In the workflows, you specify for each feature which data Xentral exchanges with OTTO and how Xentral processes it. Here you decide, for example, which warehouses Xentral reports the stock from, how Xentral creates customers from OTTO orders, and how Xentral reports returns back to OTTO.
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You have added OTTO and selected the features (see the article Adding OTTO).
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You have assigned the products (see the article OTTO: Assigning products).
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A postage item, a discount item, a project, and the payment and shipping methods that you use for OTTO are created in Xentral.
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Navigate to Settings > Integrations.
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Click on the gear icon for your OTTO integration.
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Switch to the Workflows tab. For each feature you have activated, you find a separate sub-tab.
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Carry out the settings and click on Save.
Note
Each sub-tab has the Active switch. It controls whether the feature exchanges data in live operation. Activate it as soon as you have carried out the settings of the sub-tab. You can only test active features via the journal. Xentral exchanges the data automatically only after you set the integration live. Required fields are marked with * (see the article OTTO: Going live).
Xentral transfers the stock of the assigned products to OTTO as soon as the stock changes in Xentral.
Field name |
Description |
|---|---|
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Active |
Switch that controls whether Xentral transfers stocks to OTTO in live operation. |
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Select Xentral warehouse |
Select one or more warehouses from which Xentral reports the stock to OTTO. If you select multiple warehouses, Xentral sums up the stocks. If a newly created warehouse is missing from the selection, click on Reload options. |
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Consider reservations |
Switch that controls whether Xentral deducts reserved quantities from the physical stock. Depending on the project setting, open orders automatically lead to reservations. Activate only one of the two switches Consider reservations and Consider open orders. |
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Consider open orders |
Switch that controls whether Xentral deducts the quantities of open orders from the physical stock. |
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Consider stock correction value |
Switch that controls whether Xentral deducts the stock correction value from the product from the stock or adds it. You maintain the value in the product under Online shop options. |
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Use pseudo stock number instead of real stock numbers |
Switch that controls whether Xentral reports the pseudo stock number from the product instead of the calculated stock. You maintain the value in the product under Online shop options. |
Xentral imports orders from OTTO as sales orders. In this sub-tab, you specify how Xentral assigns payment and shipping methods, posts shipping costs and discounts, and creates customers.
Field name |
Description |
|---|---|
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Active |
Switch that controls whether Xentral imports orders from OTTO in live operation. |
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Editor |
Optional. Name that Xentral enters as the editor in imported orders. |
Field name |
Description |
|---|---|
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Default payment method |
Payment method from Xentral that Xentral uses if OTTO does not provide a payment method. |
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Use default payment method even if no assignment is available? |
Switch that controls whether Xentral also uses the default payment method if OTTO provides a payment method that you have not assigned. |
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Payment method assignment |
Required field. On the left, assign the payment method from OTTO, and on the right, the payment method from Xentral. You can assign multiple OTTO payment methods to the same Xentral payment method. Copy OTTO’s spelling exactly (see the table below). |
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Payment methods without auto-shipment |
Select Xentral payment methods for which Xentral deactivates auto-shipment. Xentral imports these orders, and you release them manually for shipping. |
OTTO provides the following payment methods:
OTTO payment method |
Meaning |
|---|---|
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DIRECT_DEBIT |
Direct debit |
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INVOICE_SINGLE |
Single invoice |
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CREDIT_CARD |
Credit card |
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CREDIT_CARD_ONLINE |
Credit card |
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INVOICE_INSTALLMENTS |
Installment payment |
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DIRECT_DEBIT_INSTALLMENTS |
Installment direct debit |
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PREPAYMENT |
Prepayment |
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PAYPAL |
PayPal |
Field name |
Description |
|---|---|
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Which delivery terms should apply to the order import for this sales channel? |
Delivery condition that Xentral assigns to imported orders. For OTTO, you can leave the field empty. |
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Default shipping method |
Shipping method from Xentral that Xentral uses if OTTO does not provide a shipping method. |
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Use default shipping method even if no assignment is available |
Switch that controls whether Xentral also uses the default shipping method if OTTO provides a shipping method that you have not assigned. |
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Shipping methods assignment |
Required field. On the left, assign the shipping method from OTTO, and on the right, the shipping method from Xentral. You can assign multiple OTTO shipping methods to the same Xentral shipping method. Copy OTTO’s spelling exactly (see the list below). |
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Fast lane shipping methods |
Select Xentral shipping methods, e.g., express, for which Xentral automatically activates the fast lane in the order. |
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Create receipts in auto dispatch |
Select which receipts Xentral creates during auto-shipment: Create invoice only, Create delivery note only, or Create invoice and delivery note. Create invoice only is suitable, for example, for a pickup process. If you import invoices from OTTO (Receipts sub-tab), select Create delivery note only. |
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Shipping methods without auto-shipment |
Select Xentral shipping methods for which Xentral deactivates auto-shipment. |
OTTO provides the following shipping methods: DELIVERY_FEE_STANDARD, DHL, DHL_FREIGHT, DHL_HOME_DELIVERY, GLS, HERMES, DPD, UPS, HES, HELLMANN, DB_SCHENKER, IDS, EMONS, DACHSER, LOGWIN, KUEHNE_NAGEL, SCHOCKEMOEHLE, KOCH, REITHMEIER, CARGOLINE, BURSPED, GEL, DHL_EXPRESS, MEYER_JUMBO, BTW, RHENUS, OTHER_FORWARDER.
