Retail Link was designed to give suppliers an organized approach to access Walmart’s data. While it effectively does that, it isn’t always easy for suppliers to find the information they need or the information that matters.
Once suppliers understand the flow and then build consistent habits around that flow, Retail Link becomes a strategic advantage.
Learn the Core 5 First
There are ninety-nine different apps in Retail Link. The options for workflows, datasets, reports, and automation are endless. We recommend incorporating the following five apps right from the beginning to give suppliers a clean and organized perspective into the supply chain.
- Homepage: For high-level performance and quick access to common apps
- Supplier One: Orders, returns, payments, and deductions in one place
- NOVA: Source of truth for POs and order visibility
- SQEP: Provides supplier quality rating, packaging accuracy, and barcode issues
- OTIF: Tracks transportations and delivery compliance
Walmart doesn’t expect perfection, but they do expect consistency, predictability, and proof of process. These tools support that.
Our Retail Link experts recommend that suppliers start by mapping the most basic supplier journey. Then, match the appropriate Retail Link app to each stage. When suppliers understand the flow, the Retail Link dashboard starts making sense.
Bookmark Strategically
Suppliers can save time by bookmarking frequently used apps. This is done by “starring” the app. Then, in the future, on the top menu there is listed: sort, filter apps, domain, category and then a small gray star to the far right. By selecting the star on the menu, all of the favorited apps will appear. By organizing things this way, suppliers can focus on the data—not the navigation.
Moving beyond Retail Link apps, our experts also recommend using a standardized naming convention for reports and filing. For example: Brand/InventorySellThrough/wk# Doing this prevents confusion and supports cross team collaboration.
Related Reading: Retail Link Apps and Quick Learning Resources
Use Data Matching to Ensure Accuracy
One report rarely tells the whole story, and even Walmart will tell suppliers this.
Our experts recommend building safety nets into the workflow from the beginning. These safety nets are often just third-party reporting; however, suppliers can compare the data from different apps within Retail Link to ensure a complete perspective. Such as:
- Comparing Inventory reports to Sell-through reports
- Comparing NOVA to SQEP and to OTIF
- Validating deduction claims in Supplier One vs. APDP
- Reviewing DC receiving information alongside freight notes
For example, suppliers can compare Pipeline Inventory reports to Forecast at Store and DC level reports. Walmart’s forecasting is sometimes automatically generated and can report higher than necessary. Stakeholders are then able to look ahead in apps and contact their Replenishment Manager to reduce automated forecasts. Doing this can keep from flooding DCs and stores with inventory.
Having an investigative mindset can improve and strengthen conversations with Walmart (and carrier partners) while preventing quick assumptions and kneejerk reactions.
Pro Tip: Screenshots and timestamps are an excellent insurance policy. Be sure to file them appropriately, though. Walmart responds best to facts, timestamps, and calm clarity.
Master Timing
Many “issues” that pop up for suppliers are just timing gaps. With Walmart, timing isn’t just helpful or encouraged—it’s contractual. Every step in the supplier's journey is tied to specific time expectations. Missing just one step can ripple into penalties, delayed payments, as well as avoidable deductions.
Think of this section as the “Walmart Clock Cheat Sheet.”. Our experts know that the more precise a supplier's timing habits, the smoother the business runs.
Purchase Order Acceptance
Walmart expects suppliers to acknowledge and accept POs quickly—it signals that a supplier is prepared to fulfill.
Stage | Best Practice Timing | Why It Matters |
PO appears in NOVA | Same day | Early acceptance builds trust and accuracy in forecasting |
PO acceptance deadline | Within 24 hours | Prevents order aging, routing delays, and carrier scheduling conflicts |
Pro Tip: Suppliers can set “no-order” dates which prevent Walmart from sending PO’s on specified dates such as weekends or holidays.
Routing Request
After PO acceptance, suppliers should focus on routing as it’s the first step to on time delivery.
Stage | Best Practice Timing | Impact |
Submit Routing (manually generated orders) | Within 24 hours of PO acceptance | Ensures Walmart can schedule pickup (for Collect)
|
Submit Routing (system generated orders) | Dual deadline; within 24 hours or 4pm CST the following day (whichever comes first) | Ensures supply chain optimization as well as preventing both supplier and retailer delays |
Monitor routing | Daily | Avoids stalled orders and scheduling delays |
For Collect freight, early routing = better pickup windows. For Prepaid freight, route planning starts the moment the PO is received in NOVA.
Advance Ship Notice (ASN)
The ASN app is the “heads up” to Walmart that product is on the way.
Stage | Best Practice Timing |
Send ASN | Before the shipment arrives at the DC (ideally at pickup) |
Update for Changes | Immediately, if quantities or dates shift |
Suppliers should be sure to match ASN quantities to cartons and pallets exactly. Walmart's receiving systems read ASN data like a script. Preciseness here prevents barcoding and content mismatches at the receiving stages.
