Standalone Orders vs. Batch Orders

Catalog stores can process orders in one of two ways: Standalone or Batch. Both are set on the store’s Settings (General) page under Scheduling, and you can switch between them at any time. Here’s the difference, and how to tell which one fits your workflow.

What are Standalone Orders?

Standalone stores process each order individually. For every order, you’ll generate a Purchase Order, Work Order, and Packing Slip.

This works best if you print on demand or don’t need to consolidate orders before production.

What is Batching?

Batching groups orders together so you process them on a set schedule — hourly, daily, weekly, or whatever fits your workflow. Instead of handling each order separately, you’ll generate one Purchase Order, one Work Order, and one Sorting List for the whole group, then pull Packing Slips once for everyone in that batch.

This works best if you’re routing orders into a separate system or want to reduce repetitive processing steps.

Which One Should I Use?

• Choose Standalone if you produce items as orders come in, ship one-off orders quickly, or don’t want orders held up waiting on others.
• Choose Batch if you produce in bulk, want fewer Purchase Orders and Work Orders to manage, or need everything in a group sorted and packed together.
• Next Batch pushes a specific order out of the current batch and into the next scheduled batch run — use it if an order isn’t ready to process yet. This option only appears on stores using Batch scheduling, since Standalone orders don’t sit in a batch queue to push into.
• Force Batch batches your store immediately instead of waiting for the next scheduled run. You’ll find it on the parent catalog store’s Settings (General) page, under Scheduling – Batch Details.

Where Do I Set This for My Store?

Standalone vs. Batch is set on the Scheduling section of a Catalog Store’s Settings (General) page when you create the schedule — select Standalone Orders, or select Batch Orders and choose your processing days. See General Settings Page Quick Setup for the field-by-field walkthrough.

Note: this setting only applies to Catalog Stores, which can stay open and continue taking orders for up to 15 months. Group Stores process all of their orders together once when the store closes, so there’s no Standalone/Batch choice to make on them.

Can I Change My Batch Schedule Later?

Yes. You can update your batch schedule at any time from the store’s Settings (General) page — for example, switching from weekly to daily batching, or changing which days of the month you batch on.

What Do Next Batch and Force Batch Do? 

• Next Batch pushes a specific order out of the current batch and into the next scheduled batch run — use it if an order isn’t ready to process yet. This option only appears on stores using Batch scheduling, since Standalone orders don’t sit in a batch queue to push into.
• Force Batch batches your store immediately instead of waiting for the next scheduled run. You’ll find it on the parent catalog store’s Settings (General) page, under Scheduling – Batch Details.