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Which apparel ERPs connect to your 3PL? Eleven systems, checked on their own sites.
A 3PL integration is two flows: orders going out to the warehouse and shipment confirmations coming back. For a brand that sells wholesale, the second flow decides whether the retailer's ASN matches the cartons on the truck. We read each vendor's own pages on November 3, 2026 and laid out how each one connects, who builds and maintains the connector, which documents it names, and what comes back.
By Shahrooz "Shawn" Kohan, CEO, AIMS360. He wrote code inside apparel brands before running one of the ERPs they buy. Published November 3, 2026.
Short answer: all eleven apparel and consumer brand ERPs we checked connect to 3PLs, but in different ways. AIMS360, Uphance, Sync, Fulfil and Cin7 build connectors themselves for a set of named 3PLs. Uphance sends 3PLs without a direct connector through Pipe17, ApparelMagic uses middleware such as Extensiv for the same case, Brightpearl's 3PL connectors are built by its partner b.solutions, and NetSuite uses its NetSuite Connector. Four name the EDI 940 and 945 warehouse documents on their own sites: AIMS360, Uphance, Fulfil and Ai2000. Only AIMS360 also names the 943 inbound notice, 944 receipt and 947 adjustment. For a brand that ships to retailers from a 3PL, the deciding question is what comes back: carton and SSCC detail on the shipment confirmation is what builds an ASN that matches the boxes.
Disclosure: AIMS360 publishes this guide and is one of the systems compared. Every competitor fact comes from that vendor's own site or documentation, read on November 3, 2026 and linked in the sources. Where a vendor's only source is a datasheet, its date is noted. Vendors change their pages, so check anything here before you sign.
What does an ERP to 3PL integration have to carry?
Seven exchanges, in X12 EDI terms. API-based connectors carry the same information under different names.
| Exchange | X12 document | Direction | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Item catalog | 832 or an API item sync | ERP to 3PL | The warehouse can't pick an item nobody told it about: style, color, size, UPC, case pack, dimensions |
| Ship order | 940 | ERP to 3PL | What to pick, where it goes, how it ships, and the retailer's packing rules |
| Shipment confirmation | 945 | 3PL to ERP | Cartons, SSCC numbers, weights and tracking: the raw material for the retailer ASN and the invoice |
| Inbound shipment notice | 943 | ERP to 3PL | Tells the warehouse what is arriving from the factory, so receiving checks against it |
| Receipt | 944 | 3PL to ERP | What actually arrived, short and damaged included, posted to stock |
| Inventory snapshot | 846 | 3PL to ERP | The warehouse's count, to reconcile against the ERP |
| Adjustment | 947 | 3PL to ERP | Cycle count changes, damages and write-offs, with a reason |
Most connectors cover the first three. The last four are where stock records drift apart when they're missing, because receipts and adjustments end up keyed by hand.
Which apparel ERPs integrate with 3PL warehouses, and how?
Eleven systems apparel and consumer brands shortlist, as each vendor describes its 3PL integration on November 3, 2026. Quotes are the vendors' own words.