ASN submission timing is critical. Suppliers should never send an ASN after delivery—doing so triggers chargebacks. Suppliers can also receive a chargeback for not sending an ASN at all. It is a $25 fee for both instances; however, it should be stated that not sending an ASN removes a critical data point if suppliers need to dispute fill rate related fines.
It is best practice to submit ASN at pickup.
Shipment Windows and OTIF
Walmart’s On Time In Full (OTIF) program measures:
Stage | Best Practice Timing |
Delivery Window | Ship to arrive at the assigned window (not early, not late) |
Collect Pickup | Pallets staged two hours before pickup |
Prepaid | Book carrier early and confirm delivery confirmation |
Document any carrier delays as they happen—appointment logs, emails, and timestamps. Suppliers can and should defend against avoidable OTIF hits.
Related Reading: Walmart’s OTIF Performance Metrics
Deduction and Dispute Timing
Walmart’s timing for issuing deductions is based entirely upon the individual supplier's payment terms. However, the standard is:
Stage | Best Practice Timing |
Walmart issues a deduction | Often within 7-21 days of invoice date |
Supplier review | Weekly minimum (daily is best) |
Dispute Window | 2 years but the longer the wait, the harder recovery gets |
Ideal Dispute Timing | Within 30-60 days |
Related Reading: A Clear Guide to the Accounts Payable Dispute Portal
Build a Rhythm
Suppliers shouldn’t be drowning in data—they should be scheduling it.
Pulling reports, accessing POS data, carrier reports, and invoicing should all be done in an established rhythm such as:
Weekly
- Run Sales and Inventory Reports
- Check OTIF compliance
- Review deductions
- Validate DC fill rate and In-stock percentages
Monthly
- Review forecast accuracy
- Inventory levels
- Audit item data consistency (size, pack, cost)
- Rerun long range plans based on recent trends
Pro Tip: If suppliers are only using Retail Link when there’s an issue—they’ll always be reacting and never leading. Educate and review early.
Know Where to Automate
Automation, or the process of using technology to complete repetitive tasks, should be employed for tasks that are not only time consuming but also susceptible to errors. Automation saves suppliers hours and protects accuracy.
Top Automation Priorities
- PO acceptance alerts
- Automated ASNs/EDI flow
- Due diligence questionnaire (DDQ) auto-pulls
- Forecasting reports
- Deduction documentation storage
Walmart also has supplier bot accounts that require token-based access. These bot accounts are a software program that perform automated and predefined tasks like checking inventory levels, monitoring sales data, and managing product information.
Document Wins and Fixes
Almost all suppliers track problems. The smartest track wins, too.
Documenting shouldn’t be considered busywork—it’s the proof of execution and improvement.
Think of it as a simple visibility log that shows:
- What went right
- What was fixed
- How to prevent an issue from happening again
- How a supplier has strengthened their relationship with Walmart
What to Record
Wins
- Hit OTIF goals 30 days in a row
- Raised GMROII in two regions
- Secured shelf expansion
Fixes
- Solved ASN timing issue
- Improved forecast accuracy
- Updated inner and outer pack data
Root Cause
- Carrier subbing lanes
- Seasonal spike
- EDI delay
Proof Documentation
- Screenshot dashboards
- Shipment confirmations
- Email approvals
Follow-ups
- Notes after replenishment communications
- Project timelines
- Next step ownership
Pro Tip: Walmart loves proactive suppliers. Keeping a log shows discipline and partnership readiness.
Advanced Suppliers
Retail Link isn’t just a place for data entry and reporting. It should be handled with a consistent rhythm and attention to detail.
The more a supplier grows, the more essential systems, automation, and clarity become. Winning with Walmart isn’t about scrambling to keep up. It’s about building a steady engine that gets smarter every week, one that turns data into momentum, and momentum into shelf space.
Advanced Suppliers:
- See trends before they become big problems
- Document wins and solutions to build trust
- Treat data like a living system, not a to-do list
- Partner deeply with Walmart’s internal teams
- Automate repetitive tasks to reduce labor time and errors
- Bring clarity to every conversation, both internal and external
When suppliers operate with this level of care, Walmart sees it, your buyer sees it, replenishment sees it, and the subtle results show up on the shelf.
Don’t Scale Alone
As suppliers grow, the work shifts from doing everything manually to optimizing how it all works together. That’s where smart partners make all the difference.
SPS Commerce supports suppliers at every chapter of growth. From foundational compliance to EDI accuracy, advanced automation to deduction recovery, as well as streamlined retail reporting.
Whether you are just beginning or scaling to the advanced level, SPS helps suppliers:
- Automate Retail Workflow (product name)
- Reduce manual errors and deduction risks
- Combine item, order, and payment visibility
- Strengthen communication with Walmart teams
- Protect margins and reclaim time
When your systems get smarter, your business gets stronger.
Related Reading: Connecting Apps, APIs, and Integrations in Retail Link
The Future Belongs to Calm, Prepared, Data-Confident Suppliers
Walmart’s ecosystem moves fast. Tools evolve, expectations shift, and programs mature. Through all of those changes, one thing remains constant: Teams who stay organized, proactive, and curious outperform those who wait and react.
