Why an order is held, and how to fix it

In short

Most held orders came in with something to put right. It may be a product code Stockist doesn't know, a postcode that fails the Address Check, or a detail the carrier needs. Fix it on the order under Orders and the hold clears at once, so the order carries on.

What you see

A product code on this order matches no product of the client. Correct the line, or add the product to the client's products: the order is checked again at once.

Line [line]: [client] has no product with the code [code].

The delivery address failed the address check. Correct it, or accept it as entered if it is genuinely new.

[postcode] is not a UK postcode.

Postcode [postcode] is not in the ONS Postcode Directory. If the address is genuinely new, accept it as entered.

Postcode [postcode] has not been in use since [date].

[carrier] refused the delivery address: "[message]" Correct it, or accept it as entered, and the labels are booked again.

Something the carrier needs is missing. Once it is supplied, the order carries on.

There is no recipient name.

The delivery address has no first line, town or postcode.

No Service Level is chosen and the client has no Default Service Level.

The Service Level given is not one the warehouse offers.

[client] has no Dispatch Warehouse.

[service level] has no Carrier Service at the order's warehouse. Map it, or choose another Service Level.

[carrier service] needs the [field].

Line [line]: [code] has no weight. Set it on the product.

[carrier] refused the order's details: "[message]" Once they are put right the labels are booked again.

No [carrier] Carrier Account posts for [client] or [warehouse], and there is no general one. Once an Admin connects one in Dispatch › Carrier Accounts, the labels are booked.

Not all the stock is reserved and the client does not allow partial shipments. The order waits for stock, or you can ship what is there.

Line [line]: [code] has [number] of [number] allocated, and the client has too little of it in the building for the other [number]. It waits for the client's stock.

Line [line]: [code] has [number] of [number] allocated. The client has stock for the other [number] in the building, on the dock, in quarantine or in Locations allocation does not use: move it to a pick location and the order tops up.

The client account is On Hold. The order is still checked and allocated, and released work is still picked and packed, but nothing is released or dispatched until the account hold is lifted. It clears only then, never by hand.

The client account is not live yet. The order carries on as soon as the account goes live.

[client] is still Onboarding.

A problem was found on the floor. The Floor Supervisor decides what happens next.

Red Tag Reason: [reason].

The client has asked to cancel this order. The Warehouse Manager approves or declines.

Held by the warehouse team. It goes no further until an Account Manager or Warehouse Manager lifts the hold.

The client has paused this order. It goes no further until the client resumes it, or you lift the hold for them.

[order] is held ([holds]), so it cannot be accepted yet.

[order] is held ([holds]), so it cannot be released yet.

[order] is held ([holds]), so it cannot be picked yet.

[order] is held ([holds]), so it cannot be packed yet.

[order] is held ([holds]), so it cannot be dispatched yet.

How holds work

An Order Hold stops an order taking its next step. The order keeps its status and its stock, and carries on from where it stopped once its last hold clears. An order can carry several holds at once, each of one Order Hold Type.

Each hold shows under the order in Orders, with its plain reason, what caused it and How to fix this. Holds someone has to work also go to that person's share of the Held Order Queue: see Work the Held Order Queue.

An order held when it comes in has no Must-Ship-By yet. It shows "Ships today if cleared by" a time, or the collection it can still make if fixed now. Once its last hold clears, it is accepted and its Must-Ship-By counts from then.

Unknown product

A line's code matches none of the client's SKUs or SKU Aliases, such as Northern Thread's NTC-TEE-NAVY-M for its navy tee NTC-TEE-NVY-M.

1. Under the hold, choose the right product beside the code.
2. To use that product whenever the client sends this code, tick Always use this product for [code]. Stockist saves a SKU Alias and checks every order held on that code again. Only an Account Manager or an Admin sees the tick.
3. Select Correct the line.

If the client really has a new product, add it to the client's products instead: see Add a product for a client. Every order held on its code is checked again.

Address problem

The delivery postcode isn't in UK format, isn't in the ONS Postcode Directory, or is no longer in use. Northern Ireland's BT postcodes are checked for their format only. Streets and house numbers are left to the carrier.

• Correct the postcode in the details under the hold and select Save the details. Hebden Botanicals' HB-W-10251 came in with NG1 6H, which should be NG1 6HT.
• Accept it as entered only for a genuinely new address the directory doesn't list yet, such as a new-build estate. An Account Manager, a Warehouse Manager or an Admin enters Why is the address right? and selects Accept address as entered.

The Order Timeline records who accepted the address and why, and the client reads that it was accepted. The check passes that address from then on, unless someone changes it.

The carrier can also refuse an address when the labels are booked. Correct it or accept it as entered, and the labels are booked again.

Missing details

Something the carrier needs is missing, and each cause is listed under the hold:

• a recipient name, first address line, town or postcode: enter it under the hold and select Save the details;
• a field the carrier service needs, such as the recipient's email for Royal Mail Tracked 48: enter it the same way;
• a Service Level, or one the warehouse doesn't offer: choose one under the hold and save;
• a product's weight: select Set the weight of [code] on the product;
• the client's Dispatch Warehouse: select Open [client]'s account to set its dispatch settings;
• a Service Level with no Carrier Service at the warehouse: a Warehouse Manager or an Admin maps one, or choose another Service Level.

A missing label detail or Carrier Account found when the labels are booked shows here too. Once it is put right, the labels are booked.

Not enough stock

At its Release Point the order still wasn't fully allocated, and the client doesn't allow partial shipments, or nothing was allocated at all. Each short line says whether the client has too little stock in the building. If not, the stock is there but not yet where it can be allocated.

• The client is short: the order waits, and tops up by itself when stock arrives. This is a Client Delay, so the Must-Ship-By is worked out again once the order is fully allocated.
• Stock is in the building: Stock in Reserve on the order lists where it is. Move it to a pick location and the order tops up at once.
• Send what is there: an Account Manager, a Warehouse Manager or an Admin selects Ship what is there. Choose Backorder the rest or Cancel the rest, enter a Reason and select Submit. Turn on Show the reason to the client if they should read it.

An order with nothing allocated can't ship what is there. It clears itself when stock comes in.

Account on hold

The client's account is On Hold, so every open order and every new one carries this hold. Orders are still checked and allocated, and work already on the floor is picked and packed. Nothing is released or dispatched.

It clears by itself when the account hold is lifted, never by hand: see Put a client on hold, and lift the hold.

Account not live

The client is still Onboarding. The order clears by itself when the account goes live: see Bring a client live, or allow early receipt.

Red Tag

Someone on the floor found a problem with the order, such as a damaged unit, and red tagged it. A Floor Supervisor resolves it under the hold, or changes how long it is held. Only a Warehouse Manager or an Admin can resolve one with Return and Cancel.

Cancellation requested

The client asked to cancel an order already on the floor, so it goes no further. A Warehouse Manager or an Admin approves or declines the request: see Decide a client's request to cancel.

Held by staff

Someone in your team held the order with a message for the client. Or the client made a Request to Hold once it was released. When it can go on, an Account Manager, Warehouse Manager or Admin selects Lift staff hold: see Hold an order.

Held by client

The client paused the order before it was released. It waits until the client resumes it. If they ask you to, select Resume order for them.