Configuring and Managing Channels
June 26, 2026
Summary
Configuring and Managing Channels
Add & configure a channel
What a channel does in Flxpoint
Publishing
Creates product listings on your storefront or marketplace
Syncing
Updates price and quantity to keep listings accurate
Get orders
Imports sales orders into Flxpoint for routing and fulfillment
Sync orders
Pushes tracking numbers back to the channel after fulfillment
Import Listings
Pulls existing listings from the channel into Flxpoint as a one-time snapshot
Source vs Channel - the key distinction
| Concept | What it is | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Where inventory comes from - suppliers, warehouses, and file feeds that provide product data and fulfill orders | RSR Group, internal warehouse, CSV feed |
| Channel | Where inventory goes to be sold - storefronts and marketplaces where products are listed and orders are placed | Shopify, Amazon, Walmart, BigCommerce |
Before you connect - what to have ready
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Channel credentials | Admin-level login to the platform. API keys or tokens if required by the integration. Confirm permission scopes include both product and order access. Use a dedicated integration account - not a personal one. |
| Catalog readiness | Products imported or created in Flxpoint with titles, SKUs, price, and images sufficient for the channel's listing requirements. Variant SKUs must be consistent - a single capitalisation difference between Flxpoint and the channel blocks order import. Some channels - like Gunbroker and Walmart - also require categories to be mapped; without them, publishing can fail with an error such as category not configured. |
| Fulfillment readiness | Confirm whether orders will route to a source or be fulfilled from owned inventory. Confirm whether tracking will sync back to the channel via Sync Orders. |
| Channel name | Use format: [Platform] – [Brand/Store] – [Region/Env], e.g. Shopify – GearHead – US Production. Prefix test channels with TEST_ to prevent accidental live data pushes - remove only when validated. |
Important - read before configuring
Broken credentials stop all integrations
If the account linked to the channel API credentials resets their password, loses admin access, or is removed from the platform, Get Orders, Sync Orders, and Sync Listings all fail. In most cases the job log surfaces the authentication error; if there's no error or it's not understandable, contact Flxpoint Support to investigate further. Always use a dedicated integration account, not a personal one.
API tokens expire and require re-authentication
Platforms like Shopify and eBay periodically expire or revoke API tokens. After expiry, all jobs will fail, including Publish Listings, Import Listings, Sync Listings, and Get Orders. The job log usually shows the authentication error, though there may be no separate alert - monitor integration logs regularly and check the Integrations tab on your channel when syncing suddenly stops.
Publish Listings overwrites existing channel content
Running Publish Listings on an already-linked listing overwrites what's on the channel - including edits made directly on the storefront since the last publish. Decide which system is your content source of truth before enabling Publish. Set default status to Paused on first publish to review before going live.
SKU mismatch does not block order import
If the SKU on an order line item is empty, it won't import - and if the Flxpoint Get Orders settings/status don't match the channel's order status, it won't import either. But a SKU mismatch alone does not block import: the order still imports, with the unmatched line item brought in as not managed rather than linked to a Flxpoint product. If the SKU is linked, it imports as a managed line item.
