In this article, we'll walk through how to set up and use Inventory Service in Fulfillment.
What is Inventory Service?
Inventory Service is a simple way to send Inventory Advice files (846, INVRPT) through an easy spreadsheet upload process.
Why use Inventory Service?
Some Trading Partners require regular inventory uploads, sometimes several times a day. This can be a time-consuming process.
With Inventory Service, you can complete a one-time setup of your items in a Trading Partner specific spreadsheet template. When you are ready to send inventory quantities, simply complete the quantity column in the spreadsheet(s), upload the file(s), and Fulfillment will generate and send compliant inventory files to your Trading Partners.
One Time Item Setup
Download Trading Partner Template
Go to the Transactions tab.
Click the . . . button next to Create New
Select Document Upload.
If you do not see this option but are required to send Inventory files to your Trading Partner, reach out to your Implementation Consultant or the SPS support team to assist.
Once you select Document Upload, a popup will appear.
Select the Inventory Template of the Trading Partner you are working with
Click Download
Enter Item Details
Complete the required fields for each item you are selling to your Trading Partner.
Tips
Required columns may differ based on Trading Partner. Follow the bolded columns on your Trading Partner specific downloaded spreadsheet.
Hover over a column to see more information on what is expected for your Trading Partner, such as:
One Trading Partner may require an Inventory Reference # that is six digits long, instead of the more widely used eight digits.
A non-bolded column that is conditionally required based on information entered in a different column.
If the information appears cut off, right click the cell and select Show/Hide Notes. From here you can adjust the size of the note.
Enter the date you are submitting the inventory file (in YYYYMMDD format) in the Inventory Reference # column.
Be sure to change this field to the correct date if you are updating an existing spreadsheet.
Reasons an Upload may Fail
Duplicating item Identifiers - such as UPC, VPN, or SKU.
Adding or removing columns from the spreadsheet.
Entering information in a cell outside of a listed column
Example - If column A-C are required, do not enter information into column F.
Incorrect file format or size
Must be saved as .xls or .xlsx
File name must be less than 200 characters
File size must be under 25 MB
Uploading Spreadsheet
Once your spreadsheet is complete, save the file in an easy to access location for future updates. When you are ready to submit inventory quantity to your Trading Partner:
Go to the Transactions tab.
Click the . . . button next to Create New
Select Document Upload
Insert your file(s) by either dragging and dropping or browsing your computer.
Once the file(s) have been added, a quick validation will confirm file type, size, and naming.
If the file passes validation, you will see "Ready for Upload"
Any errors will be listed here. Click the X to delete the errored document, make listed changes, and re-upload.
Select the Trading Partner as needed for each document uploaded.
Once a Trading Partner has been selected and validations have passed, the file will have a green check mark indicating it is ready for upload.
Once your file(s) have their Trading Partner selected, click Upload & Send.
Track Upload Progress
Click the task queue in the upper right corner of your screen to see the status of uploaded documents.
If the document failed to upload, click See Details under that document to learn about the location and cause of the errors.
Find Uploaded Inventory Documents
To view successfully sent Inventory documents, search for your document on the Transactions tab and click its Document ID.
The document may take 5-7 minutes to appear in the Transactions tab after showing as sent in the Task Queue.
The Inventory document will display in a readable format. The green check mark indicates that the document was successfully received by your Trading Partner's system and no further action is needed.
More Information
Check out our Fulfillment Collection to see all Fulfillment articles.
Need to contact Customer Support? Try Messenger!