Trigger Order Webhooks, Sync with Google Sheets & Send Alerts via Slack

# OrderFlow: Intelligent E-Commerce Order Management ## Overview OrderFlow is a production-grade order management automation skill that transforms how online businesses handle fulfillment. Unlike basic trigger-based automation, OrderFlow orchestrates complex order workflows across multiple channels, warehouses, and fulfillment partners in real time. **Why OrderFlow matters:** - **Multi-channel unification** — Consolidate orders from Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and custom APIs into a single intelligent routing system - **Smart inventory orchestration** — Automatically route orders to optimal fulfillment locations based on stock levels, shipping zones, and carrier rates - **Workflow customization** — Define complex rules: "If order > $500 AND customer = VIP AND item in warehouse_A, then use expedited shipping and add gift wrap" - **Real-time visibility** — Integrate with Slack, email, and dashboards to notify teams of order status, bottlenecks, and exceptions - **Seamless integrations** — Works with Shopify, WooCommerce, 3PL APIs (ShipBob, Flexport), shipping carriers (FedEx, UPS, USPS), and inventory systems **Key integrations:** Shopify, WooCommerce, Slack, Google Sheets, Twilio SMS, SendGrid, Zapier. --- ## Quick Start Try these example prompts immediately: ### Example 1: Route High-Value Orders to Priority Warehouse ``` Route all orders over $500 to warehouse_east if inventory available, otherwise warehouse_central. Notify #orders-team in Slack when a VIP customer order is processed. Log the routing decision to Google Sheets. ``` ### Example 2: Auto-Fulfill Based on Inventory Levels ``` Create a workflow: if product_id=SKU123 has stock > 100 in warehouse_west, ship from west (2-day delivery). If stock < 100, ship from warehouse_central (5-day delivery). Notify customer via email based on selected warehouse. ``` ### Example 3: Smart Inventory Sync & Low-Stock Alerts ``` Sync real-time inventory across Shopify, WooCommerce, and internal database every 15 minutes. If any product drops below 20 units, send SMS alert to inventory manager and create a PO draft in Google Sheets. ``` ### Example 4: Complex Multi-Condition Fulfillment Logic ``` IF order source = Shopify AND order value > $1000 AND customer location = California AND warehouse_la stock > 0 THEN route to warehouse_la, include gift receipt, send priority label via email. Otherwise route to default warehouse and auto-generate shipping label via ShipStation. ``` --- ## Capabilities ### 1. **Intelligent Order Routing** - Evaluate orders against 50+ custom conditions (customer tier, order value, destination, product type, inventory levels) - Automatically route to optimal fulfillment location based on: - Stock availability across multiple warehouses - Shipping cost optimization - Delivery time zone requirements - Customer VIP status and preferences - **Example:** "Route all California orders under $200 to warehouse_la. Route all international orders to warehouse_central (has international contracts). Route B2B orders to warehouse_b2b." ### 2. **Real-Time Inventory Management** - Sync inventory from multiple sources (Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, custom REST APIs) every 5-30 minutes - Automatic stock level reconciliation across channels to prevent overselling - Set minimum stock thresholds and trigger automated reorder workflows - Track inventory by warehouse, SKU, and variant level - **Example:** Configure thresholds—when product hits 15 units, auto-email supplier; when hits 5, escalate to manager. ### 3. **Fulfillment Automation** - Auto-generate shipping labels for USPS, FedEx, UPS, DHL, and regional carriers - Select carrier based on weight, destination, delivery speed, and cost optimization - Batch process orders and send labels directly to fulfillment team or printer - Integration with ShipStation, Shippo, and direct carrier APIs - Support for multiple fulfillment scenarios: drop-ship, 3PL, in-house, hybrid ### 4. **Customizable Workflow Engine** - Build if/then/else workflows with visual rule builder or code - Chain multiple actions: route → label → notify → log → sync - Set up approval workflows for high-value or exception orders - Schedule recurring workflows (daily inventory sync, weekly reporting) - **Example:** "IF inventory < threshold AND supplier response time > 48 hours THEN escalate to secondary supplier" ### 5. **Exception & Alert Management** - Auto-detect fulfillment exceptions: insufficient stock, invalid address, payment issues - Route exceptions to appropriate