Before You Start
Make sure you have:- Customer information set up in the system
- Current inventory available for ordering
- Pricing configured for your customer
- Delivery address confirmed with the customer
Starting a New Order
Accessing Order Creation
- Navigate to Orders in the main menu
- Click New Order button
- The order form will open in the side panel
Selecting the Customer
- In the Customer field, start typing the customer name
- Select the correct customer from the dropdown list
- Customer information will auto-populate:
- Billing and shipping addresses
- Contact information
- Assigned price group
- Payment terms
Order Header Information
Required Information
Order Date- Usually defaults to today’s date
- Change if the order was placed on a different date
- When the customer wants the order delivered
- Helps with planning and scheduling
- Shows as a target date for fulfillment
- Select who to contact about this order
- Usually defaults to primary contact
- Choose order contact if different
Address Information
Billing Address- Where the invoice will be sent
- Usually defaults to customer’s billing address
- Can be changed for this order if needed
- Where the order will be delivered
- Defaults to customer’s default shipping address
- Select different address if needed
- Add custom address for one-time deliveries
Optional Information
Purchase Order Number- Customer’s PO number for their records
- Helps match invoices to their accounting
- Appears on invoices and order documents
- Who sold or is managing this order
- Useful for commission tracking
- Helps with customer service questions
- Special instructions or requests
- Internal notes for fulfillment team
- Customer-specific requirements
Adding Items to the Order
Selecting Items
- In the order items section, click Add Item or +
-
Search for items by:
- Item name or variety
- Category or type
- SKU or item code
- Select the item from the search results
Item Information
For each item you add: Quantity- Number of units the customer wants
- System shows available quantity
- Warning if requesting more than available
- Auto-populates based on customer pricing
- Can override for special deals
- Shows price group being applied
- Automatically calculated (quantity × unit price)
- Updates as you change quantity or price
Checking Availability
The system shows:- Available: Quantity ready for immediate sale
- On Hand: Total quantity in inventory
- Reserved: Already allocated to other orders
Order Pricing
How Pricing Works
Pricing is applied automatically based on:- Customer’s assigned price group
- Item-specific pricing for that group
- Any customer-specific overrides
Overriding Prices
To change a price for this order:- Click in the price field for the item
- Enter the new price
- Add a note explaining the price change (recommended)
Common Price Overrides
- Volume discounts for large orders
- Promotional pricing
- Customer loyalty adjustments
- Damaged or clearance items
- Special contracts or agreements
Order Totals
The system automatically calculates: Subtotal- Sum of all line items
- Before taxes and discounts
- Applied based on customer location and tax settings
- Shows tax amount and rate
- Final amount customer will pay
- Subtotal + taxes - discounts
Discounts
If your customer qualifies for discounts:- Add discount in the totals section
- Choose discount type (percentage or dollar amount)
- Add reason for discount
- Total will update automatically
Reviewing the Order
Before Saving
Double-check:- Customer information is correct
- All items and quantities are accurate
- Pricing looks correct
- Delivery address is right
- Special instructions are noted
Order Status
New orders typically start as:- Initialized: Still being created or modified
- Open: Finalized and ready for processing
- Acknowledged: Reviewed and acknowledged, ready for fulfillment
Saving the Order
Save Options
Save- Saves the order with status Initialized
- Order remains editable
- Use when you need to add line items next
- Saves the order and opens it in the main view
- Allows you to immediately add line items
- Order starts with Initialized status
After Creating the Order
What Happens Next
- Order Created: Order is created with Initialized status
- Add Line Items: You can now add products to the order
- Status Progression: Update status as order moves through fulfillment
- Inventory Allocation: Allocate inventory before changing to Submitted status
Common Next Steps
- Add more items if customer calls with additions
- Update order status as you fulfill the order
- View invoice PDFs for shipped orders
- Allocate inventory to warehouse locations
Common Scenarios
Rush Orders
For urgent orders:- Set delivery date to today or tomorrow
- Add note about rush requirements
- Contact fulfillment team directly
- Consider priority shipping options
Backorders
When items aren’t available:- Create order with requested quantities
- System tracks backorder amounts
- Partial shipment when items available
- Notify customer of delayed items
Special Orders
For custom or special requests:- Add detailed notes in order comments
- Contact customer to confirm special requirements
- May require custom pricing
- Allow extra time for fulfillment
Tips for Success
Order Creation Best Practices
- Verify customer information before placing large orders
- Check inventory levels for all items before confirming
- Include clear notes for special requirements
- Double-check delivery addresses for accuracy
- Confirm pricing with customer for large or unusual orders
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
Customer Not Found- Check spelling of customer name
- Search by phone number or contact name
- Customer may need to be added to system first
- Check if inventory counts are current
- Look for similar varieties that are available
- Consider partial shipment options
- Verify customer’s assigned price group
- Check if item has current pricing
- Look for any price overrides or special contracts
What’s Next?
After creating your order:- Learn how to add more items to existing orders
- Understand order status management for tracking
- View invoice PDFs after orders are shipped
- View order details to see complete information
- Allocate inventory to manage fulfillment