Sales Order Processing

In addition to providing the tools to manage the processing of sales orders, together with the subsequent invoice generation, axis diplomat also provides quotation facilities, with the ability to convert quotations to sales orders at a later stage.

Details of your customer’s orders are entered as soon as you receive them. The software is designed to allow easy entry of orders directly into the system whilst the customer is on the phone. Orders may also be imported electronically from a number of various sources using a number of optional modules (such as from an axis vMerchant website, from marketplaces such as eBay or Amazon or from 3rd party EDI systems such as OpenText Freeway).

Entering sales orders onto the system at the time of receipt involves virtually no overhead over and above the entering of invoices and yet provides a number of benefits, including allowing you to

• produce a range of documents including order acknowledgements, packing notes, delivery notes and pro forma invoices
• analysis reports, including outstanding order valuations, orders by due date and monthly order book analysis
• streamline the subsequent stock allocation, picking, despatch and invoice generation procedures

When a sales order is entered, any stock items on the order are allocated. The free stock figures for those items are thereby reduced, reflecting the sales order allocations. Other options allow this allocation to happen as a separate stage, which may be more suitable for those taking future or scheduled orders or where a limited amount of stock must be carefully managed.

The stock on hand figures are not reduced, however, until the order is despatched. This means that, at any point in time, it is possible to see both the physical stock level of an item (i.e. the stock on hand) and the free stock (i.e. the physical stock less that allocated to orders).

A stock allocation does not physically reserve stock items for specific sales orders and you still have the flexibility to sell allocated stock to others. The free stock figure does, however, provide a warning mechanism that stock is being over-allocated.

This means that, in addition to helping with the operation of the sales and dispatch departments, the Sales Order Processing module also provides a valuable tool for the control of stock. Purchase Order Processing can, for example, identify suggested re-ordering information (purchase requirements) based on the Free Stock figure, rather than the Stock on Hand figure.

Quotations

In addition to the obvious advantages of entering quotations onto the system (such as immediate access by other members of staff, documentation production, etc.), entering quotations can also help reduce errors and the time to subsequently enter orders received against quotations.

Any existing Quotation may be converted to an Order. Additional information relevant to a Sales Order (such as customer order number) will be required, but the main information will be copied from the Quotation.

Entering a quotation does not affect the stock ledger in any way.

Sales Order Documents

A number of documents may be printed from sales orders and quotations, to aid in internal processing and to provide information to customers.

These documents include Order Acknowledgements, Pro Forma Invoices (from quotations or sales orders), Advice/Packing Notes and Delivery Notes.

Invoice Generation

The action of “releasing” a sales order performs three functions - firstly, it tells the system that the order (or part of the order) has been shipped, secondly, it issues the stock (whilst removing the corresponding allocations) and, thirdly, it generates the invoice.

Orders may be released individually, where the operator specifies the order lines that have been shipped (or part shipped), or in their entirety, in groups.

Related Modules

In addition to the standard Sales Order Processing functionality, there are a number of other modules that enhance order processing further:

• Goods On Account allows orders to be released without generating an invoice. Instead, Goods on Account bookings are created, which can be used at a later stage to generate the invoice. This has several applications; including invoice deferral and the consolidation of orders, where one invoice can be sent for a number of orders or deliveries.
• Despatch Recording allows you to specify quantities to be despatched in addition to specifying the quantities ordered. This allows you to manually or automatically distribute a limited amount of stock between a number of sales orders, deciding how much stock to allocate to the various outstanding orders for those items.
• Despatch & Delivery Management provides a range of facilities for interfacing with a number of Delivery Service Providers such as carriers or your own vans
• Sales Order Processing Kits allows you to define some of the products that you sell as kits of parts; the customer's documentation (such as invoice or delivery note) will show a single line for the kit but internal documentation (such as an Advice/Packing Note (or Pick List) will show the components; the selling price is determined by the kit, but the costs are derived by the components. In addition, the allocations are made against the components and not against the kit.