Order imports should just work. We want them to work so well you never have to give them a second thought, even in cases where API's fail or connectivity is temporarily lost. To that end, we are constantly tweaking and testing to get ever closer to perfect imports. The V2 import is a faster, more reliable importer based on thousands of hours of test data.
Since we know things can go wrong during imports, whether due to our app, their app, or mischievous import hamsters, we have created a missing orders troubleshooter so we can quickly get to the bottom of any issue and eliminate or at least minimize any disruption.
There are a few scenarios explained below. In most cases, the solution proposed in the first scenario is the only one that will be needed, which is great because it does not require any knowledge of the orders or any special action. The packer that encounters the missing order will just need to wait a moment while the missing order is imported and then they will continue as usual. Only in cases when this does not work, or you find that it needs to be done for every order, is it necessary to consider the other solutions.
The first part of this article explains the various import types and how they work. The second part of the article provides troubleshooting for a few scenarios and how the imports can be used.
GroovePacker Import Types
The Regular Import: This is the import that typically runs when you click the "Import Orders" button. It now uses information saved from previously imported orders to determine the range for the next import. This reduces import time and orders missed due to API issues. Any change made to an order in the order manager will now cause it to be included in the next import.
The QuickFix Import: The QuickFix import begins by checking the details on a "missing" order that you have provided. It then finds and imports any orders that were modified around the same time as the missing order in an attempt to import any others that could have been missed.
To use the QickFix import scan or enter the order number of a missing order in this field:
This can be found by hovering the cursor over the "Import Orders" button.
After submitting an order number, you'll see the details of this order and a confirmation that it was imported. To run a QuickFix import click the button here:
- The order you submitted will be imported immediately and its information is displayed.
- Order data from existing orders is analyzed and a QuickFix Range that is likely to find any other missing orders is determined.
- Clicking the QuickFix button will initiate the import.
The Range Import: The range import allows you to specify a start and end time for an import range. You can import by Order Date, which is when the order was originally placed, or by Modified Date, which is when the order was last modified in the order manager.
To access the range import open the troubleshooter by clicking the Magnifying Glass.
Scroll down and choose the "Created" or "Modified" option for the Import Range and then set the start and end time for the range:
Start the import by clicking the "Import this range" button. You'll see there are a number of preset ranges that can be chosen in the dropdown, like "Last 24hrs".
If you submit a missing order first, and then check the range import you will see the options have changed. The QuickFix range is now shown in the range import fields. This is the same range that is used when the QuickFix import button is clicked.
If you would like to expand this range you can do so by selecting one of the options in the Preset Ranges dropdown. For example, the QuickFix +6hrs option would import a range of orders starting 3 hours before the QuickFix range and ending 3 hours after.
The On-Demand Import: This import runs automatically when the order that is scanned is not found. It makes a request for that specific order in the order manager and imports it if it is available. The packer will be shown a notification that the order will be imported in the background and then a countdown will be displayed before the order is opened. The countdown allows the packer to scan a different order if they do not want to wait on the first order to import. If they return to the first order it will be ready with no wait.
The On-Demand import is also run when an order is submitted to the import troubleshooter if the order is not found in GroovePacker.
The option to run the On-Demand import when orders are not found during scanning can be enabled in the GroovePacker stores settings page of the order source (ShipStation, ShippingEasy etc). You'll see a list of the connected stores when you click the Settings icon in GroovePacker and you can open the store settings by clicking the store name in the list.
Troubleshooting Scenarios
Scenario 1: The packer scans an order number and is notified that the order is being requested and will open in 3...2...1...
This notification is given because the order that was scanned is not found in GroovePacker. GroovePacker notifies the packer as it sends a request for this order to the order manager.
Resolution: The On-Demand import will import this order in the background and display a countdown to let the packer know that this particular order will open in a few seconds. This order can then be scanned as usual. If it was the only missing order the packing process will continue as usual. No other action is required.
If there are other missing orders an additional import will be run automatically to fetch them. This import is controlled by the On-Demand + QuickFix option. This option will choose to either run a regular import if it appears that the regular import was not run, or it will run a QuickFix import to try and find other orders that may have been missed.
The On-Demand import and On-Demand + QuickFix option are designed to assist in cases when the daily order import is not run for some reason. For example, if someone forgets to import orders in GroovePacker before users begin scanning, the first order scanned will trigger the process.
Tips:
- Click "Import Orders" in GroovePacker as soon as the orders in your order manager are ready to be imported. This will give them time to import before your packers begin scanning orders.
