A sales dispatch is the process of sending a material item to a customer. Often this is also referred to as "Shipping".
The completion of the dispatch process reduces items from inventory. It also handles printing of the necessary documentation that is used for the logistics of shipping goods.
Manu Online support combining multiple orders into one dispatch. This is based on the delivery address, so orders can even be combined for different customers so long as they are going to the same destination.
Note that activation of a dispatch in Manu Online is slightly different from other forms in the system as it is a two step process. First Activate and then
Creating a sales dispatch
On the Warehouse main menu, select an order from the Ship Order grid. Alternatively press the New button.
Selecting a certain order will prefill the outstanding items and quantities of that order.
Ensure that all relevant fields have data filled in. Much of this will come from defaults on the sales orders or partner card, so when making many dispatches it is worth having as much data as possible prefilled.
If this is a part delivery (or even an over delivery, which is allowed) enter the correct quantities in the Shipped to customer column.
If any items have traceability in use, then serial numbers or lot numbers need to be added.
Documents can be printed either before or after activation. (See below.)
Activating the dispatch
Activating the dispatch will make a number of actions:
- Make business logic checks on the dispatch and will inform is there is any data that needs to be fixed.
- Reduce the items from inventory.
- Update the sales order with the costs of goods sold for the commission calculations.
- Set the status to
Line data such as the items and quantities can no longer be edited after this, so there is a warning to the user for this.
Printing documents
Document printing on a dispatch is slightly different from other forms in the system. Rather than there a drop down list there is multiple checkboxes. This is to make it easier to print multiple documents at the same time.
Select the documents that are needed and press Print. It will open all of these documents in new windows. Check the By email box to have them emailed instead of opened on the screen.
The system will remember the choice of selected reports so they do not have to be selected again for the next dispatch.
Creating invoices from a dispatch
After the dispatch is activated there is an option to create invoices the dispatch. This option is only available if the user has rights for invoicing. It is used if invoices should be included with the goods being sent. Most businesses will not allow this option as the dispatch will be picked up in the invoice section described in another article.
"Close" the dispatch
This sets the status to "Invoice queue" so it will be shown to the person doing invoicing. If the sales order(s) were fully prepaid then it will be set to Complete.
Closing of dispatch can also be done by barcode reader. The idea here is that dispatches are activated when they are packed and ready to go, and closing happens when the transport company actually picks them up. In the meantime user have visibility of dispatches that are still waiting in the goods-out area even they are packed and ready.