Order management in the online store: product, payment, delivery and return

How to Organize Online Order Processing: Reservation, Payment, Shipping, and Returns

In online retail, ordering, payment, shipment, and receipt of goods take place at different times. A customer may place an order at night, pay for it in the morning, and collect the parcel a few days later. If all these events are treated as a single sale, reports will contain unnecessary sales transactions, the website will show incorrect stock balances, and managers will have unpaid invoices and reservations with no expiration date.

Proper accounting separates the movement of the order, goods, and money. Each stage requires its own document, responsible employee, and control indicator. Below is the workflow in Torgsoft, synchronization conditions, and checks that help identify errors before goods are shipped.

Which Events Should Be Separated in Accounting

A status change on the website does not replace a warehouse or financial document. Employees must understand exactly what happened at each stage.

The «Trade with Invoice Issuing» mode supports partial payments, shipment without payment, and goods reservation. This makes it possible to handle prepayments, cash on delivery, and credit sales without artificially combining different events into one document.

Define the Main Data Source

Before connecting a website, you need to decide where employees will update products, prices, and stock balances. In the standard Torgsoft workflow, the accounting database is the primary source of this data, while the website receives a prepared file. Orders are transferred in the opposite direction.

The additional Online Store Synchronization option transfers the catalog, prices, stock balances, and other configured fields and receives orders. The website developer must implement data exchange in accordance with Torgsoft technical requirements. Support for CSV, XML, or JSON alone is not enough: the website must correctly match product identifiers, categories, variants, payment methods, statuses, and order files.

Different channels use different workflows:

• a custom website works through configured exchange files, FTP, or a web server;

• Prom.ua integration uses separate rules for the Prom.ua catalog, product variants, and statuses;

• Rozetka.ua integration takes the Rozetka API and statuses into account;

• Torgsoft Online Market is a ready-made website with WebSocket synchronization and backup order downloading via FTP if the program or internet connection is unavailable.

When a store sells through several platforms, each channel is configured as a separate synchronization object. Warehouses, files, schedules, pricing, payment, and reservation rules are set separately for each one. This makes it easier to identify the source of an error without changing the settings for all channels at once.

Prepare Product Cards for Export

A product card for online sales contains more data than is required to find a product at the checkout. Before the first exchange, check the following fields:

• identifier, SKU, and barcode — the website must uniquely match the item with the product in Torgsoft;

• name and description — the rules for generating them are configured in the synchronization object;

• product type and website category — the synchronization section links the Torgsoft product type tree with the website classifier;

• price and currency — the price source must match the order and invoice settings;

• photos — Torgsoft transfers file names or links to them if the photos are stored in the configured directory;

• dynamic characteristics — material, color, power, composition, compatibility, and other fields that customers use to filter products;

• weight and dimensions — only if the website, marketplace, or delivery module uses this data.

Synchronization sections must be configured consistently: either all product types should be linked to them or none should have such a link. A mixed configuration disrupts the catalog structure during data exchange.

Size ranges on Prom.ua require separate checks. Torgsoft can generate the same Model ID for products belonging to one model. Size and color remain variants. The size field must be added to the Prom.ua file; otherwise, the products will be grouped, but the customer will not be able to select the required variant.

Product dimensions and the parameters of the finished parcel must be treated separately. A folded, packaged, or bundled product may have a different weight and volume. When creating a waybill, check the physical parameters of each package even if the product card already contains its length, width, height, and weight.

Configure Stock Balances and Pricing Rules

In the synchronization object, the administrator selects the accounting centers whose stock balances Torgsoft will transfer to the website. If several warehouses are selected, the program adds up the available quantity. The «Write Off Goods From» field determines the accounting center for which the invoice is created.

Separately check products that have never had any movement at the selected write-off accounting center. In this case, Torgsoft selects the center with the largest quantity of the product among the connected warehouses. If the quantities are equal, the program takes prices from the center with the highest retail price. As a result, the website may receive a different price than the manager expected.

