Inventory > Sales > Transactions Inquiries > SPS Commerce Tools
SPS Commerce Tools Overview
SPS Commerce streamlines data collaboration for over 95,000 retail supply chain partners and vendors by leveraging industry-leading technology. With SPS, you can enhance your global supply chain and provide superior service to your clients.
The SapphireOne Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) integration solution, powered by SPS Commerce, automates your business processes according to your specific rules and requirements. This eliminates error-prone and time-consuming manual data entry, streamlining operations and reducing costs.
SapphireOne SPS Tools allow users to manage their SPS Commerce efficiently from within the SapphireOne platform. This integration enables users to seamlessly manage their SPS Commerce data within their SapphireOne data file. Additionally, it offers the capability to manage reports, upload and export invoices, OVI’s, and acknowledgements.
SPS Commerce Tools Provided
SapphireOne offers a comprehensive suite of tools for efficient bulk management of your SPS data, including:
- Order Import: This feature allows SapphireOne users to seamlessly import orders created through the SapphireOne SPS Commerce platform.
- ASN Re-upload: With the Advanced Ship Notice (ASN) re-upload tool, users can easily re-upload an ASN directly into SapphireOne, streamlining the process.
- Acknowledgement Upload: This feature enables users to upload order acknowledgements, allowing suppliers to provide feedback to purchasers regarding their ability to fulfill orders, either in full or partially.
- Invoice Upload: Effortlessly upload SPS invoices directly into SapphireOne using this feature.
- Acknowledgement Export: Users can conveniently export SPS acknowledgements directly from SapphireOne for further processing or analysis.
- Invoice Export: This tool allows users to export SPS Commerce invoices directly from SapphireOne, simplifying the invoicing process.
- ABS Import: This feature facilitates the import of ABS orders and bridges the gap between the SPS Commerce integration, ensuring smooth data flow and communication.
SPS Commerce Tools Operational Procedure
1. Setting Up The Master Default
There are multiple settings under the Utilities > Controls > Master Defaults > API page > EDI & Courier tab > SPS Commerce section.
- FTP Credential: In the early stage of the project, SapphireOne and/or client will receive this information from SPS commence.
- Customisable OVI Import Times: This feature enables the server to connect and synchronise with the SPS OVI via FTP four times daily. Users can tailor the import times according to their business needs, such as accommodating Australian or US working hours, or evenly distributing the import times throughout the day for international clients.
- Test FTP Functionality: SapphireOne users can utilise this feature to receive orders and send back documents through the test folder structures on the SPS FTP. This is particularly useful during the implementation of the SPS Commerce integration with SapphireOne.
- Item Registry: This function allows users to configure inventory matching settings in the item registry file, streamlining the process of managing stock and sales channels. For example, you can set the class to “export” or tag5 to “Amazon.”
- Item Registry Map: With this feature, users can establish custom mapping settings for each integration, ensuring seamless communication and data synchronisation between SapphireOne and the respective integrated platforms. This will require the collaboration of the Sapphire One management, consultant and development team to make the custom programming modifications to your item register map for your particular unique requirements.
2. Setting Up The Client
Each client using SPS, has to be setup matching their requirements. The settings are on the client’s terms page, under the EDI Setting section.
- EDI Link: This unique identifier, provided by SPS, is used to map the client within the system, ensuring accurate data communication and synchronisation.
- Ship ID: Typically, the Ship ID is identical to the EDI Link. However, if there are any differences, SPS will notify users in advance to avoid discrepancies.
- Location Management: Client location codes are typically used to identify different locations for the same client, as each order is recorded in a specific location. There are two approaches to configure this setup:
- Parent-Child System: This method is ideal for scenarios where a master entity handles invoice payments for multiple locations. For instance, if Amazon has six warehouse locations in Australia and your business interacts with four of them, you would need to set up four separate child client entities. These child clients will share the same EDI Link but have distinct location IDs mapped to their physical addresses, ensuring accurate delivery information for each site.
- Multi-Address System: Configure the client’s address by assigning the location ID and ensuring the parent location field is left empty. Utilising this approach, the EDI system will automatically select the appropriate client and corresponding shipping location, streamlining the order management process.
- Mapping: This setting is used for configuring specific mappings. Currently, only AmazonDF has a unique mapping, while other formats are standardised per serial number or based on implementation.
