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Launch Plan
3PL / Warehouse Coordination Automation
[YourCompany.com] �� Fulfilment Department · Prepared by FullSpec · [Today's Date]
This Launch Plan covers everything you need to know to go from confirmed process map to a live, automated 3PL coordination workflow. It is written for you as the business owner or operations lead, not for a technical audience. FullSpec handles the entire build, testing, and launch end to end. Your role is to provide access to your existing tools and make one configuration decision before the build begins. The sections below walk through what is being built, how the build progresses, what you need to hand over, and what to expect once the automation is live.
01What you're launching
Right now, your operations coordinator spends roughly eight hours each week logging into the ShipBob portal, downloading reports, reformatting data in Google Sheets, running manual comparisons against Cin7, chasing missing ASNs by email, and separately updating stock levels in both Cin7 and Shopify. This automation replaces that entire daily loop. A scheduled trigger and ShipBob webhooks fire the process automatically, pulling inventory and shipment data, reconciling it against your live Cin7 records, pushing confirmed stock updates to Cin7 and Shopify, and sending a structured Slack summary to your team every morning. The only step that stays with a person is investigating major discrepancies that require a direct conversation with your 3PL contact.
Process
3PL / Warehouse Coordination
Trigger
Daily schedule fires, or a ShipBob inbound receipt or outbound dispatch webhook is received
Final output
Updated stock in Cin7 and Shopify, Slack alerts for exceptions, and a reconciliation row appended to Google Sheets
Agents being built
3 agents: 3PL Data Fetch and Normalisation Agent, Reconciliation and Discrepancy Agent, Update and Notification Agent
Tools involved
ShipBob, Cin7, Shopify, Slack, Google Sheets
Volume
Approximately 220 shipment events per month, running daily plus on each inbound receipt or outbound dispatch
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02How the build works
The build runs in four stages across five weeks. FullSpec manages every technical step: connecting your tools, building and wiring each agent, running a parallel test week alongside your existing manual process, and handing over a working automation with supporting documentation. You will be involved at specific points to provide access credentials, confirm one threshold setting, and sign off on the parallel run results before the manual process is switched off. Nothing requires you to write code or configure a system yourself.
Complexity level: Moderate. Estimated delivery window: 5 business weeks from the close of Connect. The delivery clock starts at the close of Connect, not payment.
1Connect
Estimated time: Days 1 to 3
FullSpec
Sends you a credential request checklist for ShipBob, Cin7, and Shopify. Reviews the SKU mapping table you provide. Confirms webhook availability on your ShipBob account. Documents the discrepancy threshold options for your decision.
You
Provide API credentials or admin access for ShipBob, Cin7, and Shopify. Share your current SKU mapping table or the raw SKU reference from each system. Confirm or agree the minor versus major discrepancy threshold with your operations manager.
2Build
Estimated time: Weeks 2 to 4
FullSpec
Builds the 3PL Data Fetch and Normalisation Agent against the ShipBob API, including the scheduled trigger, webhook listener, and SKU normalisation logic. Builds the Reconciliation and Discrepancy Agent with comparison logic against Cin7, missing ASN detection, and Google Sheets logging. Builds the Update and Notification Agent to push stock changes to Cin7 and Shopify and send structured Slack alerts and the daily summary. Wires all three agents together end to end.
You
Available for a brief check-in if FullSpec encounters an unexpected SKU format or mapping gap. No active work required during this stage.
3Test
Estimated time: Week 5 (days 1 to 3)
FullSpec
Runs the automation in parallel with your existing manual process for a minimum of five live business days. Compares automation outputs against manual outputs line by line. Resolves any edge cases found in real shipment data. Prepares the SOP, runbook, and handover documentation.
You
Your operations coordinator continues the manual process as normal during the parallel run. Reviews the side-by-side comparison report FullSpec provides at the end of the parallel week. Confirms sign-off that outputs match before go-live.
4Launch
Estimated time: Week 5 (days 4 to 5)
FullSpec
Switches the automation to live production. Confirms the first fully automated reconciliation run completes without errors. Hands over the runbook, SOP, and this document suite. Monitors the first three live days and addresses any issues at no additional cost.
