We use the items required list to prepare for orders ahead of time. However we have found that currently unconfirmed draft orders are shown on the items required list. This causes filling errors as we risk filling containers for orders which have not been confirmed and may be cancelled or amended subsequent to filling.
By definition items on draft orders are not required as the order has not been confirmed.
Can items on draft orders please be excluded from the items required list, so that it only shows items on confirmed orders?
We fill orders several times a day. If a draft order was confirmed late in the day, or at an unexpected time then I would expect it to be communicated between staff as standard. The same applies to ammendments to confirmed orders, If I make a change to an order I will speak to production to make sure they are aware of any changes.
To ilustrate our issues here is an example:
A draft order is created for collection on a Friday, it is not confirmed as we are awaiting confirmation from the customer who is unsure if the event is going ahead.
On Thursday our production team, looking ahead to Friday note that they will need 2 x Minpins of Best Bitter, which is currently in tank and so rack them in anticipation of its collection on Friday.
Later that morning the customer calls and cancels thier order as thier event is no longer going ahead.
We are now left with 20L of fresh beer that we have to find a home for at short notice which may result in lost stock.
If draft order products were not displayed on the Items required list, this could never happen. If the order was confirmed then production staff would see it when they next check the list before our order cut-off time.
You’re right that taking them off “items required” will sidestep your filling issue (or showing them in a separate section? Would be even better - gives a hint to production / dispatch that they need to query Sales.)
But, strikes me, your root problem is that you’ve got draft orders which should be either confirmed, cancelled, or rescheduled.
Just taking the items off “required” means you might well miss something? Maybe? Only you know which is worse for you. So this would definitely have to be configurable.
Do draft order items show up as “required” if Include draft orders in product quantity allocated to orders is turned off?
Thanks guys. I can see the benefit of this, but it would certainly need to be a new setting to let each customer choose if they would like draft orders included in the items required section, to ensure everyone is happy!
I can confirm that this setting doesn’t impact the items required list.
This should actually be a very simple feature to add, so we’ll look to get this fitted into a gap soon for you, and I’ll let you know when it’s done
Good news, we’ve managed to add this option already
If you go to Settings → Delivery settings → General delivery settings, you should see a new option labelled Include draft orders in the “Items required” tab on the deliveries page. If you untick this, then draft orders will be excluded from that tab.
