Manual Order Fulfillment

Overview

Manual fulfillment in 3PLICITY allows 3PL warehouse operators to prepare, pack, label, and finalize customer orders step by step.

This workflow is used to:

• Review approved orders

• Pack products into shipment containers

• Scan products during packing

• Generate shipping documentation

• Prepare shipments for carrier pickup

The fulfillment process may vary depending on how the order was created, whether the shipment is managed through ShipEngine, and whether products are packed manually or through barcode scanning workflows.

Accessing Orders Ready for Fulfillment

1. Open the 3PLICITY platform.

2. Sign in using your 3PL company credentials.

3. From the left navigation panel, click Sales Orders.

4. Open the In Progress tab.

This section contains approved orders currently waiting for warehouse fulfillment and shipment preparation.

Opening an Order

1. Open the desired order from the table.

The Order Details page displays the operational fulfillment interface used during packing and shipment preparation.

Understanding the Fulfillment Screen

The fulfillment page contains operational sections used by warehouse teams during order processing.

These sections include:

• Order Summary

• Merchant Information

• Customer & Delivery

• Shipping Labels

• Actions

• Packing Progress

• Boxes and Containers

• Scanning Interface

• Activity Log

Reviewing Order Information

Before packing begins, warehouse operators should review the order details.

The top section displays:

• Order number

• Internal order ID

• Merchant name

This information helps operators identify and validate the shipment before fulfillment begins.

Customer & Delivery Information

The Customer & Delivery section contains:

• Customer name

• Email address

• Phone number

• Shipping address

• Carrier information

• Shipping method

If the merchant uploaded a shipping label during order creation, the order also displays:

• Tracking number

• Shipping label access

Warehouse operators should review all delivery information before preparing the shipment.

Understanding Fulfillment Workflows

3PLICITY supports different fulfillment workflows depending on the shipment configuration.

Orders with Merchant-Provided Shipping Labels

If the merchant uploaded a shipping label during order creation:

• Carrier information is already attached to the order

• Tracking information is already available

• The shipment may already follow predefined carrier requirements

In this workflow, warehouse operators can begin scanning and packing products immediately without scanning a container first.

Orders Not Managed Through ShipEngine

Some orders may use external shipping workflows or manually managed carriers.

For these orders:

• The shipment is not validated through ShipEngine

• Operators can begin scanning items directly

• Container validation is not required before packing

This workflow is commonly used for manually managed shipments or pre-labeled packages.

- In the case that the 3PL Company has not set any Ship Engine API, 3PL Company must provide a Shipping Label in order to make the order eligible for fulfillment and "Ready to Send" status switch. 

Orders Managed Through ShipEngine

Orders managed through ShipEngine require package validation before products can be packed.

In this workflow:

1. A shipment container or box must be selected or scanned first.

2. The system validates the container dimensions and shipment compatibility.

3. Product scanning becomes available only after container validation is completed.

This process helps ensure compliance with carrier packaging rules and shipment restrictions.

Actions Section

The Actions section contains operational fulfillment controls used during shipment preparation.

Available actions may include:

• Cancel Order

• Generate Label

• Ready to Send

• Packing Slip

Some actions become available only after all required packing steps are completed.

Packing Progress

The Packing Progress section tracks fulfillment activity for each product included in the order.

The table displays:

• SKU

• Product name

• Ordered quantity

• Packed quantity

• Packing status

As products are scanned and packed, the fulfillment progress updates automatically.

Container and Box Management

Depending on the workflow, operators may need to assign containers before packing products.

When Container Scanning Is Required

For ShipEngine-managed shipments:

1. Click Add Box or scan the shipment container barcode.

2. Select the appropriate box type if needed.

3. Confirm the container selection.

The system validates:

• Box dimensions

• Weight limitations

• Carrier restrictions

• Shipping method compatibility

After validation is completed, operators can begin scanning products into the shipment.

When Container Scanning Is Not Required

For orders that already contain a shipping label or are not managed through ShipEngine:

• Operators can immediately begin scanning products

• Container validation is optional

• Products can be packed directly into the shipment workflow

This allows faster processing for pre-configured shipments.

Understanding Packaging Restrictions

ShipEngine-managed shipments may enforce packaging limitations based on:

• Carrier requirements

• Box dimensions

• Weight limits

• Shipping service restrictions

Examples include:

• Oversized package limitations

• Maximum weight requirements

• Carrier-specific packaging rules

• Service compatibility restrictions

Warehouse operators should select packaging that matches the shipment requirements before completing fulfillment.

