Step-by-Step Guide: Process an Order

The following steps lead you through processing an order, from entering an order to editing a pick list, to posting the order and collecting payment.

Order Entry

Enter a Shipping Order

Order entry occurs in two phases: the order header form, where you fill in the customer, want date, shipping and other general information, and the order detail page, where you add product details.

I. Order Header Form

1. Within the Gold Menu, go to Orders > Entry Forms > Shipping Orders.
2. Select “Insert.”
3. Fill in required header information: Order Date and Ship-To/Sold-To.
4. Fill in optional fields (see table below for a brief explanation of each field).
5. (Optional) Enter a percent in the Disc. % field to apply an order-level discount.
6. Click “Save.”

II. Detail Page

1. From the order header form, select “Detail” (on the toolbar).
2. Click “Insert."
3. Select a product. CompuPlants offers two methods for accessing product inventory:
   • The Current Order tab allows you to select from a drop down grid of your entire product inventory. Double-click the product line, then type the "Ordered" quantity.
   • The Availability tab provides a drop-down grid of available inventory. Enter a quantity, then double-click the line to copy it to the current order.
4. (Optional) Select an applicable item category.
   * Learn how item category allows you to duplicate products.
5. (Optional) Apply a line discount by highlighting the product line, then clicking the Discount icon in the toolbar. A dialog will prompt you to enter the discount percent.
   * The product must be marked as discountable in order for the discount to apply.
6. (Optional) If you are making a substitution and would like a different product ID to print on order documents, select a "Print" product.
7. (Optional) Type a short note in the "Notes" field (below the want/confirmed product fields). This note prints below the line item on order documents if the selected page style is set up accordingly.
8. Click "Save."
9. Repeat steps 2 through 8 to add another product to the order.

Order Header Fields

Edit Shipping Order

You must edit the order before posting it. Make changes on the order header and detail forms.

Cancel Shipping Order

You cannot cancel an order after posting to inventory or to receivables. If you wish to cancel it before it reaches either of these stages, go to Orders > Order Posting > Cancel an Order. Type the order number and click "Execute."

Add a Duplicate Product

By default, CompuPlants prevents users from adding the same product twice. We understand, however, that duplication is intentional in some cases. For example, users often want to add the same product twice, selling a certain quantity at the regular price and the remaining quantity at a promotional price. You can follow these steps to circumvent the program's default setting.

1. Add the duplicate product to a shipping order from the “Current Order” tab.
2. On the confirmed line, select a "Category," located between the “Product” and “Quantity” fields. "Category" refers to item category, which is user-defined. With an item category selected, the program can now differentiate between two products that otherwise appear identical.
   * If both the original and duplicate products are associated with an item category, make sure that the categories are different.
3. Proceed with the remaining order detail fields as usual.
4. Click "Save."

Print Order Documents

Orders 5.6 gathers all of the order-related documents in one convenient place to save you time and prints professional, laser-quality documents. These could include quotes, order acknowledgments, order confirmations, proof copies, invoices, load lists, packing lists, bills of lading, etc. Before printing documents, make sure you've set up document types in Setup > Orders > Documents.

To print a document:

1. Within the Gold Menu, go to Orders > Documents > Orders 5.6.
2. (Optional) Narrow the search to a specific order number, date, or ship-to.
3. Select the type of document you wish to generate.
4. Select sorting criteria.
5. (Optional) Limit printing to only those products where quantity shipped > 0.
6. Click “Find.”
7. (Optional) Preview the document by highlighting one or multiple rows, then click "Preview."
8. Click "Print."
9. (Optional) Repeat the process to print a different type of document.

Order Inquiry

This is a quick-change grid that allows you to edit an order's document stage and a variety of order-related dates (want date, ship date, pull date, etc.). Review our Platinum New User Guide to learn how to do more with reports and grids.

Order Pulling

Print Pull Report

Use this form to print a pull report for a single order or for multiple orders. Note, if printing pull reports for multiple orders, the program will keep each order separate. You may still choose how to sort each pull report: by plant name, by product, or by size. Check the flag "Print only where shipped greater than 0"...

Make & Edit a Pick List

1. Within the Gold Menu, go to Orders > Order Pulling > Make a Pick List.
2. Type the order number and select “Execute.” The system stores the pick list.
3. Go to Orders > Edit Pick List.
4. Type the order number and click “Find.” The top grid represents the pick list, while the bottom grid displays available locations and quantities for the highlighted product in the pick list. The locations grid accounts for other pending pick lists, providing you with real-time information.
5. Change locations and quantities:
   
   a. Highlight a product row in the pick list.
   b. Double-click a location row from the bottom grid. The new location will be applied to the top grid and the total quantity will be transferred. The chosen location displays a green background indicating it was used.
6. If a product was pulled from multiple locations:
   
   a. Highlight the pick list row, then click “Copy." This produces another row on the pick list with the same product information. Note: it also duplicates the ordered quantity.
   b. Update the quantities for each location.
   c. Apply locations from the bottom grid.
7. (Optional) Select “Verify.” This compares the sum of the “Picked” column to that of the "To Pick" column (which is based on the order). If the totals don't match, the text in the pick list row turns red.

Order Posting

Post Pick List

1. Go to Orders > Order Posting > Post Inventory.
2. (Optional) Run a trial post by unchecking the box labeled “Post Inventory.” Then proceed to step 4.
3. When you're ready to post, check "Post Inventory."
4. Type the order number.
5. Select “Execute.”

Unpost Pick List

If products, quantities, and/or pick locations change after posting a pick list, you may un-post the pick list. Once the order has been posted to receivables, however, you may no longer do so.

1. Within the Gold Menu, go to Orders > Order Posting > Unpost Pick List.
2. Enter the order number.
3. (Optional) Run a trial post by leaving the "Unpost" flag unchecked, then click "Execute." The application will inform you of any errors that may impede the process.
4. When you're ready to un-post, check the flag.
5. Click "Execute."

At this time, you may wish to return to the order to edit products and/or quantities, then make and edit a new pick list. Or, cancel the order if necessary.

Post Order

Post an order to receivables to close it once it has shipped and no further changes will be made. You cannot edit an order after it has been posted to receivables.

1. Go to Orders > Order Posting > Post Orders.
2. Enter the order number.
3. Enter the invoice post date.
4. (Optional) Run a trial post to see if any errors exist:
   a. Leave the “Post Order” flag unchecked
   b. Click "Execute." If an error occurs, the application will display a red X and describe the error. Fix the error, then return to this form to post the order.
5. Check the "Post Orders" flag.
6. Click “Execute.”

As a result of this process, the program automatically creates an invoice. You can print the invoice by going to Orders > Documents > Orders 5.6.

Reports & Grids

Product by Customer Committed

Use this report to look up sales information for a particular plant, with the ability to narrow results by size, type, and grade. The report shows all open and closed orders associated with the product number, along with product availability as of the report date. You can even opt to include orders where products were removed (original quantity > 0, but current quantity = 0). You must select a report design before previewing or printing the report.

Sales Analysis Grid