Shipping cutoff times

In Sterling Intelligent Promising, cutoff times define the latest time by which an order must be captured and processed to meet delivery commitments. These times are critical in meeting customer promises to ensure accurate delivery estimates. Cutoff times provide you with the flexibility to schedule and to ship orders at different times.

To ensure alignment with the carrier pickup schedule, cutoff times must account for order processing, payment authorization, and shipping notification time. For more information, see Shipping notification time. The total duration must fit within the daily node cutoff window. Sterling Intelligent Promising provides flexibility by supporting multiple shipping intervals throughout the day.

The system defines cutoff times at two levels:

Node cutoff: This is set at the fulfillment location level.
Shipping group cutoff: This is set at the shipping group level and it is based on carrier and service configurations.

Note: Any shipping group cutoff that occurs after a node cutoff is not considered a valid configuration and it is ignored by the system until the next business day or 12 midnight.

Node cutoff time

Node cutoff time is the final deadline before which PICK or SHIP orders must be processed to meet specific shipping timelines at a specific node, such as an e-commerce store. However, an order is only finalized for shipment when capacity is available to process it and the shipping notification time is considered. You can define only one cutoff at a node, usually at the end of the day. If you don't define a node cutoff in the node time zone, then Sterling Intelligent Promising considers 12 AM exclusive as the cutoff point. Sterling Intelligent Promising allows you to define cutoff times at the node level by using the Define node API.

Example: Same day delivery

For example, a store in New York might define a cutoff time of 8 PM for items to be scheduled for customer pickup the same day. If this cutoff time is missed, then the customer must wait until the next pickup is scheduled for the item.

Shipping group cutoff times

Shipping group cutoff times are the deadlines before which SHIP orders must be captured and acknowledged by the carrier within a specific shipping group to meet the expected delivery schedule. Sterling Intelligent Promising enables the configuration of multiple cutoff times per day to facilitate various carrier pickup windows.

Example: Multiple cutoff times and carriers

For example, if a carrier in a shipping group has a pickup at 11 AM, you might configure a cutoff at 10 AM to allow sufficient time for order capture and processing. A second cutoff at 1 PM can handle orders received after the first cutoff, routing them to the next eligible shipping group. Cutoff times ensure delivery consistency and act as a motivator for customers to complete purchases before the deadline. Sterling Intelligent Promising allows you to define cutoff times at the shipping group level by using the Define node shipping cutoff schedule API.

Note: Shipping group cutoffs are not considered once a node cutoff is reached.

Shipping group cutoff times are specific times during the day by which all orders must be processed and prepared to meet the promised delivery date. Shipment readiness depends on available capacity after the cutoff and must also factor in the required shipping notification time. For more information about shipping notification time for the pickup and delivery process, see Shipping notification time.

Example: Multiple cutoff times and fulfillment methods

In the following examples, cutoff times are used to enable consistent and reliable fulfillment experiences:

Same day shipping: Multiple cutoffs at 10 AM, 2 PM and 4 PM.
Orders that are processed and finalized in Boston before 10 AM, 2 PM or 4 PM are scheduled for same day dispatch with a local carrier service. Any orders that are processed and finalized after the final cutoff at 4 PM don't make the same day shipping cutoffs and pickups that are scheduled. As a result, these orders are scheduled for shipping the following day.
Next day shipping: Cutoffs at 3 PM and 5 PM.
Orders that are processed and finalized in the US East either before 3 PM or 5 PM are scheduled for pickup and delivery the following day. This provides more time to prepare the orders for delivery. If the first cutoff is missed at 3 PM, the next cutoff at 5 PM is targeted to meet the delivery the next day.
Free shipping: Cutoff at the end of the day or midnight.
Orders that are processed and finalized before the end of the day or midnight are scheduled for free shipping. Any orders that are processed and finalized after the end of day or midnight don't include free shipping that day.
Special shipping: Cutoffs at 10 AM or 11 AM.
Large or bulky items require more time to prepare for delivery so you schedule earlier cutoffs in the morning to meet the shipping requirements. If an order is processed and finalized for large items after the cutoffs, then the special shipping requirements aren't met and customer delays occur.

Next, to configure cutoff times, you use the (name to be added) API. For more information, see Configuring shipping cutoff times.