Real-time Inventory Synchronization with osCommerce

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Overview

The osCommerce family of shopping carts are only able to perform inventory synchronization at the SKU level, not at the option level.

Real-time inventory synchronization differs from manual inventory synchronization in that the program will automatically send Quantity on Hand counts to the web site as inventory is decremented (product sales) or incremented (receive inventory from a supplier). Manual synchronization requires human intervention and is not normally executed more than once per day; it refers to the use of the [Send QOH to Website] or [Get QOH from Website] buttons found on the Shopping Cart Functions screen.

To automatically synchronize inventory counts between Order Manager and osCommerce, the user must first ensure that the shopping cart and Order Manager have an accurate, identical, count before enabling real-time inventory synchronization. The user should occasionally monitor the quantity counts in both places to ensure the two remain in sync. If they are not in sync, the user should take steps to re-synchronize inventory.

Preparing for Real-Time Inventory Synchronization

  1. Determine whether Order Manager or osCommerce contains the most accurate count of your inventory and perform one of the next two steps accordingly.

    1. If osCommerce contains the most accurate inventory count, use the Shopping Cart Functions form to "Get QOH From Website". (The Create Records for New Products check box can be left unchecked).

Figure 1: Shopping Cart Functions screen - osCommerce carts

    1. If Order Manager’s count is more accurate or you plan to count inventory and enter it into Order Manager, use the  "Send QOH to Website" button to set the initial QOH to identical counts.

Enabling Real-Time Synchronization in the Order Manager

  1. First, turn on system-wide quantity-on-hand (QOH) synchronization by setting the SynchQOH parameter (in the Program group) to True. Note: You will not see the Synchronize Inventory check box on the Shopping Carts form unless you set the parameter first.

  2. Next, go to the osCommerce shopping cart definition as found in the Create/Edit Shopping Carts screen. Click in the Synchronize Inventory check box and save the changes.

  3. Repeat for each osCommerce shopping cart in your store data file.

Figure 2: Shopping Carts screen - osCommerce shopping cart is selected

Testing Real-Time Inventory Synchronization

Maintaining Inventory Synchronization Process

 

 

See Also

Inventory Synchronization

Shopping Cart Functions

Setting Up an osCommerce Shopping Cart

Setting Up a Shared Post Stack Controller

Updated: 8/21/09