- Order Quantity Options: This setting determines how OVI line quantities are recorded, with three alternatives:a. Default: Follows standard data entry rules, allocating available stock for delivery and leaving no stock on backorder.b. No Backorder: Records only the current stock quantity in the warehouse, without adding items to the backorder. The original order quantity is documented in the line notes section.c. Full Backorder: Places the entire order quantity on backorder, irrespective of the available stock level.
- Order Acknowledgement: Automatically sends an acknowledgement document to the SPS FTP after the OCI has been generated.
- No Invoice: Excludes transactions from this client when using the Upload Invoice to SPS feature.
- No Shipping Notice: Excludes transactions from this client when using the Upload Shipping Notice to SPS feature.
- Include Product Code: Incorporates the Inventory ID set up in SapphireOne as the ConsumerPackageCode in the Shipment Notice Upload.
- Account Number: Found in the More Details page of the client record, this field contains the Client Account information.
3. Receiving The Client Order
This feature is not functional in single-user or uncompiled versions, ensuring that there is no risk of inadvertently activating it in an offline copy.
The server interacts with the SPS FTP server to fetch Order Vendor Invoices (OVIs) four times, in accordance with the Master Default setting’s status. Irrespective of the OVI creation status, the OVI XML file on the FTP is removed after retrieval to ensure data integrity and organisation.
- By default, the OCI is labelled with the tag ‘SPS_Order’. Overwriting this tag is acceptable, as the transaction will still maintain its connection to the SPS record.
- Any subsequent changes to the order details will not be communicated back to the client through SPS. Users must manually contact their clients to inform them of any alterations to the order details.
4. Sending The Back Order Acknowledgement
This depends on the status of the Order Acknowledgement client setting.
- The server automatically sends an order acknowledgement by uploading it to the SPS FTP.
- Clients without the ‘Order Acknowledgement’ feature enabled will not activate this functionality.
5. Sending The Advance Shipment Advice
First the order has to be boxed. There are three different locations to do this.
- Transaction Shipping Screen: This component of the transaction interface enables users to oversee and handle shipping-related data effectively.
- Web Pack Packing Consignment Feature: This functionality allows users to seamlessly generate and administer consignments using the software.
- Manifest Screen: Once a transaction is added to the manifest, this screen offers users a comprehensive view of shipment information, enabling streamlined management and tracking.
Once the box packing process has been completed, each box will have its own SSCC. This is important for the process. Please note the following.
- SSCC Prefix Setup: If the company has its own number, configure the SSCC prefix within the Company > More Details page or screen.
- Third-Party Shipping Services: If using a shipping service like StarTrack, the courier company will provide the SSCC number. In this case, set up the relevant configuration under the Carrier / Sales People inquiry.
- Pre-built Label Formats: For Toll, StarTrack, and Auspost, SapphireOne offers built-in label setups that adhere to their standard requirements.
- Custom Label Setup: For other companies or those using their own trucks for self-consignment, the box label will utilise the Shipping Labels-1 Custom Report setup found in Utilities mode.
- ASN Upload: When the shipment is ready for dispatch, users can access the SapphireOne Manifest Inquiry tools to upload the ASN to the SPS FTP.
6. Generating The Invoice
After finalising all necessary details, users can select all the invoices within the Sales Transaction Inquiry tools to initiate the upload process. This method operates similarly to the email invoice process, enabling batch uploads of all invoices to the SPS FTP at once.
- If the invoice is associated with a client who has the ‘No Invoice’ option selected, it will not be uploaded to the SPS FTP.
- For parent-child client relationships, the parent’s mailing address will be used for both Billing and Remit To addresses. However, if the Remit To address was initially provided on the OVI, it will take precedence over the Client Settings.
Additional Notes
- To validate the initial sample orders, it may be more convenient to avoid setting up the FTP. This is because the system is designed to delete the file after import. Instead, consider using an FTP client like Filezilla to download the file and test it locally with the SPS Import Order feature in Transaction Inquiry.
- Each new client onboarding may require minor adjustments. To differentiate between clients without affecting existing ones, it’s safer to use the serial number.
- Currently, users cannot modify the SPS linkage. Only POs imported from the SPS server or manually imported via SPS tools are compatible with steps 5 and 6.
- The order acknowledgement process is automatic in response to the received client order, and users cannot manipulate it.
- The SPS process does not consider the transaction status and can send ASN and upload invoices from either OCI or SCI.
- Most of the Import/Export processes can be tested using the tools under Sales > Transaction Inquiry or Manifest Inquiry. Verify the results by manually executing an Import/Export.
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