Troubleshooting
The fastest way to the cause is always the sourcing log: every run — including every stopped one — is there with its result and reason, and the vendor comparison names the reason for every vendor that lost.
Symptoms and solutions
| Symptom | Likely cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing happens at all | Trading disabled, no license, or level Off | Open the setup: check Enabled, the License fact box and the Automation Level. In a sandbox Trading runs without a license |
| Runs are not created automatically | No trigger switched on | Switch on Source on Sales Order Release or Source on Marketplace Order Import; also create a job queue entry for ALN MCTR Job Queue |
| Result No Vendor Found, 0 vendors evaluated | No offers, or distributor not mapped to a vendor | Check the hub page Supplier Data; add the mapping on the Supplier Card |
| Result No Vendor Found, but vendors evaluated | No vendor covers every line | Open the vendor comparison: Items Required / Items Available shows the gap. Consider the Line Split strategy |
| Every run ends with Offer Too Old | Age limit below the supplier's import interval | Set Max. Offer Age (Hours) above the longest interval between two imports |
| Every run ends with Margin Too Low | Minimum margin above the actual calculation, or conditions missing | Check the vendor comparison: is the Landed Cost plausible? Missing freight makes offers too cheap, excessive freight too expensive |
| Purchase orders are created but never go out | Emergency stop, automation level, or connector | Check Transmission Blocked; the level has to be at least Transmit with Approval; check the connector capabilities |
| Run says Transmitted, supplier knows nothing | Portal cart instead of API | Carts to Confirm cue — the order is in the portal waiting for confirmation |
| Release fails with Price Deviation | Price moved since the decision | Both prices are on the run. Either decide by hand or adjust Max. Price Deviation % |
| Release fails, purchase order cannot be created | Sales lines already tied to a purchase order | Check the sales order — drop-shipment orders bind the line; a second link is not possible |
| All invoices deviate by the same percentage | Connector reports gross instead of net | The reported amount has to be net. Check the connector integration |
| Approval worklist fills up | A gate is too tight | Approval worklist — table of the typical cases |
Frequently asked questions
Does Trading still order when I switch it off? No. Enabled off means every trigger and batch entry point exits immediately. Purchase orders already created are untouched.
What is the difference between "Off" and the emergency stop? The automation level Off prevents anything happening on its own — a manually started run still decides. Transmission Blocked prevents only the sending: purchase orders keep being created and wait until the block is lifted.
What happens on a supplier data error (cost 900 instead of 90)? The minimum margin rejects it, the run ends with Margin Too Low and counts on the Blocked Today cue. If several orders are affected, the daily limit per vendor catches the rest.
Does Trading need the Price Engine? No. Both work on the same supplier data but do not require each other. The only shared piece is the Supplier Cost Setup — freight, insurance and discount per vendor.
Does Trading work without drop shipment? The purchase order is created as a drop shipment and linked to the sales order; posting the receipt ships to the customer. Trading is not intended for stocked goods.
Can I source a single order by hand? Yes — the Find Source of Supply action on the sales order. It follows the configured automation level. Simulate Sourcing decides and logs without ordering anything, whatever the level says.
Why was a more expensive vendor chosen? The comparison is on landed cost, not on goods value. A vendor with cheaper goods and more expensive freight loses for good reason. The vendor comparison shows both figures side by side.
Support
ALTENBRAND Datentechnik GmbH — support@altenbrand.de — www.merchantcentral.de