Field name |
Description |
|---|---|
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Item number for shipping costs |
Required field. Postage item to which Xentral posts the shipping costs. You create a postage item by activating the Item is postage option in the product. |
Note
For Xentral to always take over the shipping costs from OTTO, the postage item must not have a sales price. If the Calculate postage option is active in the general settings of Xentral, Xentral otherwise uses the sales price of the postage item.
Caution
If you sell products with a reduced tax rate, activate the Split shipping module. This way, Xentral calculates the correct tax rate for the shipping costs.
Field name |
Description |
|---|---|
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Automatically mark VAT ID no. as checked |
Switch that controls whether Xentral marks the VAT ID number as checked in all imported orders. Use it only if the check is already ensured outside of Xentral. |
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Make taxation dependent on storage location |
A switch that controls whether Xentral calculates the value-added tax according to the country of your warehouse location. In general, value-added tax is due in the buyer’s country (Section 3c of the German VAT Act). If your annual EU-wide revenue from distance sales is below EUR 10,000, you may apply the tax rate of your warehouse location’s country instead. Activate the switch only in this case. |
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Set total amount |
Switch that controls whether Xentral takes over the total amount from OTTO instead of calculating it from the individual items. This way, you avoid rounding differences. |
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Maximum difference to the calculated total amount |
Appears if Set total amount is active. Preset to 0.05. If the difference is larger, Xentral does not take over the total amount from OTTO, enters "Online-Shop Differenz erkannt" in the sales order log, and deactivates auto-shipment for this order. |
Important
An active Automatically mark VAT ID no. as checked switch sets the USt-Id-Nr. ok criterion in every order. If you do not check VAT ID numbers in Xentral, make sure that only orders from verified customers are imported.
Field name |
Description |
|---|---|
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Item number for discount |
Required field. Discount item to which Xentral posts coupons and discounts on the entire shopping cart. Xentral saves discounts on individual products separately. You create a discount item by activating the Item is discount option in the product. |
Xentral distinguishes between customers with a customer account and guest customers without a customer account.
Field name |
Description |
|---|---|
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Customer creation |
Specify how Xentral creates customers with a customer account: assign customer from order to existing customer (default), Write each customer to default customer, or create each new customer. |
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Customer creation guest order |
Specify the same for guest customers, with the same options. |
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Customer assignment |
Characteristics by which Xentral recognizes an existing customer: Customer number, Mail address, Name & address. Xentral checks in this order. The field is relevant if you selected assign customer from order to existing customer. |
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If no customer is found, then |
Specify what Xentral does if no customer matches: Do not import order, Create new customer (default), or Write each customer to default customer. |
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Assign existing customers only within the project? |
Switch that controls whether Xentral searches only for customers in the integration’s project. If Xentral does not find a customer there, the If no customer is found, then setting applies. As a rule, the switch stays deactivated. |
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Select default customer |
Customer to whom Xentral writes orders if you selected an option with default customers. |
Note
Example: You selected all three characteristics for Customer assignment. Xentral first checks the customer number, then the mail address, then name and address. If none matches, Xentral proceeds according to the If no customer is found, then setting.
Field name |
Description |
|---|---|
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Project |
Required field. Project that Xentral assigns to imported orders. |
Field name |
Description |
|---|---|
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Aggregate order items per product? |
Switch, active by default. OTTO reports products ordered multiple times as individual positions with a quantity of 1. If the switch is active, Xentral combines these positions per product into one position with the total quantity. We recommend leaving the switch activated. |
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Adopt article description from Xentral |
Switch that controls whether Xentral uses the product name from the Xentral product master data in the receipts. This is useful if you use different names on OTTO, e.g., for SEO. |
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Adopt article description |
Specify which description appears in the order items: No article description (default), Article description from Xentral, or Item description from the sales channel. |
Xentral transfers the prices of the assigned products to OTTO as soon as a price changes in Xentral.
