July 2026 platform update: Smarter inventory and evolving AI support

Welcome to our July 2026 platform update.This month, we've introduced new features that give you greater control over how orders move through your fulfilment operation, while continuing to invest in the tools that make managing your day-to-day logistics simpler.

From enhanced batch allocation for Custom Orders to more flexible warehouse routing, these updates are all about helping you manage inventory more effectively and adapt the platform to the way your business operates.

We're also sharing a preview of the next evolution of Fai, our AI support assistant, as we continue refining the support experience with customer feedback at the centre of every decision.

Let's take a look at what's new.

July 2026 platform updates

"This month's updates are all about giving customers more control over their fulfilment operation. Whether it's smarter batch allocation, greater flexibility across warehouse networks or the next evolution of Fai, every enhancement is designed to remove friction from day-to-day processes. Just as importantly, we're continuing to build alongside our customers, using their feedback to shape the roadmap and ensure we're solving the challenges that matter most."

Austin Waddecar, Director of Product

Greater control over batch allocation for Custom Orders

We've introduced a significant enhancement to Custom Orders, giving retailers much greater flexibility over how inventory batches are allocated during fulfilment.

Previously, batch allocation was handled automatically, often making it tricky to meet specific customer or retailer requirements. With this update, you can now decide exactly how inventory should be allocated when creating a new Custom Order or editing an order that's still in Draft.

You can now choose between three allocation methods:

• Oldest available batch (FIFO) – ideal for standard stock rotation
• Minimum shelf life – allocate stock that meets a specified minimum expiry date
• Specific batch – reserve inventory from an exact batch where required

These options make it much easier to manage shelf-life expectations and reserve stock for specific customers or promotions.

The functionality is available whether you're creating orders manually, uploading Custom Orders in bulk or submitting them through the Public API, giving you the same level of control regardless of how orders enter the platform.

Product uploads have also been improved

Alongside the batch allocation enhancements, we've updated both the Custom Order Upload and Product Upload templates.

Products can now be configured as either Batch Controlled or Serial Controlled during the upload process, reducing manual setup after import and helping ensure inventory tracking settings are applied consistently from day one.

To take advantage of these improvements, simply download the latest versions of the upload templates from the platform.

More flexibility with warehouse-based fulfilment

We've also introduced greater control over how orders are fulfilled across your warehouse network.

Previously, selecting a default warehouse simply gave that location priority during fulfilment. If inventory wasn't available, the platform could still consider alternative warehouses when processing the order.

With this latest enhancement, you now have the option to enforce fulfilment from a single warehouse only.

When enabled, orders will only be fulfilled from the warehouse you've selected, preventing the platform from automatically routing them elsewhere.

This additional level of control is particularly valuable for businesses managing:

• Regional inventory allocation

• Customer-specific fulfilment agreements

• Warehouse-specific inventory strategies

• Operational workflows where stock must remain within a specific location

Developed following customer feedback, this update gives retailers another way to tailor fulfilment around the unique requirements of their business.

What's coming next?

Alongside recent releases, we're continuing to test how Fai – our AI support agent – shows up in the platform.

The next step for Fai

Over the coming weeks, we'll begin testing the next evolution of Fai, our AI support assistant.

Since its launch, Fai has helped customers find answers to common questions instantly, reducing the time spent waiting for support and making it easier to access information whenever it's needed.

As part of the next phase, Fai will become the first point of contact for support requests submitted through the Retailer App.

For many questions, Fai will continue to provide instant answers. Where a query requires additional investigation or specialist support, it will collect the relevant information before seamlessly passing the conversation to one of our customer support specialists — including the full conversation history, so there's no need to repeat yourself.

Our aim is simple: provide faster support where AI can help, while ensuring every customer still has access to experienced human support whenever it's needed.

As always, this rollout will be guided by customer feedback. We'll be monitoring how customers use Fai, listening closely to your experiences and continuing to refine the support journey over time.

Customer preference will remain a key part of how Fai develops in the future.

Help shape the future of fulfilmentcrowd

We're also looking beyond today's updates.

As we continue exploring new opportunities around automation, AI and operational intelligence, we're keen to understand how customers work today and where fulfilmentcrowd can add the most value in the future.

We're particularly interested in learning:

• Which applications you spend most of your day using
• How fulfilmentcrowd fits into your workflow
• What fulfilment questions you regularly need answering
• Where better automation or AI could save you time

Your feedback will help shape future development priorities and influence how fulfilmentcrowd evolves over the coming months and years.

If you'd like to contribute, we'd love to hear from you.

Want to discuss anything with the team?

Reach out to your account manager or raise a support ticket. We're always open to hearing your feedback – it's your daily experiences that help us create a better platform.

We'll continue sharing detailed updates as new features move from roadmap to release.