Order entry and tracking system

[mike60smart]

I am looking at what is best to create the dummy GUI - I was thinking Powerpoint which I have used before but ChatGP suggests Figma which I have never heard of or used.

Hi Alex
Have you started putting together any tables in Access yet?

If you have then upload a zipped copy and we can then advise much easier.

 

[LarryE]

I do have a template for building products that incorporates vendor purchase orders, customer orders, product build inventory details and employee labor costs, but I don't know if that will meet your needs until you answer some important questions:

1. How does your current vendor purchase order process work?
2. How does your current customer order process work?
3. Do you want to include employee labor time in your product cost calculations?
4. How do customers pay you? Do you present an invoice at the end of the build process?
5. Do you always build custom to suit lighting designs or do you build several makes and models of products and keep them in inventory for later sale?

This will be a long process so get ready for that. All of these kinds of questions need to be answered before any ACCESS design is built from scratch or re-built from an existing template. All ACCESS designs follow the workflow process first, then tables are designed and relationships established. You already gave us some sense of what kinds of information you wish to track so that is good, but we need to know how those fields are going to be used and what they are so we can determine which tables they belong in. All of these things will be at least a start.

 

[Pat Hartman]

The Northwind dev edition is the only sample I have ever come across that even attempts to handle inventory. So, if you need your application to also manage your inventory, we need to help you to get the dev version up and running. You may still not be able to use it as is but at least it handles inventory in a rational way. If you don't need to manage inventory, the problem becomes simpler.

 

[AlexT]

I am looking at what is best to create the dummy GUI - I was thinking Powerpoint which I have used before but ChatGP suggests Figma which I have never heard of or used.

Hi Alex
Have you started putting together any tables in Access yet?

If you have then upload a zipped copy and we can then advise much easier.

Hi Mike,
I am currently creating a menu GUI so I can determine what I really require. I will post it soon.

 

[AlexT]

The Northwind dev edition is the only sample I have ever come across that even attempts to handle inventory. So, if you need your application to also manage your inventory, we need to help you to get the dev version up and running. You may still not be able to use it as is but at least it handles inventory in a rational way. If you don't need to manage inventory, the problem becomes simpler.

Hi Pat,
I am not looking to handle Inventory other than load a Product from the database. I may look at expanding it later but in the first instance I simply want to create a system for entering Customer orders and then tracking them through the production process andpossibly automatcially creating the shipping labels and a standalone invoice.

 

[AlexT]

I do have a template for building products that incorporates vendor purchase orders, customer orders, product build inventory details and employee labor costs, but I don't know if that will meet your needs until you answer some important questions:

1. How does your current vendor purchase order process work?
2. How does your current customer order process work?
3. Do you want to include employee labor time in your product cost calculations?
4. How do customers pay you? Do you present an invoice at the end of the build process?
5. Do you always build custom to suit lighting designs or do you build several makes and models of products and keep them in inventory for later sale?

This will be a long process so get ready for that. All of these kinds of questions need to be answered before any ACCESS design is built from scratch or re-built from an existing template. All ACCESS designs follow the workflow process first, then tables are designed and relationships established. You already gave us some sense of what kinds of information you wish to track so that is good, but we need to know how those fields are going to be used and what they are so we can determine which tables they belong in. All of these things will be at least a start.

Hi Larry,
I will have a graphical mockup of the process soon. In the first instance am only looking for a system to handle Customer Orders. I don't need 1. Vendor orders, 3. Labor time calcs.
Payments from customers vary. Website sales are prepaid and sales to wholesalers are invoiced for payment on the 20th of the following month. We use Xero for that. It is not necessary to have a totally integrated system for our business as opposed to having modules that do their task well.

 

[AlexT]

I've been importing bits and pieces of Northwind Starter which seems to be more stable. Is Northwind in a trusted location?

Not sure what trusted location means I will read on it.

