Managers approval

[prodge]

We are thinking of using Actinic to run our Stationery department (staff order their pencils, paper etc). (we currently use an open source product)

We now have a requirement, in that when a customer (member of staff) completes an order, they want their manager to approve or reject the order before it progresses. Does anyone know if this could be done?

We would also consider paying for this to be integrated.

[george]

Either make it compulsary to include an order number from the manager (use a user defined box), or maybe make the approval in the form of a `payment` being made by the manager, thus giving appoval to the order?

I'm sure others will have better ways.

[prodge]

Either make it compulsary to include an order number from the manager (use a user defined box), or maybe make the approval in the form of a `payment` being made by the manager, thus giving appoval to the order?

I'm sure others will have better ways.

Thanks for your reply George. The approval via a 'payment' method sounds like a good idea, the issue is how does the manager receive the details and the answer sent back? Email?

[george]

In this simplistic method I'd say so, perhaps emailing an approval number or code back to the originator to be inserted at time the order is approved/`payment is made`?

[prodge]

In this simplistic method I'd say so, perhaps emailing an approval number or code back to the originator to be inserted at time the order is approved/`payment is made`?

I can't see the powers to be here agreeing to that.

Another idea, once the order is completed by the user it emails the manager a link to a webpage with the order information, they then click a confirm order box. The order in the back end system is flagged approved and continues on as per normal.

[leehack]

I can't see the powers to be here agreeing to that.

Another idea, once the order is completed by the user it emails the manager a link to a webpage with the order information, they then click a confirm order box. The order in the back end system is flagged approved and continues on as per normal.

You won't get that on Actinic, perhaps just copy the manager in on receipt emails and it is up to him to flag if not happy with any of the sales.

[Jan]

How about changing the name of payment by check to management approval or something similar, cc'd the manager on the purchase email and then when then reply to the email to approve it, either changing the payment type to approved or adding a payment record, then the order will by marked as paid and can be processed.

Not nice but it will work, and you will be able to easily see which orders have been approved and which haven't.

Failling that, use the age old method of getting a PO number from the manager before purchase and force the shopper to enter a PO number.

Regards,

[prodge]

How about changing the name of payment by check to management approval or something similar, cc'd the manager on the purchase email and then when then reply to the email to approve it, either changing the payment type to approved or adding a payment record, then the order will by marked as paid and can be processed.

That could work for us, so the process is: ( I want to get this clear before I test it with the trial version)

1. Member of staff, logs on and orders items as required.
2. Email is sent to purchasing dept to alert of new order. (on the system it is automatically flagged as 'Awaiting Managers Approval'
3. Same time as above, another automatic email sent to the manager, with details of the order, they reply saying 'ok'. This is sent back to purchasing office who manually change the status of order to 'Processing' and order items as necessary.

It's messy, but I think it could suit our needs.

[wjcampbe]

No - the process is

1 Member of staff places order - choosing payment method - managers approval.
2 Order confirmation email is sent to member of staff with cc to manager
3 manager emails you approval
4 within Actinic you make an offline change to the payment status and proceed with order