OMS OMS

Processing Mixed Orders in OMS

In today’s omnichannel commerce environment, not all orders follow a single fulfillment path. Some may include products fulfilled from warehouse stock, while others rely on third-party suppliers through dropshipping or backordering. These are known as mixed orders. BetterCommerce OMS makes it simple to process and track these complex orders in one unified view.

What Is a Mixed Order?

A mixed order contains a combination of:

  • In-stock items (fulfilled from your warehouse)
  • Backorder items (fulfilled once restocked)
  • Dropship items (fulfilled directly by third-party suppliers)

Mixed orders present logistical challenges, but the OMS is designed to break down and route each part to the correct fulfillment method automatically.

How Mixed Orders Are Processed in OMS

1. Order Creation

A customer places an order containing items with different fulfillment types. OMS identifies and classifies each line item accordingly.

2. Order Classification

The order appears in the MixedOrder tab of the OMS, giving your operations team a clear indication that it involves multiple fulfillment sources.

3. Item-Level Routing

Each line item is automatically routed based on its fulfillment type:

  • In-stock items go through the warehouse process: Pick → Pack → Dispatch
  • Backorder items are queued and fulfilled once restocked
  • Dropship items are sent to the respective suppliers

4. Split Fulfillment

The OMS splits the order into sub-fulfillment lines based on location and method, allowing each item to be processed independently while keeping the original order structure intact.

5. Status Updates

Each line item progresses through its own fulfillment flow, with the OMS tracking and updating statuses in real time.

6. Customer Communication

The system can send consolidated or individual shipment notifications depending on how the order is fulfilled.

Tracking Mixed Orders

In the OMS dashboard:

  • Filter orders by MixedOrder type
  • View fulfillment status per line item
  • See shipping methods, suppliers, and delivery timelines in one place

This makes it easy for the operations team to stay on top of partial dispatches, follow-up actions, and exception handling.

OMS Tools That Support Mixed Orders

  • Intelligent Order Splitting
    Automatically split orders by warehouse, supplier, or stock availability.

  • Fulfillment Type Tags
    Clearly label each line item as Stock, Backorder, or Dropship.

  • Consolidated Reporting
    Track fulfillment progress and exceptions in a unified view.

  • Partial Dispatch Handling
    Automatically update status as individual items are dispatched.

Best Practices

  • Keep inventory and supplier feeds synced to reduce delays.
  • Communicate clearly with customers about partial shipments.
  • Use automation rules to streamline routing and reduce manual intervention.
  • Monitor fulfillment KPIs for each segment of the mixed order.

Example Use Case

A customer orders:

  • 1 in-stock T-shirt
  • 1 out-of-stock winter coat (backordered)
  • 1 pair of shoes shipped via dropship

In OMS:

  • The T-shirt is picked and packed immediately.
  • The winter coat is queued until restocked.
  • The shoes are routed to the supplier for fulfillment.

Each product is tracked independently, and the system ensures visibility across the entire process.

Conclusion

Mixed orders are a natural outcome of modern commerce. BetterCommerce OMS ensures these orders are processed smoothly by intelligently managing fulfillment types, automating order splitting, and giving teams the visibility they need. This leads to higher operational efficiency and better customer satisfaction—even for the most complex orders.

Manage complexity with clarity—OMS makes mixed orders simple.