faq

General Order Broker questions
Why can’t I work with systems, event logging, preferences, proximity uploads, or user profiles?	Your user roles control this access. See the Role Wizard for more information.
I changed a preference setting on one of our servers. Why hasn’t it taken effect?	When you change a preference, the preference settings are updated immediately only on the server where you performed the update, while additional servers continue to use the cached settings. As a result, if you use a multi-server environment for Order Broker, you need to open the Preferences screen on each server and click Update in order to apply the new preference settings. Use the Cache... button at the About Order Broker window to determine if the current instance of Order Broker is sharing a cache with another instance.
How do I know which version of Order Broker is installed?	Select Systems > About Order Broker... to display the About Order Broker window.
Why did my Order Broker session time out? How can I get back in?	The UI Timeout setting at the Tenant - Admin screen specifies how many minutes to wait before timing out an inactive user session. Once a session times out, you need to close the browser window and start a new session in a different window.
What are the password requirements?	For any user not flagged to use LDAP authentication, the password must: • be changed at least every 90 days • be from 8 to 25 characters • not contain any spaces • include at least 1 numeric character • include at least 1 letter • not be the same as the user ID • not be the same as any of the 4 previous passwords The password is case-sensitive (A is not the same as a). These rules apply to all Order Broker users, store associate users, and vendor users. Note: Vendor users are not eligible for LDAP authentication.
Why does some of the information on a screen looks incorrect, such as certain fields appearing in more than one area of the screen?	If you are using Internet Explorer, make sure that you are not displaying the Order Broker screens in Compatibility View mode. Compatibility View should be turned off for Order Broker.
Why did Order Broker return an error: Inbound Message failed validation?	Order Broker returns this error to a web service message if authentication is required for the web service and the request message was not sent with a valid user name and password. See the Web Service Authorization screen for background.
Why are my search results not correct?	Unless otherwise indicated, codes and names in Order Broker, Store Connect, and Supplier Direct Fulfillment are case-sensitive (A is not the same as a). When searching for a specific record on a screen, you must enter the case correctly; for example, if you are searching for reason code CAN, you must enter C, CA, or CAN in the code field, and not c, ca, or can.
Will trailing blank spaces in an inbound message cause an error?	Order Broker trims any trailing blank spaces from the fields in inbound messages, so trailing blank spaces do not cause an error.
Why can’t I generate reports?	Make sure that all servers have the same required fonts installed.
How can I open the XLS version of a generated report?	If the XLS version of the report does not open automatically in your browser, save the report file and then open it in with your spreadsheet application.
Why are report files sent as email attachments named Untitled.dat?	If your email server blocks the PDF or XLS files as suspicious attachments, the files could be renamed as Untitled.dat. You can save the file and assign it the correct extension (PDF or XLS), or you can request that your system administrator add the Order Broker server to a white list so that the attachments are no longer blocked.
How is the location of documentation and online help determined?	The locate-doc.properties file defines the URLs to use when linking to the Order Broker online help and Operations Guide. The settings in this file should not normally be changed.
Why don’t scheduled imports, exports, and reports run at the scheduled times?	The times displayed on screens, and used for scheduled events such as imports, exports, and report generation, are based on the retailer’s time as specified at the Tenant - Admin screen. The retailer’s time may be different from your local time (the user’s time). For example, if the retailer’s time zone is two hours later than your local time zone, then an import scheduled at 8:00 runs at 10:00 in your local time. See Time Zones for a discussion.
Where can I find information on import and export file layouts and mapping?	See Importing Locations, Importing Products and System Products, Importing Product Locations, and Importing UPC Barcodes for import details, file layouts, and data mapping. See the System screen for information on the probable quantity export, incremental inventory import, and fulfilled inventory export.
After an upgrade, why aren’t orders displayed in Order Inquiry, and why aren’t reports generating?	A possible explanation is that the server.timezone setting in the locate-config.properties file was not set to a valid time zone during the upgrade process. Reset this property and restart the application.
Is there personally identifiable information in the log files?	All personally identifiable information for customers, vendors, or locations is removed from log files. Personally identifiable information includes names, address, email addresses, phone numbers, customer numbers, and tender accounts. The personally identifiable information is replaced in the log with the text * Removed by Logger . For example, the email address might appear in the log file as <email> Removed by Logger *</email>.
Where are date, time, and numeric formats defined?	The date, time, and numeric formats displayed on Order Broker screens are defined at the User Profile Configuration screen. The date, time, and numeric formats in system-generated emails are defined for the organization (see the Edit Organization screen).
Where are language settings defined?	The language settings include: • screens: the URL used for Order Broker • system-generated emails: the Language specified for the organization (see the Edit Organization screen) or at the Event Logging screen
Why are web service requests failing authentication?	A WebLogic setting controls whether each web service user needs to match a valid user ID and password. To turn off this requirement: • Edit the config.xml file in OB_DOMAIN/config/, where OB_DOMAIN is the WebLogic domain on this application server. • Search for </security-configuration> and insert the following line immediately before this line: <enforce-valid-basic-auth-credentials>false</enforce-valid-basic-auth-credentials> • If the below line exists in this same section, delete it: <use-kss-for-demo>true</use-kss-for-demo> • Save this file. • Restart WebLogic.
