Frequency Call-Off

When you reply Y to the template question, a pop-up box opens to allow you to fill in the order schedule, as shown below.

Here you give the frequency of call-off orders (you can use the <F4–Select> to choose from the options you’ve set up, probably a sub-set of the complete set ¾D–Daily, W–Weekly, 4–4 Weekly, M–Monthly, Q–Quarterly, Y–Yearly, and R–Random). You can then set a start date, and a default quantity.

The pop-up box also shows the status of the order template in terms of the quantity already called off, the number still to be called off, the date and quantity of the last call-off, the projected next call-off date, and the anticipated final call-off date.

One option to create a call-off order line is to choose the Call option from the order detail menu bar. You are asked to choose the order detail line number, as shown below. You must choose a template line ¾ you are warned if you don’t.

In the example below, one call-off for five items has already been made against the order template of twenty, and we want to make a further call-off.

When selecting the call option the quantity and date are assumed based on the next due, but you can still override them when creating the call-off order detail line if required.Once you’ve completed the call-off quantity and date, you then enter the full screen order entry process to complete the remaining order details.

Changing Call-Off Details

You can change non-call-off order detail entries to call-off templates, and vice versa, provided no actions (such as order call-offs, or deliveries or invoices raised) have yet occurred on this order entry line.

Once a call-off order template has had at least one order line called from it, you are warned that this is an active template, and the stock code and quantity fields, plus the start date in the pop-up box, cannot be changed. (There is, however, an <F7–Option> override which will allow you to change the stock code and quantity fields.)

Deleting a Call-Off

You are strongly advised against trying to delete call-off order templates. You are warned that this order line is a template, and that you should not delete it. There is still, however, an <F7–Option> to override this warning, which advises you yet again that you should not delete the order template but does allow you to delete.

You can also delete a call-off order line, however, the template itself is not changed; it still shows that the quantity has been called-off.

Automatic Call-Off

The frequency variant of the order call-off has an option, available on the main order entry menu, to scan the active purchase orders and automatically creates the call-off details due within an entered date range.

Once you’ve entered a date range, and/or completed some selection criteria, then call-off templates are examined, and call-off lines created where they are now due. An audit log is printed to show what was processed.

Note that you cannot action random frequency templates here, but if more than one call-off order line is due against a template (for example, it is a fortnight since you last created weekly call-offs) then as many call-off order lines as needed are created.

A call-off order line will not be created if there was interference from record or file locking, but this is reported on the audit log so that you can take action.

The automatic call-off process creates call-off order lines that are copies of the template, except for the order quantity and date, of course. This applies to the price too, which is taken from the template ¾ no lookup into the price matrix occurs.