Introduction
This guide walks a BigCommerce store administrator through installing Nexus, connecting a storefront channel, syncing products and orders, and configuring the SMTP, email template, and notification settings that power automated digital delivery.
Complete each step in order — later steps such as Product Sync and Order Update depend on the channel connection made earlier in the guide.
Prerequisites
Confirm the following before you begin.
Installing the Application
Install Nexus directly from the BigCommerce App Marketplace.
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Log in to BigCommerce
Sign in to your BigCommerce Control Panel using an administrator account.
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Open the Marketplace
Navigate to Apps → Marketplace and search for Nexus.
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Download the app
Click Install to download Nexus into your store. Review the requested permissions and click Confirm to continue.
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Open Nexus
Once installed, Nexus appears under Apps → My Apps. Open it to land on the Nexus dashboard shown below.
Channel Sync
Connect your BigCommerce storefronts so Nexus knows where orders and products come from.
Go to Configuration
Open Configuration & Channels from the left navigation.
Click Sync Channels
Press the blue Sync Channels button to pull in every storefront connected to your BigCommerce store.
Confirm the connection
Each channel appears with a status dot and a Configure button. A channel marked Pending config still needs its URL, SMTP, and email template set up.
Product Sync
Pull your product catalog from BigCommerce into Nexus so SKUs are available to map to delivery files.
Open Files & Products
Select Files & Products from the sidebar.
Click Sync Now
Use the Sync Now button any time you add or update products in BigCommerce. This pulls the latest product and SKU data from BigCommerce into Nexus — it does not push any changes back to your store.
Map delivery files
Once the catalog is synced, create a file, upload keys or links, then map one or more of the imported BigCommerce SKUs to it.
Order Update
Nexus automatically captures new orders the moment they hit your store via webhooks. A one-time Sync Latest Orders is required to bring in orders placed before Nexus was installed.
Webhooks work automatically
Once installed, Nexus registers order webhooks with your store. Every new order placed from that point on is pushed into the Nexus order feed automatically — no manual step required.
Open Orders
Select Orders from the sidebar to view the live order feed pulled from BigCommerce.
Run the first-time order sync
Press Sync Latest Orders once, right after installation, to pull in your store's existing order history. Webhooks only capture orders going forward, so this first sync is required to get your old orders into Nexus.
Confirm delivery status
Once an order's status is synced from BigCommerce, Nexus emails keys automatically as soon as it reaches your configured delivery status (e.g. Completed).
Update SMTP Details
Nexus sends delivery emails through your own mail server, so each channel needs SMTP credentials.
Open a channel's configuration
From Configuration & Channels, click Configure on the channel, then select the SMTP Configuration tab.
Enter server details
Fill in SMTP Host, Port, and Encryption (TLS recommended).
Enter credentials
Provide the Username and Password for the mail account, along with a From Name and From Email.
Save
Click Save SMTP. Leave the password field blank on future edits to keep the existing password.
Update Email Template
Customize the digital delivery email that customers receive, using reusable variables.
Open the template tab
Inside a channel's configuration modal, select the Digital Delivery Email Template tab.
Write the email body
Use the rich-text editor to format the message customers see after checkout.
Insert variables
Use the Variables menu to insert {{product_delivery_url}}, {{keys}}, {{product_name}}, or {{customer_name}} — Nexus fills these in per order.
Create custom variables (optional)
Need something beyond the four default variables? Go to Configuration & Channels → Variables → Add Variable and create as many custom system variables as you need — give each one a name and prefix, and it becomes available in the Variables menu for every email template.
Save the template
Click Save for [Channel Name] to publish the template to that storefront.
{{keys}} directly into the email body.Update Notification Setting
Set stock alert thresholds, notification recipients, and display defaults.
Set the minimum stock level
Choose a threshold from Minimum Stock Level and click Save Stock Level.
Add notification recipients
Enter one or more emails (comma-separated) under Notification Recipients and click Save Emails.
Set page size and alert frequency
Choose how many rows display per table page, and how often Nexus checks for low stock (in hours), then save each field.
Post-Installation Validation
Confirm the following before going live.
| Validation Item | Expected Result |
|---|---|
| Application installation | Nexus appears under Apps → My Apps |
| Channel sync | All storefront channels are listed with a status dot |
| Product sync | BigCommerce SKUs are available for file mapping |
| Order update | Orders appear in the live feed with correct BC status |
| SMTP configuration | Test email sends successfully from the configured address |
| Email template | Variables render correctly for a sample order |
| Notification settings | Low-stock alerts reach the configured recipients |
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Possible Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Channel shows "Pending config" | URL, SMTP, or email template not yet set | Click Configure and complete all three tabs |
| Products not appearing | Catalog not synced | Click Sync Now on Files & Products |
| Orders missing from feed | Order sync not run recently | Click Sync Latest Orders |
| Delivery emails not sending | Invalid SMTP credentials | Re-check host, port, and password in SMTP Configuration |
| Variables not filling in | Incorrect variable syntax in template | Re-insert variables using the Variables menu |
| No low-stock alerts | Recipients or frequency not saved | Re-enter emails and alert frequency, then save |
Best Practices
- Run Sync Channels whenever you connect a new BigCommerce storefront.
- Run Sync Now after adding, updating, or retiring products.
- Run Sync Latest Orders once during setup to bring in old orders — webhooks only capture orders placed after installation. Re-run manually afterward only to recover from a missed webhook.
- Keep SMTP credentials current and rotate passwords securely.
- Review the email template after any change to delivery variables.
- Set notification recipients to a shared inbox, not a single person, so alerts are never missed.
Installation Checklist
- Application downloaded from the BigCommerce Marketplace
- Nexus visible under Apps → My Apps
- Storefront channels synced
- Product catalog synced
- Latest orders synced
- SMTP details saved and tested
- Email template updated with variables
- Notification settings configured