teams via Slack, email, SMS, or dashboard - Create escalation rules: unresolved orders trigger manager alert after 4 hours - Provide detailed exception reports with recommended actions ### 6. **Real-Time Notifications** - Slack integration with rich message cards showing order status, routing decisions, and inventory alerts - Email notifications with order summaries, shipping confirmation, tracking links - SMS alerts for urgent issues (stockouts, delivery failures) - Webhook integration to push updates to custom dashboards ### 7. **Reporting & Analytics** - Dashboard showing order fulfillment KPIs: avg fulfillment time, warehouse utilization, carrier performance - Export reports to Google Sheets, CSV, or Power BI - Track which routing rules are most effective and expensive - Identify fulfillment bottlenecks and optimization opportunities --- ## Configuration ### Environment Variables (Required) ```bash # E-commerce Platform SHOPIFY_API_KEY=your_key_here SHOPIFY_API_PASSWORD=your_password_here SHOPIFY_STORE_URL=yourstore.myshopify.com # Inventory & Warehouse WAREHOUSE_API_TOKEN=your_token_here WAREHOUSE_API_URL=https://warehouse.example.com/api # Notifications SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL=https://hooks.slack.com/services/YOUR/WEBHOOK/URL SENDGRID_API_KEY=your_sendgrid_key_here TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID=your_twilio_sid TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN=your_twilio_token # Shipping & Fulfillment SHIPSTATION_API_KEY=your_key SHIPPO_API_TOKEN=your_token ``` ### Workflow Configuration (JSON) Create an `orderflow-config.json` file in your OrderFlow directory: ```json { "routing_rules": [ { "id": "rule_vip_priority", "name": "Route VIP orders to priority warehouse", "conditions": { "customer_tier": "VIP", "order_value": { "gte": 500 } }, "actions": { "warehouse": "warehouse_priority", "shipping_speed": "expedited", "notification": "slack_channel:vip_orders" } }, { "id": "rule_inventory_fallback", "name": "Fallback routing on stock shortage", "conditions": { "primary_warehouse_stock": { "lt": 1 }, "product_category": "electronics" }, "actions": { "warehouse": "warehouse_fallback", "notify_inventory_team": true, "log_exception": true } } ], "inventory_sync": { "enabled": true, "interval_minutes": 15, "sources": ["shopify", "woocommerce", "custom_api"], "low_stock_threshold": 20, "critical_stock_threshold": 5 }, "fulfillment": { "default_carrier": "usps", "carrier_selection": "cost_optimized", "auto_generate_labels": true, "batch_processing": true, "batch_size": 50 }, "notifications": { "slack_enabled": true, "email_enabled": true, "sms_enabled": true, "sms_recipients": ["+1-555-0100"] } } ``` ### Setup Instructions 1. **Install OrderFlow CLI:** ```bash npm install -g orderflow-cli orderflow init ``` 2. **Authenticate integrations:** ```bash orderflow auth shopify --api-key YOUR_KEY --api-password YOUR_PASSWORD orderflow auth warehouse --token YOUR_TOKEN orderflow auth slack --webhook YOUR_WEBHOOK_URL ``` 3. **Deploy configuration:** ```bash orderflow config:deploy orderflow-config.json orderflow workflows:activate ``` 4. **Test end-to-end:** ```bash orderflow test --order-id test_12345 ``` --- ## Example Outputs ### Order Routing Decision (Slack Notification) ``` 📦 Order Routed Successfully Order ID: #ORD-2024-087654 Customer: Acme Corp (VIP) Total: $2,450.00 Items: 12x Widget Pro, 4x ServicePack 🎯 Routing Decision: ├─ Primary Warehouse: warehouse_east ├─ Reason: VIP priority + lowest shipping cost ($45 vs $89) ├─ Stock Check: ✓ In stock (47 units available) ├─ Estimated Delivery: Jan 18-20, 2024 └─ Shipping Label: Generated & queued to printer 💬 Actions Taken: ✓ Label generated (FedEx 2-Day) ✓ Inventory reserved (12x SKU123, 4x SKU456) ✓ Customer notified via email ✓ Fulfillment team alerted in #fulfillment Confidence: 98% | Route Score: 9.2/10 ``` ### Inventory Sync Report (Google Sheets) | Product | SKU | Warehouse A | Warehouse B | Total | Status | Last Sync | |---------|-----|------------|------------|-------|--------|-----------| | Widget Pro | SKU123 | 47 | 12 | 59 | ✓ Good | 2024-01-16 10:15 AM | | ServicePack | SKU456 | 3 | 28 | 31 | ⚠️ Low | 2024-01-16 10:15 AM | | Premium Bundle | SKU789 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 🔴 Critical | 2024-01-16 10:15 AM | ### Fulfillment Exception Alert (Email) ``` Subject: ⚠️ Fulfillment Exception: Order #ORD-2024-087654 High-Priority Issue Detected Order #ORD-2024-087654 (Acme Corp, $2,450) Status: EXCEPTION - Inventory Mismatch Time Detected: Jan 16, 2024, 10:30 AM Problem: • Ordered quantity: 12x Widget Pro • Available in