If an incorrect price appears on the website, check the following in sequence:

1. Which accounting center is specified in the «Write Off Goods From» field.

2. Whether this product has had any movement at the selected center.

3. Which warehouses are included in the synchronization object.

4. Which of them has the largest quantity and what the retail price is there.

5. Whether the website or marketplace is allowed to retain a manually edited price.

For products that should not be sold down to an actual zero balance, use Minimum and Maximum Stock Levels by Warehouse. Torgsoft can transfer the «Minimum Stock Quantity» field, but the website must be configured to process it. For zero stock on Prom.ua, the «Expected» status can be transferred. These mechanisms should be tested using a separate test product before launching the entire catalog.

A detailed scheme for selecting warehouses and minimum stock levels is described in the guide on transferring stock balances to an online store.

Consider the Conditions for Automatic Data Exchange

 For a custom website, data exchange is started manually or according to a schedule. The task specifies the computer, user, time or interval, and required actions. Torgsoft recommends an interval of no more than once every ten minutes, taking other synchronization objects into account.

 The schedule runs only when two conditions are met: Torgsoft is running on the specified computer and the user is logged in with the account linked to the task. Closing the program stops automatic data exchange.

 Separate tasks can be divided by purpose. For example, the catalog and photos can be exported less frequently, while orders can be downloaded more often. Torgsoft automatically marks new and modified photos for synchronization; a complete re-export is required only after the corresponding user action.

 Each exchange is recorded in the synchronization log. It shows connections, order downloads, file and photo transfers, and error messages. By default, the owner receives notifications about timer errors; such notifications must be configured separately for other users.

 An invalid order file may block subsequent files from being downloaded. The problematic file remains in the local order receiving folder. The developer fixes it, or the responsible employee deletes the file and recreates the order on the website. Simply restarting synchronization does not resolve a file structure problem.

How a Manager Processes Orders

The standard process consists of seven steps.

1. Receive the order. Torgsoft downloads the file from the website into the «Remote Customer Orders» mode or immediately creates an invoice if this is provided for by the order type and settings.

2. Verify the customer. The program can search for a customer by phone number, create a new customer, and update contact details. These actions are performed only when the corresponding settings are enabled. The manager checks for duplicates, the phone number, email address, and delivery address.

3. Check the products. The manager verifies the SKU, model, size, color, quantity, price, and discount. For a marketplace, its restrictions on editing an order that has already been downloaded must be taken into account.

4. Select the warehouse. If there is not enough stock at the primary accounting center, Torgsoft can display a form for distribution across other warehouses. The manager sees the available quantity and specifies where each item should be written off from.

5. Create an invoice and reservation. After the invoice is created, the order receives the «Fulfilled» status. If «Reserve Invoice Goods» is enabled, the reservation period is taken from the date in the order or from the number of days specified in the synchronization object settings. Details are provided in the guide on automatic reservation of online orders.

6. Confirm payment and pick the goods. The manager checks the payment method, while the warehouse employee picks the goods. For strict warranty tracking, the employee scans the specific serial number after the invoice has been created.

7. Create a delivery note and shipment. The delivery note records the shipment of goods. The manager then creates a waybill, prints the label, and updates the delivery status.

Before creating an invoice, the manager should verify:

• order number and source;

• seller or company if there are several in the database;

• customer and recipient;

• delivery method and address;

• product, variant, quantity, price, and discount;

• invoice warehouse and actual write-off warehouses;

• payment method and cash-on-delivery indicator;

• reservation expiration date.

How to Reconcile Payments

The website can transfer an indication that an order has been paid. Torgsoft determines the payment method and recipient based on the order currency and the settings on the «Payments» tab of the synchronization object. If no required match exists, the bank account has been deactivated, or the cash day is closed, the program creates an invoice without payment. During automatic downloading, the reason is recorded in the error log.

This means that the «Paid» status on the website must be reconciled with the document in the program and the actual receipt of funds. The additional Bank Statements option downloads statements from Privat24 and monobank. The manager uses them to match incoming payments with invoices and identify unrecognized payments.

