Datex Integrations: Shopify

Orbit's WMS, Datex, integrates with a variety of e-commerce platforms. One of the e-commerce platforms that Dropstream integrates with is Shopify. 

In order to connect Shopify to Datex, Orbit uses a third-party integration called Dropstream. Dropstream connects a variety of e-commerce platforms to Datex so your orders and inventory can sync to your cart seamlessly. To learn more about what Dropstream works, see the following link: http://getdropstream.com/how-it-works 

To integrate your Shopify cart to Datex, follow these steps:

Gather Admin credentials

A user with full access is required to allow access to Shopify APIs. The Shopify administrator credentials can be used for this purpose.

Or, you can create and grant full access to a separate Staff account, which can be shared with Orbit for the purpose of configuring the integration.

Add a Shopify Staff account

1. Log in to your Shopify administration panel.
2. In the menu on the left, click Settings.
3. Click Account.
4. Under the Staff members heading, click the Add a staff member button.
5. Use a secure email address that you control (e.g., "@company.com") for the Email address.
6. Fill in the staff member details, and click the Send Invite button.

After you have completed these steps, you will receive an invitation at the email address you specified, inviting the new user to join your Shopify store.

Gather Shop Name / Store Address

The Shop Name / Store Address is displayed in your Shopify URLs, preceding .myshopify.com. This name can be used to log in to Shopify.

Once you have gathered these credentials, send them to Orbit to complete the integration setup.

Dropstream/API Configuration

When configuring the connection with Dropstream we will need to know:

1. Fulfillment Location - the inventory location name that we should be utilizing to send inventory updates. Some stores have multiple warehouse locations we should only update inventory for the "Orbit3PL" location.
2. Filter orders by location — If enabled, accept only orders assigned to the"Orbit3PL" location.
3. Include Partial Fulfillments — If an order contains a gift card or another virtual product, the fulfillment status is Partial. By default, DropStream imports orders with fulfillment status Not Fulfilled. If this option is enabled, orders with Partial fulfillment status are also imported.
4. Financial Status Import Options — The financial status for order import. Select one or more of the following:
   • Paid (default)
   • Pending
   • Authorized
   • Partially Paid
   • Partially Refunded
   • Refunded
   • Voided
5. Accept orders after — Only orders after this date and time will be imported. (Maximum lookback is 60 days)
6. Shipping Methods - What are the shipping descriptions that will be entered on the order and how should orbit translate those. (ie if you offer "Free Shipping" on the cart should we ship that via UPS Ground USPS First Class etc)
7. Is there any order filtering that needs to take place (ie ignoring orders for another fulfillment location, certain items that are not physical items and should be ignored, etc).

Integration timing

• Sales orders
  • Dropstream imports orders from Shopify every 15 min and exports them to the WMS
  • At the 05, 20, 35, and 50 minute points the shipment exports are imported into the WMS
  • Orders are "Processed" in the WMS every 15 min on the 06, 26, 36 and 56 min point
    • The processing step generates the UPS / FedEx / USPS Shipping label and allocates the inventory to the order.
• Shipment confirmations
  • Once the order has been picked and loaded to the carrier trailer the order is "Shipped" in the warehouse.
  • Shipment confirmations are sent hourly at the top of the hour to Dropstream and pushed hourly to the Shopify carts.
• Inventory updates
  • Hourly at the 30 min mark inventory levels are pushed to Dropstream
  • Dropstream will update the inventory hourly to the Shopify cart

Orbit's scope

Even though Orbit is being granted Admin privileges to your Shopify cart, the extent of our activities within your cart involves only the order integration (i.e., outbound order import and tracking export) between your cart and our WMS.

Orbit is not responsible for managing, edits, or otherwise reviewing any other characteristics of your cart's functionality, applications, or logic.