Chapter 1: Key Concepts for building Custom Connections

This guide provides comprehensive instructions for building a 3PL (third-party logistics) connection with Pipe17. Pipe17 is an ecommerce connectivity product that helps merchants connect various sales channels, logistics channels, ERP systems, and more, enabling them to set rules for routing orders, creating shipments, and reporting fulfillments.

Key Concepts

Before diving into the connection building process, it's crucial to understand the following key concepts:

Orders

Representations of original orders within Pipe17, including all financial data. 3PL connections typically don't have direct access to orders.

Shipments

Also known as Shipping Requests, these are how Pipe17 allocates orders to specific locations or logistics partners for fulfillment. This is the main entity that 3PL systems interact with.

Fulfillments

Objects created by the logistics partner within Pipe17 to indicate that part or all of a requested line item has been fulfilled. These are considered immutable in Pipe17.

Inventory

Used by Pipe17 for order routing and updating selling channels on product availability.

Locations

Representation of warehouse locations used by Pipe17 to route Orders for fulfillment, and to sync inventory from warehouses to selling channels.

Please go through the Getting Started section in Pipe17 Help Center to get a better understanding of the various entities and workflows in Pipe17.