Out of Stock Order Splitter

Orders containing both available and unavailable items can slow down fulfilment if they need to be reviewed manually. The Out of Stock Order Splitter macro helps automate this process by checking selected Linnworks orders, identifying items that cannot be fully fulfilled from the order location, and splitting those items into a separate order where applicable.

This macro reviews each selected order, checks stock availability at the order fulfilment location, separates available and out-of-stock quantities, and uses Linnworks order splitting to create a new order for the out-of-stock items. It also assigns the OUT OF STOCK! identifier to orders that require review and adds internal order notes to explain the split.

With this automated approach, your team can keep fulfilment moving for available items while clearly identifying orders or split orders that contain out-of-stock items.

Keep order fulfilment moving by automatically separating out-of-stock items and marking them for review.

Configure the Macro

Once the app is installed, you need to create a macro configuration so the system knows which macro to run when the rule is triggered.

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

Steps to Configure

Orders with unavailable items can cause fulfilment delays if the full order is held back. This macro helps reduce those delays by splitting out-of-stock items into a separate order and marking the relevant order for review.

How It Works

The macro checks each selected order, compares item quantities against stock availability at the fulfilment location, and splits out-of-stock items into a separate order when both available and out-of-stock items exist.

Usage of App

This macro is designed to split selected orders automatically once it is configured and triggered from the Rule Engine. It is useful when orders may contain a mix of available and unavailable items and the unavailable items need to be separated for review.

OrderIds

Defines the Linnworks order IDs that should be processed. Only these selected orders are checked and may be split.

Fulfilment Location

The macro checks stock availability at the order fulfilment location.

Stock Availability Check

The macro compares each order item quantity against the available stock level for that item at the order location.

Order Split Behaviour

When both available and out-of-stock items exist, the macro splits the out-of-stock items into a separate order.

Out-of-Stock Identifier

Orders containing out-of-stock items are assigned the OUT OF STOCK! identifier.

Internal Order Notes

The macro adds internal notes explaining whether a split order contains out-of-stock or in-stock items.

Repeat Run Protection

The macro adds a tracking extended property after processing so the same order is not processed again.

Execution Logging

The macro records the start, order number, item quantity, stock level, split results, identifier assignment, skipped orders, errors, and completion.

Key Points to Remember

• The macro processes only the order IDs provided in OrderIds

• The macro checks stock at the order fulfilment location

• The macro can split out-of-stock items into a separate order

• The original postal service is retained for the split request

• If all items are out of stock, the order is not split and receives the OUT OF STOCK! identifier

• If a split order contains out-of-stock items, it receives the OUT OF STOCK! identifier

• Internal notes are added to explain the split result

• A macro-run tracking extended property is added after processing to prevent repeat runs

• Orders that already have the macro-run tracking property are skipped

• The current stock logic should be tested with sample orders before production use

Once the macro is running, it helps separate fulfilment-ready items from items that need out-of-stock review.

What You Can Expect

• Selected orders are checked automatically
  The macro reviews each order passed into the OrderIds parameter

• Stock is checked by fulfilment location
  Each order item is compared against available stock at the order location

• Mixed orders may be split
  Orders containing both available and out-of-stock items can be split into separate orders

• Out-of-stock orders are marked
  Orders or split orders containing out-of-stock items receive the OUT OF STOCK! identifier

• Internal notes are added
  Notes are added to explain the split result and original order reference

• Repeat processing is prevented
  A tracking extended property is added so the macro does not process the same order again

• Execution is logged
  The macro records stock values, split results, identifiers, notes, skipped orders, and errors

Overall Impact

This macro improves out-of-stock handling, reduces manual split work, and helps fulfilment teams process available items while clearly marking unavailable items for review.

What To Do After the Macro Runs

After the macro has completed, review split orders and orders marked with OUT OF STOCK! to decide the next fulfilment or customer service action.

Steps to Follow

Why This Matters

Handling out-of-stock items early helps:

• Reduce fulfilment delays

• Keep available items moving

• Make stock exceptions easier to review

• Reduce manual order splitting

• Improve visibility for customer service and warehouse teams

• Prevent the same order being processed repeatedly by the macro

Best Practices

To get the most value from this macro, test the stock logic carefully and use clear rule conditions before applying it to a large order set.

Recommended Guidelines

• Test with sample orders first
  Run the macro on a small controlled set of orders to confirm split behaviour

• Review stock data accuracy
  Make sure available stock values are accurate at each fulfilment location

• Use clear rule conditions
  Configure the Rule Engine so only intended orders are passed to the macro

• Review split orders after execution
  Check newly created orders and internal notes before continuing fulfilment

• Monitor the OUT OF STOCK! identifier
  Use the identifier to manage orders that need review or customer service action

• Avoid repeat manual runs
  The macro adds a tracking extended property after processing, so repeated runs on the same order are skipped

Accurate stock data and careful testing are important because this macro can split orders and assign out-of-stock identifiers automatically.

Example Scenario

To better understand how this works, here’s a simple example:

Selected order:

• Order A contains three items

Stock result:

• SKU-001 has enough stock at the fulfilment location → Treated as available

• SKU-002 has insufficient stock for the full ordered quantity → The unavailable quantity is separated

• SKU-003 is fully out of stock based on the macro logic → Added to the out-of-stock split

Macro result:

• A split order is created for the out-of-stock items

• The split order receives an internal note referencing the original order

• The split order receives the OUT OF STOCK! identifier

• The original order receives a macro-run tracking extended property

What This Means

• Available items can continue through fulfilment

• Out-of-stock items are separated for review

• Orders requiring attention are easy to find using the OUT OF STOCK! identifier

• The original order is protected from being processed repeatedly

Final Summary

The Out of Stock Order Splitter macro helps selected Linnworks orders handle unavailable stock more efficiently by checking item availability, splitting out-of-stock items into a separate order where applicable, and assigning the OUT OF STOCK! identifier for review.

By reducing manual stock checks, adding internal notes, and preventing repeat processing, this macro supports cleaner fulfilment workflows and better out-of-stock visibility.