Channel integrations - full reference
| Integration | What it does | When needed |
|---|---|---|
| Import Listings | Pulls active listings from the channel into Flxpoint, creating Channel Listing and Product Catalog records. Quantity and pricing are captured as a one-time snapshot - not kept live. Does not import archived or inactive products. | Step 1 for Right-to-Left setup (existing channel catalog). |
| Publish Listings | Pushes full product content (title, description, images, price, quantity, status) to the channel. Creates new listings if unlinked. Overwrites existing content if linked. Use for new products and content updates. | Step 1 for Left-to-Right setup or pushing new content. |
| Sync Listings | Pushes price, quantity, and status only - no product content. Also handles queued Delist, Hide, and Unhide actions. Run frequently to keep channels current. | Required for ongoing inventory accuracy. |
| Get Orders | Retrieves new, unfulfilled orders from the channel into Flxpoint for routing and fulfillment. Enable only after validating product/SKU setup - if a line item's SKU doesn't match (or isn't linked), it still imports but is brought in as not managed, requiring manual intervention to link and route it. | Required for any order automation. |
| Sync Orders | Pushes shipment tracking numbers back to the channel so customers are notified. Some integrations also support syncing an order acknowledgement on import. | Required when routing orders to sources. |
| Send Accounting Orders | Sends channel order data to QuickBooks Online for accounting reconciliation. | Optional |
| Custom Export Operation | Generates a live HTTP download link of all channel listings as CSV or TSV - used to pass listing data to third-party repricing tools (e.g. Informed.co for Amazon). Pro users only. | Optional - Pro only |
Publish Listings vs Sync Listings - when to use each
| Operation | What it updates | Use when |
|---|---|---|
| Publish Listings | Everything - product content, images, price, quantity, status. Creates listings if unlinked. | Launching new products, pushing content changes (title, description, image updates), or initial channel setup. Run less frequently - it's heavier. |
| Sync Listings | Price, quantity, and status only - never product content. | Ongoing inventory and pricing accuracy. Run on a high-frequency schedule (hourly or more). Running Sync alone means content edits never reach the storefront. |
Phased rollout - validate before going fully live
Attempting to sync a large catalog on day one is the most common onboarding mistake. A phased approach surfaces configuration issues while the impact is still small.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 - Publish a small subset | Publish or link 10–50 products. Choose a representative mix - different product types, price ranges, and variant structures - not just your easiest SKUs. |
| 2 - Verify on the storefront | Check images, variant display (size/colour options), pricing, and listing state. If a listing publishes but isn't visible, check the channel's Draft or Hidden section - most channels default new listings to a non-public state. |
| 3 - Run a test order end-to-end | Place a manual order on the storefront. Confirm it imports into Flxpoint, routes to the correct source, generates a fulfillment request, and that tracking pushes back via Sync Orders. |
| 4 - Set quantity buffers | Before syncing your full catalog, configure quantity rules to buffer displayed stock (e.g. show 0 when actual stock falls below 5). This protects against oversells during the transition period. Inventory/Quantity Buffer can be applied at (Channel-level). Configure in Channel → Listings | Pricing / Quantity Workflow → Reduces the quantity synced to the sales channel by a fixed amount or percentage (Example: 10 units in stock → buffer of 2 → channel shows 8). |
| 5 - Expand to full catalog | Once the test set is validated, publish the remaining catalog and enable scheduled integrations at the frequency appropriate for your inventory velocity. |
Common issues
Listing published in Flxpoint but not visible on the storefront
Most channels default newly created listings to a Draft or Hidden state. Check the channel's draft/inactive section first - if the listing is there, it published correctly and needs to be activated on the storefront side. If it doesn't appear at all, check the Publish Listings job log for per-listing errors (common cause: missing required attributes like GTIN or Brand that the channel enforces).
Orders arriving On Hold and not routing to a source
On Hold is the most common order issue in support tickets and has several causes. Check the order's status message for the specific reason - it appears on the order detail page. Common causes: (1) No matching shipping policy - the shipping method on the channel order doesn't map to a Flxpoint shipping policy. Add the mapping in the channel's Shipping Mappings settings. (2) Order routing rules - an Order Import Workflow rule is intentionally holding the order for review. (3) No eligible source - no source has the item in stock and in the routing configuration.
Orders not importing from the channel
Three most common causes:
(1) Empty SKU - the incoming order line item has no SKU value at all. A SKU mismatch alone does not block import (it's brought in as not managed), but an empty SKU does. Open the order on the channel to confirm every line item has a SKU populated.
(2) Authentication failure - the API token or credentials have expired. Go to Channels → [Channel] → Integrations → Get Orders and check the integration status and recent log for auth errors.
(3) Order Import Status - Validate the Order Import Status configured in Flxpoint matches what is set on the store/channel side.
Mismatch between the financial or fulfillment status configured in Flxpoint's Get Orders integration and the actual order statuses used by the channel will result in orders not being imported.
(1) Empty SKU - the incoming order line item has no SKU value at all. A SKU mismatch alone does not block import (it's brought in as not managed), but an empty SKU does. Open the order on the channel to confirm every line item has a SKU populated.