 

[Cotswold]

I'm not sure that this is going to fly. After 6 days and 27 posts nobody is any the wiser. A graphic will not be a specification.
The specification, should show what you want out of the system and include table structures. Table design is the beginning. Plus, you cannot proceed with a program segment. You must have it all. Otherwise you will be continually updating existing tables as you add new ones. Which will affect any existing code. You will be amending all the time, which is not the way to go.

If you cannot specify what you need, even experienced developers cannot help you. They will have a good idea what you want but not actually what your imagined detail. Then after you have the system working, you will need to install security to prevent tinkering. The list goes on and just from what you have written to date, my guess it will probably take an experienced developer with a stack of libraries maybe every day several months. For you to do it, I'd say at least 12 to 18 months to include learning and understanding for something the business can rely on.

You are using Xero which from a (very) brief look does not allow import/export and is quite basic. Your proposed system whilst maybe not needing to be integrated, will need to export to and possibly import from accounts. Otherwise you will need to manually post invoices. Which was pointless in 1985, never mind 2025. You will need to use a business accounting system. SAGE will be fine and some versions may do everything that you want. SAGE also have approved add-on systems. Xero is unlikely to suit an expanding business. Don't be tempted into using spreadsheets. This is a database application.

One thing that you can be assured of, is that what you want to do has been done before. Many times. There will be many systems out there but it
will take effort to find them and assess. From where you are I'd suggest you use your time running the business. Get reps in, give them your spec and see what they have. If that fails, then maybe start burning the midnight oil.

 

[AlexT]

I'm not sure that this is going to fly. After 6 days and 27 posts nobody is any the wiser. A graphic will not be a specification.
The specification, should show what you want out of the system and include table structures. Table design is the beginning. Plus, you cannot proceed with a program segment. You must have it all. Otherwise you will be continually updating existing tables as you add new ones. Which will affect any existing code. You will be amending all the time, which is not the way to go.

If you cannot specify what you need, even experienced developers cannot help you. They will have a good idea what you want but not actually what your imagined detail. Then after you have the system working, you will need to install security to prevent tinkering. The list goes on and just from what you have written to date, my guess it will probably take an experienced developer with a stack of libraries maybe every day several months. For you to do it, I'd say at least 12 to 18 months to include learning and understanding for something the business can rely on.

You are using Xero which from a (very) brief look does not allow import/export and is quite basic. Your proposed system whilst maybe not needing to be integrated, will need to export to and possibly import from accounts. Otherwise you will need to manually post invoices. Which was pointless in 1985, never mind 2025. You will need to use a business accounting system. SAGE will be fine and some versions may do everything that you want. SAGE also have approved add-on systems. Xero is unlikely to suit an expanding business. Don't be tempted into using spreadsheets. This is a database application.

One thing that you can be assured of, is that what you want to do has been done before. Many times. There will be many systems out there but it
will take effort to find them and assess. From where you are I'd suggest you use your time running the business. Get reps in, give them your spec and see what they have. If that fails, then maybe start burning the midnight oil.

Hi Cotswold, Thanks for taking the time to give me your thoughts. Not being a programmer (at all), I first need to create a graphical flow of what I am trying to achieve so that an expert has at least got a starting point. In the first instance, I had asked if anyone knew of something that might meet the "general" outline of what I am trying to achieve as I figured there must be 1,000's of templates out there. But clearly I need to be more specific about what I want to do. I am not about to embark on any development myself as my 5 minutes of investigating Access shows me that would be stupid - it is not plug and play for bunnies like me. The developers have given me some great advice and I am now working on trying to be clearer about my requirements. While basic business accounting systems do provide integration of various tasks, they do not have the ability (at least not that I am aware of), to do the basic task of order management in the manner that suits our small operation - meaning very little or no customisation. I also do not want to use cloud based software. Your comment about having to manually post invoices, is only a small pain in the backside for us as we don't do that many. I would rather have an easy to use order tracking system that allows customisation. I found an excel template created by Someka that is something like what I am looking to do. However it is not formatted to meet our requirements and will require work to alter. Everyone tells me not to use spreadsheets, so I am looking for a database version of something similar. The GUI is very important to ensure ease of use.