Why can’t a user log in after the account was re-enabled?	You can disable a user account manually, but an account can also disabled if there has been a series of unsuccessful login attempts equal to the number specified in the Lock Out field at the Tenant-Admin screen. If you change the user account back to Active status, the account remains disabled until the Lockout Duration specified in the User Lockout options in WebLogic has passed.
Why does a submitted message fails with an authentication error, even though the Web Service User and password are correct?	A setting in WebLogic can require that the Web Service user and password not only be correct, but must map to an actual user ID and password. To correct: • Edit the config.xml file in <DOMAIN_FOLDER>/config/ where <DOMAIN_FOLDER> is the WebLogic domain on this application server. • Search for </security-configuration> and insert the following line immediately before this line: <enforce-valid-basic-auth-credentials>false</enforce-valid-basic-auth-credentials> • If the below line exists in this same section, delete it: <use-kss-for-demo>true</use-kss-for-demo> • Save this file.
Why are screens displaying asterisks rather than personal information?	Data can be anonymized through the Purge Customer Data from Completed Orders window, or through a web service request. Once the data is anonymized, it is replaced with asterisks, and cannot be recovered. The types of personal data that can be anonymized are: • customer names, addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers (both sold-to and ship-to) on both sales orders and purchase orders • vendor names, addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers • Order Broker user names and email addresses • Vendor user names and email addresses • Store Connect associate names and email addresses • Brand contact names and email addresses See Anonymizing Data for background.
Merchandise Locator and Routing Engine questions
Why are no products displayed at the Products screen?	When you initially install Order Broker, there are no products in its database. You need to perform the steps described in Setting Up Data for the Routing Engine Module and then continue importing products or items from your default system. Another possibility is that the cached information in the browser needs to be refreshed. To prevent this issue from occurring, if you use Internet Explorer: • Select Tools > Internet Options • In the Internet Options window, select the Advanced tab • Scroll down to the Security options and select Empty Temporary Internet Files folder when browser is closed • Click OK to apply the change
How can I tell when the availability information for a product location was last updated?	This information is displayed at the Browse Product Locations window. Availability information can by updated by: • the import process • responses to inventory inquiries sent by Order Broker, if the location is in an online system • entry at the New Product Location screen or the Edit Product Location screen • the incremental inventory update (see the Incremental Inv Update tab of the System screen)
Why are there no product locations for a product?	Confirm that the location was created in Order Broker, as described in Setting Up Data for the Routing Engine Module.
How can I display the probability rule assignments for a location, location type, or organization?	See the Probability Location screen. Probable quantity rules: You use the Probable Quantity Location screen rather than this screen to assign probable quantity rules, which update the probable quantity that a system, such as your ecommerce site, can use to estimate an item’s availability. For more information, see: • the Probable Quantity Rules screen • the Probable Quantity Location screen • the Probable Qty Export tab at the System screen
Why can’t I display the New Location screen?	You need to first set the Use Proximity Locator preference at the Preferences screen. See Setting Up Data for the Routing Engine Module for an overview.
I have the Require Status Update flag selected for a system. Why is Order Broker generating duplicate emails to the specified email address?	The Email Interval specified in the Email Settings section of the Tenant - Admin screen controls how many minutes to wait between generating emails.
Why isn’t an Item # displayed at the Order screen?	If your user ID is not assigned a Default Shipping System at the User Profile Configuration screen, the Item # might not be displayed at the Details tab on the Order screen.
Why did a rejected order stay in rejected status?	This can occur if the Default Unfulfillable Location is not associated with the default system for your organization, because Order Broker cannot reshop the order unless there is a system product record for the system associated with the Default Unfulfillable Location.
Why was an entire order assigned to the Default Unfulfillable Location when it could have been partially fulfilled?	The Routing Engine does not initially create an order or line as partially unfulfillable.If there is no location that can fulfill the entire requested quantity of an order or line, or is flagged as Backorder Available, the entire order is assigned to the Default Unfulfillable Location.
Supplier Direct Fulfillment and Store Connect questions
Why can’t I create a vendor?	You cannot create a vendor for an organization until you create the default vendor system. See the default vendor system for background.
Where is the vendor’s contact name and address stored in the database?	The vendor contact’s name and address information, as well as the vendor’s name and Active flag, are stored in the location table.
Where is the vendor’s return address stored in the database?	The vendor’s return address information is stored in the contact table.
What is the DS Vendor location type?	The DS Vendor location type is required for you to create vendors for your organization. Order Broker automatically creates the DS Vendor location type for an organization when you create the default vendor system. You should not delete the DS Vendor location type.
How to resend invoices to the order management system?	If the order management system did not receive and create the invoices, you can resend one or more invoices by setting the posted_date in the vendor_invoice table to NULL. Order Broker then includes these invoices in the GetDSInvoicesResponse message the next time it receives the request from the order management system.
Why doesn’t the Vendor Portal or Store Connect landing page display the graphs and charts?	The Vendor Portal and Store Connect require Internet access to display the graphs and charts.
Why do the vendor’s invoice or shipment upload files remain in Uploaded status?	If you have not created the folder for vendor uploads, the CSV files remain in Uploaded status at the Invoice Upload or Purchase Order Shipping Upload screen in the Vendor Portal when the vendor attempts an upload. You need to create the SDFUploadData folder under usr/share/OrderBroker.

________________________________