You
Notifies your operations coordinator and finance lead that the manual reconciliation process is being retired. Confirms receipt of the runbook. Reviews the first morning Slack summary to confirm the format meets your team's expectations.
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03What FullSpec needs from you
FullSpec only needs access to your existing tools. No technical knowledge is required from you or your team. The table below lists each tool, exactly what access is needed, and when you need to provide it. Everything on this list is standard admin-level access that you or your operations manager will already hold.
ShipBob
API key with read access to inventory, inbound receipts, and outbound dispatch records. Webhook configuration enabled on your ShipBob account.
Before Connect closes
Cin7
API key or OAuth credentials with read and write access to inventory records and stock adjustment endpoints.
Before Connect closes
Shopify
Custom app API credentials with read and write access to inventory levels and product variants.
Before Connect closes
Slack
Incoming webhook URL for your fulfilment channel, or permission to install a Slack app to your workspace.
Before Connect closes
Google Sheets
Editor access to the reconciliation log sheet, or a shared Google account that can create and edit a new sheet in your Google Drive.
Before Connect closes
SKU Mapping Table
A current export or reference document mapping your internal SKU codes to the ShipBob SKU references for all active products.
Before Connect closes
One decision you must confirm before Connect closes: the discrepancy threshold values. You and your operations manager need to agree on the unit count difference that separates a minor variance (auto-corrected) from a major discrepancy (triggers a Slack alert and human review). Setting this too tight will generate excessive Slack alerts; setting it too loose risks missing real stock problems. FullSpec will present two or three threshold options based on your shipment volume of approximately 220 events per month, and you confirm the setting that fits your risk tolerance.
04Your role once live
Role
Ongoing responsibilities
What you no longer touch
You (business owner / operations lead)
Review the morning Slack summary each day. Assign your operations coordinator to investigate any major discrepancy alerts that arrive in the fulfilment Slack channel. Update the SKU mapping table whenever new products are added to your catalogue. Adjust discrepancy thresholds if your shipment patterns change (FullSpec can make this change remotely on request).
Logging into ShipBob to download reports. Reformatting data in Google Sheets. Running manual VLOOKUP comparisons. Manually updating Cin7 and Shopify stock levels. Sending team notifications about delays or exceptions by hand.
FullSpec
Monitors the automation platform for failures and alerts. Resolves any integration errors or API credential issues. Applies updates if ShipBob, Cin7, or Shopify change their API structure. Responds to support requests at support@gofullspec.com.
Not applicable.
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05What success looks like
Timeframe
What to expect
Sign of success
Week 1
The automation runs its first live reconciliation cycles. Your operations coordinator receives structured Slack summaries each morning instead of producing a manual report. A small number of major discrepancy alerts may appear as the system processes real shipment data for the first time. FullSpec monitors all runs during this period.
At least one full daily reconciliation cycle completes end to end without errors. Slack summaries arrive each morning before the start of the business day. Your coordinator spends time only on alerts that genuinely require investigation.
Month 1
The automation has processed approximately 220 shipment events. Cin7 and Shopify stock levels are staying aligned with ShipBob throughout the day rather than drifting overnight. The operations coordinator has reclaimed most of the eight hours previously spent on manual reconciliation each week.
Stock discrepancy detection lag is under ten minutes versus the previous 24 to 48 hours. Time spent on reconciliation has dropped to under one hour per week, covering only genuine exception investigations. No manual Shopify stock updates are being made.
Month 3
The automation is fully embedded in the daily operations rhythm. Your team treats the morning Slack summary as the single source of truth for overnight 3PL activity. Approximately 100 hours of coordinator time have been returned to higher-value work. The build cost of $5,500 is on track to be recovered within four months of go-live.
Annual cost saving trajectory is on track toward $16,000 per year. Finance receives consistent reconciliation data without a manual handoff from the operations team. Payback period of approximately four months is confirmed.
Next step: The Connect stage begins as soon as you are ready to provide tool access and confirm the discrepancy threshold. To get started, email the FullSpec team at support@gofullspec.com with the subject line 'Connect: 3PL Coordination' and we will send you the credential request checklist within one business day.
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