Short answer: There are three ways to connect Exact Online to Active Ants (Paxon)— manually, via a native connection or the fulfilment partner’s portal, or via an integration platform. The goal is the same for all three: orders from Exact Online are automatically sent to Active Ants for fulfilment, and the shipping and inventory data are automatically returned to Exact Online. Which approach is best depends on your volume and the number of channels and systems you want to connect.
Do you manage your accounting and inventory in Exact Online and outsource your fulfilment to Active Ants (the automated e-fulfilment and WMS platform, part of bpost, also known as Paxon)? If so, you’ll want orders to reach the warehouse without any manual intervention, and you’ll want your track & trace and inventory data in Exact Online to remain accurate. Exact Online remains the primary system for your accounting; the physical inventory is managed by Active Ants. Below, you’ll find an honest overview of the available options and when to choose each one.
Which data needs to flow?
Before you choose a method, it’s helpful to know exactly what data needs to flow between Exact Online and Active Ants:
| Data | From | To | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orders / Deliveries | Exact Online | Active Ants (Paxon) | Have orders shipped automatically, without having to retype them |
| Shipments & Track & Trace | Active Ants (Paxon) | Exact Online | Shipping status and tracking information back in your records |
| Inventory | Active Ants (Paxon) | Exact Online | Report inventory changes in the warehouse; prevent overselling |
| Items (SKUs) | Exact Online | Active Ants (Paxon) | Manage product data once |
The Three Ways to Integrate Exact Online and Active Ants
1. Manual (export and import)
You export orders from Exact Online and prepare them (via CSV or the portal) in Active Ants, then manually enter shipping and inventory notifications back into Exact Online. No technical skills required, but it’s time-consuming and prone to errors. Workable with just a handful of orders per day; unsustainable as soon as you grow.
2. Native integration or portal provided by the fulfilment partner
Active Ants offers its own portal and APIs, and sometimes ready-made connectors are available. This works well if you have a single, straightforward data flow between Exact Online and the warehouse. The limitations become apparent when you want to synchronize inventory in both directions, connect multiple sales channels or marketplaces to the same 3PL, or manage data flows centrally.
3. An integration platform
You connect Exact Online and Active Ants once to an integration platform, which automatically orchestrates the data flows between the two (and, if applicable, your online stores and marketplaces). Less maintenance, a single overview, and the flexibility to add additional channels or a second fulfilment partner later on without having to rebuild the system. This is the KoneX approach—a ready-to-use integration, not a custom project.
Comparison at a glance
| Method | Setup | Maintenance | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual (CSV/portal) | No technical skills | Lots of manual work | Very low volumes |
| Native integration / portal | Directly with Active Ants | Separately per stream | One simple stream |
| Integration platform | Connect once | Centralized, scales with growth | Growth & Multiple Channels/Systems |
Are you doubting between individual connections and a platform in general? Then also read: Individual connections or an integration platform? How to make the right choice .
How does KoneX do it?
With the Exact Online – Active Ants (Paxon) integration from KoneX, orders are automatically transferred from Exact Online to Active Ants for fulfilment, and shipping information, tracking & tracing, and inventory changes are automatically synced back to Exact Online—without any duplicate data entry. Exact Online remains the central hub for your accounting. You connect each system once and can easily add additional online stores, marketplaces, or a second fulfilment partner later — Integrate Once. Connect Everywhere.
It’s important to be honest: if you have a single, simple data stream and low volume, a direct connection or the Active Ants portal will work just fine. However, as soon as inventory needs to be synchronized in both directions, you connect multiple channels to the same 3PL, or you want to manage data flows centrally, an integration platform generally becomes more reliable and less expensive to maintain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related
Be sure to check out KoneX’s Exact Online ↔ Active Ants (Paxon) integration, or read our other integration guides: Integrating Exact Online with PostNL Fulfilment and Integrating Bol with Active Ants (Paxon).
Would you like to know which approach is right for your Exact Online and Active Ants setup? Schedule a no-obligation consultation —we’ll give you our honest opinion, even if a direct integration is all you need.