- High volumes of orders take longer to import during peak times. If you find that your imports take a long time to complete, try importing them in smaller batches more often.
- If the On-Demand import is fetching the days orders, try to give the import time to complete if possible. Any orders that have been imported and show up in the Orders section should be available to be scanned while the import is running. Scanning performance will return to normal when the import is complete.
- If you regularly encounter missing orders and see that the On-Demand import is running please review the workflow to ensure that orders are getting imported into GroovePacker prior to scanning. Please reach out to GroovePacker Support if you have questions about your workflow.
Scenario 2: The packers continue to see notices from the On-Demand import that orders are being requested.
It is possible that the daily order import was not run and that the On-Demand + QuickFix option was disabled in the settings.
Resolution: Verify that in your workflow the "Import Orders" button is clicked in GroovePacker as soon as each batch of orders is ready for import from the order manager. To assist in cases where someone forgets to run the import, The "On-Demand + QuickFix" option should be enabled if it is not already. This will automatically import not just the missing order but other orders that should have been imported around the same time.
If the missing orders were missed due to an import that did not complete successfully or due to an API glitch, this will likely resolve the issue.
If you continue to receive a notice that orders are being requested there may be an issue with the workflow that we can help address. Please use the Get Support button to contact us. If you would prefer to troubleshoot the cause on your own before contacting please see Scenario 4 below.
- If this is an isolated issue and you know the date range of the missing orders you can use the Range Import method just below to import that range of orders based on their date.
Scenario 3: Orders from one or more days either did not import or were removed and now need to be imported into GroovePacker. You know the date range of when the orders were placed.
Resolution: You can choose the exact date range and import all orders from that range. Here's how:
- Open the Import Troubleshooter by hovering your mouse over the "Import Orders" button.
- Click the Magnifying Glass icon to open the troubleshooter:
Scroll down and choose the "Created" option for the Import Range:
Set the date/time range to include the date of the orders you're missing and click the "Import this range" button.
Scenario 4: New orders are consistently failing to import and you're trying to determine why.
Resolution:
GroovePacker support is here to help, so please reach out if you have recurring issues. For those that like to dig in and DIY you have full access to some great troubleshooting tools, let's take a look.
The troubleshooter can let you know the status of a specific order in the order manager as well as the order's "order date" (when it was placed) and it's last modified date (when it was most recently modified in ShipStation).
GroovePacker uses the date and time that orders are modified to determine if they should be included in an import. Regular imports span a range of time that begins with a timestamp saved during the last import and ends at the current time.
Sometimes, the start of the range may be too recent to include the orders that are getting missed. Normally the QuickFix or Range Import would be used to select these missed orders but It's also possible to manually modify the start of the range.
First, let's see how you can find out the details of specific orders that are not importing.
1- Open the Import Troubleshooter by hovering your mouse over the "Import Orders" button.
2- Scan or type one of the missing orders into the field or click the magnifying glass:
After submitting an order number you will see the Order Date and the Last-Modified date of that order, as well as the status of that order in the order manager. (see below)
Note: If the submitted order is not found in GroovePacker a request will be made for this order and it will import in the background.
Keep in mind that if the status of the orders in the order manager does not match the status that GroovePacker is set to import, a status-based import will not bring in the order. For information on how the status switches work please see:
If you are in the setup phase or are changing the import workflow and have questions, please reach out to our support team using the "Help" tab in GroovePacker.
Advanced: How to manually adjust the regular import range.
This is not normally done. In fact, if you find that you have to do this at all, please let us know so we can find a solution. That said, when the need arises it can be a powerful tool.
If you scroll to the bottom of the Troubleshooter you will find the range of the next regular import. The first timestamp can be edited by double-clicking. The second timestamp is the current date/time. The Timezone will be displayed as it may differ from your current timezone.
If you find that the first timestamp is more recent than your missing orders you can roll it back to an earlier time.
The difference between making this change here VS using the range import to import a similar range, is that the orders imported by a regular import determine the start of the next import range. In most cases, this will not have an impact, but there is at least one case where it would:
Suppose thousands of orders were accidentally or unknowingly updated in your order manager for some reason. All of these orders would be included in the import range of the next Regular import. This could prevent, or at least massively delay you from importing the new orders that you need to scan. Having control over the start of the range would allow you to import just those orders modified after the huge group of unwanted orders.
The range of the next regular import is shown at the bottom of the troubleshooter window:
