Order Import Issues: Why Orders Aren’t Showing Up

Overview

If orders are not appearing in the warehouse system, there is likely an order import issue between your store and the Handled systems.

Most issues are SKU-related, but routing and configuration issues can also prevent orders from importing.

Step 1: Confirm the Order Is Ready for Fulfillment

Before troubleshooting, verify:

• The order exists in your store
• The order is:
  • Paid (if required), and
  • Not canceled or on hold
• Up to 15 minutes have passed to allow for normal sync

Step 2: Check the Most Common Causes

1. Missing SKU (Most Common)

What happens
The SKU does not exist in the Handled system.

Why it happens

• New SKU not yet synced
• More common with non-Shopify platforms or recent launches

Fix

• Wait up to 24 hours for automatic sync, or
• Request a manual sync for urgent cases

2. Unmatched SKU

What happens
The SKU exists but does not match exactly.

Common causes

• Typos or edits
• Extra or missing characters (e.g., SKU-123 vs SKU123 )

Fix

• Correct the SKU within the Handled system
• Contact Handled to reprocess affected orders

3. Unknown SKU Variations (Often Discounts)

What happens
An unrecognized line item is included in the order.

Common causes

• Discount or promo lines passed as SKUs
• Integration mapping issues

Fix

• Review the order
• Contact Handled to resolve

4. Orders Sent to the Wrong Location

What happens
Orders are created in the selling platform (e.g. - Shopify) but are not routed to a Handled warehouse, so they never import.

Why it happens

• The selling channel location settings are incorrect
• A new location was added or prioritized incorrectly
• Inventory is assigned to a non-Handled location

Fix

• Check Locations and Fulfillment Priority
• Ensure the correct Handled warehouse is:
  • Assigned to the inventory, and
  • Set as the fulfillment location

Step 3: Consider Timing

• New SKUs sync automatically within 24 hours
• If a SKU was recently created, it may not be available yet

👉 For urgent cases, request a manual sync from Handled by emailing support+ordersync@handledcommerce.com.

Step 4: Monitor for Issues

Use your Daily Ops Report to:

• Identify orders that haven’t imported
• Catch issues early before they impact fulfillment

Step 5: Contact Handled if Needed

If the issue is still unresolved, contact support+ordersync@handledcommerce.com and include:

• Order number(s)
• Affected SKU(s)
• Any recent changes (new SKUs, edits, promotions, etc.)

Best Practices

• Notify Handled before launching new SKUs
• Avoid editing SKUs after creation
• Keep SKU formats consistent
• Ensure selling channel locations are configured correctly
• Monitor orders after catalog changes