How Do I?... > Setup and use the Online Ordering Module?

An Overview

QuoteWerks offers an optional Online Ordering Module that enables you to place orders electronically with USA division of PC Industry distributor Tech Data. This saves you the time and hassle of calling your Tech Data sales rep and reading each part number, quantity, and price to him/her. Another benefit is that the order date and Tech Data sales order number will automatically be stored with your QuoteWerks order for reference. When placing Tech Data online orders through QuoteWerks, there is an option that will let you flag the order for manual review and release by a sales rep, so you will still get your chance to "haggle" prices with your sales rep without the time consuming process of reading to your sales rep all the part numbers, quantities, ship to location, etc. The order can be placed electronically. If you prefer, through QuoteWerks you could place a note in the order to ask the Tech Data sales rep to call you to confirm pricing. No more calling your Tech Data sales rep only to reach voice mail (understandable - they have lots of customers) and have to try to call again later in the day to place the order - or wait for a call back! This is truly the best of both worlds - automation with sales rep service!

Before you can start setting up the online ordering feature in QuoteWerks, you first need to setup the Tech Data real-time module. For instructions on how to do this, please see the Real-Time Data module topic.

The Online Ordering Module will use the same user id and password that is used for the Real-Time Pricing and Availability. In order to submit orders using this same user id and password, you need to make sure that this user id has been granted the right to submit orders. If the user id does not have the right to submit orders, the order will be accepted, but it will be placed on hold for Tech Data to review.

Granting the Tech Data user id submit order rights is done through the administration tools on the Tech Data website. To setup or verify that the xml user id has these rights, log into the Tech Data website and then choose "Account Management" from the left menu bar, then choose "Account Maintenance (EC Admin)", then click on the "Link to EC Admin now" hyperlink in the middle of the page. In the EC Admin control panel, click on “User Administration” from the top menu bar, and then choose “Account Users” from the left menu bar.

Next, click on the pencil in the Edit column to edit the Account that you want to use to submit electronic orders.

On the Edit Account User window, you will see the Access Permissions checkboxes. Make sure that you check the “Submit Order” box, and then click on the [Save] button.

Note: QuoteWerks only needs to “Submit Order” checkbox to be checked. All others are optional based on your own needs.

The optional Online Ordering Module is enabled by purchasing an Online Ordering Module License Key, separate from the main QuoteWerks product. Additionally, the Online Ordering Module requires at least one Real-Time Data module license. Both the Real-Time Data module license and the Online Ordering Module license need to be entered into QuoteWerks under the Utilities | License Manager menu before the Online Ordering module will become available.

Note: Only one Online Ordering Module license is required no matter how many users you have in your QuoteWerks installation.

Step 1: Log into QuoteWerks as a user with Master Rights (so that you will have access to the License Manager).

Step 2: Select the Utilities | License Manager menu.

Step 3: Click on the [Add License] button, and enter the Online Ordering module License Key, which will begin with the letter “W”, and then restart QuoteWerks.

Note: Please ensure that the Real-Time Data module License Key (starting with the letter “R”) has already been entered. If not, please enter that key first.

Step 4: Start QuoteWerks, and select the Real-time tab of the Tools|Options menu. Then select the Tech Data tab and click the [Setup] button on the bottom right corner.

Step 5: On the Tech Data Online Ordering Options window you can specify the default settings for the Online Ordering feature. Mostly these settings control the defaults used when placing the order on the Tech Data Online Order Form described later.

Ship Via

Currently, the shipping options available are FedEx, UPS, and Customer Pickup. Here you can choose the default.

Blind Packaging

If this option is selected, the packages sent from Tech Data will not have any Tech Data markings on it.

Back Order Handling

This option determines how backordered items are handled. You can choose to have each back ordered item shipped as they become available, or wait until all items are available and then ship them together.

Timeout (Secs)

It is used to adjust the amount of time QuoteWerks waits for a response after submitting an order. It takes Tech Data longer to process an order request, so the timeout value for the online ordering is typically set to a larger number than the real-time pricing timeout. The default is 90 seconds.

On this tab are default settings for the Tech Data MyOrderTracker feature that will be used when placing orders. The Tech Data MyOrderTracker feature enables you to request that Tech Data send the reseller or the end user order status e-mail notifications of key events such as the order confirmation, order shipment, etc.

Notification Email Address

This is the default e-mail address that the reseller notifications will be e-mailed to. You will have three options to select from:

My E-mail Address

This pulls the e-mail address from the logged in user's details under Tools | My Preferences menu.

'Our Location' E-mail Address

This pulls the e-mail address from the Company tab under Tools | Options menu.

Specified E-mail Address

This option enables you to specify a specific e-mail address here.

Notification(s)

There are 4 default order status notifications that can set.:

Order Confirmation

Upon receipt of the order, with this option, Tech Data will send an e-mail containing the order confirmation details.

