
Once an order enters picking, the physical goods are committed. An edit triggers a system hold: if picking hasn't physically started yet, the edit is accepted automatically; if it has, the change needs a manager override and the in-progress pick is reconciled before continuing.
How often is inventory synchronized with my storefront?
Physical availability publishes back to the storefront on the shortest interval the channel allows — sub-hour on high-volume platforms, longer cadences on slower ones. On carrier dispatch the adjustment is immediate, so the channel doesn't oversell stock that's already on a truck.