Quick Summary: This article explains the end-to-end flow for creating and reviewing orders in the app, from selecting a supplier and shaping the order list, through timing decisions, policy review, order creation, adjustment, and final download. Each stage links to a dedicated article for deeper explanation or step-by-step guidance.
Where Order Creation and Review Fit In
Order creation is not a single click. It is a structured decision-making process that balances demand risk, supplier constraints, review frequency, and operational capacity.
This article guides you through the recommended review sequence, explaining what to consider first, what comes next, and where to delve deeper if needed.
Use this article as your guide through the workflow, and the linked articles as your detailed references.
Step 1: Start on the Orders Screen
Navigate to the Orders screen.
The Orders screen contains multiple tabs that serve different purposes in the ordering workflow.
Order from suppliers
Used to create purchase orders from external suppliers.
Order from distribution centres
Used to create transfer orders from internal locations or distribution centers.
Order from locations
Used when a location requires stock and that stock can be sourced from other internal locations instead of an external supplier.
Distribute excess
Used when a location has excess stock and needs to proactively send it to other locations where it is required.
Your first decisions are structural:
Are you ordering from an external supplier, an internal distribution center or doing excess redistribution?
Which location are you ordering for?
Are you including all items, only stocked items, or only non-stocked items?
In most cases, it is recommended to include all items. If you filter one out, remember to review the other separately.
➜ For more on this topic, read: How To: Filter and Prioritize Orders
➜ For more on how to redistribute excess stock to locations that require it, read: Excess Redistribution Feature
Step 2: Identify Which Suppliers and Items Matter Today
Before reviewing individual lines, you need to understand where attention is required.
Supplier urgency highlights suppliers with higher stock risk, value exposure, or operational importance. This allows you to prioritize your effort rather than reviewing suppliers randomly.
➜ For more on this topic, read: Supplier Urgency Rating Explained
Step 3: Shape the List Using Filters and Sorting
Once you have selected a supplier, shape the list so that you focus on the lines that matter most. Orders can contain hundreds of lines, and reviewing every line is rarely practical. Instead, you should sort and filter using criteria such as:
Items with unsatisfied sales orders.
Suppliers with higher urgency.
Orders with the largest total value or unit count.
Specific classifications or status indicators.
This allows you to review the highest impact lines first.
➜ For more on this topic, read: How To: Filter and Prioritize Orders
Step 4: Decide How Far Ahead You Are Planning
Before creating the order, confirm your timing parameters. Look Forward Days controls how far into the future the app will scan for order recommendations and pull them into today. Increasing this value increases:
The number of items included.
The total quantity and value.
The projected volume and weight, if available from your ERP.
Using Look Forward Days carries risk. Pulling orders forward introduces excess above the maximum stock level. For this reason, it should be used conservatively and only with justification.
➜ For more on this topic, read: Look Forward Days Explained and How To: Use and Set Look Forward Days.
Step 5: Create the Order
Once your list and timing are set, select the supplier using the radio button and click Create Order.
At this stage, the app groups the relevant item lines into an order schedule.
➜ For more on this topic, read: How To: Create an Order
Step 6: Review the Order Lines and Policy Context
Your aim is to confirm whether the recommended quantity for each line makes sense.
To support this:
Expand individual lines to see more information.
Use the information icon to preview projected future order dates.
Review the Ordering Policy Panel to understand the policy inputs driving the recommendation.
➜ For more on this topic, read: How To: Review, Adjust, and Finalize an Order Schedule and Ordering Policy Panel Explained
Step 7: Use Item Inquiry and Projection for Deeper Analysis
For deeper investigation, open the Item Inquiry screen. A useful technique is to hold Control while clicking the item code so the Inquiry opens in a new tab, allowing you to return to your order easily.
The Projection tab shows how stock is expected to behave over time, including:
Opening and closing stock.
Demand streams.
Suggested order dates and quantities.
Receipts and firm receipts.
Demand during Lead Time, Safety Stock, and Replenishment Cycle periods.
➜ For more on this topic, read: Projection Tab Explained
Step 8: Add Top-Up Orders Where Appropriate
Items below their Reorder Point are already included in the order. You should also review items that are above the Reorder Point but below the Order Up To Level.
These items are candidates for Top Up Orders.
Top-ups are useful when:
You will not review orders again before the next projected reorder date.
You want to prevent a stockout between reviews.
You want to improve order efficiency without creating excess.
➜ For more on this topic, read: Top-Up Orders Explained and How To: Use Top-Up Orders
Step 9: Use the Solver to Reach Targets
You may want to adjust the order to reach a specific value, volume, or weight.
The Solver allows you to:
Set a target.
Automatically select lines to reach that target.
Prioritize cost or volume by sorting before solving.
➜ For more on this topic, read: How To: Use The Solver Functionality
Step 10: Review the Summary and Finalize
Use the Summary Table to review totals by:
Classification.
High medium low groupings.
Selected subsets.
Once satisfied, download the order. Depending on configuration, it may download as a CSV or send directly to the ERP.
➜ For more on this topic, read: How To: Review, Adjust, and Finalize an Order Schedule
Step 11: View Saved Orders
Previously created orders are available on the Saved Orders screen.
When an order is created, the app takes a snapshot of all inputs at that time. If an order is not placed immediately, the recommendation may become outdated.
For this reason, it is best practice to archive old orders and create fresh ones based on current data.
➜ For more on this topic, read: How To: View Previously Created (Saved) Orders
Step 12: Confirm That Orders Have Been Downloaded
Once an order has been finalized, it is important to confirm whether it has been downloaded or transmitted for action.
The app provides clear visual indicators on both the Orders screen and the order schedule itself to show whether orders have been downloaded, partially downloaded, or not yet actioned. This allows you to quickly identify which suppliers still require follow-up without reopening each order individually.
➜ For more on this topic, read: How To: Check If Orders Have Been Downloaded
⚠️ Watchouts
Outdated orders: Orders created but not placed quickly may no longer reflect current demand, forecasts, or stock positions.
Overusing Look Forward Days: Increasing Look Forward Days to reduce workload creates excess and hides true risk.
Ignoring review frequency: Review Period, Look Forward Days, and Top Ups must be considered together to avoid missed orders or overordering.
💡 Tips
Trust the inputs: Once data, policies, and forecasts are correct, Recommended Orders become reliable decision support.
Archive and regenerate: Old orders should be archived and recreated to ensure decisions are based on current information.
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