In this article, we will walk through how to set up and use Basic Auto Sourcing.
What is Auto Sourcing?
Auto Sourcing lets you automatically source in predefined values of repeatable information.
Why would I use Auto Sourcing?
When completing documents, you often type in the same information such as your company name, address, or vendor number multiple times, in multiple places. Reduce data entry and errors by automatically sourcing that information within forms.
How do I set up and use Auto Sourcing?
Auto Sourcing will be the default page when clicking on the Preferences tab.
Every available document for every trading partner you’re connected to will appear in the Document Type list. Scroll through this list to find the document you want to set up auto sourcing values for or refine the list by typing in the search bar.
Document Type – The name of the document and clickable link to open the Auto Sourcing details of that document.
Note: There could be more than one document listed for a type and trading partner if there are more than one version of the form you could use. For example, there could be both an Invoice and Invoice from ASN option. In this case, Invoice would be a form that sources data from the default source document: the Order. Invoice from ASN would be an additional Invoice form where instead of sourcing from the Order, data for the Invoice will source from a previously sent Advance Ship Notice.
Partner – The trading partner the document is for.
Auto Send – Toggle this on to turn on Auto Send. This is only available for Order Acknowledgements and Invoices. Learn more here.
Auto Sourcing Process – All forms have fields that are recommended to Auto Source if you’re able. Your progress in completing these recommended fields will be tracked here. Once you have completed all recommended Auto Sourcing fields and filled the Auto Sourcing Progress bar, you can use Create and Send and Auto Send features.
Activated? – Toggle this on to activate this form’s Auto Sourcing. Auto Sourcing must be activated before you create the new document for the Auto Sourced values to be included.
Basics
In the Auto Sourcing Basics tab, all fields available in Full Form Entry will appear.
 | Some sections of information may be collapsed. You can expand or collapse sections with the + and – buttons. |
| A star to the left of the field name indicates a field that must be completed before the document can successfully be sent. |
| The purple icons indicate fields that are recommended to be Auto Sourced if they will be the same each time you create and send this document. If all fields marked with a purple icon can be Sourced, the Create and Send and Auto Send features may be used. Click the links to learn more about them. |
| “Network Sourcing” below a field indicates that data for that field is likely to be included in the source document, most often an Order, and will be automatically filled in from that source data without your input here. |
Advanced Preferences
The gear icon to the right of a field name will open Advanced Preferences. There are three Advanced Preference options depending on the selected field. Advanced Preferences that have already been added will be listed below the field.
Viewing Preferences
This option is available on all field types and will change the Quick Entry behavior of this field. By default, Quick Entry will only display required fields that still need information to be input. Changing this dropdown to Display in Quick Entry will force this field to always display in Quick Entry even if it already has data or is not required.
When creating a document in Quick Entry, an eye icon will indicate you have set up Viewing Preferences for that field.
Add Doc ID Generator
This option will display for fields that may need a unique value for each document created such as an Invoice number. Doc ID Generators can automatically create these values after a one-time setup. Learn how to create Doc ID Generators here.
Advanced Date Options
This option will only display for date fields. It allows you to set default date parameters based off the date the document is created, which is called Today.
Example: You could use this to create an Invoice Due Date 30 days in the future if you have Net30 terms.
Today: The date the document is created will be used for this field.
Today + Days: The date the document is created plus the number days indicated in the field below will be used for this field.
Today – Days: The date the document is created minus the number of days indicated in the field below will be used for this field.
Once you have entered all values you wish to default, click Save at the top right of the Auto Sourcing page and then click the Toggle button to to blue to activate the defaults.
Tip: How do I know what I should Auto Source?
You can use Full Form Entry and Check for Errors to quickly determine what required fields need to be completed for your document to be valid:
Create that document in Full Form Entry
Click “Check for Errors”
Note the fields that highlight in red
This indicates required fields with missing information
If there are no fields that highlight in red, then you've already completed all sourcing required for Fulfillment to create a valid document on your behalf. Create and Send and Auto Send will work for these documents.
More Information
Basic Auto Sourcing is static and cannot be flexible, eg. storing multiple Charges. For more dynamic Auto Sourcing, check out our Auto Sourcing Rules article.
Learn how to use Create and Send once all required fields can be sourced in to your form.
Learn how to use Auto Send to automate Order Acknowledgements and Dropship Invoices.
Learn how to setup Doc ID Generators.
Check out our Fulfillment Collection to see all Fulfillment articles.
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