What syncs between Katana and Active Ants
The table below shows each data type and the direction it moves between Katana and Active Ants.
Data | Direction | Status |
Orders | Two-way | Available |
Products | Active Ants → Katana | Available |
Inbound stock transfers | Active Ants → Katana | Available |
Inventory sync | Active Ants → Katana | Available |
Locations and mapping
Your Active Ants account manager provides the API username and password needed to connect, because Active Ants has no self-service key page. Enter these credentials on the Active Ants tile on Katana's Integrations page. Once Active Ants approves the connection, the configuration screen opens on the Location tab. Nothing syncs until you click Activate sync in the header.
Each Active Ants warehouse maps 1:1 to its own dedicated Katana location. Click Add to Katana to create that location automatically.
A warehouse that has never been mapped shows Not mapped.
To pause a mapped warehouse, click Unlink. Its status then shows Unlinked. Click Relink to resume it.
Only mapped warehouses sync.
Products sync
Product mapping is required, because it links each Active Ants product to a Katana item. Products are imported and matched by SKU:
If a Katana product already has the same SKU, the two are matched.
If a SKU is unknown in Katana, Katana creates the product just-in-time.
You choose how SKUs are matched: directly 1:1, or through SKU aliases.
Kits and bundles become Katana products. You can then add a BOM of their components in Katana. A kit order line stays a single sales-order row.
SKU aliasing
A SKU alias links an Active Ants SKU to a different Katana SKU. Use aliases when the same product has different SKUs in the two systems. Upload your SKU alias mapping before importing products, so mismatched SKUs match the right Katana product instead of creating new ones.
Orders sync
From Active Ants to Katana
Orders import once they reach the configured import-from status. The default is the "Open" state. After import, they keep updating automatically through every later status change.
Each Active Ants order becomes one Katana sales order, and each order line becomes one row.
The order source is shown as Active Ants.
Each shipped package becomes a Katana fulfillment with its carrier and tracking number.
Multi-package shipments create one fulfillment per package. Together these fulfillments never exceed the ordered quantities.
If an order is canceled in Active Ants, Katana deletes it only while the Katana order is still open.
From Katana to Active Ants
When a Katana sales order reaches Ready for fulfillment, Katana pushes it to Active Ants as an outbound order. From then on, its progress is tracked back in Katana through the import flow above.
Canceling the Katana sales order does not cancel the Active Ants order.
Changes you make in Katana after the push do not update the Active Ants order.
Inventory sync
Active Ants stock appears in Katana as read-only External inventory at each warehouse's mapped location. The number shown is Active Ants' on-hand quantity.
Reconciliation compares Katana's in-stock quantity with the Active Ants on-hand quantity. It runs on a schedule or whenever you trigger it. For any difference, it creates stock adjustments so Katana matches the warehouse.
Katana never sends inventory changes to Active Ants.
Inbound shipments
Active Ants calls inbound shipments "inbound orders" in its own interface. Each one becomes one Katana stock transfer:
Number: the PO number if one exists, otherwise the inbound ID.
Destination: the Katana location mapped to the inbound's warehouse.
Origin: the location assigned to each destination warehouse. This location must be mapped.
The stock transfer follows the status of the inbound order. Received quantities update the transfer.
Katana stock transfers have two states: in transit and received. Partial receipts appear as updated expected and received quantities until everything is received.
If an inbound order is canceled, Katana deletes its stock transfer.
What does not sync
Products and stock changes are never sent from Katana to Active Ants.
Katana-side changes to an order after it has been pushed to Active Ants.
Canceling a Katana sales order does not cancel the pushed Active Ants order.
Returns and RMAs.
Serial-number tracking. Lot and batch data is shown read-only where Active Ants exposes it.
Disconnecting
To disconnect, open the Active Ants tile on Katana's Integrations page. After you disconnect, syncing stops right away:
No new orders, inventory, or inbound updates are imported.
No sales orders are pushed to Active Ants.
Records already brought into Katana stay in place, including sales orders, fulfillments, products, and stock transfers.