Manifests are a key part of your order flow, bridging the gap between fulfillment and shipping. By consolidating fulfilled orders into a single document, manifests simplify communication with couriers and streamline your shipping process.
How manifests fit into the workflow
The order flow consists of three stages: Orders → Manifests → Shipping. Once orders are fulfilled, they are added to a manifest. This manifest is sent to your courier to notify them that shipments are ready for pickup and dispatch.
Fulfilled orders enter the Manifests page, and depending on their state will be assigned one of the following four statuses:
Status | Description |
Pending | Fulfilled orders have 'Pending' status until they are committed to the manifest. The 'Commit Manifest action is available. |
Committed | Committing a manifest will lock it, print the shipping documents, and make it ready for dispatch. A manifest with a 'Committed' status cannot have new fulfilled orders added to it, although fulfilled orders can be put On-Hold (removed from the manifest) if needed. The 'Dispatch Manifest' action is available. |
Dispatched | Dispatching a manifest will confirm shipments have left with the courier(s), and trigger updates to their shipping statuses, notifying receivers of the progress of their delivery. |
Failed | 'Failed' means there has been a technical error with the courier. This is unlikely, but if it does happen, please contact us immediately. |
What is a Manifest?
A manifest is a collection of fulfilled orders during a specific timeframe, such as a single day. It provides essential shipping details, including:
- Courier information.
- Tracking numbers.
Navigating the Manifests Page
The Manifests Page offers two main views to help you organize and monitor your shipments: List View and Calendar View.
List View
By default, all manifests are displayed chronologically in the List View. This provides a straightforward way to monitor the status of each manifest and track progress.
Calendar View
The Calendar View gives you a dynamic, visual representation of your shipments over time. To enable, click the "Calendar View" button in the top-right corner of the Manifests table.
Key Features:
- Grouping by Couriers: Manifests are grouped by courier on specific dates, helping you analyze courier performance.
- Warehouse Overview: Manifests can be grouped by warehouse, offering insights into warehouse efficiency and shipment trends.
- Focused Date Tracking: Click on specific dates to view detailed manifests and order statuses for that day.
Pro Tip: Use filters in the Calendar View to troubleshoot issues, like pending tracking statuses or delayed shipments, quickly.