warehouse_east: 11 units (changed since routing) • Status: PARTIALLY FULFILLABLE Recommended Actions: 1. Source 1 unit from warehouse_central (in stock, +$12 shipping) 2. Split shipment: 11 from warehouse_east, 1 from warehouse_central 3. Contact customer & offer 10% discount for split delivery 4. Escalate to Ops Manager if not resolved in 2 hours Action Required: YES | Severity: Medium | Auto-Escalate In: 1h 45m ``` --- ## Tips & Best Practices ### 1. **Master Warehouse Scoring** Design your routing rules to score warehouses based on multiple factors: - **Stock availability** (50 points if in stock, -100 if out of stock) - **Distance/shipping cost** (vary by destination) - **Speed capability** (50 points if warehouse can meet delivery SLA) - **Utilization** (penalize over-utilized warehouses) Use weighted scoring to automatically select the best warehouse, avoiding manual decision-making bottlenecks. ### 2. **Implement Smart Fallback Chains** Define 3-4 fallback warehouses in priority order. When primary warehouse can't fulfill: 1. Try secondary warehouse 2. If unavailable, try tertiary warehouse 3. If all fail, trigger exception workflow (backorder, split shipment, or external 3PL) This prevents order rejections and keeps fulfillment flowing. ### 3. **Set Realistic Inventory Thresholds** - **Reorder threshold:** Trigger PO when stock hits 20% of monthly demand - **Safety stock:** Keep 10-15% buffer above reorder threshold - **Critical threshold:** Alert team at 5% of monthly demand - **Review monthly:** Adjust based on demand variability and supplier lead times ### 4. **Automate Low-Touch Workflows** Identify orders that don't require human intervention: - Standard domestic orders under $500 ✓ Auto-route and label - International orders or exceptions ✓ Route to queue for review - VIP or complex scenarios ✓ Require approval Target: 70-80% of orders auto-fulfilled, 20-30% requiring human review. ### 5. **Monitor & Optimize Carrier Performance** Track per-carrier metrics: - On-time delivery rate (target: >95%) - Cost per shipment vs. market average - Damage/loss rates - Customer satisfaction rating Rotate carriers quarterly or use dynamic selection based on real-time performance. ### 6. **Integrate with Your Accounting System** Export fulfillment costs to your accounting software (QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite) to calculate true product margins and identify unprofitable order types. ### 7. **Use A/B Testing for Routing Rules** Test two routing strategies on 10% of orders: - Strategy A: Cost-optimized routing - Strategy B: Speed-optimized routing Measure fulfillment time, shipping cost, and customer satisfaction. Roll out winner to 100% of orders. --- ## Safety & Guardrails ### What OrderFlow Will NOT Do ❌ **Not a fraud detection system.** OrderFlow does not validate payment legitimacy, detect credit card fraud, or flag suspicious accounts. Integrate with third-party fraud tools (Sift, MaxMind) for that. ❌ **Not a customer communication platform.** OrderFlow sends transactional notifications (routing decisions, shipping alerts) but does not handle general customer support, returns/refunds, or dispute resolution. Use Zendesk, Gorgias, or similar for customer service. ❌ **Not a financial forecasting tool.** Reporting shows fulfillment costs and metrics but does not predict demand, manage cash flow, or provide business strategy recommendations. ❌ **Not a compliance or tax system.** Does not calculate sales tax, VAT, duties, or enforce shipping regulations. Integrate with TaxJar or Vertex for tax compliance. ❌ **Not a data migration tool.** Cannot bulk import legacy orders or perform complex data transformations. Use ETL tools (Talend, Stitch) for one-time migrations. ### Limitations & Boundaries - **Rate limits:** Most carrier APIs limit to 100-500 label requests/minute. Batch processing may add 5-15 second delays during peak volume. - **Real-time sync latency:** Inventory sync occurs every 5-30 minutes; same-minute sync requires direct API integration (additional setup). - **Warehouse capacity:** Assumes warehouses don't have space/weight constraints. Add custom capacity checks if needed. - **International shipping:** Requires additional configuration for customs documentation, international carriers, and duty calculations. - **Order size:** Tested with up to 10,000 orders/day per instance. Scale horizontally for larger volumes. ### Privacy & Security - Credentials stored in encrypted environment variables; never logged or transmitted in plain text - Warehouse location data and inventory levels not shared externally - Webhook payloads