Set Up and Manage Outbound Outsourcing in DecoNetwork

Outbound outsourcing lets you assign selected order items to another DecoNetwork fulfillment center for decoration directly from Business Hub. This workflow is managed at the item level, giving you precise control over what is produced externally while the rest of the order continues through your normal fulfillment process.

In this tutorial, we will guide you through the steps to set up and manage outbound outsourcing in DecoNetwork. By the end of this guide, you will be equipped with the knowledge to efficiently leverage the capabilities of other fulfillment centers and enhance your business operations.

In this article

• Prerequisites
• Why use outbound outsourcing
• Step 1: Open Outsource Production settings
• Step 2: Create an outbound link to a fulfillment center
• Step 3: Manage outbound links (confirm, disable, cancel)
• Step 4: Outsource items from Business Hub
• Best-practice tips
• Troubleshooting
• FAQs
• Additional Resources

Prerequisites

Why use outbound outsourcing

• Expand your capabilities: offer decoration methods or capacity you don’t have in-house.
• Keep orders moving: reduce bottlenecks by routing work to a partner during busy periods.
• Scale without equipment investment: use partner capacity instead of adding resources.

Open Outsource Production settings

1. Log into your DecoNetwork Website.
2. Browse to Admin → Settings.

3. Select Production & Order Settings, then Outsource Production.

   

   

   Admin menu showing Production & Order Settings → Outsource Production.

   The Outsource Production configuration page will be displayed.

   

Step 2: Create an outbound link to a fulfillment center

Outbound outsourcing requires a link to the production partner. You create an outbound link using the partner’s Outsource ID, and the partner must approve the request.

1. On the Outsource Production page, click Link to a FulFillment Center.

   

2. Enter the Outsource ID of the external fulfillment center.

   
3. Click Search.

4. Review the company overview details and available services of the outbound fulfillment center.

   

5. Click Save to submit the link request.

   Note: Your outbound link request remains Unconfirmed until the partner fulfillment center approves it.

   

Step 3: Manage outbound links (confirm, disable, cancel)

You can manage outbound links from the outsourcing connections list.

1. In the outsourcing connections list, click Manage next to the link you want to update.
2. Choose the relevant option:

   • Cancel this Link Request: to cancel a link request.

     

   • Cancel this Link: to cancel an outbound outsource arrangement.

     

   • Disable this Link: to pause an outbound outsource arrangement.

     

Step 4: Outsource items from Business Hub

Once your outsourcing links are confirmed, you can outsource specific order items from the Production area in Business Hub. Outsourced items are sent to the production partner and return to your workflow marked as Production Complete, then move to the shipping node.

1. Log into Business Hub.
2. Click Production.
3. Select the items you want to outsource.

4. From the Actions menu, click Outsource Selected Items from the Actions menu.

   

5. Review the list of selected items in the Outsource Items popup and choose the linked fulfillment center.

   

6. Click OK.

   The selected items will then go to the outbound fulfillment center for production, where the items appear in the production node with a DecoLinked Outbound icon next to it. When production is completed, the items return to your workflow and move into your shipping node.

   

Best-practice tips

• Outsource at the item level: outsource only the items/processes that require external production so the rest of the order keeps moving.
• Confirm links before outsourcing: if the link is unconfirmed, items may not route as expected.
• Enable required decoration processes: even if a decoration method is always outsourced, it must still be enabled in Admin → Decoration Processes.
• Plan shipping separately: agree how goods will move between centers and when the customer shipment occurs.

Troubleshooting

My outbound link request is still “Unconfirmed”

• The partner fulfillment center must approve your request before it becomes confirmed.
• If needed, contact the partner and confirm they have inbound outsourcing enabled and can accept link requests.

I don’t see “Outsource selected items” in Business Hub

• Confirm the outsourcing link is confirmed
• Confirm you are selecting items from Business Hub → Production.

FAQs

What is an Outsource ID?

The Outsource ID uniquely identifies a fulfillment center for outsourcing. You use it to find a partner when creating an outbound link.

Does outbound outsourcing handle shipping?

No. Outsourcing routes production only. Shipping is handled separately.

Does outbound outsourcing handle financial arrangements?

No. Pricing and payments between fulfillment centers are managed outside of DecoNetwork.

Can I cancel an outsourcing arrangement?

Yes. Use Manage on the connection to cancel a pending request, disable a link, or cancel a link.

Additional Resources

• Staff account role access and permissions
• Set Up and Manage Inbound Outsourcing in DecoNetwork
• Decoration Processes - Overview
• Enable a decoration process