Field name |
Description |
|---|---|
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Active |
Switch that controls whether Xentral transfers prices to OTTO in live operation. |
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Customer group |
Select the customer group whose price Xentral transfers to OTTO. If you want to use the standard prices, leave the field empty. |
You specify whether Xentral transfers gross or net prices in the general settings (see the article OTTO: General settings). You maintain a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) in the product (see the article Online shop options with OTTO).
Xentral reports order status and tracking information to OTTO as soon as they are available in Xentral. In addition to the shipment’s tracking number, OTTO also requires a return number.
Field name |
Description |
|---|---|
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Active |
Switch that controls whether Xentral reports status and tracking to OTTO in live operation. |
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Cancel orders automatically in the sales channel? |
Switch, active by default. It controls whether Xentral also cancels orders that you cancel in Xentral on OTTO. This affects only orders that have not been shipped yet. |
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Report returns |
Switch that controls whether Xentral automatically reports returns that you create in Xentral to OTTO. The switch alone is sufficient for this. You specify how Xentral reports reasons and product condition in the Returns section. |
Field name |
Description |
|---|---|
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Carrier assignment |
Required field. On the left, assign your Xentral shipping methods, and on the right, the matching shipping service providers from OTTO. This is the only way the tracking number arrives correctly at OTTO. |
Enter the address of the warehouse from which you ship. Xentral transmits it to OTTO. It is important for correct tax calculation, e.g., in connection with delivery thresholds.
Field name |
Description |
|---|---|
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Postal code (ZIP) |
Required field. Postal code of your shipping warehouse. |
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City |
Required field. City of your shipping warehouse. |
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Country (ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code) |
Required field. Country of your shipping warehouse as a three-letter country code, e.g., DEU for Germany. |
With every shipping confirmation, OTTO expects a return number. If you use automated parcel shipping with DHL, Xentral determines it automatically and you do not need to enter return numbers here. If you ship by freight, via another shipping service provider, or via a fulfiller, you enter a return number pool here.
Field name |
Description |
|---|---|
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Return numbers |
Return number pool of your shipping service provider. Separate the numbers with commas. With every shipping feedback, Xentral uses the next free number from the pool. You can add to the pool at any time. |
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Returns shipping service provider |
Shipping service provider for your returns: DHL (default), GLS, Hermes, or HES. |
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Otto Return Warehouse Address |
OTTO return warehouse to which your customers send returns. |
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Return reason assignments |
On the left, assign your Xentral return reasons, and on the right, the combination of OTTO reason and product condition (see below). |
Tip
Choose the return number pool large enough to cover the shipment volume of six months. After that, Xentral can reuse return numbers. You can find out how to create a pool for DHL yourself in the article OTTO: FAQs & best practices.
For a return, OTTO expects a combination of reason and product condition. Xentral, in contrast, knows only one return reason. Therefore, create your own return reasons in the Return reasons module, each of which maps one combination, e.g., in a separate category "OTTO returns".
Without an assignment, Xentral reports the return to OTTO without a reason and product condition. All products are then considered returned. Rejecting a return is not possible without an assignment.
For accepted returns, these OTTO reasons are available, each with one of the product conditions In original packaging, Mint condition, Slightly used, Heavily used, or Delivery faulty:
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Return received
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Complaint
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Undeliverable
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Customer cancellation
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Shipment (outbound) lost
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Return (inbound) lost
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Refund after affidavit
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Status sent by accident
Note
Example: You create the return reason "14-day right of return" in Xentral and assign it to "Return received / In original packaging".
Xentral itself has no "rejected" status for returns. To reject a return on OTTO, you create your own return reason and assign it to a rejection reason from OTTO. For rejections, OTTO provides no product condition, only a reason. The following rejection reasons are available:
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Rejection / Third-party item
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Rejection / Wrong item
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Rejection / Exchange
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Rejection / Hygiene seal damaged
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Rejection / Return period exceeded
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Rejection / Item not in the parcel
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Rejection / Item damaged
Note
Example: You create the return reason "Return rejected – hygiene seal damaged" and assign it to "Rejection / Hygiene seal damaged".
With this feature, Xentral imports invoice documents from OTTO. If you do not see the sub-tab, first activate the Receipts feature in the general settings (see the article OTTO: General settings).
Field name |
Description |
|---|---|
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Active |
Switch that controls whether Xentral imports receipts from OTTO in live operation. |
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Import invoice documents from Otto |
Switch that controls whether Xentral imports the invoice documents from OTTO. The import starts upon activation and does not apply retroactively to older receipts. |
Note
So that Xentral does not create invoices twice, select the Create delivery note only option in the Orders sub-tab under Create receipts in auto dispatch.
Test the settings with a few products and then set the integration live (see the article OTTO: Going live).