How to Create a New Order

There are two ways to manage sales or returns in details. Digital sales, streaming and performance income, and licences are handled by importing files under Distribution → Imports (or, for licences, in the Licencing module). Physical products and merchandise can be imported this way too — but when you’re taking an order yourself rather than importing a sales file, that’s handled by creating an order under Distribution → Orders, which is what this article is about.

Use Orders whenever you’re actually taking an order for something with a price, usually stock, and a place to ship from and to. Services work the same way, just without the shipping part.

Note that Orders covers sales to your customers. If you’re the one ordering physical products or merchandise — for example from a manufacturer or supplier — that’s handled separately, under Distribution → Supplier Orders.

► Overview

An order links an account (who it’s going to) with a stock account (where the goods come from), and carries everything needed to get products packed, shipped, and — if needed — invoiced. Most of the setup happens automatically once you’ve picked the right account and order type, since pricing, currency and address details are pulled in for you.

► Where to Find This

There are two equally valid ways to start an order:

• Go to Distribution → Orders and click the (+) icon.
• Or open the account directly under Distribution → Accounts, go to its “ALL ORDERS” tab, and click “+ Add New Order”.

Both open the same “New Order” pop-up — starting from the account page just pre-fills the account for you.

[Screenshot: Distribution → Orders overview with the (+) icon highlighted]

► How It Works

In the pop-up, you fill in:

• Account – who the order is going to (not needed if you started from the account page).
• Stock Account – where the stock comes from, usually your own warehouse.
• Customer ref – an optional reference, for example a PO number.
• Type – the order type. Choose “Invoice Order” for a standard sale that needs to be invoiced. See our separate article on order types for the full picture.

[Screenshot: New Order pop-up with Account, Stock Account, customer ref and Type fields]

Once you click “Add Orders”, the order opens up with the account’s pricing, currency and address details already filled in. Before adding products, it’s worth setting VAT handling, payment method, shipping date, and — if needed — a whole-order discount percentage.

► Step-by-Step

1. Start the order — either via Distribution → Orders → (+), or from the account’s “ALL ORDERS” tab.
2. Fill in Account (if applicable), Stock Account, customer ref, and Type, then confirm.
3. Set VAT handling, payment method and shipping date, and add a whole-order discount if needed.
4. Check the Backorders tab for any outstanding items for this account, and pull them into the order if relevant.
5. Go to the Order Lines tab and click “+ Add New Order Lines” to search for and add products — including promo or free-of-charge quantities if needed. For long lists, use “XLS Import” instead.
6. Prices fill in automatically where possible; enter them manually if not. Add per-line discounts if needed.
7. On the Packaging/Shipping tab, run “Auto Backorder” for anything short, set the Pack Status (reserved, then packed), and fill in weight, shipping method and costs.
8. Generate any documents you need (order confirmation, proforma invoice, etc.) via the “Documents” button.
9. Review the Summary tab, tick “Ready to ship” if applicable, and click “Account” to complete the order.

[Screenshot: Order Lines tab with the “+ Add New Order Lines” search pop-up]

► Tips / Notes

• What happens when you click “Account” depends on the order Type you picked at the start — it can automatically create an invoice, a credit note, or neither.
• Once an order is completed, you can only edit it again if its invoice is cancelled first — then use “Reopen”.
• Double-check the account and its products beforehand: order details are pulled in automatically at creation and can’t be moved to a different account afterwards.