Dsco will provide you with credentials for your staging account allowing you to add users, set up shipping mapping, configure your packing slips, and begin API development work. At this stage all users should include “test” in their usernames so as not to be confused with production user accounts.

In order to begin the testing process, you will set up supplier test-accounts and populate them with dummy inventory data. For more information on the process of setting up a test supplier see here. It's helpful to go through the configuration process on supplier test-accounts to become familiar with Dsco's automated onboarding process.

Dsco’s automated onboarding guide Gandalf will lead you through the process of onboarding and testing each of your supplier test-accounts. Gandalf will take you step by step through setting up prefered connection methods as well as validating and testing inventory updates, order processing, shipping updates, line item and entire order cancellations, returned shipment, and invoicing. Note, at this stage you are testing your dummy supplier account connections to Dsco, not your retailer integration.

You will connect with Dsco either through API calls or with automated jobs using SFTP or AS2 (click here for more info on setting up automated jobs–you can also check out this webinar). Once your preferred connection method is set up you can begin exchanging test documents with your supplier test-accounts including inventory export, order import, order cancellation export, shipments export, invoice export, and returned shipment.

Once you’ve tested various individual document exchanges you can begin running end-to-end tests between your retailer staging account and supplier test-accounts to ensure that all functionality is working correctly. These tests will include entire workflows for inventory, orders/acknowledgments/cancels, and shipments + invoices.

When you’re ready to push into production you will need to replicate your staging account settings and integrations within your production account to maintain the same functionality. Once your production account is live, you will be able to set up users, invite suppliers to onboard with Dsco, access your analytics dashboard, and manage trading partner connections. This is Stage Three in the Retailer Implementation Guide.

If you have any questions please apply for a demo for a full breakdown of the Dsco implementation process. Our team is here to help make sharing retail data simple, easy, and cost-efficient for your entire ecosystem.

We’re looking forward to working with you!

For more information on the Dsco’s data integration process, check out our Retailer Implementation Guide, as well as the following support pages: