Order Processing & Fulfilment

Q: What happens if an item is out of stock or on backorder?

The automation flags backorders automatically and routes them to a supervisor for manual review and customer notification, while in-stock items proceed to picking immediately.

Q: Will our existing inventory data in the accounting system be affected?

The automation syncs with your existing accounting software to update inventory counts after shipment, maintaining data accuracy without requiring manual re-entry or data migration.

Q: How do customers receive shipping confirmations?

Customers receive templated shipping confirmation emails automatically as soon as the order ships, including tracking details and estimated delivery dates.

Q: Can the automation work with our current shipping carrier?

The automation integrates with major shipping carriers and can generate labels with tracking numbers, though specific carrier compatibility depends on your provider's API availability.

Keep orders moving from receipt to dispatch without staff chasing paperwork across three systems.

200 hrs

Manual time identified

Companies have mapped

Map This Automation

About This Automation

Order processing at distribution centres involves manually extracting order details from multiple channels, checking inventory, creating pick lists, and updating accounting records. This fragmented workflow causes delays, errors, and requires staff to switch between systems constantly.

Automation captures orders from all channels, extracts details automatically, generates optimized pick lists, updates inventory in real time, and sends shipping confirmations without manual intervention. Orders move from receipt to shipment in hours instead of days.

Key features:

Capture orders from email, web forms, and marketplaces in a single inbox

Extract customer and item details automatically and structure them for picking

Check inventory levels and flag backorders without manual lookup

Generate pick lists optimized by warehouse location and bin

Update inventory counts in accounting software after shipment

Send shipping confirmations with tracking details to customers instantly

Data insights How it works Apps used What you get FAQ

Top friction points when done manually

The issues teams report most often with this process

#	Friction point	Companies Report This
1	Manual data entry across channels Staff must log into multiple platforms and manually transcribe order details into spreadsheets.	80%
2	Inventory lookup delays Checking stock levels requires cross-referencing multiple spreadsheets and systems.	67%
3	Pick list creation bottleneck Manual grouping of items by location and bin is time-consuming and error-prone.	53%
4	Duplicate accounting entries Inventory and shipment data must be entered separately in accounting software.	40%
5	Delayed customer notifications Shipping confirmations are sent manually hours after shipment, reducing customer satisfaction.	26%

Disclaimer

Automation readiness

How well-suited this process is for automation

Process Pain Score™

9.3/ 10

AI Fit Rating™

9.1/ 10

Automation Lift Index™

8.8/ 10

Hidden Overhead™

7.6/ 10

How The Automation Works

The full workflow, from trigger to completion.

1. Order Receivedtrigger

New order arrives via email, web form, or. The automation platform detects the order and extracts key details.

2. Parse Order Data

The automation reads the order email or form submission and extracts customer name, address, SKU, quantity, and special instructions into structured fields.

3. Check Inventory

The automation queries to verify stock levels for each SKU and flags any backorders.

4. Generate Pick List

A pick-list creates an optimized pick list grouped by warehouse location and bin, then logs it.

5. Update Inventory

The automation reduces inventory counts for each item picked and shipped.

6. Send Shipping Confirmation

A notification sends a templated shipping confirmation email with tracking number and estimated delivery date.

7. Post Shipment

The automation marks the order as complete and triggers invoicing if required.

8. Notify Team

A summary message is posted confirming the order has been processed and shipped.

Most popular tool stack used

— the complete tool combinations companies use

52% of companies

28% of companies

19% of companies

Disclaimer

What you get when you map this process

Everything you need to understand, plan, and build your automation.

ROI and business case

What this process costs today and what changes once it's automated.

Launch schedule

What gets built, in what order, and what success looks like once it's live.

Process runbook

How the automation runs day to day, including exceptions and human decision points.

Developer handover pack

Full build spec, logic, and configuration — ready to hand off without a briefing call.

Integration and connections guide

Every tool connection, credential, and data mapping the build needs.

Test and QA plan

504 hrsIdentified

4Mapped

View

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know before mapping this process.

Can the automation handle orders from multiple marketplaces and channels at once?

Yes, the automation captures orders from email, web forms, and marketplaces like Shopify in a single unified queue, eliminating the need to log into each platform separately.

What happens if an item is out of stock or on backorder?

Will our existing inventory data in the accounting system be affected?

How do customers receive shipping confirmations?

Can the automation work with our current shipping carrier?

View more FAQs

Process pain:9.3/10

Mapped by:4 Companies

Map this to your business to get your exact numbers.

Map This Automation

No credit card required. It's free.

Page updated 10 August 2026