What syncs between Katana and Helm WMS
The table below shows each data type and how it flows between Katana and Helm WMS.
Data | Direction | Status |
Products | Helm WMS → Katana | Available |
Inbound stock transfers | Helm WMS → Katana | Available |
Inventory sync | Helm WMS → Katana | Available |
Locations and mapping
After you connect, the configuration screen opens on the Location tab. Each Helm WMS warehouse maps 1:1 to its own dedicated Katana location.
Add to Katana automatically creates the Katana location for a warehouse.
A warehouse that has never been mapped shows Not mapped until you click Add to Katana.
To pause a mapped warehouse, click Unlink. Its status then shows Unlinked.
To resume syncing, click Relink.
Only mapped warehouses sync.
Products sync
Product mapping creates a required link between each Helm WMS product and a Katana item. Products are imported by SKU:
When a Katana product already has the same SKU, the two are matched.
When a SKU is unknown in Katana, Katana creates a new product just-in-time.
You choose how SKUs are matched: direct 1:1, or through SKU aliases.
Kits and bundles from Helm WMS become Katana products. You can add a BOM of components to them in Katana.
SKU aliasing
A SKU alias links a Helm WMS SKU to a different Katana SKU. Use aliases when the same item has mismatched SKUs in the two systems.
Upload your SKU alias mapping before importing products. This makes those items match existing Katana products instead of creating new ones.
Inventory sync
Helm WMS stock levels appear in Katana as read-only External inventory. Each warehouse's stock shows at its mapped Katana location. The number Katana displays is the Helm WMS On hand quantity.
Reconciliation compares Katana's in-stock quantity against the Helm WMS on-hand quantity only. It runs on a schedule, or you can run it on demand. When the two numbers differ, Katana creates stock adjustments for the difference. This keeps Katana's stock aligned with what is physically in the warehouse.
Inbound shipments
Each Helm WMS inbound shipment becomes one Katana Stock Transfer. The transfer number is the PO number when one is present; otherwise it is the inbound ID.
Destination: the Katana location mapped to the inbound's warehouse.
Origin: the location you assign for each destination warehouse. It must be mapped.
Stock transfers follow the inbound's status, and received quantities update the transfer. Katana stock transfers have two states: in transit and received. While an inbound is only partly received, the transfer shows updated expected and received quantities until it is fully received.
If an inbound is canceled, its stock transfer is deleted.
What does not sync
Orders: Helm WMS orders are not imported, and Katana sales orders are not sent to Helm WMS.
Fulfillments and tracking information.
Pushing products or stock changes from Katana to Helm WMS.
Returns and RMA.
Serial-number tracking. Lot and batch data is shown read-only where Helm WMS provides it.
Disconnecting
To disconnect, open the Helm WMS tile on Katana's Integrations page. Once disconnected, Helm WMS data stops syncing to Katana.
Records already imported stay in Katana, including:
products
locations
stock transfers
stock adjustments