API Errors

API Errors

First, let’s start by answering the question: 

1. What is an “API error”?  

Your eCommerce and your Kaerwell OMS (Order Management System) are connected via a technology called API.  This is the technology that pulls the orders from your eCommerce and essentially creates a copy in the Kaerwell system.  An API error will occur when Kaerwell does not know what to do with an order (for a reason listed below) and cannot send the order.  Kaerwell cannot send an order that has an API error.  

2. Where do I find API errors? 

If you have any API errors, they will be displayed in a box, as shown below, under your Orders tab. 

3. How often should I check for API errors? 

Initially, you should check for API errors every day to make sure nothing is getting trapped.  If you follow the rest of the Kaerwell Best Practices and map your ship methods appropriately, you should not have any API errors. 

4. Reasons for an API error 

There are a few reasons for an API error.   

1. Unmapped ship method.  Kaerwell’s system has what is called a Ship Method Translator to define which shipping carrier and service you would like to send your orders.  For example, if you have a “free shipping” option in your eCommerce, you may want us to ship it best rate possible.  If you have a “flat rate shipping” option in your eCommerce, you may want to ensure it is delivered in 3 days since a customer paid for that order.  Your ship methods are mapped uniquely to you. Here is a video explaining unmapped ship methods and how to resolve them. 

2. Missing or unmapped SKU or Synset.  If you have created a SKU or Synset in your eCommerce and have not created it in your Kaerwell OMS, created a product in your eCommerce and left the SKU information blank, or changed a SKU in your eCommerce, that unmapped SKU will land the order in API errors. Here is video explaining how to resolve this error.  

1. You should also refer to Kaerwell’s best practices on creating SKUs and Synsets to avoid API errors in the first place. 

3. Missing ship-to information on the order.  Most eCommerce platforms are really great at validating addresses and forcing users to enter mandatory fields (such as address, city, state, etc.).  Missing information in these fields is usually during a manual order that is created in your eCommerce.  A great way to avoid this is to train staff on inputting all mandatory fields when creating an order manually. Here is a quick video showing you how to resolve this error. Here is a video explaining missing ship to information on the order and how to resolve.  

4. Duplicate orders.  If you have a duplicate order number in the system, it will NOT show up in API errors or orders.  If you are running multiple integrations OR creating a lot of manual orders in your Kaerwell OMS best practices will be to add a suffix to each integration.  Here are instructions on how to do this. 

5. How do I resolve API errors? 

There is a supporting video in each of the areas above, here they are in a different way: 

Explaining and resolving unmapped Ship Methods 

Explaining and resolving unmapped SKUs or Synsets 

Explaining and resolving missing ship-to information 

Explaining and resolving duplicate orders 

6. Can my Kaerwell team help with these errors? 

Yes!  We can either jump on a live call to walk you through resolving these or you can send a message to your Customer Success team, and they can resolve them for you!