Orders and the Order Life Cycle
Summary
Orders and the Order Life Cycle walks through how an order moves through Flxpoint (from channel import and invoicing, through routing and fulfillment, to shipment sync and profitability analysis) and flags the most common places orders get stuck.
An order is an incoming purchase request from a sales channel that needs to be fulfilled. Each order line item is tied to a product variant, so Flxpoint can fulfill it from any source inventory linked to that variant. From import to profitability analysis, every order moves through the same set of phases.
- Import: Orders pull in from a channel via Get Orders (B2C) or the API (B2B).
- Invoice: A B2C receipt is mirrored, or a B2B invoice is generated with payment capture.
- Route: Orders are assigned to eligible sources as Fulfillment Requests (FR/FOs).
- Process & ship: FR/FOs are sent to sources, then shipments sync back to the channel.
- Analyze profit: A source invoice on each FR/FO lets you compare cost against revenue.
- Importing: Orders are pulled from a channel via Get Orders.
- Invoicing: A receipt is mirrored for B2C, or an invoice is generated and payment captured for B2B.
- Routing: FR/FOs are generated (auto or manual) for the eligible source based on routing priorities.
- Processing: FR/FOs are submitted to the source, optionally returning an acknowledgment.
- Shipments: Shipments are imported from the source and synced back to the sales channel.
- Analyzing profitability: A source invoice on each FR/FO enables cost-versus-revenue analysis.
| Term | What it is |
|---|---|
| Order | What comes in from your sales channel (your revenue). |
| FR / FO | A fulfillment request / fulfillment order sent out to a source to fulfill the order. |
| Source invoice | The cost the source charges for that FR/FO (your expense). |
| Product variant | The link between an order line item and matching source inventory. |
Orders are received, POs and FRs are sent
Variant links drive automatic fulfillment
Routing priorities are set once, centrally
Profitability needs a source invoice
Order stuck on Acknowledged / Awaiting Shipment and never sent to the supplier
If an order has a shipping policy assigned, shipping mapping configured, and Auto Process Fulfillment Requests enabled but the FR/FO never advances to the source, the FR/FO is usually still unprocessed or blocked by routing. Confirm the source is enabled in the routing group and that the FR/FO is in a processing state rather than a draft. There is no separate manual Send to Supplier button; processing the FR/FO is what transmits it.
Order showed On Hold but was already processed, so tracking had to be entered manually
This happens when a hold is placed after the FR/FO has already moved forward, or when two channels share a source and submit at the same moment. Review the Order Timeline to confirm the sequence of events before re-processing, so a duplicate is not sent to the source.
What is the difference between an order and a PO/FR?
An order is the purchase request received from your sales channel. A PO/FR is the fulfillment request Flxpoint sends to a source to fulfill that order.
Why do B2C and B2B orders invoice differently?
B2C orders usually import as already paid, so Flxpoint mirrors the channel receipt. B2B/reseller orders are invoiced in Flxpoint using invoicing workflows, and payment is captured after authorization.
Do I have to add a source invoice?
Only if you want accurate profitability. The order still fulfills without one, but the Profitability Report cannot show cost-versus-revenue until a source invoice exists for each FR/FO.