Skip to main content
3Nsofts logo3Nsofts
Back to Documentation

Order Processing

Create, manage, and fulfill customer orders from draft to delivery.

Overview

The Order Processing system manages your complete sales cycle:

  • Create and track customer orders
  • Manage order lifecycles from draft to closed
  • Add and edit order line items from inventory
  • Communicate with customers
  • Generate invoices
  • Coordinate fulfillment and dispatch

Access orders from the Orders tab.

Creating Orders

Starting a New Order

  1. Navigate to the Orders tab
  2. Tap the + button
  3. Select or create a customer from your Contacts
  4. Enter order information:
    • Order Number: Auto-generated or enter manually
    • Order Date: Defaults to today
    • Expected Delivery Date: Target fulfillment date
    • Payment Terms: Net 30, Net 60, COD, etc.
    • Special Instructions: Any customer requests or notes

Adding Order Line Items

Once the order is created:

  1. In the order detail view, tap Add Item
  2. Search for inventory items by:
    • Item name
    • Item code/SKU
    • Barcode scanning
  3. Select the item
  4. Enter quantity
  5. Adjust pricing if needed (defaults to standard pricing)
  6. Add line-specific notes if necessary
  7. Repeat to add more items

The order automatically calculates:

  • Subtotal
  • Tax (if configured)
  • Shipping charges
  • Total amount

Quick Add During Order Creation

Create new customers without leaving the order:

  1. While creating an order, tap New Customer
  2. Enter minimal contact info (name, phone, email)
  3. Complete the order
  4. Update full customer details later in Contacts

Order Lifecycle

Orders progress through nine distinct stages. Each stage represents specific business milestones and determines what actions are available.

Draft (10% Complete)

Status: Order creation in progress

Characteristics:

  • All fields can be freely edited
  • Not visible to warehouse team
  • No inventory is reserved
  • Can add or remove line items without restriction

Next Steps: Add all required items, confirm pricing, and submit for review

Submitted (18% Complete)

Status: Order awaiting management approval

Characteristics:

  • Order locked for approval process
  • Limited editing capabilities
  • Management receives notification
  • Customer notified of submission

Next Steps: Management reviews for credit check, pricing verification, and approves or sends back to Draft

Review (26% Complete)

Status: Under management review

Characteristics:

  • Credit check in progress
  • Pricing verification
  • Inventory availability confirmed
  • May be sent back to Draft with change requests

Next Steps: Approve to move forward or request changes

In Progress (34% Complete)

Status: Actively being fulfilled

Characteristics:

  • Visible to warehouse team
  • Inventory picking can begin
  • Payment processing starts
  • Items can be dispatched

Next Steps: Dispatch items, update fulfillment status

Partially Shipped (42% Complete)

Status: Some items dispatched, others pending

Characteristics:

  • Multiple shipment tracking
  • Backorder management
  • Partial delivery coordination
  • Customer receives tracking for shipped items

Next Steps: Complete remaining dispatches, track individual shipments

Completed (50% Complete)

Status: All items dispatched and delivered

Characteristics:

  • All line items fulfilled
  • Payment confirmed
  • Ready for final closure
  • Delivery confirmation received

Next Steps: Archive order, request customer feedback

Dispatched (60% Complete)

Status: All items in transit to customer

Characteristics:

  • Tracking numbers active
  • Awaiting delivery confirmation
  • Customer can track shipment
  • Warehouse fulfillment complete

Next Steps: Monitor delivery, confirm receipt, move to Delivered

Delivered (80% Complete)

Status: Customer received shipment

Characteristics:

  • Delivery confirmed by carrier or customer
  • Can still handle returns or issues
  • Final invoice sent
  • Payment verification

Next Steps: Close order once all administrative tasks complete

Closed (100% Complete)

Status: Order fully completed and archived

Characteristics:

  • Immutable (read-only)
  • Available for reporting and audit purposes
  • Cannot be edited without special authorization
  • Archived for historical records

Next Steps: None - order lifecycle complete

Managing Orders

Viewing Orders

The Orders tab displays all orders with:

  • Order number
  • Customer name
  • Current status and progress percentage
  • Order value
  • Creation date
  • Expected delivery date

Order Detail View

Tap any order to see complete information:

Header Section:

  • Order number and status
  • Customer information
  • Order and delivery dates
  • Payment terms

Line Items:

  • Each product ordered
  • Quantities
  • Unit prices
  • Line totals

Totals:

  • Subtotal
  • Tax
  • Shipping
  • Grand total

Actions: Context-specific buttons based on order status

Editing Orders

Edit capability depends on the current status:

Freely Editable (Draft):

  • Change customer
  • Add/remove line items
  • Modify quantities and pricing
  • Update dates and terms

Restricted Editing (Submitted, Review, In Progress):

  • Limited field changes
  • Line item adjustments may require approval
  • Notes and special instructions can always be updated

Read-Only (Closed):

  • View only
  • No modifications allowed
  • Contact support if changes are absolutely necessary

Order Search and Filters

Search Options

Find orders quickly:

  • Search by order number
  • Search by customer name
  • Search by product SKU or name
  • Search by date range

Filtering

Filter the order list by:

  • Status: Show only orders in specific stages
  • Date Range: Today, This Week, This Month, Custom
  • Customer: All orders from specific customers
  • Priority: Flagged or urgent orders only
  • Value: Orders above or below certain amounts

Sorting

Sort orders by:

  • Date (newest or oldest first)
  • Value (highest or lowest)
  • Priority (urgent first)
  • Customer name (alphabetical)
  • Status (lifecycle stage)

Saved Filters

Create and save commonly used filter combinations:

  • "Urgent Orders This Week"
  • "High Value Pending Approval"
  • "Overdue Deliveries"

Access saved filters with one tap.

