How to Use Automations to Enhance Your Fulfillment Flow in Luminous

Automations in Luminous are powerful tools to optimize and streamline your fulfillment process. By setting up rules and actions, you can automate repetitive tasks, ensure critical actions are taken, and keep your operations running smoothly. Here's a step-by-step guide to creating and using automations effectively.

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Step 1. Navigate to Automations

1. In Luminous, go to the Tools section.
2. Select Automations from the menu.
3. Click Create Rule to start building a new automation.

Step 2. Define the Rule

1. Give the Rule a Name:
   • Choose a clear and descriptive name (e.g., "Tag Special Orders" or "Purgatory Alert").
2. Choose an Event:
   • Select an event that triggers the rule.
     • Popular options include:
       • Order Updated
       • Order Created

Step 3. Set Conditions

1. Add conditions to specify when the automation should apply:
   • For example, if you want to target specific products:
     • Choose the Product SKU condition.
     • Enter or search for the relevant SKU (e.g., "Blue/Red Golf Club").
   • Combine multiple conditions if needed to refine the automation.

Step 4. Add an Action

1. Select the action the automation will perform when conditions are met:
   • Tag the Order: Add a custom tag to flag the order (e.g., “Special Order”).
   • Send an Email: Notify your team when certain criteria are met.
     • Write the email content and specify the recipient(s).
   • Put the Order on Hold: Pause processing for specific cases.
   • Update Order Details: Modify fields such as custom columns or background color.

Step 5. Example Automation - Purgatory Email Alert

1. Set an automation to notify you if an order gets stuck in purgatory:
   • Event: Choose Order Updated.
   • Condition: Check if the order hasn’t been posted.
     • Example: set the posted condition to False, meaning the order hasn't made it through purgatory.
   • Action: Send an email alert.
     • Write the email message.
     • Specify the recipient email address.

Step 6. Save and Test the Automation

1. Once you've configured the rule, click Save.
2. Test the automation with a sample scenario to ensure it works as expected.

Tips for Using Automations

• Combine Conditions: Use multiple conditions to target specific scenarios more precisely.
• Regular Reviews: Periodically review your automations to ensure they're still relevant to your workflow.
• Create Notifications: Use email alerts for high-priority actions, such as orders requiring manual intervention.
• Experiment Freely: Luminous allows you to create multiple automations to address different fulfillment needs.

More Fulfillment Automation Ideas

• Flag fragile items: when an order contains a fragile SKU, tag it "Fragile" so packers use extra padding.
• Hold orders for review: put orders containing a high-value or limited-edition SKU on hold until someone checks them.
• Highlight VIP orders: change the background color of orders from a key wholesale customer so they stand out on the Sales Order Grid.
• Alert on special products: email your warehouse lead when an order includes a product that needs special handling or packaging.
• Fill custom fields: update a custom field automatically, like a packing instruction, based on what's in the order.

Common Questions

Where do I create automations? Go to Tools > Automations and click Create Rule.

What can an automation do? Actions include tagging an order, sending an email, putting an order on hold, and updating columns like custom fields or background color.

What is purgatory? Purgatory holds orders that couldn't be posted into Luminous, often because of a data issue such as an unmapped SKU. See How to Use Purgatory in Luminous and How to Clean Up Purgatory and Use Data Mapping.

By leveraging automations in Luminous, you can reduce manual tasks, improve efficiency, and ensure critical steps in your fulfillment process are never missed.