| System | How it connects | Named 3PLs | Warehouse documents named | Who builds and maintains | Fees, as published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIMS360 | Pre-built connectors by EDI or API, secure file transfer as a fallback. One connection reaches every 3PL running Extensiv 3PL Warehouse Manager or ShipHero | 30+ pre-built, including Bergen Logistics, NRI, Boxzooka, Scale3PL, Evolution Fulfillment and a2b Fulfillment | 940, 943, 944, 945, 947 and 846, plus an 832 item catalog before the first order | AIMS360, in house | Included or an add-on, depending on the plan. No per-document fees |
| Uphance | Direct connectors, CSV or XML over SFTP, EDI, and Pipe17 "for fulfillment partners Uphance does not natively integrate with" | No count. Its integrations page tags 11, including Bergen Logistics, NRI, ShipBob, Mintsoft, CartonCloud and Pipe17 | 940 and 945 | Uphance for direct connectors; Pipe17 maintains its network | Not published |
| ApparelMagic | "Direct integration, middleware solutions, open API, and traditional methods like email or printouts" | No count. Names Bergen Logistics, NRI, Statco, Shipvine, ShipHero, and One World Direct through Extensiv | Not stated | Varies; one page says "The integration by Shipvine" | 3PL Connect is "subscription add-on connections"; plans include 3, 5 or unlimited integrations |
| Sync (iSync) | "Prebuilt connections," plus a REST and GraphQL API | 19 listed under fulfillment and 3PL, including Bergen Logistics, NRI, MasonHub and Scale 3PL | Not stated for 3PLs | "Maintained by iSync" | Not published |
| Fulfil | Pre-built 3PL connectors, WMS platform connectors, a 3PL API, and "EDI-based connections (940/945)" for 3PLs without a native connector | "400+ 3PL locations"; 49 named partners, including ShipBob, ShipMonk, Bergen Logistics and NRI | 940 and 945, as the route for 3PLs without a native connector | Mostly Fulfil; a few built by the 3PL on Fulfil's 3PL API | "3PL integrations included" |
| Cin7 | "3PL Connect." Pricing page lists "EDI/3PL Connections: Via API & Partner Solution" | "125+ 3PLs and their warehouse systems," none named on its 3PL pages | Not stated | Cin7's in-house team sets it up | Core: connect "by purchasing the 3PL Connect option"; price not published |
| Brightpearl | "Via our reliable partner network" | 14 listed, including Radial, Bleckmann and Flexe | Not stated | "Built and maintained by b.solutions," a Brightpearl partner | Not published |
| NetSuite | NetSuite Connector exports orders and pulls fulfillments with "an API call every 90 minutes"; it "does not sync product data" to the 3PL | Not named in the documentation | Not stated; API based | Oracle (NetSuite Connector) | Not published |
| Aptean apparel editions | Exenta: "available EDI connections to 3PL." The RLM pages don't mention 3PLs | Not named | Not stated by number | Not stated | Not published (Exenta datasheets, 2022 and 2023) |
| BlueCherry (CGS) | An EDI "Warehouse/3PL Option" that "automates interaction with third-party logistics providers" | Not named | Not stated by number; lists pick tickets, cartons, receipts and inventory updates | Not stated | Not published (undated EDI datasheet) |
| Ai2000 (A2000) | "Exchanges 940 and 945 warehouse transactions with the 3PL," plus a REST API | None named | 940 and 945 | Ai2000 ("custom dev team" for the rest) | Not published for 3PLs |
Sources for every row are at the bottom of the page. "Not stated" or "Not published" means we didn't find it on the vendor's own site or documentation; it doesn't mean the vendor doesn't do it. Ask in the demo.
What should come back from the 3PL when an order ships?
For DTC parcels, tracking is enough. For a retailer order, the shipment confirmation has to carry the cartons.
What the 945 needs to carry for a retailer order
- Every carton, with its SSCC number and contents by size
- Weights and dimensions, and the bill of lading or PRO number for freight
- Tracking numbers, matched to cartons
- Short ships, so the invoice bills what shipped
What the vendors say about it
- AIMS360: builds the retailer 856 ASN, GS1-128 labels and 810 invoice from the 3PL's 945 carton detail
- Uphance: "generates retailer-facing ASN 856, invoice 810" from a 3PL's shipment confirmation
- Fulfil: several 3PL connector pages say SSCC codes come back
- ApparelMagic: its ShipHero page mentions SPS Commerce ASNs and GS1 carton labeling
- The others: not stated for 3PLs
The 3PL doesn't send your retailer's ASN. It sends the shipment confirmation, and the ERP that holds the retailer's EDI map builds the 856 from it. If the carton detail doesn't come back, someone retypes it, and that is where chargebacks start.
What should you ask about any ERP's 3PL integration?
Six questions. The answers matter more than a logo wall of connectors.
- Is my 3PL connected today, and on which warehouse system?Many 3PLs run a shared platform such as Extensiv 3PL Warehouse Manager or ShipHero. A platform-level connector covers every 3PL on it. Ask for a live customer on your 3PL, not a "supported" logo.
- How does the item catalog reach the warehouse?Style, color, size, UPC, case pack and dimensions have to be there before the first order. If the answer is a spreadsheet, expect a late launch.
