Working a brand

The Brand Work Desk is the single screen where you act on everything happening for one brand: outstanding work, conversations, orders that need attention, inbound shipments, shipping errors, reference knowledge, and a running activity log. This page walks through each section so you know what it shows and where to go for the detail. It is for everyone — both 3PL operators and brand users.

A "brand" is the same thing the Directory screen calls a Group — the two terms refer to the same entity.

Overview

Open a brand from your home screen to land on its Work Desk (route /brand-workdesk/:brandId). The desk is organized into collapsible sections — Work, Orders, Shipping, and Info — each holding one or more accordions. Tap a section header to expand or collapse it, and tap an accordion to open its list. Most accordions show a count chip telling you how many items need attention.

The Work and Info sections always appear. The Orders and Shipping sections appear only when the brand is connected to your WMS, and which accordions show is controlled by Configure Views.

Screenshot: The Brand Work Desk with its expandable sections. (pending capture)

Review Open Tasks

The Open Tasks accordion (in the Work section) lists every task that is still open for this brand, with a count chip. Use the Search tasks... bar to find a specific task, or tap the + to add one inline without leaving the desk.

  1. Expand the Work section, then open Open Tasks.
  2. Tap a task card to view or update its details.
  3. To add a task, tap the + and fill in the inline create form.

Creating a task is available to members with permission to do so. For the full task workflow, see Tasks and Creating tasks.

Work Threads

The Threads accordion (in the Work section) collects the conversations attached to this brand's orders, tasks, and inbound shipments. An unread dot marks threads with new messages, and a count chip shows the total. Tap the + to start a thread on an order, task, or shipment.

  1. Expand the Work section, then open Threads.
  2. Tap a thread to read it and reply.
  3. If the list is empty, open an order, task, or inbound shipment to start the first thread.

Threads use Packr's built-in messaging. For more, see Channels and threads.

Orders on Hold

The Orders on Hold accordion (in the Orders section) shows orders the warehouse has placed on hold so they are not shipped until someone clears the issue. The count chip shows a + when there are more than the displayed page. Use Search orders... to find a specific order.

  1. Expand the Orders section, then open Orders on Hold.
  2. Tap an order card to see why it is held and what to do next.

This section appears only when the brand is connected to your WMS. For details, see Orders.

Orders on Backorder

The Orders on Backorder accordion (in the Orders section) lists orders that cannot fully ship because one or more items are out of stock. As with holds, the count chip shows a + when more orders exist beyond the page, and Search orders... finds a specific one.

  1. Expand the Orders section, then open Orders on Backorder.
  2. Tap an order card to review the short item and its status.

This section appears only when the brand is connected to your WMS. For details, see Orders.

Open Inbound Shipments

The Open Inbound Shipments accordion (in the Shipping section) shows inbound shipments — stock arriving at the warehouse — that are still open. Use Search shipments... to find one, or tap View All Shipments to see the complete list.

  1. Expand the Shipping section, then open Open Inbound Shipments.
  2. Tap a shipment card to view its contents and status.

This section appears only when the brand is connected to your WMS. For details, see Inbound shipments.

Unreviewed Shipping Errors

The Unreviewed Shipping Errors accordion (in the Shipping section) surfaces order shipping errors that no one has reviewed yet, so problems do not go unnoticed. The count chip shows how many are waiting.

  1. Expand the Shipping section, then open Unreviewed Shipping Errors.
  2. Open an error card to read the detail and mark it resolved once handled.

This section appears only when the brand is connected to your WMS. For how to work through them, see Shipping errors.

Add and scan Knowledge

The Knowledge accordion (in the Info section) holds the Context articles and Drive files attached to this brand — the reference material Pax draws on when answering questions. The count chip shows how many items are attached. Tap the + to open a menu with three choices:

  • New Article — write a Context article for this brand.
  • Upload File — add a Drive file.

  • Scan for context — Packr scans the last 48 hours of this brand's activity and suggests context to capture. While it runs, the menu shows Scanning the last 48 hours…

  • Expand the Info section, then open Knowledge.

  • Tap an article or file to open it, or tap + to add or scan.

For more, see Context articles, Drive, and the Knowledge overview.

Read the Timeline

The Timeline accordion (in the Info section) is a running activity log for the brand — a chronological feed of what has happened, such as tasks, orders, shipments, and other changes. Tap an entry to jump to the item it refers to.

  1. Expand the Info section, then open Timeline.
  2. Scroll the feed and tap any entry to open the related task, order, or shipment.

Customize what you see

The Configure Views button at the bottom of the desk controls which optional accordions appear. The Open Tasks, Threads, Knowledge, and Timeline accordions always show; the Orders and Shipping accordions are opt-in.

Admin only

The Archive Channel action at the bottom of the desk is available only to workspace and 3PL admins, and only when viewing a custom channel. Archiving a channel is an admin-only task.

Common questions

What do the cards on my Work Desk mean? Each accordion groups one kind of work for the brand — open tasks, threads, orders on hold or backorder, inbound shipments, shipping errors, and knowledge. The number chip on an accordion is the count of items in it; a + on an order count means there are more beyond the current page.

Where do I see orders that need attention? In the Orders section: Orders on Hold shows orders the warehouse is holding, and Orders on Backorder shows orders waiting on out-of-stock items. Both appear only when the brand is connected to your WMS. See Orders.

What is the Timeline? The Timeline (in the Info section) is the brand's activity log — a chronological feed of recent changes across tasks, orders, shipments, and more. Tap any entry to open the item it refers to.

Why are the Orders and Shipping sections missing? Those sections appear only when the brand is connected to your warehouse (WMS) and the matching views are turned on in Configure Views. See Connecting your WMS.

What does "Scan for context" do? In the Knowledge accordion, Scan for context reviews the brand's last 48 hours of activity and suggests reference material to capture as Knowledge. See Context articles.