Pre-Dispatch Checklist

Before shipping an order, verify readiness:

Accessing the Checklist

  1. Open the order
  2. Tap Pre-Dispatch Checklist
  3. Review all items

Checklist Items

Inventory Availability:

  • Confirms all items are in stock
  • Shows insufficient stock warnings
  • Lists quantity available vs quantity needed

Pending Items:

  • Items waiting to be picked
  • Items at different warehouse locations
  • Items requiring special handling

Stock Warnings:

  • Highlights any inventory shortfalls
  • Suggests alternatives or backorder options
  • Creates tasks for missing items

Dispatch Readiness:

  • All items picked and ready
  • Packaging requirements met
  • Shipping label prepared
  • Documentation complete

Resolving Issues

If checklist shows problems:

  • Adjust order quantities
  • Substitute alternative items
  • Create partial dispatch for available items
  • Notify customer of delays
  • Create tasks to resolve missing items

Order Messenger

Communicate directly with customers about their orders.

Accessing Messenger

  1. Open an order
  2. Tap Messages or Communicate button
  3. View conversation history

Sending Messages

Use the messenger to:

  • Send order updates
  • Share tracking information
  • Answer customer questions
  • Handle special requests
  • Confirm delivery details

Message History

All communications are logged:

  • Timestamped messages
  • Sender identification
  • Attachment support
  • Searchable history

Messages remain with the order permanently for reference.

Invoice Generation

Creating Invoices

Generate professional invoices from orders:

  1. Open a completed or dispatched order
  2. Tap Generate Invoice
  3. Review invoice details:
    • Invoice number (auto-generated)
    • Customer billing information
    • Line items with quantities and prices
    • Payment terms
    • Due date
  4. Make any necessary adjustments
  5. Finalize the invoice

Invoice Templates

Customize invoice appearance:

  • Company logo and branding
  • Custom fields and sections
  • Payment instructions
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact information

Configure templates in Settings → Invoice Templates.

Sending Invoices

Share invoices with customers:

  • Email: Send directly from app
  • PDF: Save to Files for record-keeping
  • Print: AirPrint to physical printer
  • Messages: Send via iMessage or SMS

Tracking Payment

Monitor invoice status:

  • Sent date
  • Viewed date (if email tracking enabled)
  • Payment received date
  • Outstanding balance
  • Payment method

Common Workflows

Standard Order Process

Typical order flow:

  1. Create order in Draft status
  2. Add line items from inventory
  3. Verify pricing and availability
  4. Submit for approval (if required)
  5. Management reviews and approves
  6. Order moves to In Progress
  7. Warehouse team picks items
  8. Create dispatch for items
  9. Order automatically advances through Dispatched → Delivered
  10. Generate invoice
  11. Close order when payment received

Rush Order Process

For urgent orders:

  1. Create order and immediately flag as urgent
  2. Assign directly to warehouse team
  3. Skip approval if authorized
  4. Coordinate direct dispatch
  5. Use expedited shipping
  6. Monitor closely in dashboard
  7. Communicate proactively with customer

Partial Shipment Process

When items can't all ship together:

  1. Create dispatch for available items
  2. Order moves to Partially Shipped status
  3. Communicate shipment details to customer
  4. Create tasks for remaining items
  5. Ship remaining items when available
  6. Each dispatch tracked separately
  7. Order completes when all dispatches delivered

Backorder Management

Handling out-of-stock items:

  1. Note unavailable items in order
  2. Create purchase requisition for restock
  3. Set expected availability date
  4. Offer alternatives to customer
  5. Ship available items if customer agrees
  6. Order stays Partially Shipped until complete
  7. Fulfill backorders when stock arrives

Best Practices

Order Entry

  • Enter complete customer information upfront
  • Verify addresses before submitting
  • Add special instructions in designated field
  • Double-check quantities and pricing
  • Confirm expected delivery date is realistic

Status Management

  • Move orders through lifecycle promptly
  • Don't let orders stall in one status
  • Add notes when status changes
  • Communicate delays immediately
  • Keep customers informed at key milestones

Documentation

  • Add detailed notes to orders
  • Record all customer communications
  • Document special requirements
  • Attach relevant files (POs, specifications)
  • Maintain clear audit trail

Priority Management

  • Flag genuinely urgent orders
  • Don't over-use priority flags
  • Review flagged orders first each day
  • Clear flags when issue resolved
  • Use expected delivery date for scheduling

Troubleshooting

Can't Submit Order

If submission is blocked:

  • Verify all required fields are filled
  • Check that customer information is complete
  • Ensure at least one line item exists
  • Confirm pricing is set for all items
  • Verify expected delivery date is set

Order Not Appearing for Warehouse

If warehouse can't see an order:

  • Confirm order status is In Progress or later
  • Check that order isn't in Draft or Submitted
  • Verify warehouse staff have proper permissions
  • Confirm they're viewing the correct company (if multiple)
  • Check filter settings in warehouse view

Can't Edit Order

If an order is locked:

  • Check current status (may be in approval)
  • Verify your permission level
  • Orders in Review require manager access
  • Closed orders cannot be edited
  • Contact administrator to adjust or reopen

Inventory Not Available

If items show insufficient stock:

  • Check actual inventory quantities
  • Verify warehouse locations
  • Look for items in other zones
  • Consider partial shipment
  • Create backorder for missing items
  • Offer alternative products

Next Steps