> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.owlery.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Import Rules

> Choose which orders come into Owlery from your ERP, warehouse, or retail connection.

This page is for **Shippers**: teams that quote, tender, and pay for freight in Owlery. If the person you're helping isn't a shipper, this page doesn't apply to them.

**Where to find it:** `Settings → Integrations`. On the integration's card, click **Settings**, then open the **Import Rules** tab.

Every order-source connection has an **Import Rules** tab. Use it to decide which orders Owlery imports. You don't need to change anything in your ERP. Changes save automatically and take effect on the next sync.

## Pause or Resume Sync

Turn off **Sync Enabled** to stop Owlery from importing new orders or updates from this connection. Orders already in Owlery stay where they are. Turn it back on to resume. The next sync catches up on the changes made while sync was paused.

> [!NOTE]
>
> QuickBooks only looks back 30 days. If a QuickBooks connection is paused for longer, it needs a full sync to catch up.

**Sync Enabled** appears on ERP connections only. Warehouse and retail connections don't have it.

## Choose Order Types

Pick the order types to import, such as sales orders, purchase orders, or transfer orders. Owlery skips any type you leave unchecked. The types listed depend on what your system supports.

Order types appear on ERP connections only.

## Exclude Orders with a Rule

A rule tells Owlery to skip orders that match it. Add a rule for each kind of order you don't want in Owlery.

**1. Add a Rule**

On the **Import Rules** tab, click **Add rule**.

**2. Choose How Conditions Combine**

In the **Match** dropdown, pick **All conditions** to skip orders that match every condition, or **Any condition** to skip orders that match at least one.

**3. Add Conditions**

Click **+** to add a condition. Pick a field, a match type, and one or more values. A rule can have up to 20 conditions.

**4. Pick a Direction**

On warehouse connections, choose whether the rule applies to **Inbound** orders, **Outbound** orders, or both. Leave it empty to apply the rule to both.

**5. Choose Whether to Clean Up Existing Orders**

Turn on archiving if the rule should also archive matching orders that are already in Owlery. See [Archive Orders Already in Owlery](#archive-orders-already-in-owlery).

### Fields You Can Match On

* Order number
* Status
* Shipping mode
* Customer
* Supplier
* Notes
* Reference number
* Pickup location
* Dropoff location

### Match Types

| Match type | Matches when the field… |
| - | - |
| Equals | Is exactly the value |
| Contains | Has the value anywhere in it |
| Starts with | Begins with the value |
| Ends with | Ends with the value |
| Whole word | Has the value as a separate word, so `CALL` matches `WILL CALL` but not `CALLAWAY` |

Each match type also has a "does not" version, such as **Does not contain**. Rules always skip the orders they match, so a "does not" condition works as an include list. For example, a rule that skips orders whose customer does not equal your managed customers imports only those customers.

### How Matching Works

* A condition with several values matches when any one of the values matches.
* A "does not" condition matches only when none of the values match.
* Matching ignores capitalization. `will call` matches `WILL CALL`.
* A blank field never matches anything, including "does not" conditions. So an order is never skipped because a field is empty. For example, if a rule skips orders whose carrier does not equal `UPSN`, orders with no carrier still come in.

## Archive Orders Already in Owlery

A new rule only affects orders on the next sync. To also remove matching orders that Owlery already imported, turn on archiving for the rule. Owlery archives every order already in Owlery that matches the rule.

> [!WARNING]
>
> Check the rule's conditions before you turn on archiving. A rule that's too broad archives orders your team is still working on.

### Undo Archiving

**1. Fix the Rule First**

Change or delete the rule so it no longer matches the order. If the rule still matches, the next sync archives the order again. Deleting a rule doesn't bring archived orders back on its own.

**2. Unarchive the Order**

Find the order on the **All** tab of the Orders page. Click **Unarchive** in the order drawer or in the order's row menu.

## Common Rules

| Goal | Rule |
| - | - |
| Skip will-call or customer-pickup orders | **Any condition**: shipping mode contains `will call`, notes contains `pickup` |
| Skip internal or sample orders | **Any condition**: customer equals your internal account, order number starts with your sample prefix |
| Ignore a warehouse you ship from yourself | Pickup location equals that warehouse |
| Import only the customers you manage in Owlery | Customer does not equal any of your managed customers |

## System-Specific Filters

Some systems add filters to the **Import Rules** tab:

* **NetSuite**: include or exclude ship methods. See [NetSuite Configuration Reference](/shippers/netsuite/configuration.md#import-rules).
* **Cin7 Core**: import only selected sales channels. See [Cin7 Core Configuration Reference](/shippers/cin7-core/configuration.md#import-rules).
* **SAP Business One**: a custom query filter for each order type, and a filter by ERP carrier. See [SAP Business One Configuration Reference](/shippers/sap-business-one/configuration.md#import-rules).


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