Your sales order processing system is part of your interface with your customers. It has to be good, because it tells them a lot about your efficiency and your ability to give them the service they need. That is why you have spent so much time to get it right, and why such care is needed when putting it on the computer.

This present section gives an overview of the factors often met in order processing systems, and describes how the Datafile Software system can be structured to fit your particular needs.All the procedures needed to adapt the application are supplied in the Installation utilities.

In our experience the aspects of a sales order processing system can be grouped into a number of discrete functions. You may not incorporate all these within your own system at present, and you certainly don’t have to incorporate them all on the computer. These functions are (not necessarily in this order):

Taking the order

Returning an order acknowledgement

Checking for stock availability

Preparing goods for shipment

Printing delivery notes to accompany goods

Printing invoices for goods shipped

Updating sales and stock ledgers to show what has gone on