D&H Distributing provides connections for both U.S. and Canadian markets, supporting businesses with automated inventory updates and pricing synchronization. Through its integration with Etilize, a leading provider of product content and data, businesses can access enriched product information and specifications. This partnership ensures that businesses operating in the U.S. or Canada can efficiently leverage D&H's product catalog for accurate inventory management and streamlined order automation.
In this guide you'll set up D&H with Etilize as a Source in Flxpoint — connect the integration, configure inventory and order operations, and map your data. To enable the Etilize content feed for your account, contact support@flxpoint.com.
How To Connect
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Log into your Flxpoint account.
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Navigate to the Sources tab from the left-hand menu.
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Click on + Add Source and follow the prompts.
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Click on Start Creating Integrations and select your desired source from the available list.
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Select D&H Distributing US with Etilize or D&H Distributing Canada with Etilize based on your needs.
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Proceed to the Configure Settings step. Here, select the Etilize Package from the dropdown:
- SpexBasic
- SpexFLX
- SpexFLX with images Add-on
- To enable the Etilize feed for your account, contact support@flxpoint.com
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Click Save and Proceed to finalize the configuration and proceed to mapping templates.
Product Operations
The primary operation handles the bulk of your inventory management needs, while the secondary operation allows for more detailed control, such as focusing on specific products or updates.
Get Inventory (Primary)
Get Inventory (Primary) connects to D&H's product inventory using Etilize, providing seamless access to product data and ensuring your business stays updated with the latest inventory information. It imports product data and enriched Etilize content into Flxpoint so your catalog stays current.
Use Get Inventory (Primary) to keep D&H product data fresh in Flxpoint: import products and variants, keep quantities and pricing up to date, and automatically archive items that are no longer in the source feed.
The sections below walk through each step of the setup and configuration process.
- Simply choose the integration type (e.g., D&H US with Etilize), and you're set to go. No additional connection information is required for this integration.
Decide how inventory data is managed:
- Archive/Un-Archive Inventory: Automatically archive items not found in the source feed to keep your catalog clean and unarchive them if they return. (Tip: This setting is optional but can help with stock management.)
- Image Resolution: Choose your preferred image size (e.g., 650x650, 300x300) to display products on your platform optimally.
- Primary Product Image: Decide if you want to use Etilize's thumbnail image for your main product image — perfect if your sales platform doesn't handle image optimization.
- Enter your Etilize Package details, including the package type and agreement number.
- Map fields from D&H's inventory to your platform using a customizable mapping template. This ensures your product data flows correctly.
- Enable scheduling to automate inventory updates. You'll receive notifications when the process runs, ensuring you are always informed.
Map fields from D&H's inventory feed to your Flxpoint fields. At minimum, map your variant identifier (SKU), quantity, and pricing so the catalog imports cleanly. The Etilize package you selected determines how much enriched content is available to map.
To verify and correct the SKU field binding used by Get Inventory (Secondary):
- 1Open your D&H source and edit the Get Inventory (Secondary) mapping template.
- 2Find the field that the inventory match uses for the variant identifier. The variant SKU is mapped to D&H Item NO, and inventory is matched against the compact itemId (no-dash item number).
- 3Confirm the SKU field supplies the no-dash item number (itemId) and not a dashed SKU. If a dashed value is bound, change the binding so the match value is the compact item number.
- 4Save the template and re-run Get Inventory (Secondary). Items that previously had no inventory match should now be found and un-archived on the next run.
- The correct integration type (e.g., D&H US with Etilize) is selected.
- Your Etilize Package type and Agreement Number are entered.
- Archive/Un-Archive Inventory is enabled on only one D&H inventory integration — not on both Primary and Secondary at once.
- The SKU field binding in your Get Inventory (Secondary) template supplies the no-dash item number (itemId), so inventory matches the products you built.
- Most products show as Archived: This is primarily caused by SKU mismatches in the source integration — the inventory match expects the compact no-dash item number (itemId), but products were built with a dashed SKU. Verify the SKU field binding in your GIS template (see Mapping Utilities) and re-run.
- Duplicated SKUs after correcting the binding: Run the product re-builder using UPC to merge the duplicated SKUs in your channel listings.