Packing Products into a Shipment

Products can be packed manually or through barcode scanning.

Depending on the workflow, operators may:

• Scan products directly

• Add products into a validated box

• Pack products into multiple containers

The system automatically tracks:

• Packed quantity

• Remaining quantity

• Fulfillment progress

• Product status

If scanned quantities exceed the required order quantity, the system prevents overpacking.

Using the Barcode Scanning Workflow

3PLICITY supports barcode-based fulfillment workflows to speed up warehouse operations and reduce packing errors.

Scanning Containers

For ShipEngine-managed shipments, operators must first scan or assign the shipment container before scanning products.

The scanned container is used to:

• Validate shipment compatibility

• Associate products with the shipment package

• Ensure carrier compliance

Once the container is accepted, item scanning becomes available.

Scanning Products

After container validation (when required), operators can begin scanning products.

1. Use the barcode scanner inside the scanning field.

2. Scan the product barcode.

3. The system automatically matches the scanned SKU with the order line items.

4. Packed quantities update automatically.

Each successful scan updates:

• Packed quantity

• Remaining quantity

• Packing progress

• Item status

Partial Scanning and Multiple Quantities

If an order contains multiple units of the same product:

• Each scan increases the packed quantity

• Operators can continue scanning until the required quantity is completed

The system prevents scanning beyond the required quantity for the order.

Invalid or Unexpected Barcode Scans

If a scanned barcode does not belong to the order:

• The system displays an error notification

• The product is not added to the shipment

This helps prevent incorrect packing and shipment errors.

Manual Product Entry

If barcode scanning is unavailable, operators can still pack products manually.

To manually add products:

1. Click Add Product inside the shipment box.

2. Select the product from the dropdown list.

3. Enter the quantity.

4. Click Add.

The system updates fulfillment progress automatically.

Updating Packed Quantities

Packed products appear within the shipment contents section.

Each entry displays:

• SKU

• Product name

• Packed quantity

To remove products from the shipment:

1. Click the remove or minus (-) option next to the item.

Removing products updates the packing progress automatically.

If required quantities are no longer fulfilled, the product status returns to Pending.

Completing the Packing Process

When all required products have been packed successfully:

• Product statuses update to Scanned

• Packing progress is completed

• Shipment preparation becomes available

• The Generate Label action becomes enabled when applicable

At this stage, the order is ready for final shipment preparation.

Generating a Shipping Label

For shipments managed internally by the 3PL company:

1. Click Generate Label.

The system generates:

• Shipping label PDF

• Tracking number

• Carrier shipment information

The tracking number is automatically added to the Customer & Delivery section.

Orders that already include a merchant-provided shipping label do not require label generation unless shipment details are modified.

Opening the Shipping Label

To review the shipment label:

1. Click Open Shipping Label.

The label opens as a PDF document containing:

• Carrier barcode

• Tracking barcode

• Sender address

• Recipient address

• Shipment information

Warehouse teams can print and attach the label to the shipment package.

Generating a Packing Slip

Packing slips are commonly used during warehouse picking and packing operations.

To generate a packing slip:

1. Click Packing Slip.

The generated document includes:

• Order number

• Customer information

• Shipping address

• Product list

• SKUs

• Quantities

• Warehouse barcode information

Packing slips are commonly inserted inside shipment boxes before dispatch.

Marking the Order as Ready to Send

Once packing and shipment preparation are completed:

1. Click Ready to Send.

After this action:

• The order status updates to Ready to Send

• The shipment moves into the outbound shipping workflow

• Warehouse fulfillment is considered complete

• Further modifications become restricted

The order is then ready for carrier pickup or dispatch operations.

Activity Log

The Activity Log records all fulfillment activity performed during warehouse processing.

Examples include:

• Order approved

• Container assigned

• Product scanned

• Label generated

• Shipment updated

• Order marked as Ready to Send

Each action includes a timestamp for operational traceability and shipment tracking.

Operational Workflow Summary

The fulfillment workflow generally follows this sequence:

1. Open the approved order.

2. Review merchant, customer, and shipment information.

3. Determine whether the order:

   • Requires ShipEngine container validation

   • Already includes a shipping label

   • Uses a manually managed shipment workflow

4. If required, assign or scan a shipment container.

5. Scan or manually pack all required products.

6. Generate shipment documentation if needed.

7. Print shipping labels and packing slips.

8. Mark the order as Ready to Send.

Once completed, the shipment enters the outbound shipping process for carrier pickup and delivery.