Mailware Home Office includes a comprehensive, and easy-to-use Order Entry system. Everything you need is on one screen: The top portion of the screen includes: Cust System ID - Click this button to open the Customer Search dialog (you can also use the Find Customer icon on the toolbar).   Operator ID - Select your ID the first time and it is remembered on subsequent orders so you always know who entered the order.   Source Key - Select an Advertising Source Key to associate with this order. This can be a code assigned to an ad the customer is responding to, or any identifier you wish. Built in reports use this code to calculate the profitability of your ads.   Order Number - A sequential order number is assigned to orders as you add them, and is always unique.  The order number is not assigned until the first product is entered - click Cancel before entering items and the order is not saved. All other orders receive a permanent order number. Orders can be canceled, but retain their number for reliable accounting.   Order Date - Accept today's default date, or enter another.   Bill to and Ship to Addresses - Both addresses are pulled automatically from the customer's account. The shipping address can be changed on the order as needed. Also, see our Tutorials page on handling multiple Gift addresses.   Message - Enter a daily message in Preferences that is displayed in the box on the order screen. Remind operators about sales, quotas etc.   The Product Grid: Product - Select a product from your inventory using the Product Search screen, and Plain English (no obscure codes necessary). Or, type known Product Numbers in directly.   Quantity - Enter any quantity you wish. The Quantity field immediately removes items from product stock levels and records them as committed until the order is closed. If you cancel ordered items they are immediately returned to inventory.   Price - The product price is automatically entered for you and can be changed.  A Retail or Wholesale price is automatically entered based on the customer type, and can be changed.   Discount - Enter a percentage to be deducted from the price.  Percentages may now be entered as whole numbers (e.g., 50% instead of .5). And, discounts are automatically entered for customers who have them.   Extended Price - The extended price is automatically calculated for you and includes all price changes and discounts you enter.   Status - Status codes (St) update automatically as the order is processed. Manual changes (e.g., Returns, Cancels) can be selected with the Items button.   SH: Shipped - Items have been shipped to the customer. Once all items are shipped the order is automatically marked as closed.   CM: Committed - As items are added to orders product stock levels are decreased, and committed levels are increased (e.g., If 10 items are in stock and you enter an order for 2, then 8 are shown in stock and 2 are shown as committed on the Product screen). This field reflects the number committed until the items ship. You can ignore this field or use it to determine from which orders you can "steal" items to complete others.   BO: Backordered - Backordered items are entered automatically for you when stock levels reach zero. NEW - You can now force backorders, or override automatic backorders to take the order (and steal from other commits later if you wish).   CA: Canceled - Select any unshipped item in an order and mark it canceled. The item is immediately returned to inventory. Any other items in the order can still be processed normally.   RT: Returned - Select any shipped item in an order and mark it returned. You will be prompted to return the item to inventory if you wish.   FI: Filled - Items are marked Filled during the Process Open Orders Action, then updated to Shipped when the order is closed.   Date - Each Status (above) is dated automatically, and may be changed. The date field retains the last status items date.   The Item Detail tab Item Detail - This tab shows details for the currently selected item in the Product Grid.   Pricing - The Retail and Wholesale prices are displayed for reference (you can manually enter one, or accept the price that is automatically entered based on the customer's type).   Description - Displays the short description from the Product screen. (The Long Description is available from the Product Lookup dialog.)   Message - Displays the order message from the Product screen - useful for reminders (e.g., this item requires batteries).   Customize - Use the customize feature to add messages, specify gift recipients and more. See the Customize portion of the tour for details.   The Shipping tab Shipping - This tab lists the shipping methods you define. You can select one, or set up a default method and change it only when necessary.   Ship Via - Select a shipping method from a list you can define yourself.   Description - A longer description of the method from your list.   Tax on Shipping - If the current Shipping Address state includes Sales Tax on Shipping this box will be checked.   The Payment tab and Subtotal Grid   Payment - This tab includes payment methods and details.   Pay Method - Select from several predefined methods (Cash, Check, Credit and now PO or COD). You can also enter multiple payments (e.g., 2 different credit cards, part cash/part credit etc.).  The customer's last credit card used is now stored and remembered automatically the next time they order.   Authorize Button - Enter an order then click the Authorize button for immediate credit card approval using a third party software package. Currently supported: PCAuthorize, PCCharge and ICVerify.   Subtotal Grid - Totals are calculated automatically based on the order.   Sales Tax - The Tax field in the Subtotals Grid is automatically calculated based on the order Shipping Address and the rates you set in the Sales Tax Table. You can also manually set the tax rate.   Shipping Charges - Shipping Charges are automatically calculated based on total weight, total order amount and/or flat fees - all of which you can define. Shipping charges may be manually entered too.   Additional Feature Buttons Order Button - Cancel, Return or Mark Shipped all items in an order (use the Item Button to perform these functions on a single product). Use this for exceptions to the Process Open Orders Action which marks and closes orders automatically.   Item Button - Select any item in the Product Grid then click the Order button to Cancel it, Accept a Return, Mark it Shipped and more. Use this for exceptions to the Process Open Orders Action which marks and closes orders automatically.   Reports Button - Select a Order screen related report from the Reports Button including the invoice for the current order. Reports can be added to the Reports Button, deleted from it and edited.