Order Split Macro (POD + Stock Adjust + PO Creation)

Orders that contain POD items can require additional handling before fulfilment. These orders may need POD items separated from standard stock items, moved to a dedicated POD location, and converted into purchase orders for supplier processing.

The OPT POD Split, Stock Adjustment & PO Creation macro helps automate this workflow by checking selected Linnworks orders, identifying POD items, adjusting unavailable non-POD items, splitting mixed orders, moving POD orders to the configured POD location, and creating purchase orders for POD fulfilment.

This macro identifies POD items based on the order item title. Any order item with a title that starts with a double quote character is treated as a POD item.

Automate POD order handling by splitting POD items, adjusting stock-backed lines, moving POD orders, and creating purchase orders from one macro workflow.

Configure the Macro

Once the app is installed, you need to create a macro configuration so the system knows which macro to run, which source location to validate, and which POD location should receive POD orders.

This setup can be adjusted anytime based on your operational requirements.

Steps to Configure

POD orders can require multiple operational actions before fulfilment. This macro helps reduce manual work by combining location validation, stock adjustment, POD splitting, order movement, identifier assignment, and purchase order creation into one automated process.

How It Works

The macro checks each selected order, validates the fulfilment location, identifies POD and non-POD items, adjusts stock-backed lines, moves POD orders, and creates purchase orders.

Usage of App

This macro is designed to run against selected orders through the Rule Engine. It is useful when POD items need to be separated, moved to a POD location, and converted into purchase orders while standard stock items remain on the original order where possible.

OrderIds

Defines the Linnworks order IDs that should be processed. Duplicate order IDs are removed before processing.

SourceLocation

Defines the fulfilment location that selected orders must currently belong to. Orders at a different fulfilment location are skipped.

PodLocation

Defines the Linnworks stock location where POD-only orders or split POD orders should be moved.

POD Item Detection

An order line is treated as a POD item when the item title starts with a double quote character.

pod_macro_ran Identifier

The macro uses this identifier to mark processed POD orders and skip orders that have already been processed.

Stock Adjustment for Non-POD Items

Non-POD lines are reduced or removed when available stock at the source location is lower than the ordered quantity.

Purchase Order Creation

The macro creates a purchase order at the POD location for the resolved POD purchase items.

Inventory Extended Property cost

The macro reads the inventory item extended property named cost and uses it as the purchase order item unit cost.

Execution Logging

The macro records location validation, skipped orders, stock calculations, POD splitting, PO creation, errors, and completion status using the macro logger.

Key Points to Remember

• The macro processes only the order IDs provided in OrderIds

• Duplicate order IDs are removed before processing

• The macro requires valid SourceLocation and PodLocation values

• Location names are matched using cached Linnworks stock locations

• Orders are skipped if their fulfilment location does not match SourceLocation

• Orders are skipped if they already have the pod_macro_ran identifier

• POD items are identified when the item title starts with a double quote character

• POD parent items must have a default supplier

• Composite POD child items must also have default suppliers

• Non-POD stock lines can be reduced or removed based on available stock

• POD-only orders are moved directly to the POD location without splitting

• Mixed orders are split so POD items move into a separate POD order

• One purchase order is created for the POD order

• Purchase order references use PO-originalOrderNumber or PO-originalOrderNumber-podOrderNumber

• Purchase order item cost is read from the inventory extended property named cost

• The macro assigns pod_macro_ran after successful POD processing

Once the macro is running, it helps automate the POD fulfilment workflow and reduce manual order splitting, movement, and purchase order creation.

What You Can Expect

• POD-only orders are moved to the POD location
  Orders containing only POD items are moved without being split.

• Mixed orders are split
  POD items are separated into a new order while non-POD items remain on the original order.

• Non-POD items are adjusted by stock availability
  If available stock is not enough, the macro reduces the quantity or removes the item from the order.

• Internal notes are added
  The macro records stock adjustments, POD split information, POD direct handling, and POD movement details as internal order notes.

• Purchase orders are created
  The macro creates a purchase order for the resolved POD items at the configured POD location.

• Processed POD orders are marked
  The macro assigns the pod_macro_ran identifier to help prevent repeated processing.

• Execution is logged
  The macro records when it starts, processes orders, skips orders, creates purchase orders, handles errors, and finishes.

Overall Impact

This macro improves POD order handling by reducing manual splitting, stock adjustment, order movement, and purchase order creation. It helps teams process POD and non-POD items more consistently while keeping audit details visible through internal order notes.

What To Do After the Macro Runs

After the macro has completed, review the processed orders and created purchase orders to confirm the POD workflow completed as expected.

Steps to Follow

Why This Matters

Automating POD order handling helps:

• Reduce manual order splitting

• Prevent repeated POD processing

• Improve accuracy when moving POD orders

• Create POD purchase orders consistently

• Keep stock-backed order lines aligned with available stock

• Record key changes through internal order notes

• Support faster fulfilment and supplier handoff workflows

Best Practices

To get the most value from this macro, configure the locations, supplier data, and item extended properties carefully.

Recommended Guidelines

• Use exact location names
  Make sure SourceLocation and PodLocation match Linnworks stock location names.

• Check POD item naming rules
  Confirm that POD item titles start with a double quote character, since this is how the macro identifies POD items.

• Maintain default suppliers
  Ensure every POD parent item and composite child item has a default supplier.

• Maintain item cost extended properties
  Add and maintain the inventory extended property named cost for POD purchase items.

• Review mixed-order behaviour
  Confirm that your workflow expects POD items to be split into a separate order when a mixed order is processed.

• Monitor internal notes
  Use the internal notes to review stock reductions, removed items, POD movement, and split details.

• Avoid repeated rule triggers
  The macro uses pod_macro_ran to skip already processed orders, but rule conditions should still be configured carefully.

Troubleshooting

Order was skipped because of location mismatch

Confirm that the order fulfilment location matches the configured SourceLocation.

Invalid Source or POD location

Check that SourceLocation and PodLocation match existing Linnworks stock location names.

Order was already processed

The order may already have the pod_macro_ran identifier assigned.

POD item was not detected

Confirm that the item title starts with a double quote character.

Order skipped because supplier is missing

Confirm that the POD parent item and any composite child items have default suppliers.

Non-POD item was reduced or removed

Review stock levels and InOrderBook values at the source location. The macro adjusts non-POD lines based on calculated availability.

Purchase order cost is zero

Confirm that the inventory item has an extended property named cost and that its value can be parsed as a decimal.

Purchase order was not created

Review macro logs for supplier validation, resolved POD items, and purchase order creation errors.

Summary

The OPT POD Split, Stock Adjustment & PO Creation macro processes selected Linnworks orders by validating location, identifying POD items, adjusting non-POD stock-backed lines, splitting mixed orders, moving POD orders to a configured POD location, and creating purchase orders for POD items.

This helps automate a complex POD fulfilment workflow, reduce manual work, improve consistency, and keep POD processing visible through notes, identifiers, and purchase orders.