> ## 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.

# Retail & Wholesale Order Management

> Owlery trades EDI with your retailers for you: purchase orders in, ASNs and invoices out.

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.

Owlery connects directly to your retailers over EDI, so you don't need an ERP, an inventory system, or a separate EDI provider in the middle. Retailer purchase orders become Owlery orders on their own. Owlery then sends your warehouse the order, sends the retailer an ASN once it ships, and sends the invoice once the order closes.

Wholesale customers that trade by EDI work the same way. Everywhere these pages say *retailer*, that includes them.

> [!NOTE]
>
> **No EDI team needed.** Owlery sets up each retailer connection, maps each retailer's documents, and watches every message for problems. Your team keeps item data current and works orders as usual.

## How an Order Moves

**1. The Retailer Sends a Purchase Order**

Owlery turns it into an order automatically. Changes and cancellations from the retailer update that same order. See [Retailer Orders](/shippers/retail-wholesale/reading-data.md).

**2. You Tender the Load**

Owlery sends the order to your pickup warehouse so it knows what to pick and ship. See [Sending Orders to Your Warehouse](/shippers/orders.md#sending-orders-to-your-warehouse).

**3. The Warehouse Confirms the Shipment**

When the warehouse confirms what actually shipped, Owlery closes the order and records the shipped quantities. If the order ships to your own warehouse instead of the retailer, Owlery tells that warehouse what's coming, and the order closes when it confirms receipt. See [When Your Warehouse Confirms](/shippers/orders.md#when-your-warehouse-confirms).

**4. Owlery Sends the ASN**

The retailer gets an ASN telling them exactly what's on the truck and when it left. See [ASNs & Invoices](/shippers/retail-wholesale/writing-back.md#asns).

**5. Owlery Sends the Invoice**

Once the order closes, Owlery creates the invoice in your accounting system and sends it to the retailer. See [ASNs & Invoices](/shippers/retail-wholesale/writing-back.md#invoices).

Each arrow below is one EDI document, with what triggers it underneath.

```mermaid theme={null}
sequenceDiagram
    participant R as Retailer
    participant O as Owlery
    participant P as Pickup warehouse
    participant D as Delivery warehouse

    R->>O: 850/875 Purchase order
    Note over R,O: creates or updates the order
    O->>R: 997, plus 855 if enabled
    Note over R,O: on receipt of the PO

    O->>P: 940 Shipping order
    Note over O,P: when the load is tendered
    P->>O: 945 Shipping advice
    Note over O,P: truck left, order closed

    alt Delivery stop is a warehouse
        O->>D: 943 Transfer advice
        Note over O,D: after the 945 arrives
        D->>O: 944 Receipt advice
        Note over O,D: goods in, order closed
    else Delivery stop is the retailer
        O->>R: 856 ASN
        Note over R,O: after the 945 arrives
    end

    O->>R: 810/880 Invoice
    Note over R,O: after the order is closed
```

## What Owlery Handles

* **Connecting to each retailer**: directly, through your EDI network, or through a retailer's web portal. See [Retailer Setup](/shippers/retail-wholesale/connect.md).
* **Mapping each retailer's documents**: every retailer formats its purchase orders a little differently. Owlery maps each one to your orders and items.
* **Receipts**: Owlery confirms every document it receives and tracks the retailer's confirmation of every document it sends.
* **Monitoring**: the Owlery team is alerted when a retailer rejects a document, doesn't confirm one in time, or sends a free-text message. The team also hears about it when a pickup happens but no shipment confirmation or ASN follows.

## What Your Team Does

* **Keep item data current**: retailers' item codes are matched to your [Item Master](/shippers/item-master.md). ASNs need each item's barcode numbers.
* **Tender loads as usual**: tendering is what sends the order to your warehouse.
* **Check the order's History when something looks off**: see [Troubleshoot Retail Order Messages](/shippers/troubleshoot-retail-orders.md).

## Getting Started

**1. Tell Us Who You Trade With**

Share the retailers you sell to and how each one sends orders today. See [Retailer Setup](/shippers/retail-wholesale/connect.md).

**2. Owlery Sets Up and Tests Each Retailer**

Owlery builds each retailer's connection and mapping, then tests it with the retailer.

**3. Go Live**

New purchase orders start arriving in **Orders**. Owlery watches the first orders closely.

## What Isn't Supported Yet

Owlery doesn't process these documents today:

* Routing instructions (754)
* Payment and remittance advice (820)
* Inventory reports (846), and warehouse inventory adjustments (947)

If a retailer requires one, email [support@owlery.ai](mailto:support@owlery.ai).

Need help planning your retailer connections? Email [support@owlery.ai](mailto:support@owlery.ai).


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