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.
If your available inventory levels do not change and you are required to send an inventory file frequently, Inventory Service Scheduled Send may work for you. Learn more in the Inventory Service Scheduled Send article.
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
Tips for completing the Spreadsheet
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:
A non-bolded column that is conditionally required based on information entered in a different column.
If the information in the note appears cut off, right click the header cell and select Show/Hide Notes. From here you can adjust the size of the note.
Inventory Reference #
The Inventory Reference # column must be unique for each Inventory File sent. While you can enter your own Inventory Reference # when creating and sending each document, using a formula to auto generate it can save you time in the future.
To calculate a unique value every time, enter “{{ auto_generate_reference }}" for every line on your spreadsheet. This will generate a unique number each time you send your Inventory report in the date/time format of YYYMMDDHHMMSS
Auto Generate Date Fields
There could be a variety of date fields required on your spreadsheet upload depending on the requirements of your Trading Partner.
While you can manually enter the required dates each time you upload an Inventory Service spreadsheet, there are formula calculations you can use to auto generate those date fields based on the day the file is sent.
Examples if the file is sent on 01/03/2024
Date Format | Cell Formula Example | Example Output |
Today | {{ today }} | 20240103 |
Today + X Days | {{ today|days(+2) }} | 20240105 |
Today - X Days | {{ today|days(-2) }} | 20240101 |
By default, the date used will be based on GMT/UTC time.
Optional Time zone modifier can be added to the end of any date formula. So if you are east of GMT/UTC and send your files in the morning, you may need to add a modifier to ensure the date generated is based on your date as opposed to the GMT/UTC date.
Example if the file is sent at 7am on 01/03/2024 from Tokyo Japan (GMT +9)
Date Format | Cell Formula Example | Example Output |
Today | {{ today }} | 20240102 |
Today + Time Zone Modifier | {{ today|gmt(+9) }} | 20240103 |
Today + X Days | {{ today|days(+2) }} | 20240104 |
Today + X Days + Timezone Modifier | {{ today|days(+2)|gmt(+9) }} | 20240105 |
Example Spreadsheet
This example spreadsheet would auto generate the Inventory Reference # and Inventory Date field with today's date as of UTC Time Zone.
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-J are the only defined columns, do not enter information into column L.
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!