Step 1: Navigate to Channels and Create a New Channel

  1. Access Channel Management:
    • Go to the Manage section.
    • Select Channels.
  2. Create a Channel:
    • Click Create (top-right).
  3. Configure the Channel:
    • Channel Label: Provide a clear name, such as “Wholesale Sales Channel.”
    • Warehouse Group: Select the Default Warehouse Group for this channel.
    • Internal Sales Channel: Check the Is Internal Sales Channel box to designate this channel as internal.
  4. Add Descriptions and Tags:
    • Tags are optional but can be used for organization.

Step 2: Configure Order Destination

The configuration will depend on your fulfillment process.

Option 1: Push Sales Orders to an OMS (Order Management System)

  1. Enable OMS Push:
    • Under Order Destination, toggle Push Orders to Integration.
  2. Select OMS Integration:
    • Ensure your OMS (e.g., ShipStation or 3PL WMS) is integrated.
    • In Push Orders To, select the appropriate store or channel within ShipStation or WMS.
  3. Set Automatic Push Timing:
    • You can specify when sales orders are pushed:
      • Under Auto Push Settings, choose an Auto-Push Mode: Immediate (push after a configurable delay, e.g., 15 minutes), Wave-based, Pick-n-pack Based, or Disabled (manual push only).
  4. Enable Fulfillment Updates:
    • Check Automatically Push Fulfillment Updates to Order Source to send shipping statuses back to Luminous.
    • Example: When ShipStation generates a tracking number, Luminous will update the order fulfillment status.

Step 3: Custom Field Mapping (Optional)

If you’re integrating with a 3PL’s WMS and need to send specific data, follow these steps:

  1. Map Custom Fields:
    • Use Outgoing Custom Field Mapping to push data such as:
      • Shipping Notes
      • Shipping Type
  2. Define Push Fields:
    • Identify the exact field name from the 3PL’s WMS API documentation.
    • Enter the Luminous Field and the 3PL Field Name verbatim to ensure proper mapping.

Step 4: Invoicing and Sales Order Logic

Decide the flow for generating invoices and sales orders:

Option 1: Sales Order First, Then Invoice

  1. Generate the Invoice:
    • Turn on Create Invoice Automatically and choose the Invoice Type (e.g., Standard).
    • Configure Invoice Creation Timing:
      • When Sales Order is Created
      • When Shipment is Created (e.g., the 3PL ships the order, and Luminous updates the status).
  2. Auto-Generate Sales Orders:
    • Sales orders will push to ShipStation or the 3PL WMS as part of this flow.

Option 2: Invoice First, Then Sales Order

  1. Create the Invoice:
    • Select the Internal Sales Channel under advanced settings.
  2. Auto-Generate the Sales Order:
    • Luminous will push the generated sales order to ShipStation or the 3PL WMS automatically.

Step 5: Save and Test the Channel

  1. Save the Channel:
    • Click Save to finalize the setup.
  2. Verify the Workflow:
    • Create a test order in Luminous.
    • Ensure the sales order or invoice follows the configured flow and pushes correctly to ShipStation or the 3PL WMS.

Key Notes

  • This process is ideal for wholesale sales orders or other manual workflows where orders originate in Luminous.
  • The system can push invoices to QuickBooks while auto-generating sales orders to streamline fulfillment.
  • Proper field mapping and integration settings are critical for smooth order and fulfillment updates.

By following these steps, you can efficiently set up an internal sales channel that meets your business logic and workflow needs.