Some trading partners will choose to connect to Rithum through a third-party. Rithum supports a wide variety of connection types and can connect to a number of different third-parties. In fact, Rithum maintains many active connections with third-parties, so check with your third-party to see if they already have a connection set up with Rithum. 

Data Flow Overview

Review the digram below for an overview of how data flows from retailers to suppliers when using a third-party with Rithum.

Helpful Terminology

Associate Account: This account is the brand/supplier's Rithum account. The associate account must be connected to the third-party's proxy account for this process to work.

Proxy Account: This is the third-party's Rithum account. This account may have been configured previously when connecting other suppliers to Rithum. 

Things to Consider

  • Platform - You will still have access directly to the platform to view inventory, order, and invoice information. The platform also makes available different reports and analytics views, allowing you to track metrics such as your fulfillment rate and number of orders shipped.

  • Account Access - You may need to give your third-party access to your Rithum account in order to set up the connection

  • Scheduling - Work with your third-party to determine the best schedule for you to send information to Rithum. Schedules may vary between third-party, but Rithum should be as up-to-date as possible to make sure that your trading partners have a complete picture or your inventory and order statuses. 

  • Issue Reporting - Be sure to reach out to Rithum Sofware Support team with any questions and keep us in the loop on any issue that you’re experiencing with the platform.

Connection Process

Inviting A Proxy Account

The only way to set up a Proxy account is by invitation. A prospective associate account simply needs to invite the Proxy account to Rithum. 

  1. Log into the Rithum associate account.
  2. Hover over the account name in the primary navigation, then select PROXY in the drop down.
  3. Select INVITE on the next page.
  4. Enter the Company Name, Email, Contact Name, and Contact Phone for the company/person who you would like to create a Proxy account.

Accepting A Proxy Account Invitation

Now that the invitation has been sent, the proxy account user needs to open it and accept the invitation. 

  1. Open the invitation email.
  2. Select the link in the middle of the email that instructs you to create a proxy account.
  3. In the newly opened sign-in page, select Create your Rithum Account
    1. If you already have a proxy account and want to simply add this associate as a new connection then simply log in with your existing credentials. You can also skip directly to step 5. 
  4. Enter all the required account information and select Complete Account.
  5. Select Yes, Accept This Invitation on the next page.

Setting Up Job Automation

With the proxy and associate accounts properly connected, the next step is to set up automated jobs. This process is exactly the same for a regular non-proxy account. Go here for more help with creating automated jobs. 

  1. Log into the proxy account.
  2. Select AUTOMATION in the main navigation.
  3. Select the red Create Job button.
  4. Configure the job by following the steps presented.
    1. File name, process type, file type.

    2. Import / Export source, notifications.

    3. Scheduling.

  5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each job to be created.

Add an Associate ID

In order for Rithum to accurately match data to the proper associate account, the proxy account must send the data with an ID that is inside both Rithum and the EDI file. Rithum will also use this ID when sending data back to the third-party. This ID is called the Associate ID and can be whatever you choose. Here is how to set it in Rithum:

  1. Log into the proxy account.
  2. Select ASSOCIATES in the main navigation.
  3. Find the associate to configure and select the Gear Icon under Actions.
  4. Enter the Associate ID. You may also add a different Associate Name if you wish.
  5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to configure each associate account.

Previously Identified Issues

  • Sometimes suppliers face timing issues when updating their inventory and having that inventory correctly reflected on the retailer’s websites. We advise working closely with Rithum and your third-party to make sure data and automated jobs are synced to minimize inventory update lag time.

  • Some suppliers are not expecting to need to access the platform. Be sure to consult with your third-party to determine which data will be exported from Rithum and which data will only be available via the platform.

  • When a third-party connects to Rithum, some suppliers aren’t expecting their own connection to the third-party to change. Be sure to check with you third-party on possible integration changes and what you can do to be ready for those changes.

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