- Catalog not importing: Confirm your Etilize Package and Agreement Number are correct. To enable or troubleshoot the Etilize feed for your account, contact support@flxpoint.com.
| Feature | Availability | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| Enriched Content (Etilize) | Supported | Product specifications and content from your Etilize package. |
| Images | Supported | Choose image resolution and whether to use the Etilize thumbnail as the primary image. |
| Pricing & Quantity | Supported | Imported and kept current on each scheduled run. |
| Archive / Un-Archive | Supported | Items absent from the feed are archived; re-activated when they return. Enable on one D&H inventory integration only. |
Get Inventory (Secondary)
The Get Inventory (Secondary) integration with D&H US/CA provides businesses with a reliable way to manage additional inventory sources. This integration is ideal for businesses requiring supplemental data or managing multiple warehouses.
Get Inventory (Secondary) drives quantity and pricing updates from D&H's delta feed and powers the Archive/Un-Archive behavior. Because it matches inventory against the D&H item number, its SKU field binding is the key setting to get right (see Mapping Utilities).
- Connect the D&H US API Token, if it is not already established. If needed, you can modify this connection or set up a new one.
Tailor the integration to match your inventory management needs:
- Archive/Un-Archive Inventory: Automatically archive SKUs not present in the source feed and unarchive them when they reappear. This is helpful for handling temporary out-of-stock items.
- Select Warehouse: Choose specific D&H warehouses (e.g., Harrisburg, California, Chicago, Atlanta) to pull inventory from. This is useful for businesses managing inventory across multiple locations.
- Allow Create Variant: Enable this option to create product variants during the inventory update process, ensuring accurate catalog management.
- Use a mapping template to align inventory fields from D&H's feed to your system. This ensures accurate data transfer, including SKUs, quantities, and product details.
- Schedule the process to automatically run inventory updates. Notifications will keep you informed whenever the process runs, helping you maintain real-time accuracy.
- 1Edit the Get Inventory (Secondary) mapping template and locate the variant identifier field (D&H Item NO).
- 2Confirm the value used for the inventory match is the compact itemId (no dashes), not a dashed SKU.
- 3If a dashed SKU is bound, change the binding to the no-dash item number, save, and re-run. Items that had no match should be found and un-archived on the next run.
- Generic Pricing & Currency: Provides price updates in supported currencies.
- Quantity Updates: Real-time availability.
- Multiple Warehouses: Summarizes quantities across selected warehouses.
Limitations:
- Delta Feed vs. Full Feed: Only delta feeds (price & quantity).
- Weights & Dimensions: Not included.
- Custom Fields & Archive Support: Not available for this integration.
- The D&H US API Token connection is established and selected.
- Archive/Un-Archive Inventory is enabled on only one D&H inventory integration.
- The SKU field binding uses the no-dash item number (itemId) so inventory matches the products you built.
- Items being archived unexpectedly: Confirm the SKU field binding supplies the compact itemId, not a dashed SKU, then re-run. This is the most common cause of mass-archived D&H with Etilize products.
- Key Features: Warehouse Selection (pull inventory data from specific D&H warehouses), efficient SKU management (archive or unarchive SKUs based on source feed data), and Variant Support (create product variants during inventory updates).
Order Operations
It submits orders to vendors for fulfillment and subsequently imports the shipment details, ensuring an integration between order processing and shipment tracking.
Send Fulfillment Requests
The Send Fulfillment Requests integration allows you to automate the submission of order fulfillment requests to D&H for both the U.S. and Canadian markets. This integration ensures a seamless flow of order information, reducing manual effort and optimizing order processing.
- Select D&H Distributing US/CA as the integration type.
- Enter the necessary credentials, including Connection Name, Username, and Password, to establish a secure connection. Use the Test Connection feature to verify the setup before saving.
Adjust the settings to fit your business needs:
- Hold for X Hours: Set a delay before orders are sent, allowing for final checks or edits.
- Send During Business Hours: Enable this option to restrict order submissions to D&H's working hours, ensuring prompt handling.
- Auto Acknowledgements: This ensures that fulfillment requests are acknowledged automatically, helping you track submission status in real-time.
