Can I store extra shipping info in an order?

[Eileen]

We use ANC to deliver most of our goods.
I've currently got an outside-of-Actinic utility where the order-processing clerk must decide how many parcels to ship in each order.

Once they plug in that info, I can generate a copy of the packing list for each parcel in the order.

Then the clerk enters the ANC consignment number into the utility.

I am currently storing the consignment and parcel count in unused (by us) fields on the Actinic order header record.

The clerk must generate the ANC consignment report prior to printing the invoice (and switching the order from 'pending' to 'complete').

It would be lovely if Actinic could provide a way for collecting extra info about an order and storing it, rather than having to do it outside the application.

It would also be lovely if Actinic could allow us to show our extra report status in the order status panels (ie next to the invoice and packing list columns).

Has anyone got any suggestions for doing this with Actinic?

cheers,
Can anyone tell me if there is a work-around for this sort of thing?

[Ben]

Hi Eileen

Thanks for your suggestions - I will put them on the wishlist. Just to clarify ...

It would be lovely if Actinic could provide a way for collecting extra info about an order and storing it, rather than having to do it outside the application.

... do you mean importing shipping infomation such as the consignment number from another application, as well as providing the field to store it? There is a 'Tracking Number' field on the 'Shipping and Handling' tab of the order and the US edition integrates with shipping service providers to populate this field - is this the sort of thing that you are looking for?

Ben

[Eileen]

We don't charge shipping or handling on our products, so the shipping panel is greyed out.

I have played with 'simple shipping = .00'...
If I do that, the order panel will let me add a shipping record and record the trackign number.... but
but I cannot find where to build a list of Shipping Providers

I am experiencing a wee bit of stress as we want to go live tomorrow morning, and I have just experienced the same problem mentioned in another thread: SLOOOOOOOOWWWW scripts!

[Eileen]

... I forgot to mention....

the shipping forms we use are pre-printed by ANC, with a barcode and tracking number.

I've created an access report and a wee VB application to run along side Actinic. The clerk enters the number of packages into the app, and the order destination address (from Actinic) is printed in all the appropriate places on the form (4 times on one form!) ... and all the other relevent boxes are filled in as well.

Once the forms have been printed, the clerk then keys the tracking number and I store it in the Actinic order.

[cdicken]

Eileen - is the large text field in the 'Journal' tab of an order any use to you? This is an extra field in the 'Order' table in the Actinic database.

[Eileen]

Hi Chris...
we will very definitely be using the journal field... for keeping track of notes regarding the customer and their order.

This field, along with the ability for entering offline orders, are going to make our lives MUCH easier.

BTW... we successfully published our V7 site yesterday afternoon.