Data freshness reference¶
This reference explains how current the warehouse data in Packr is: how often each type of data refreshes from your warehouse management system (WMS), and what the relative "synced X ago" time means. It's for everyone who reads orders, inventory, or shipments in Packr.
Who can use this
Data freshness applies to all roles. Everyone — brand users, operators, and admins — sees the same refresh cadence and "synced X ago" times. Triggering a manual sync to refresh data immediately is admin-only.
Overview¶
Once your WMS is connected, Packr keeps your warehouse data fresh on a schedule — you don't refresh manually for normal use. Each kind of data has its own cadence: fast-changing data (orders and inventory) refreshes most often, while near-static configuration data refreshes once a day. Screens show a relative time like "synced 5 minutes ago" so you can tell at a glance how current the data is.
If you need to pull fresh data right now or a screen looks behind, see Syncing & data freshness.
How often each data type refreshes¶
Each type of warehouse data refreshes on its own cadence. The table below lists the typical default intervals. High-volume data like orders and inventory refreshes every few minutes; configuration data that rarely changes refreshes once a day.
| Data | Refreshes about every | Drives |
|---|---|---|
| Orders | 5 minutes | Orders list and order details |
| Inventory | 5 minutes | Stock levels and order stock checks |
| Inbound shipments | 15 minutes | Inbound Shipments page |
| Products | 1 hour | Product catalog |
| Customers | 1 hour | Customer data |
| Shipping methods | 24 hours | Shipping configuration |
| Warehouses | 24 hours | Warehouse configuration |
These are typical defaults and can vary by workspace. If you need a different cadence for a data type, contact support — see Getting help.
What "synced X ago" means¶
A relative time such as "synced 5 minutes ago" tells you when Packr last pulled fresh data for what you're looking at. It's a readability aid: instead of showing a full timestamp, Packr shows how long ago the last successful sync ran.
To read it in context, compare it against the cadence for that data type in the table above:
- If the "synced" time is within the normal cadence (for example, orders synced 3 minutes ago), the screen is current.
- If it's much older than the cadence (for example, orders synced 2 hours ago), the screen may be behind.
When a "synced" time looks much older than expected, the data on that screen could be stale. See Data looks out of date below.
Changes you make apply right away¶
Actions you take in Packr — creating an order, updating a hold, cancelling, or creating an inbound shipment — are sent to your WMS immediately, separate from the refresh cadence. The cadence only governs how often Packr pulls data back in to display.
So a hold you set in Packr is applied to your WMS right away, even if the Orders list takes a moment to visually catch up. You don't need to wait for the next sync for your action to take effect.
Data looks out of date¶
If a screen shows orders, inventory, or shipments that seem stale, the most common cause is simply that the next scheduled refresh hasn't run yet — wait for the cadence above and reload.
If it still looks behind:
- Check the "synced" time on the screen against the cadence in the table above. If it's far older, something may be wrong.
- Confirm your WMS is connected and your brand is mapped to the right warehouse account. See Connecting your WMS.
- An admin can pull fresh data immediately with a manual sync — see Syncing & data freshness.
Note
Triggering a manual sync to refresh data immediately is an admin-only action. Day to day, Packr syncs automatically, so most users never need it.
If the data is still stale after a sync, see Troubleshooting.
Common questions¶
How fresh is my data? Orders and inventory refresh about every 5 minutes, inbound shipments about every 15 minutes, and configuration data (products, customers, shipping methods, warehouses) less often. The "synced X ago" time on a screen tells you exactly how current that screen is. See the cadence table above.
What does "synced X ago" mean? It's the relative time since Packr last pulled fresh data for what you're viewing. Compare it to the cadence for that data type: if it's within the normal interval the screen is current, and if it's much older the screen may be behind.
How often does inventory update? Inventory refreshes about every 5 minutes by default, the same as orders. Exact intervals can vary by workspace.
Why does my screen look out of date? Usually the next scheduled refresh just hasn't run yet — wait for the cadence above and reload. If it stays stale, confirm your WMS is connected and your brand is mapped correctly, then see Data looks out of date.
Do I need to refresh manually? No. Packr keeps your warehouse data fresh on its own. Pulling fresh data immediately with a manual sync is an admin-only action and is only needed if a screen looks behind — see Syncing & data freshness.