- Use a customizable mapping template to match your system's order fields (e.g., SKUs, quantities, and shipping details) to D&H's requirements. This ensures the accurate transfer of data for every fulfillment request.
- Schedule the fulfillment request process for automated submissions. Notifications will be sent every time the process is run, keeping you informed.
- Automated Processing: Directly submit fulfillment requests to D&H.
- Real-Time Acknowledgements: Automatically receive confirmation for requests.
- Flexible Configuration: Customize submission settings like hold periods & templates.
- Business Hour Support: Align with D&H's business hours for prompt processing.
- Fulfillment Request Numbers: Unique numbers for easier management.
- FR Item Association: Ensures proper SKU association in the request.
- Auto Acknowledgements: Improves order tracking.
- Shipping Selection: Choose the appropriate shipping method.
Limitations:
- Customer Association: Not supported.
- Custom Fields & Attachments: Not supported.
Properly configure the shipping carrier mapping to avoid errors:
- Add the carrier name in the "Name" field of the mapping template.
- Ensure that all carrier codes match D&H's specified formats for seamless fulfillment processing.
D&H enforces a strict 20-character limit for FR numbers. To prevent errors:
- Always use the Flxpoint-generated internal order number, as it complies with the limit.
- Avoid using long order numbers from channels like Amazon.
113-1582479-0930653-1 with a shorter
internal number like 113-1582479.
If you encounter "ERROR: This user cannot submit XML requests", this usually indicates that XML permissions are not active in D&H's system. Steps to resolve:
- Confirm with D&H support that XML permissions are enabled.
- Ensure your D&H account credentials in Flxpoint are correct.
- Retry sending the request once permissions are confirmed.
To avoid the error "429 TOO MANY REQUESTS: API limit exceeded":
- Adjust job schedules to run every two hours instead of at shorter intervals.
- Monitor API usage through logs and adjust schedules if limits are frequently hit.
- Always adhere to the cooldown period specified in the error message before retrying requests.
Get Shipments
The Get Shipments integration enables businesses to seamlessly retrieve shipment data from D&H for both the U.S. and Canadian markets. This integration ensures timely and accurate shipment tracking, making it easier to keep customers informed and maintain operational efficiency.
- Connect using the D&H US API Token. If the connection is already established, you can use it as is, or you have the option to modify it or set up a new connection as needed.
- No additional configuration is required in Flxpoint for this integration, making setup straightforward and efficient.
- Use the mapping template to align shipment data from D&H with your system. This ensures that all shipment details, such as tracking numbers, items, and statuses, are correctly captured and reflected in your platform.
- Enable scheduling to automate shipment updates. Notifications will keep you informed whenever the process runs, ensuring you never miss an update.
- Accurate Shipment Tracking: Retrieve up-to-date shipment details.
- Partial Shipments: Supports tracking for multiple-part shipments.
- Custom Fields: Incorporate custom fields for detailed tracking.
- Carrier & Methods: Retrieves carrier info & shipping methods.
- Carrier & Methods: Includes shipping carriers and methods.
- Shipment Item Association: Associates items with respective shipments.
- Partial Shipments: Supports multiple tracking numbers for a single order.
- Custom Fields: Enables further customization in shipment data.
Limitations:
- Invoice Information: Not retrieved by this integration.
- The D&H US API Token connection is established and selected.
- Tracking number and SKU fields are mapped in your shipment template.
- A schedule is enabled so tracking imports as orders ship.
- Tracking not importing: Confirm the connection is valid and the tracking/SKU fields are mapped. Orders that haven't shipped yet on D&H's side won't return tracking.
Get Invoices
The Get Invoices integration enables businesses to retrieve detailed invoice data from D&H for both the U.S. and Canadian markets. This ensures accurate financial tracking, reconciliation, and streamlined billing processes.
- Use the D&H US API Token to connect. If the connection is already established, you can use it as is, or you can modify or set up a new connection as needed.
- No additional configurations are required for this integration in Flxpoint, making the setup quick and straightforward.
- Use the mapping template to align invoice fields from D&H with your system. This ensures that key details like invoice formats, line item costs, and item associations are captured correctly.