Daily payment reconciliation should cover:

• paid orders without a payment recorded in the invoice;

• payments that could not be matched with an order;

• partial payments and the outstanding balance;

• cash-on-delivery payments for shipped and already received parcels;

• refunds for canceled orders;

• the full payment amount and separate fees charged by the bank, acquiring provider, marketplace, or carrier.

Software PECR fiscalizes settlement transactions and generates electronic receipts. The time when a receipt is created and the document type depend on the payment method, prepayment, cash on delivery, refund, and the current ECR/PECR rules. These rules must be configured before launch and should not be determined solely by the order status. Legal scenarios are explained in a separate article on accounting for online store sales.

How to Organize Order Picking and Delivery

During order picking, the employee should receive a document showing the product, quantity, warehouse, and, if necessary, storage location. For serialized products, the employee verifies the specific serial number. For bundles, the contents of the set are checked. If a shipment contains several packages, the parameters of each package are recorded separately.

Nova Poshta integration makes it possible to create, print, and track waybills from Torgsoft. Ukrposhta integration generates waybills, prints labels, and updates parcel statuses. Before starting work, access keys, senders, addresses, and mappings to accounting centers must be configured.

Before handing the parcel over to the carrier, the manager checks:

• the order, invoice, delivery note, and waybill numbers;

• recipient's full name and phone number;

• branch, parcel locker, or address;

• actual weight, dimensions, and number of packages;

• declared value;

• cash-on-delivery amount and who pays for delivery;

• the delivery status that should be transferred to the website or marketplace.

How to Process Cancellations, Unclaimed Parcels, and Returns

The procedure depends on the stage at which the order was stopped.

Do not delete an invoice or order as a way to change a marketplace status. Prom.ua and Rozetka have their own actions and synchronization rules. After manual editing in the Rozetka seller account, Rozetka may transfer the changes back to Torgsoft during the next exchange.

Unclaimed parcels and returns after receipt should be tracked separately. In the first case, the carrier returns the goods without handing them over to the customer, while the store incurs logistics costs. In the second case, the goods have already been received, so the reason for the return, condition of the goods, refund, and fiscal documents must be checked.

How to Find the Cause of Common Discrepancies

What to Monitor Daily and Weekly

Daily monitoring is required for events that can block sales or money:

• new orders that a manager has not started processing within the specified period;

• reservations that have expired;

• paid invoices without shipment;

• shipments without a waybill or an up-to-date delivery status;

• canceled orders with an active reservation or an unrefunded payment;

• unrecognized bank receipts;

• synchronization errors and files that have stopped the queue.

Every week, the manager analyzes recurring causes:

• cancellations before shipment;

• unclaimed parcels;

• returns after receipt;

• discrepancies between website stock balances and accounting records;

• products without photos, categories, variants, or an up-to-date price;

• fees charged by banks, marketplaces, and carriers;

• orders for which employees manually changed the warehouse, price, or payment method.

Each discrepancy must have a responsible employee and a deadline for correction. Otherwise, the log records the error, but it will recur during the next exchange.

How to Check the Settings Before Launch

A custom website requires Torgsoft Ultra or Torgsoft Terminal, the «Online Store Synchronization» option, and website modifications in accordance with the technical requirements. Before exporting the entire catalog, perform an end-to-end test using selected products.

The test should cover at least six scenarios:

1. One product, full prepayment, one warehouse.

2. A size-based product with a specific variant selected.

3. A product from several warehouses with insufficient stock at the primary accounting center.

4. Cash on delivery with a waybill and subsequent receipt of funds.

5. Cancellation before shipment with the reservation released.

6. An unclaimed parcel or a return after receipt.

For each scenario, check the product card, price, website stock balance, downloaded order, invoice, reservation, payment, delivery note, waybill, delivery status, and final stock balance. Connect the entire catalog and enable the production schedule only after the full cycle has been successfully completed.

License options, connection options, and additional integrations are available on the online store software page.