Order processing dilemma

[dormston]

Hi

I designed a site and split the order processing and catalog maintenance between myself and my client.

My client had computer problems while I was away and uninstalled Actinic from her system. She's just called this morning to tell me that she has orders waiting to be downloaded (she received the email).

Can we just go ahead and reinstall Actinic on her computer, disable catalog maintenance (on her PC) and then download the orders?

Can anyone enlighten me?

TIA
Debbie

[Darren]

Can we just go ahead and reinstall Actinic on her computer, disable catalog maintenance (on her PC) and then download the orders?

It would be far better if the customer had a recent snapshot that they could import into their software. If this is not the case, then the order history will be lost unless they have a copy of their ActinicCatalog.mdb lying around somewhere.

I would suggest checking that the version numbers of your client's Actinic and your copy are the same, if they are not there will be problems downloading the orders.

Once both copies are the same version number, I would suggest sending a snapshot to your client for them to import.

If you did not want to go down the snapshot route, you could disable catalog maintainance, but you would have to make sure that the encryption key and username and password under Housekeeping | Security in your clients version contains the same information as your version. In other words, send your client these details and get them to paste them in.

A word of caution, if the shipping details are different in your Actinic to your clients, the opening of orders may cause the software to crash which makes the snapshot option the safer option.

Hope this helps.

[dormston]

Darren

Thanks for the reply.

I was out of the country when the client took Actinic off her PC. There've been no changes made to either my installation or hers since I left. We only put it on her machine so that she could download orders in my absence.

So, if I read your message right should I?

1. Take a site snapshot on my PC (where order processing is disabled)

2. Reinstall Actinic Business on my clients' PC

3. Import the site snapshot from my PC into her Actinic installation

4. Enable order processing and disable catalog maintenance on my client's PC

Or, should I enable order processing on my PC before taking the site snapshot in step 1?

Any help would be much appreciated

TIA
Debbie

[Darren]

Hi there.

I take it that your client does not have a snapshot of their own

This will mean that you will loose the order history.

Regarding your point 2, please make sure that both you and your client are on the same version (go to help and about). We have a version Archive here

I agree with your points. To make it easier for your client, you can disable Catalog maintenance and Enable order processing before creating a snapshot. It will be remembered when your client imports it.

Hope this helps

[dormston]

Hello again Darren

No, sadly my client doesn't have a site snapshot. But I don't think there have been any orders yet until the one that she's waiting to download. So, losing the order history won't be too bad.

Yes, we're using the same version.

The last question in my previous message was whether I should re-enable order processing in my copy, before taking a site snapshot to import into my client's installation. Then after I've imported the snapshort I'd disable order processing on my PC (leaving me with catalog maintenance), and disable catalog maintenance on her PC (leaving her with order processing).

At that point could she then download the waiting order?

Sorry if I've misinterpreted your reply.

TIA
Debbie

[Darren]

I should re-enable order processing in my copy, before taking a site snapshot to import into my client's installation. Then after I've imported the snapshort I'd disable order processing on my PC (leaving me with catalog maintenance), and disable catalog maintenance on her PC (leaving her with order processing).

That sounds fine, except you could disable catalog maintenance on your PC prior to exporting the snapshot as well as enabling order processing. This will have the effect of disabling Catalog mainenance when the customer imports the snapshot. Once you have exported the snapshot, renable your Catalog maintenance and disable Order processing on your machine.

Hope this helps.

[dormston]

Thanks again Darren, that was the clarification I needed.

Debbie