This guide explains how to set up Schedules, Products, and Customers when you have multiple cut-offs and lead times and want to manage standing orders. It’s important to note that this solution is only compatible with direct integrations and is not recommended if you are uploading files to an external system.
Table of Contents:
1. Set Up Your Products
To begin, you need to assign the appropriate lead time to your products. Refer to the article on Product Advanced Settings to configure the lead time correctly.
2. Set Up Both Schedules
Next, create two schedules for each delivery day:
Need details on creating Schedules?
Check out this guide.
Schedule 1: Longer Lead Time
Purpose: This schedule allows for standing orders.
Configuration: It should have the longest lead time and the earliest cut-off day.
Example: If some products require a 2-day lead time and others require a 1-day lead time, set the cut-off day and time for this schedule to 2 days before delivery.
Editable Hours: Enter the number of hours between the first cut-off time and the last cut-off time.
Example: For a Wednesday delivery, if bread needs to be ordered by Monday at 4 pm, and croissants by Tuesday at 2 pm, the editable hours would be 22 (the hours between Monday 4 pm and Wednesday midnight).
Schedule 2: Shorter Lead Time
Purpose: This schedule should not allow for standing orders.
Configuration: It should have the shortest lead time and the latest cut-off day.
Example: If some products require a 2-day lead time and others require a 1-day lead time, set the cut-off day and time for this schedule to 1 day before delivery.
Editable Hours: Set this to 0, so that orders cannot be edited after they are placed.
3. Set Up All Customers with Both Schedules
Ensure that all your customers are attached to both schedules.
4. How It Works
Schedule 1 allows customers to place standing orders. Once a standing order is generated, customers can add, edit, or cancel products with shorter lead times until the final cut-off.
Example Scenario:
You sell bread, which must be ordered 2 days before delivery by 4 pm, and croissants, which can be ordered the day before delivery by 2 pm.
You set up bread on Schedule 1 and croissants on Schedule 2.
Customers receiving daily deliveries will be attached to 14 schedules (7 days x 2 schedules).
Customers can place standing orders for both bread and croissants. The standing order will be placed 2 days before delivery (e.g., Monday 4 pm for a Wednesday delivery).
Once the standing order is placed, customers cannot edit, add, or cancel the bread order but can still modify the croissant order until Tuesday 2 pm.
Customers can also place one-off orders the day before delivery, including croissants and any other items on Schedule 2.