(2) Authentication failure - the API token or credentials have expired. Go to Channels → [Channel] → Integrations → Get Orders and check the integration status and recent log for auth errors.
(3) Order Import Status - Validate the Order Import Status configured in Flxpoint matches what is set on the store/channel side.
Mismatch between the financial or fulfillment status configured in Flxpoint's Get Orders integration and the actual order statuses used by the channel will result in orders not being imported.
Sync Listings stopped updating price or quantity on the channel
Check in this order: (1) Is the listing linked to a Flxpoint product? Unlinked listings are skipped entirely. (2) Is the underlying source inventory syncing? A failed source import means Flxpoint has stale data to push. (3) Has the API token expired? Check the channel's Integrations tab and last Sync Listings log. (4) Is a quantity buffer rule zeroing out the displayed quantity? Check channel Pricing & Quantity rules. Note: if quantity shows as synced in Flxpoint but is wrong on the channel, the Location ID may be targeting the wrong warehouse.
Tracking not syncing back to the channel after fulfillment
Sync Orders pushes tracking on its next scheduled run - not in real time. First confirm the shipment exists in Flxpoint (check the order's Fulfillment Requests section). If the shipment is there but tracking hasn't synced after a Sync Orders run, open the Sync Orders job log - it will show whether the push was attempted and what error occurred. Common causes: channel API rejected the tracking format, the order is in a status the channel won't accept updates for, or Tracking Number is not mapped in the Sync Orders template.
Listing has a publish error - missing required field
Each channel enforces different required attributes. Amazon requires GTIN/UPC and a valid brand. Walmart requires item spec categories and specific attribute sets. Check the Publish Listings logs, or on the listing page, for the error - it will specify exactly which field is missing or invalid. Add the required value to the product in Flxpoint's Product Catalog, then re-publish the listing.
The order shows No Shipping Policy configured because the channel shipping text is not assigned
Channel Shipping Mappings allow orders imported from a sales channel to be mapped to a centralized shipping policy.
Once a Channel Shipping Mapping is configured, the process works as follows:
- An order is imported with the shipping method "4-7 business days"
- "4-7 business days" is recognized through a Channel Shipping Mapping
- Based on this mapping, the order is associated with the "Standard" shipping policy
- During order routing, any source shipping methods mapped to the "Standard" shipping policy are considered eligible and can be selected for fulfillment.
Once a Channel Shipping Mapping is configured, the process works as follows:
- An order is imported with the shipping method "4-7 business days"
- "4-7 business days" is recognized through a Channel Shipping Mapping
- Based on this mapping, the order is associated with the "Standard" shipping policy
- During order routing, any source shipping methods mapped to the "Standard" shipping policy are considered eligible and can be selected for fulfillment.
FAQs
Should I use Publish Listings or Sync Listings to keep my channel updated?
Both - they serve different purposes. Sync Listings runs frequently (hourly or more) to keep price and quantity current. Publish Listings runs less often and pushes content changes - use it when you've updated titles, descriptions, or images. Running only Sync Listings means content edits never reach the storefront. Running only Publish is too slow to keep stock accurate.
Do I need to configure both Get Orders and Sync Orders?
Yes - they're separate operations that work together. Get Orders pulls new orders from the channel into Flxpoint. Sync Orders pushes tracking back to the channel after fulfillment. If you configure Get Orders but not Sync Orders, orders route and fulfill in Flxpoint but customers and the channel never receive tracking updates.
Can I connect the same platform twice (e.g. two separate Shopify stores)?
Yes - each store is its own channel in Flxpoint with its own credentials, integration settings, listing rules, and order import. Connect each separately. Use clear naming to distinguish them, e.g.
Shopify – Brand A – US and Shopify – Brand B – EU.What's the right quantity buffer for my channel?
It depends on inventory velocity and sync frequency. Fast-moving SKUs on high-volume channels need a larger buffer to account for the gap between a sale and the next sync run. A common starting point: show 0 on the channel when actual stock falls below 3–5 units. Monitor for oversells in the first two weeks and adjust upward if needed. For large-quantity SKUs, a percentage buffer (e.g. show 90% of actual stock) works better than a fixed number.