Altering and backordering components linked to products

[Miranda Stamp]

I'd like the ability to make an alteration to a component choice of a master product eg we have a master product which is a set of 5 nappies at a discount, the customer can choose the colours and sizes, and these are linked to the specific products for stock control purposes. However due to slow production by the manufacturer we're often out of 1 colour (or the customer changes their mind). To alter the order and maintain the stock levels we have to reenter the whole set of 5 nappies again to re-choose the new options and then delete the original product. This is quite a slow process.
Also if we are out of stock of the one component and the customer doesn't want a substitution, we can't back order just the component, you can only back order the master product (or not back order as the case may be) this means we have to leave lengthy notes as to what we've shipped/not shipped, again time consuming and leaving room for error.

(hope I've explained that OK, it's way past my bedtime!)

[TraceyHand]

I'll second this wish!!!

[cdicken]

Thanks - I've passed this onto the development team.

[Miranda Stamp]

Also, tied in with this, we like to allow our customers their own choice of colours, sizes etc when buying a set at a lower price than individually as this gives us the edge over our competitors, and of course being components of a main product the components do not adjust the stock when exported into Sage as only the stock of the main product is counted = we have to do a manual alteration periodically to show the correct numbers of the components.

Is it possible to get this to work so that we can put the actual stock changes into Sage? Or maybe I'm not ticking the right boxes?

Thanks

[cdicken]

Hi Miranda

It is possible to transfer stock changes from components into Sage. What you need to do is:

1) Ensure that each choice is associated with a hidden product in the store.
2) The permutations are using the associated product prices (in the 'Pricing' column)
3) The component has 'Component as Separate Order Line' selected.
4) In the main product, you set the pricing model as 'Sum of Component Prices' and also select 'No Order Line for Main Product'.

This will mean that as long as the hidden associated products have equivalent product records in Sage, the stock levels of these will be reduced automatically when the order is transferred from Actinic.

[Miranda Stamp]

I think the stock discrepancies must have arisen from off line orders, as the stock doesn't seem to adjust, unfortunately we get a lot of them.

[TraceyHand]

I think the stock discrepancies must have arisen from off line orders, as the stock doesn't seem to adjust, unfortunately we get a lot of them.

Yes, you want to watch out for that because 9 times out of 10 an offline order addition does NOT alter the stock levels in Actinic.

I make a point of always checking the stock level recorded in Actinic prior to making the alteration and checking it's changed (or changing it manually, if it hasn't) after processing the order.

It's a PITA!

[Miranda Stamp]

Our stock was right on 1st January! Now totally out because when someone on the phone orders a set of 4 Motherease wraps it's FAR quicker offline to add it as our set of 4 where you select each wrap colour and size x4 under the one product than it is enter individually one wrap back to the previous screen ALT+W,ALT+R (remembering product code) etc etc which take 4 times as long
And I don't grumble about the sizeable discount we give for a set of 4 it's a time saving thing, and we sell loads of sets! Ditto the coloured nappies.
Or rather it was a time saver but now we have to check and amend the stock levels....