Add a Source

Table of Contents

How to Tutorial Reference Best practices Troubleshooting quick checks

A source is an external system or feed that provides product and inventory information and can optionally receive orders and return shipment updates. Add a source when you onboard a new supplier, connect a marketplace or connector, or ingest an SFTP/CSV file. Expected outcomes include more accurate availability, better routing, and fewer oversells. Sources can represent vendors, warehouses, or data feeds and allow you to centralize and organize inventory and order management in Flxpoint.

How to

📋 Phase 1: Create a Source+

Add Source

Go to Sources → + Add Source. Name it (e.g., “ACME Supplier”) and choose the Source type that matches your operation (Vendor Warehouse, Marketplace feed, etc.). Assigning a Vendor is optional but recommended.

Tip: Assigning a vendor improves reporting and supplier-level segmentation.

Pick which integrations to configure

In the Source’s Integrations area, click Start Creating Integrations and select what you need:

Get Inventory (Primary) — main inventory feed.
Get Inventory (Secondary) — additional feed if required.
Send Orders — send orders to the provider.
Get Shipments — pull shipment updates and tracking.

🔎 Phase 2: Find and select the integration+

Use search and tabs

In Connect an Integration, use the search bar and the Connector, Supplier, or Custom tabs to filter. Cards display each option with its logo for quick recognition (e.g., connectors like Shopify, BigCommerce; suppliers like SP Richards; marketplaces like eBay).

Open the integration card

Click the card for your target integration (e.g., Shopify, eBay, NetSuite, SFTP/CSV) to proceed to connection selection.

🔐 Phase 3: Create or select a Connection+

Choose existing or create new

In Select Connection you can:

Select an existing connection (you’ll see Test and Edit buttons).
+ Create New Connection to register new credentials.

Credential examples by type

Fill the form with a clear name and the fields that apply to your integration type:

API-based connectors (e.g., Shopify, NetSuite REST, BigCommerce): API Key/Token, Store/Account Domain, API Version (if applicable).
Marketplace OAuth (e.g., eBay): App ID/Client ID, Client Secret, Redirect URL (configured in the marketplace), and complete the OAuth authorization flow.
SFTP/FTP & CSV: Host, Port, Username, Password/Key, Remote Path (e.g., /feeds/inventory.csv), Protocol (SFTP/FTP/FTPS).
Custom/HTTP: Base URL/Endpoint, Auth method (Bearer/API Key), Headers, Pagination params.

Click Test to validate and then Save.

If the test fails: verify app permissions/scopes, IP allowlisting, firewalls, timeouts, and rate limits. Check the provider’s documentation (e.g., Shopify/eBay/NetSuite) or support center.

✅ Phase 4: Configure inventory & mapping+

Save and proceed

In Get Inventory (Primary), confirm the selected connection appears and click Save and Proceed.

Configure Settings

Set frequency and source options according to the integration:

API (Shopify/NetSuite): endpoints, pagination limits, include variants, etc.
Marketplace (eBay): site/market, auth scope, inventory location rules.
SFTP/CSV: file path, delimiter, header row, encoding, timezone.

Define a Mapping Template

Map key fields for products and inventory:

SKU, Quantity, Price, Title/Description, Images.
Apply transformations (markup, rounding, min/max qty, default values).
Optional: add a SKU prefix per Source (e.g., VEND-).

Activate & monitor

Save and activate. The initial sync time depends on data volume. Monitor runs under Integrations → Fulfillment Sources.

🧩 Optional: Troubleshooting (common)+

Quick checks

Auth/Scopes: correct API scopes (e.g., Shopify Admin API), valid marketplace OAuth tokens (e.g., eBay).
Network: IP allowlisting and required open ports for SFTP (22) and FTP (21/990).
Rate limits: reduce frequency or batch size; add exponential backoff.
Mapping: ensure SKU and Quantity are present and correctly mapped in the feed.

Tutorial

Goal: connect a new supplier feed with SFTP and run the first inventory sync.

Create a source named ACME Supplier.
Open Connect an Integration and filter with Supplier or choose Custom for SFTP or CSV.
Select SFTP or CSV, create a new connection with host, port 22, username, SSH key or password, and a remote path such as /feeds/inventory.csv.
Test and save the connection.
In Get Inventory (Primary), choose Save and Proceed.
In Configure Settings, set delimiter, header row, encoding, and timezone.
In Define a Mapping Template, map SKU, Quantity, Price, and Title.
Run the sync and review imported items.
Link to existing products or create new listings as needed.

Reference

Configuring the source: After creation, adjust schedules, filters, and quantity rules to match provider capabilities and rate limits. Use appropriate source types to improve reporting and optimize order routing.
Syncing inventory with Get Inventory (Primary): Go to the source Integrations tab and select Get Inventory (Primary). Open the menu and choose Run Sync. When the sync completes, review imported data and then link items to existing products or create new products.
Handling overlapping items: If supplier items match existing catalog products by identifiers such as UPCs, run link-to-products, so quantities consolidate correctly. Items without matches can be added as new products.
Monitoring SKU limits: Track the number of SKUs imported to avoid plan overages. Use Inventory Exclusion Tools to manage overages and review plan and SKU limits in Billing and Payments.
Bulk creating sources: On the Sources page, click the plus button and select Configure Multiple Sources. Enter the details for each source and save.

Best practices

• Vendor grouping improves organization and performance tracking.
• Choose the correct source type (API, marketplace, SFTP or CSV) to optimize routing and reports.
• Configure shipping methods and costs early to prevent fulfillment delays.
• Use bulk configuration when managing many sources.

Troubleshooting quick checks

• Authentication and scopes: confirm API scopes for connectors and valid OAuth tokens for marketplaces.
• Network access: verify IP allowlisting and required ports (for example SFTP 22, FTP 21 or 990).
• Rate limits: space runs appropriately, reduce batch size, and add backoff where needed.
• Mapping: confirm required fields such as SKU and Quantity are present and correctly mapped.

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