- What comes back on the shipment confirmation?Cartons, SSCC numbers, weights and tracking for retailer orders, or tracking only? Ask to see a real 945 or its API equivalent.
- Are receipts and adjustments posted, or only orders and shipments?Without the 944 receipt and 947 adjustment, or their API versions, stock in the ERP drifts from stock in the building.
- Who builds the connector, and who fixes it when the 3PL changes something?The ERP vendor, a partner, the 3PL, or a middleware network. Each answer means a different support call.
- What does it cost, per connection and per document?Ask whether the connection is included, an add-on or a middleware subscription, and whether documents are metered.
When is middleware or a partner connector fine?
A connector network isn't a bad answer. It depends on what you ship and to whom.
Middleware or a partner is usually fine when
- You sell DTC parcels only, and the 3PL needs orders out and tracking back
- Your 3PL is already on the network and the vendor has live customers on it
- You accept a second vendor, and a second support call, between your ERP and the warehouse
A direct connector pays off when
- The 3PL ships wholesale and retailer orders that need ASNs and carton labels
- Receipts, adjustments and inventory snapshots have to post without retyping
- You run your own warehouse and a 3PL, or several 3PLs, on one stock record
- You don't want a per-order or per-document fee between the ERP and the warehouse
How does AIMS360 connect to a 3PL?
Built and maintained in house, on EDI or API, with the catalog first and carton detail back.
| Question | AIMS360 |
|---|---|
| Connectors | More than 30 pre-built, including Bergen Logistics, NRI, Boxzooka, Scale3PL, Evolution Fulfillment and a2b Fulfillment. See all 3PL integrations. |
| Platforms | One connection reaches every 3PL running Extensiv 3PL Warehouse Manager or ShipHero. |
| Rails | X12 warehouse EDI (940, 943, 944, 945, 947, 846) or REST API, with secure file transfer as a fallback. A 3PL that isn't on the list connects the same way. |
| Catalog first | An 832 item feed, or the API equivalent, sends style, color, size, UPC, case pack, carton dimensions, weight and lot flags before the first order. |
| What comes back | The 945 with cartons, SSCC and tracking. AIMS360 builds the retailer 856, the GS1-128 labels and the 810 invoice from it. |
| Own warehouse too | Every warehouse and 3PL is a stocking location on one record, so a retailer PO and a Shopify checkout can't take the same unit. See multi-warehouse. |
| Cost | Built and maintained in house. Included or an add-on, depending on the plan, with no per-document fees. See pricing. |
The step-by-step guide to running apparel through a 3PL is the 3PL fulfillment guide. For who AIMS360 fits, see who AIMS360 is for, and for retailer EDI across ERPs, which apparel ERPs have built-in EDI.
Apparel ERP and 3PL integration: FAQ
Direct answers to what brands ask when they connect an ERP to a 3PL.
All eleven we checked on November 3, 2026 connect to 3PLs in some way. AIMS360, Uphance, Sync, Fulfil and Cin7 build connectors themselves for named 3PLs. ApparelMagic adds middleware such as Extensiv, Uphance uses Pipe17 for 3PLs without a direct connector, Brightpearl's connectors are built by its partner b.solutions, and NetSuite uses its NetSuite Connector. Aptean, BlueCherry and Ai2000 describe EDI-based 3PL exchanges. See the comparison table above.
It depends on what the 3PL ships. For DTC parcels, most systems on this page work if your 3PL is connected. For wholesale and retailer orders, pick the system whose 3PL connection brings back cartons, SSCC numbers and tracking, so the ERP can build the retailer ASN, labels and invoice without retyping. AIMS360 is built for that mix, with 30+ pre-built 3PL connections and built-in EDI to 350+ retailers. See AIMS360 3PL integrations.
The X12 warehouse set: the 940 ship order and 943 inbound shipment notice go to the 3PL, and the 945 shipment confirmation, 944 receipt, 947 inventory adjustment and 846 inventory snapshot come back. An 832 item catalog usually goes first. API-based connectors carry the same information without the X12 numbers.
Yes. Uphance's site lists direct connectors for 3PLs such as Bergen Logistics, NRI, ShipBob and Mintsoft, file-based integration over SFTP, EDI 940 and 945, and Pipe17 for fulfillment partners it doesn't integrate with natively. It doesn't publish a 3PL count or pricing.
