FastBound Integration - FAQ & Best Practices

Answers to common questions and recommended workflows for managing your FastBound integration in Orderwerks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I connect more than one FastBound account?

Yes. Orderwerks supports multiple FastBound accounts. This is useful if you operate multiple FFL locations, have separate bound books, or manage manufacturer and dealer accounts separately. Each account is configured, synced, and monitored independently.

How often should I sync?

If you have webhooks enabled, real-time updates handle most data flow, and you may only need to run manual syncs occasionally (e.g., weekly) as a safety net.If you don't use webhooks, we recommend:

Acquisitions: Daily, or after each batch of new inventory arrives
Contacts: Weekly, or when you know new customers have been added in FastBound
Items: Weekly, or after making metadata updates in FastBound

You can also enable Auto-Sync for acquisitions and contacts in your Account Configuration to have Orderwerks sync automatically.

What happens if a sync fails partway through?

If a sync encounters errors on individual items, it continues processing the remaining items. Failed items are logged in the Error Log with details about what went wrong. You can retry individual errors or retry the entire queue item from the Error Log.

Will enabling the integration affect my existing FastBound data?

No. The integration only reads from FastBound during sync operations and writes to FastBound when creating dispositions. It does not modify existing FastBound records during sync. Dispositions are created as new records in your bound book.

Can I undo a disposition created by Orderwerks?

Dispositions created by Orderwerks follow FastBound's standard rules. If Disposition Hold Pending is enabled, dispositions are created in a pending state and can be reviewed or cancelled in FastBound before committing. Once committed, dispositions follow FastBound's standard reversal policies.

What does "Matched Unassigned" mean in the reconciliation report?

It means the serial number exists in both FastBound and Orderwerks with matching status, but the serial hasn't been linked to a specific catalog item in Orderwerks. The serial is tracked but isn't associated with a product. Go to Pending Serials to assign these to the correct catalog items.

Why are some serials not importing during sync?

Common reasons:

Acquisition Type Filter - Your filter may exclude certain acquisition types (e.g., only syncing "Manufactured" items)
Serial Format Pattern - The serial doesn't match your configured regex pattern
Already Imported - The serial was already synced in a previous operation
Dismissed - The serial was previously dismissed and won't appear in the default Pending Serials view

How do I know if my connection is healthy?

Check the account list at Business > Integrations > FastBound:

Green dot with "Connected" = healthy
Red dot with "Unreachable" = connection problem
Gray dot with "Not checked" = no test has been run yet

Click the plug icon to run a live connection test at any time.

Best Practices

Initial Setup

Start with one account. Get your primary FastBound account connected and fully configured before adding secondary accounts.
Run a test connection before saving to catch credential issues immediately.
Perform an initial full sync of acquisitions, contacts, and items after account setup to establish your baseline data.
Run a reconciliation report after the initial sync to verify data alignment.

Daily Operations

Monitor the Sync Dashboard at the start of each day to verify sync health and check for errors.
Assign pending serials promptly as they come in to keep your catalog current.
Check the Error Log regularly and address errors before they accumulate.
Enable webhooks for real-time updates if your workflow requires up-to-the-minute accuracy.

Multi-Account Management

Use descriptive names for each account (e.g., "Main Store - Retail", "Warehouse - Manufacturing").
Configure filters per account - A manufacturing account might only sync "Manufactured" acquisitions, while a retail account syncs "All."
Review each account's errors independently - The Error Log and Sync Dashboard both have account selectors.
Run reconciliation for each account separately to identify account-specific discrepancies.

Serial Format Patterns

Start without a pattern if you're unsure of your serial formats. You can always add one later.
Test your regex with several example serial numbers before saving.
Use anchors (
```
^ 
```
and
```
$
```
) to ensure the entire serial matches, not just a substring.
Document your pattern so other team members understand what formats are accepted.

NFA Items

Set both standard and NFA disposition types in Account Configuration to handle mixed-item orders correctly.
Use Form 3 as the NFA disposition type for dealer-to-dealer transfers.
Use Form 4 as the NFA disposition type for civilian transfers.
Enable Disposition Hold Pending if you want to review NFA dispositions before they're committed.

Reconciliation

Run reconciliation weekly or after any large sync/import operation.
Address "FastBound Only" items first - usually just need a sync.
Investigate "Status Mismatch" items promptly - these may indicate compliance concerns.
Export to Excel for record-keeping or to share findings with your compliance team.

Error Management

Don't ignore errors - even warnings may indicate configuration issues.
Retry before dismissing - Try the retry button first; many errors resolve on a second attempt.
Use "Dismiss All" sparingly - Only after you've identified and fixed the root cause.
Check error details - The detail modal often contains specific guidance on what went wrong.