Short answer: There are three ways to connect Exact Online to a fulfilment partner or 3PL— manually (by exporting orders to the fulfilment partner), via a native connection provided by the fulfilment partner itself, or via an integration platform that automatically orchestrates the data flows between Exact and your fulfilment partner (and your other systems). Which option is best depends on your volume, the number of sales channels, and whether Exact Online is the primary system for managing your inventory.
Do you manage your accounting and inventory in Exact Online and outsource your shipping to a fulfilment partner (3PL)? If so, you’ll want deliveries to be automatically routed to the warehouse and for shipping information and inventory changes to be automatically reflected in Exact—without anyone having to manually retype order data or update inventory. Below, we’ll give you an honest look at the available options and when to choose each one.
Which data do you actually need to synchronize?
Before you choose a method, it’s helpful to know what data needs to flow between Exact Online and your fulfilment partner. In most setups, Exact Online manages inventory (if you have a license that includes inventory management; see below):
| Data | From | To | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deliveries / Outgoing Orders | Exact Online | Fulfilment Partner | The warehouse knows what to pick, pack, and ship |
| Shipping Status & Track & Trace | Fulfilment Partner | Exact Online | Order status is correct; the customer can be notified |
| Inventory Changes | Fulfilment Partner | Exact Online | Updating Receipts and Adjustments in the Warehouse in Exact |
| Items (SKUs) | Exact Online | Fulfilment Partner | Both systems recognize the same product |
Ways to Integrate Exact Online with Fulfilment
1. Manual (export and import)
You export shipments from Exact Online and upload them (via CSV or your fulfilment partner’s portal), and update shipping status and inventory manually. No technical skills required, but it’s time-consuming and prone to errors. Workable for just a handful of shipments per week; unsustainable as soon as you grow.
2. A native integration with your fulfilment partner
Many fulfilment partners and WMS systems offer their own ready-to-use integration with Exact Online. If you have a single fulfilment partner and a well-organized system landscape, this can be perfectly sufficient —it’s often quick to set up and is maintained by the partner. The limitations become apparent when you work with multiple online stores, marketplaces, or warehouses, or if you want to precisely control data flows: in those cases, the logic is spread across separate integrations.
3. An integration platform
You connect Exact Online and your fulfilment partner(s) once to an integration platform, which automatically orchestrates the data flows between them—and, if applicable, your online stores and marketplaces. Less maintenance, a single overview, and the flexibility to add an additional channel or a second fulfilment partner later on without having to rebuild the system. This is the KoneX approach.
Comparison at a glance
| Method | Setup | Maintenance | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual (CSV/portal) | No technical skills | Lots of manual work | Very low volumes |
| Native integration partner | Fast, by a partner | Separately per integration | One partner, one channel |
| Integration platform | Connect once | Centralized, scales with growth | Multiple Channels & Systems |
Exact Online Accounting or Trade?
Important before you begin: Are you using Exact Online Accounting (financial administration only) or Exact Online Retail (with product and inventory management)? To synchronize inventory between Exact and your fulfilment system, you generally need a license that includes inventory management (Trade). If you’re using Accounting, the focus is primarily on orders and financial processing, not inventory levels.
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 – fulfilment integration from KoneX, shipments are automatically sent from Exact Online to your fulfilment partner, and shipping information (track & trace) and inventory changes are automatically updated in Exact—without the need for duplicate data entry. KoneX connects Exact Online to fulfilment partners such as Active Ants (Paxon) and PostNL. Exact remains the master system for your inventory, and you connect each system just once: later, you can easily connect an additional online store, marketplace, or fulfilment partner to the same Exact system — Integrate Once. Connect Everywhere.
It’s important to be honest: if your fulfilment partner already has a solid native integration with Exact Online and you’re working with a single channel, that integration may be perfectly sufficient. However, as soon as you start combining multiple online stores, marketplaces, or warehouses—or if you want to manage data flows centrally—an integration platform generally offers greater reliability and a clearer overview.
Related
Be sure to check out KoneX’s Exact Online ↔ fulfilment integration, or read our other integration guides: Integrating Lightspeed with fulfilment and Integrating Shopware with fulfilment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Want to know which approach is right for your Exact Online and fulfilment situation? Schedule a no-obligation consultation —we’ll give you our honest opinion, even if your fulfilment partner’s native integration is already sufficient.