Yes. ApparelMagic describes four routes: direct integration with some 3PLs such as Bergen Logistics, NRI and Statco, middleware such as Extensiv, an open API, and email or printouts. Its pricing page lists 3PL Connect as subscription add-on connections, with 3, 5 or unlimited integrations depending on the plan.
Through NetSuite Connector. Oracle's documentation says its 3PL connectors export orders and pull fulfillment data with an API call every 90 minutes, that not all syncs are supported for all 3PLs, and that it does not sync product data to a product record in the 3PL.
No. AIMS360 builds and maintains its 3PL integrations in house, and a 3PL connection is included or an add-on depending on the plan. There are no per-document fees and no middleware subscription in between. See plans and add-ons.
Yes. A 3PL that isn't pre-built connects the same way, by X12 warehouse EDI or API, with secure file transfer as a fallback. One connection also reaches every 3PL running Extensiv 3PL Warehouse Manager or ShipHero. See 3PL integrations.
The brand's ERP, in most setups. The 3PL returns a shipment confirmation, the 945, with cartons, SSCC numbers and tracking, and the ERP that holds the retailer's EDI map builds the 856 ASN, the GS1-128 labels and the invoice from it. See EDI 945.
In AIMS360, yes. Every warehouse and 3PL is a stocking location on one record, so orders can route to whichever location holds the stock, and a retailer PO and a Shopify checkout can't take the same unit. See multi-warehouse.
Where the 3PL facts on this page come from
All read on November 3, 2026. AIMS360 facts (connectors, documents, platforms, cost) are from AIMS360's own 3PL integration and pricing pages.
- Uphance, Warehouse management: "Direct integration with major 3PLs. File-based and EDI for everyone else."
- Uphance, Integrations: 3PL filter: ACR, Bergen Logistics, CartonCloud, De Nederlandse, Microlistics, Mintsoft, MOODJA, NRI, Pipe17, ShipBob, Torque.
- Uphance, Pipe17 integration: "Pipe17 is the 3PL connectivity layer for fulfillment partners Uphance does not natively integrate with."
- Uphance, Apparel EDI software: 940/945 named among Uphance's native EDI documents.
- ApparelMagic, Connecting with 3PL providers: Four routes: direct integration, middleware, open API, email or printouts.
- ApparelMagic, Pricing: 3PL Connect "through subscription add-on connections"; 3, 5 or unlimited integrations by plan.
- iSync Solutions, Integrations: "Maintained by iSync, ready on day one."
- Fulfil, 3PL integrations: 49 direct partners and 6 WMS platforms listed.
- Fulfil, Multi-warehouse operations: "400+ 3PL locations"; "EDI-based connections (940/945)"; "3PL integrations included."
- Cin7, 3PL Connect: "Connect to 125+ 3PLs and their warehouse systems."
- Cin7, Pricing: "EDI/3PL Connections: Via API & Partner Solution."
- Cin7, External fulfillment and 3PL providers (Core help center): "by purchasing the 3PL Connect option."
- Brightpearl, 3PL integrations: "Via our reliable partner network."
- Brightpearl, Radial integration: "Built and maintained by b.solutions, a trusted Brightpearl partner."
- Oracle NetSuite, 3PL Connectors FAQ: "An API call every 90 minutes"; "does not sync product data to a product record in a 3PL provider."
- Oracle NetSuite, NetSuite Connector 3PL sync: "Not all syncs are supported for all 3PLs."
- Aptean, Exenta WMS datasheet (2022): "Available EDI connections to 3PL."
- CGS, BlueCherry EDI datasheet (undated): "Warehouse/3PL Option: Automates interaction with third-party logistics providers."
- Ai2000, Warehouse management: "Exchanges 940 and 945 warehouse transactions with the 3PL."
Product names are trademarks of their owners. AIMS360 is not affiliated with any vendor named on this page.
Bring your 3PL's name and a recent retailer order
We'll show how your 3PL connects to AIMS360 and walk a retailer order from the 940 out to the 945 back, then on to the ASN, labels and invoice.
