Laddawn.com : Miscellany for design group

Current open issues

Print order acknowledgment : We've spec'd an order summary/confirmation in order history; this will satisfy web users for the most part (they can easily read online or print); but we need to give CE a means of re-sending it via email ( and fax?). I suppose an email option would be of benefit to web users too. Should we piggy back on share functionality? (barebones)

A: Keep in Avante for now, but log as post launch enhancement to do a 'mailto:' button or a share inteface.

Related question for Print Quote -
1/29/13: We reviewed the "Saved Items" design work in progress. We think CE will be able to accomplish the same function via various screens on the web - all the data/content is there in saved/shared items, saved/shared carts, etc. -- however, none of the designs (to date) includes the ability to a) quickly pull up multiple quotes and b) batch them up to a printer. I have noted that this advanced functionality will remain in Avante for now - agreed?

A: Yes, but we need to ensure that the Avante print quote program is changed to match up with the new content/look/feel of the web version of quotes - then Avante can be used to PRINT the quotes on demand.

Judy thinks it might be easier just to provide both of these on the web.

Custom quote change

Applies only to "live" quotes - quotes that have not expired and not recently been converted. Zip code, quantity and put-up (Q per case or roll) - not changes to the underlying product configuration (dimensions, materials, addtivies, color, printing, venting,packaging - those should be ... new quotes?)

Versioning of revs to quotes would be nice to have.

I think this corresponds to a saved item, or MOD item in a cart; what is the universe of changes that can be made? (Quantity and....?) We have already talked about making unit pricing editable for CE.

See also: How will c/e edit an existing Quote (customer part#, quantity change, print plate image upload, etc) or Sales Order (ie, add comments, change ship via/fob, change request date, quantities, prices, order cancellation, pickslip cancellation, etc)

Sales order changes  - loose ends?

1/29/13: This is generally a change that occurs after an "order" has been created (for MOD and stock) and a pick slip generated, although it could be before a pick slip is generated.

2/5/13: Tina provided list. Long term, "Past Orders" should perhaps consist of recent orders that are still open for changes and closed orders. Original purpose, to recall/reorder items and new purpose, to make changes to open orders.

A: Let's talk at a future date.

Data on sales order changes

From 3/1/12 - 3/12/13

Total changes:    17,306 

Total orders changed:   12,695 

avg # changes/order: 1.4  

avg # of orders changed/business day (270?) - ~47      

Types of changes:      

Date change*     11,282  65.2%

Line added      2,740   15.8%

Qty change      2,282   13.2%

Line deleted    1,002   5.8%

SUM             17,306  100.0%

Timing of changes

• Avg time elapsed between date of order and date of line change: 2.6 days**     
• Count of same day line changes: 7,110** (41% of line changes)

*Date changes - many of the date changes are clearly corrections to data entry errors. Some of the errors are with the initial date entered;  other data entry errors are committed when an actual date change is requested, so then there is a second date change.

** These last figures may be somewhat misleading as I calculated them on a line basis, not an order basis. Although I was able to figure out the number of orders via filtering, due to my rustiness with Excel, I was not able to figure out how to isolate dates on an order by order basis.

Source: CHGORDHIST-calculations.xls

Why did we gather the data?

Collecting this data was spurred on by conversations we had about sales order changes in which there was some sentiment that we shouldn't be in the business of changing orders, if things are flowing smoothly.

Ladd proposed a concept of checking an order out without fully "updating it," in a way that might allow us to change it over the course of a day and then truly "post it" at day's end.  This would deal with changes that happen within a short window.   This likely presents some technical challenges.

Another option would be to allow an order to be recalled and changed.  This presents some real technical challenges and some significant time to design and program.

Another option is to leave sales order changes in Avante for Phase I and take it on at a later time.  This  will involve some logistical challenges.

Let's discuss further.

Custom quote for NS-Made and NS-Buy (34)

Resolved

What happens when there are 2 mods, one w/, one w/out freight included within the same cart and move to checkout? Does separate bundling/ship via take care of this, or is this a problem?

MODs will default to separate bundles anyway. In the rare instance where 2 MOD lines happen to be made and shippable on same date, we will still make them separate bundles.

Should a cart have to be saved (named) before it can be shared? If so, when does that occur - at the point of clicking "Share..." (before displaying the Share form) or at the point of clicking "Send" (after filling out the Share form). The latter seems more consistent with the design objective of making the share process seem painless, as well as being more consistent with the item sharing process.

Has to be saved. Save occurs upon clicking share link. Simple shadow box asking "Please name and save this cart first"; text entry, "Save Cart" button, opens share interface, w/name in subject line.
( Updated Share Items and Carts - COMPLETE )

What happens when you start typing in the cart name field, after a cart has been named, and the button reappears to save? Are you overwriting the prior cart and name, or saving the same cart under a different name thus creating an additional saved cart? Or do we prompt the user to choose?

A: Saves that cart under the new name; old name is gone. NOt a "save as" functionality. Really just the ability to rename a cart.
( Updated Active cart - COMPLETE )

Sharing: Question noted by Judy on 1/11/13 (#16)  "sharing with end user - should c/e be able to share with no markup?

A: As a matter of policy, CE should not use the share cart/item feature with any "end users" (with or without markup). We only want CE to share with a distributorship's employees. We can block CE from accessing the "share with customer?" toggle, but it's conceivable a CE person could type an end user's email address in an internal share message; there's no practical way to prevent that, other than through policy and training.
( Updated original question page. Reconfirming this is the right answer then will update Share Items and Carts - COMPLETE )

From CE meetings (CE tasks mapped to web (or remaining in Avante) notes)

Sample order entry (3). I suspect this is a post launch feature. But we need to give a little thought to where it belongs.

A: Let's just leave it as a post launch feature for now.
Update: May require a new c/e request type so that we know not to send them to the web for order entry. We get 40-60 sample requests per day.

Remake orders (10) - Remaking MOD orders that have shipped, following a return authorization. Leave this in Avante for now?

A: JM: Might have to be on web; not visible to customer (CE only). Let's talk to Judy.

( Agreed. Updated Order History - COMPLETE with the need to do this. 

Return authorization inquiry (30) and acknowledgment (31)

A: Leave in Avante for now.

New product requests (33)

A: Get more info from CE and JA on how it works for now; safe to assume leave it in Avante for now.

(Update - this is not really a customer initiating a request like "Gee, I wish you sold X"; it's a request type that Ce uses when customers are looking for something that we don't make, so that it can be reported to Marketing to track trends for new product development. CR hears about these more often than C/E, but currently there is no efficient way to get sales/CR to track these in the normal course of their work..  C/E only ones to use this type code.  On the bright side, the new search widget will capture parameters for searches that have no matches. )