- Enable scheduling to automate invoice retrieval. Notifications will keep you updated whenever the process runs, ensuring timely access to invoice data.
- Invoice Formats: Retrieves invoices in a supported format, easy to reconcile.
- Line Item Costs: Captures detailed cost info for each line item.
- Item Association: Associates invoice items with orders.
- Invoice Format: Standardized, supported format for processing.
- Line Item Costs: Detailed breakdown (taxes, freight, handling).
- Item Association: Links invoice items to corresponding orders.
- The D&H US API Token connection is established and selected.
- Invoice fields are mapped in your template.
- A schedule is enabled for automated invoice retrieval.
- Invoices not pulling: Confirm the connection is valid and that invoice fields are mapped. Invoices appear once D&H has generated them for the order.
Troubleshooting
Common issues and solutions for the D&H with Etilize integration. Expand each item to learn more.
What's happening
Most D&H with Etilize products can appear Archived. This is primarily caused by SKU mismatches in the source integration. The inventory feed that drives Archive/Un-Archive (Get Inventory Secondary) matches against the compact, no-dash D&H item number (itemId), and the variant SKU is mapped to D&H Item NO.
- When products are built with a dashed SKU but inventory is fetched against the no-dash item number (itemId), the values never match.
- Items with no inventory match aren't found in the feed, so the Archive/Un-Archive logic archives them.
- A SKU mismatch between the SKU used to build products and the SKU used for the inventory match is the root cause.
How to fix it
- Open your Get Inventory (Secondary) mapping template and verify the SKU field binding. Confirm the inventory match uses the compact no-dash item number (itemId), not a dashed SKU.
- If a dashed SKU is bound, change the binding to the no-dash item number, save, and re-run. Items that previously had no match should be found and un-archived on the next run.
- A backend fix now fetches inventory using the variant SKU instead of the parent SKU, aligning the match with how products are built.
- For SKUs that were duplicated by earlier mismatches, run the product re-builder using UPC to merge the duplicated SKUs in your channel listings.
What's happening
Get Inventory (Secondary) is running but quantities aren't updating, or the logs show invalid item number errors.
- The SKU field binding may not supply the no-dash item number (itemId).
- An item number in the build may not exist in the current source inventory feed.
- Archive/Un-Archive may be enabled on more than one D&H inventory integration.
How to fix it
- Verify and, if needed, correct the SKU field binding so it uses the compact itemId.
- Enable Archive/Un-Archive on only one D&H inventory integration.
- Re-run and review the job log to confirm items are now matched.
What's happening
A fulfillment request fails to submit to D&H with a specific error.
- FR number too long: D&H enforces a strict 20-character limit for FR numbers.
- XML permissions error: "ERROR: This user cannot submit XML requests" means XML permissions are not active in D&H's system.
- Rate limit: "429 TOO MANY REQUESTS: API limit exceeded" indicates jobs are running too frequently.
- Shipping carrier mapping: Carrier name or codes don't match D&H's expected formats.
How to fix it
- Use the Flxpoint-generated internal order number to stay within the 20-character limit; avoid long channel order numbers (e.g., from Amazon).
- For XML permission errors, confirm with D&H support that XML permissions are enabled and that your D&H credentials in Flxpoint are correct, then retry.
- For rate limits, adjust job schedules to run every two hours and respect the cooldown period specified in the error message.
- For carrier errors, add the carrier name in the "Name" field of the mapping template and ensure all carrier codes match D&H's specified formats.
What's happening
Orders show no tracking updates from D&H.
- The order may not have shipped yet on D&H's side.
- Tracking number or SKU fields may not be mapped in the template.
- The D&H US API Token connection may not be valid.
How to fix it
- Confirm the connection is valid and the tracking/SKU fields are mapped.
- Confirm a schedule is enabled so tracking imports as orders ship.
What's happening
Get Invoices runs but no invoice data appears in Flxpoint.
- D&H may not have generated the invoice for the order yet.
- Invoice fields may not be mapped in the template.
- The D&H US API Token connection may not be valid.
How to fix it
- Confirm the connection is valid and invoice fields are mapped.
- Confirm a schedule is enabled for automated invoice retrieval.
Still need help? If you're experiencing issues not covered here, contact our support team.
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