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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Order Processor

💰 $ - $

OperationsSupply ChainLogisticsCustomer Service

🎯 Role Definition

The Order Processor is a detail-oriented operations specialist responsible for accurate and timely order entry, fulfillment coordination, and post-sale support across ERP, EDI, and WMS platforms. This role ensures order accuracy, optimizes order-to-cash cycle time, reduces shipping and invoicing errors, and delivers excellent customer service while collaborating with sales, warehouse, finance, and logistics partners. Ideal candidates have a strong background in order management systems (NetSuite, SAP, Oracle), EDI transactions, shipping/carrier platforms, inventory controls, and KPI-driven process improvement.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Customer Service Representative with order-entry duties
  • Warehouse Associate or Shipping & Receiving Clerk
  • Administrative Assistant supporting sales or logistics

Advancement To:

  • Senior Order Processor / Lead Order Coordinator
  • Order Management Supervisor or Team Lead
  • Logistics Coordinator or Fulfillment Manager
  • Supply Chain Analyst or Inventory Control Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Inventory Analyst
  • Customer Success / Account Coordinator
  • Billing & Invoicing Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Accurately enter and validate high volumes of customer purchase orders into the company ERP (NetSuite, SAP, Oracle) ensuring correct part numbers, quantities, pricing, promotions, and ship-to locations to meet SLA and reduce order-to-cash cycle time.
  • Process EDI 850/855/810/856 transactions and troubleshoot EDI transmission issues with trading partners and IT, maintaining communication logs and ensuring successful electronic order acknowledgements and invoicing.
  • Coordinate with warehouse and fulfillment teams to schedule picking, packing, kitting, and staging, providing clear pick lists, special handling instructions, and packing slips for expedited or fragile shipments.
  • Create and manage shipping documentation, print carrier labels, rate-shop using UPS/FedEx/USPS/TMS tools, and tender shipments to carriers while monitoring carrier exceptions and delivery windows.
  • Monitor order status and proactively communicate with customers and internal stakeholders about backorders, partial shipments, expected ship dates, and order holds to maintain transparency and customer satisfaction.
  • Validate customer credit status, apply appropriate credit holds or release orders in coordination with credit control, and escalate delinquent account issues to finance for resolution.
  • Reconcile daily order logs with warehouse confirmations and carrier tracking numbers, resolving inventory discrepancies and updating system quantities (cycle counts, bin adjustments) to preserve inventory accuracy.
  • Process returns (RMA/RTV), exchanges, and warranty claims according to company policy, issuing credits or replacements and coordinating reverse logistics with warehouse and carriers.
  • Prepare and route invoices to accounts receivable, investigate discrepancies between orders and billing, and collaborate with finance to resolve chargebacks, short pays, or pricing disputes.
  • Manage special orders, drop-ships, and vendor-direct shipments by issuing purchase orders, confirming shipment dates with suppliers, and tracking delivered quantities against customer orders.
  • Maintain and update customer master data, pricing matrices, shipping instructions, and tax/exemption information to ensure compliance and accurate order processing.
  • Review and enforce compliance with export/import regulations for international shipments, coordinate customs documentation, and collaborate with customs brokers for timely clearance.
  • Run daily and weekly operational reports (order backlogs, fill rates, cycle times, backlog aging) in Excel/BI tools and present findings to management for continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Investigate and resolve order-related escalations from sales reps, account managers, and customers, using root cause analysis to prevent recurrence and documenting corrective actions.
  • Implement and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) for order entry, shipping, returns, and data integrity; train and mentor new staff on best practices and system functionality.
  • Execute price overrides, discounts, and promotion codes in accordance with authorization limits, obtaining approvals and documenting exceptions to maintain margin integrity.
  • Coordinate with product management and purchasing on discontinued SKUs or product substitutions to minimize cancelled orders and provide acceptable alternatives to customers.
  • Support month-end and quarter-end close activities by delivering order and shipment reconciliations to finance and responding to audit inquiries related to sales and inventory transactions.
  • Use barcode scanners, WMS transactions, and OCR tools to reduce manual errors and accelerate fulfillment flows; recommend automation opportunities to reduce manual order processing.
  • Manage partial shipments and backorder strategies, documenting backorder reason codes, communicating expectations to customers, and proactively converting quotes to orders where applicable.
  • Lead cross-functional projects to improve order-to-cash performance (ERP upgrades, EDI onboarding, shipping automation), acting as the operational liaison between stakeholders and technical teams.
  • Ensure data accuracy for SKU configurations, lead times, lot numbers, and serial numbers for traceability and to support warranty and recall processes when required.
  • Conduct periodic audits of processed orders to verify compliance with internal policies and external regulations, preparing audit-ready documentation and corrective action plans.
  • Maintain high standards for data security and confidentiality when handling customer information and payment details, following PCI and internal privacy rules.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
  • Assist with special projects such as channel integrations, e-commerce platform onboarding, and seasonal volume planning.
  • Provide cross-training to colleagues to maintain coverage for high-volume periods and ensure business continuity.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Order entry and order management in ERP systems (NetSuite, SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics).
  • EDI knowledge: 850/855/810/856 transaction sets, VANs, AS2, and EDI troubleshooting.
  • Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and barcode/scan-driven fulfillment processes.
  • Strong Excel skills (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, PivotTables, INDEX/MATCH, data cleansing) and experience with reporting tools (Power BI, Tableau).
  • Familiarity with carrier/shipping platforms (UPS WorldShip, FedEx Ship Manager, TMS) and rate-shopping principles.
  • Returns and RMA processing, credit memos, and reverse logistics coordination.
  • Basic SQL or data-querying capability for ad-hoc reporting (preferred).
  • Experience with CRM systems (Salesforce) and integration touchpoints between CRM and ERP.
  • Knowledge of billing/invoicing processes and accounts receivable handoffs.
  • Understanding of inventory control concepts: cycle counting, FIFO/LIFO, lot/serial management, and backorder handling.
  • Exposure to export/import compliance, customs documentation, and international shipping requirements.
  • Familiarity with electronic order capture methods (e-commerce, punchout, marketplace integrations).
  • Ability to work with OCR/invoice capture and automation tools (RPA familiarity preferred).

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy with numerical data.
  • Strong verbal and written communication; able to interact with customers, sales, and suppliers.
  • Customer-service orientation with a solutions-first mindset.
  • Critical thinking and problem-solving skills to diagnose and resolve order exceptions.
  • Time management and the ability to prioritize in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
  • Team player who collaborates cross-functionally and supports process improvements.
  • Adaptability and comfort with changing systems, processes, and seasonal demand.
  • Accountability and integrity when handling confidential customer information.
  • Strong organizational skills and the ability to document processes and decisions.
  • Analytical mindset to interpret KPIs and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or GED required.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate degree or Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, or related field preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Supply Chain Management
  • Logistics and Transportation
  • Business Administration
  • Operations Management
  • Information Systems

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 1–3 years of order processing, warehouse, or customer service experience for entry-level roles.
  • 3–5+ years preferred for supervisory or high-volume/complex order management roles.

Preferred:

  • Proven experience working with ERP systems (NetSuite, SAP, Oracle) and EDI in a manufacturing, distribution, or e-commerce environment.
  • Demonstrated track record of meeting KPIs such as order accuracy, on-time shipping, fill rate, and order cycle time.
  • Experience coordinating with cross-functional teams (sales, finance, purchasing, warehouse) and managing day-to-day operational escalations.
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