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Application Considerations - Sales Order Processing

Article Number: 1844 | Rating: Unrated | Last Updated: Thu, Jun 22, 2023 at 4:47 PM

Datafile Software

Application Considerations - Sales Order Processing

The sales order cycle XML transactions consist of the input of customer sales orders transactions, plus the output of transactions used to acknowledge orders, notify deliveries due, and of sales invoices and credit notes. Unlike the purchase order cycle (see below) none of the XML transactions use SOP document processing facilities.

XML order files are processed into a temporary database, from which sales orders are generated using the sales order processing batch update accessory. This allows for a preprocessing step prior to order generation in Datafile. Such a step might check that correct product codes were used, that delivery locations are known to the system, and that prices quoted by the customer are as agreed. It might also check quantities ordered, where perhaps there minimum order quantities apply or where ordered quantities must be in multiples of a packing unit.

Incoming XML sales orders can be received as individual order files or batched per customer into single files. As the use of XML grows, it is likely that different customers may use different XML schemas for their orders. In this event, a Datafile XML transaction will need to be created for each schema, and the input process may consist of a number of processes chained together to process through all the XML files.

Acknowledgement and delivery note XML files can be created simply from the SOP data files using selection criteria to determine which data to send out.

Technically it would be possible for the SOP invoicing process to create XML files at the same time as updating the sales ledger. However, from an accounting point-of-view it is much cleaner to source the invoice and credit note data for the XML files direct from the sales ledger. This guarantees that only transactions that have been entered into the sales ledger are sent to customers; allows for any adjustments (such as incorrect sales invoices) to be credited out prior to any XML transmission to customers; and also allows for additional information (such as proof-of-delivery) to be added to the invoice details, which can be held back until this is done.

To achieve the link between XML and sales order processing, certain additional data items need to be added to application databases, A list of typical additional items is given below in appendix 5 — Additional Data Items. However, the actual items you need depends on the order processes agreed with your customers.

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