 

[tvanstiphout]

I think you are in need of a Business Analyst. This person works with you to understand what you want, and creates a Functional Spec that developers can use to understand what you want.
Some people in Access forums are pure developers, and want to design databases and code business logic. Others are more focused on understanding needs and translating that into requirements, database design, and specifications. That latter person is who you should hire for a few days. Best money ever spent.

 

[arnelgp]

on my opinion you don't need to hire an analyst, you yourself can tell your programmer what to do since you know very well exactly what you need. you can show him the GUI you want and your programmer will translate that to you. you can show him the computations and he will also translate that to you.

 

[Cotswold]

In the past I have installed software at hundreds of companies, my own and third party software. Very few of the business owners understand any of the software that their business relies on every day of the year. They also have little understanding of the possibilities. Many of them are unable to use most, or any of their software. On that they rely on their staff. However, they all have the knowledge of what they want the software to do. Although some have had difficulty in describing their requirements. An experienced software consultant/developer should be able to understand your requirements. Find someone you can work with who is reliable.

Creating software is time consuming and at the end of the day should be 100% correct. A plumber, builder, electrician, mechanic can get away with their work being good enough. Or take the attitude, that'll do. Not so with systems your business relies upon. Just remember, if you change something it will cost you. Better to spend more time at the start. Preparation and specification.

 

[LarryE]

Hi Cotswold, Thanks for taking the time to give me your thoughts. Not being a programmer (at all), I first need to create a graphical flow of what I am trying to achieve so that an expert has at least got a starting point. In the first instance, I had asked if anyone knew of something that might meet the "general" outline of what I am trying to achieve as I figured there must be 1,000's of templates out there. But clearly I need to be more specific about what I want to do. I am not about to embark on any development myself as my 5 minutes of investigating Access shows me that would be stupid - it is not plug and play for bunnies like me. The developers have given me some great advice and I am now working on trying to be clearer about my requirements. While basic business accounting systems do provide integration of various tasks, they do not have the ability (at least not that I am aware of), to do the basic task of order management in the manner that suits our small operation - meaning very little or no customisation. I also do not want to use cloud based software. Your comment about having to manually post invoices, is only a small pain in the backside for us as we don't do that many. I would rather have an easy to use order tracking system that allows customisation. I found an excel template created by Someka that is something like what I am looking to do. However it is not formatted to meet our requirements and will require work to alter. Everyone tells me not to use spreadsheets, so I am looking for a database version of something similar. The GUI is very important to ensure ease of use.

At the risk of repeating myself, I'll repeat myself:
Can you describe your current order entry system for us and if you wish to keep track manufacturing and labor costs as well for each customer build. All ACCESS development is based upon the business process you have. The tables that you create and the relationships between them are the most critical part of any ACCESS build process. No one can make ACCESS behave like a spreadsheet, and the process is very different.

I have some questions based upon the spreadsheet pdf file you attached:

1. What is an "Enolt Order" and a "1500mm order"?
2. What are Singles, twins and triples?
3. Is "Part Number" your inventory part number or your vendor part number?
4. What does "Sell Each (GST EXCL) mean
5. What does Nett Sell Each (GST EXCL) mean?
6. What does "Sell Each (GST INCL) mean?
7. What does "Shipping (GST INCL) mean?
8. What does "Value of order ex GST On Acct." mean?
9. What does "Value of order INCL GST On Acct." mean?
10. Is "Tracking #" your number or the shippers number?

Presenting a picture of some form from EXCEL does not help us help you. So, please answer my questions and MAYBE someone can help. I mentioned before that I do have a template I might be able to modify, but I can't do that without your help.