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Unified Order Management

The Challenge

Without a hub model, multi-channel selling means: Every marketplace has its own order process. Amazon delivers order data via its SP-API, Otto uses REST endpoints, Kaufland has its own Order APIs, and your own Shopware shop works differently again. The result: different formats, different workflows, different sources of error.

The Solution: One Central Order Import

merchantCENTRAL solves this problem with the ALN MC Order Import – a unified order import service used by all marketplace connectors.

Order Import: All Channels β†’ One Central Import

The Standard Process

Step 1: Connector Fetches Orders

Each marketplace connector calls the respective marketplace API and converts the received order data into a standardized JSON format. This format is identical for all channels.

Step 2: Duplicate Check

The central Order Import checks based on the combination Marketplace Code + External Order Number whether this order has already been imported. This reliably prevents duplicate imports.

Step 3: Create Marketplace Order

The order is stored in the central table ALN MC Marketplace Order – with all relevant data:

Field Description
Marketplace Code The channel the order came from
External Order Number The order number on the marketplace
Reference Number Alternative reference if applicable
Customer Name Name of the buyer
Order Date When the order was placed
Import Timestamp When the order was imported
Status Imported / Error / Completed
Total Amount Gross amount of the order
Shipping Costs Separate shipping cost portion
Currency Order currency
Payment Method How the customer paid
Delivery Address Name, Street, Postal Code, City, Country
Order JSON The complete raw data (Blob)

Step 4: Create BC Sales Order

From the Marketplace Order, a Business Central Sales Order is automatically created:

  1. Customer Assignment: The hub searches for an existing BC customer by email or name. If none is found, a new contact/customer can be created automatically.
  2. Order Header: Customer, delivery address, payment terms, shipping method are set.
  3. Order Lines: The ordered items are created as sales lines.
  4. Link: The BC sales order number is stored in the Marketplace Order.

Step 5: Report Status

After successful import, the status is set to Imported. If an error occurs (e.g., item not found, customer cannot be created), the status is set to Error and the error message is stored.

Advantages of the Unified Import

One Workflow for Everything

Regardless of whether the order comes from Amazon, Otto, Kaufland, or your own shop – in the warehouse and in accounting it always looks the same: as a standard BC sales order.

Unified Error Handling

Errors are displayed centrally in the Marketplace Order List. You don't need to check five different marketplace portals but can see all problems in one place.

Traceability

Every order is stored with its complete raw data (JSON blob). If there are discrepancies, you can always check what the marketplace actually delivered.

Automation via Job Queue

The connectors can be configured via Job Queue to import new orders automatically every 15 minutes – without manual intervention.

Order Lifecycle

Order Lifecycle: From Import to Shipping Confirmation

Tracking Entries

When a sales order is shipped and a tracking number is generated (via the Shipping System), the hub automatically creates a Tracking Entry:

Field Description
Marketplace Order No. Link to the Marketplace Order
Tracking No. The shipment number from the carrier
Tracking URL Link to shipment tracking
Carrier Code DHL, DPD, GLS, UPS, Rhenus
Shipping Date When the shipment was dispatched
Sync Status Whether the shipping confirmation has been sent to the marketplace

The marketplace connectors retrieve these tracking entries and send the shipping confirmation back to the respective marketplace API.