Summary

This article reviews the processing flow of a sale, focusing on the processing steps and the effect of those steps on the status.

More Information

For a detailed description of the processing flow as it moves from quote to sale to order, please refer to "Understanding Quotes, Sales and Orders".

The Steps

Step 1:  Initiate a sale. [status = Sale Pending]

• Normally a sale begins by converting a quote to a sale.  It will have been assigned the status of Open Sale.
• A sale may also be created directly, bypassing the quote process.  This creates a Sale with the status Sale Pending.
  • From the Home tab, click on the down-arrow under the Sales icon, and select Create a Sale.
  • In the New Sale Window, create the sale by selecting a customer and adding products as  explained in Step 1 of Processing a Quote Through to a Sale.
  • Once created and saved, the Sale will have a status of Sale Pending.  

Step 2:  Process an order confirmation for the customer. [status = Open Sale]

• An Order Confirmation (or Invoice) can be generated for the customer.  The document may be previewed, printed or emailed.  At this point, if no other changes are required, the sale may proceed to an order.
• To Preview an Order Confirmation.
  • From the Home tab in Order Entry, click the down arrow of the Preview icon, and select Order Confirmation.
  • A window will open showing the available documents that can be sent to the customer.  Select all that apply.  If only one option exists, the software immediately proceeds to the next window.
  • Another window will open prompting an acknowledgement that the status will change from Pending to Open.  Click Yes.
  • The document(s) will open in separate tabs on the main application screen.
  • A PDF of the document may be saved by clicking on the Attach icon of the PDF Tools>View taskbar.  You will be prompted to select  an attachment location (typically either the customer or the current sale).

• Print.

  • While still in the Preview of the document, click on the Print icon of the PDF Tools>View taskbar.
  • This directs the document to your selected printer.
• Email.
  • Again, staying in the Preview of the document, click on the Send icon of the PDF Tools>View taskbar.
  • A window will open with a pre-loaded e-mail template and the selected document attached;  the template extracts information from the customer profile (e.g. email address), and summary information (e.g. sale number, total).  If more than one template is available, you will be prompted to select a template.
• Once the document has been previewed/printed/emailed, the sale remains as an Open Sale until it is converted to an order, or is moved to one of the optional sale statuses.

Step 3:  Customer accepts the sale. [status = Open Sale]

• Field Measurement is an option available to the sales rep.  They may set up a follow-up visit by the installer to re-measure 
• Signature is required at this time.  The image of order confirmation may be signed, and that copy saved/attached, and the signed copy returned to the customer.  Or have the customer sign a printed copy;  it can be scanned and attached at a later time.
• At this point, the Sale may move into a state of Sales Holding (see explanation under Optional Steps below).
• Convert the sale to an order.
  • Note: Once the status moves from sale to order - no product changes can be made. 
  • From the Home or Workflow tab, click on Send for Purchasing.
  • Process a purchase order associated with the sale.

At this point, the sale has been moved to an order.  Refer to Processing an Order Through to Completion for information and steps to complete the order.

Optional Steps

Sales Holding

• Sales Holding is a waiting period during which a customer can legally back out of a purchase.  It is the final step before the sale is sent for manufacturing. 
  • The number of days between the creation of the sale and the conversion to an order  is based on a value established in Application Settings.  This applies to all sales, with no exception.
  • Sales waiting for this period to expire can be viewed in a workflow report.
    • From the Reports tab, click on the down -arrow of the Workflow icon.
    • Select Sales, then select "Sales Cooling".
    • A tab will open with a report of all sales in the holding period.
      

Customer Rejects the Sale

If the customer reconsiders and does not wish to proceed, the sale may be canceled. 

• From the Actions tab of the Edit Sale window, click on the down-arrow of the Status icon, then select Cancel Sale.
• A new window will appear to enter a required comment, explaining the reason for the cancellation.
• When canceling a sale, all payments allocated to the sale are automatically reversed (or "unallocated").
  • Note that this process does not actually refund the money to the customer.
• To identify all canceled sales:
• From the Workflow tab, click on the down -arrow of the Sales icon, and select "Review Canceled Sales".
• A tab will open showing all canceled sales.  Use the Locate or Edit icons to view the details of the quote. (sale)
• A canceled sale may be re-opened if the customer changes their mind.  
  • If still in "Review Canceled Sales" (or on the Sales tab), highlight the desired sale and click on the Edit icon.
  • In the lower right corner of the Edit Sale window, click on "Sale Canceled".
  • A window will open with a drop-down list;  select "Open Sale", click OK.
  • Changes can be made to the sale if needed.  It may be moved into the Sales Holding period or converted to an order, as described in Step 3 above.

A sale may be deleted, but for reporting purposes that is not recommended.

Sale Flow

The following graphic summarizes the processing flow of a sale:  (refresh image before publishing)

Applies To

• SalesPRO Software