Order Cancellation

Upon cancellation of the order, with this option, Tech Data will send an e-mail containing the cancellation details.

Released to Warehouse

When an order is approved for shipment (has passed credit checks and has cleared any holds, etc), with this option, Tech Data will send an e-mail notification that the order has been released to the warehouse for shipment.

Shipment Notification

When the order is actually shipped, with this option, Tech Data will send an e-mail containing the shipment details.

Notification Email Address

This is the default e-mail address that the end user notifications will be e-mailed to. You will have three options to select from:

‘Ship To’ E-mail Address

This pulls the e-mail address from the Ship To section of Sold To/Ship To tab of the order.

'Sold To' E-mail Address

This pulls the e-mail address from the Sold To section of Sold To/Ship To tab of the order.

’Bill To’ E-mail Address

This pulls the e-mail address from the Bill To section of Sold To/Ship To tab of the order.

Notification(s)

There are 3 default order status notifications that can set.:

Order Confirmation

Upon receipt of the order, with this option, Tech Data will send an e-mail containing the order confirmation details.

Released to Warehouse

Shipment Notification

When the order is actually shipped, with this option, Tech Data will send an e-mail containing the shipment details.

Step 6: You are now ready to begin using the Online Ordering Module. You can access Online Ordering through the Tools | Online Ordering menu.

To place an online order, select the Tools | Online Orders menu. You will be prompted to close all open documents before proceeding.

The online ordering module reads all the item information from the database and updates the item(s) in the database with the order results. If any of the items that were updated were in an open order at the time, those changes may accidentally be overwritten. For this reason, QuoteWerks closes all open documents before proceeding.

On this Online Orders window, you can choose which line items you would like to order. Not all line items will necessarily be qualified to be displayed in this window. Only items from QuoteWerks ORDER type documents will be displayed. Additionally, since the Online Ordering module currently only supports Tech Data, online line items that have a vendor of “Tech Data” will be displayed. When items are ordered from Tech Data, the SONumber field will be updated with the Tech Data Sales Order Number. This is how QuoteWerks will know an item has already been ordered. Only line items with an empty SONumber field will be displayed.

On this window, you can choose to order items from only the currently open order, or order items from multiple orders.

Currently Open Order

This option will display all the qualified line items from the order that you had open when you selected the Tools | Online Ordering menu.

Note: Since QuoteWerks needs to close all open documents as described earlier, you will notice that QuoteWerks does close your currently open order, but on this window for the Currently Open Order option, it does remember which document was currently open.

Multiple Orders

This option will display all the qualified line items, from any order, that have not yet been ordered.

Place check marks next to each line item that you want to order, and then click [Ok] to proceed to the Tech Data Online Order Form.

The Tech Data online order form has 4 tabs:

Purchase Order Info Tab

Ship on Date

By default this will be set to today's date unless manually changed. If you want, you can enter a date in the future, and the order will not ship until that date.

Special Instructions

Enter any special instructions intended for review by the Tech Data sales rep. Entering anything into this field will cause the order to be placed on hold, requiring the sales rep to manually review it before it will be released for processing.

Flooring Account

If you have Tech Data flooring account (floor plan number) alternate financing, you may enter your account number here. The field is limited to three characters.

Purchase Order Number

A purchase order number is required.

Order Pricing Type

Here you can choose the Tech Data pricing market. Typically the market used will be Commercial (Non-Govt), but for government and educational orders, there are options for these.

Back Order Handling

You can select from two options, either to have each back ordered item shipped independently as each becomes available or to wait until all items are available and ship them together.

Shipping tab

Ship To:

You may enter this information manually or copy it from a location.

If you selected to order items from the currently open order, when you click the [Copy from] menu button you will have the option to pull from the 'Ship To', 'Sold To', 'Bill To' and 'Our Location' areas in QuoteWerks.

If you selected to order items from multiple orders, only the 'Our Location' option will be available. The windshield wiper icon to the left of the [Copy from] menu button clears all the fields.

Ship Via

Select the shipping option you wish to use here. QuoteWerks currently provides FedEx, UPS and Customer Pickup shipping options, as defined by Tech Data.

Please note: If your amount reaches your free shipping minimum sales requirement, Tech Data will only give you free shipping if you select “FedEx Ground” as the shipping carrier.

Blind Packaging

Blind Packaging allows you to strip all Tech Data references from the package so it appears to be coming directly from you instead of through the distributor.

End User tab

This tab provides fields for the End User's contact details, which would typically only be used in situations where the product being ordered is a license or warranty that requires the End User's details. Additionally, if you populate these fields, Tech Data’s MyOpportunityTracker can associate this end user with the item(s) being ordered.

End User Contact Info

You may enter this information manually or copy it from a location.

If you selected to order items from the currently open order, when you click the [Copy from] menu button you will have the option to pull from the ‘Ship To’, ‘Sold To’, or ‘Bill To’ areas in QuoteWerks.

The End User PO # field may be used in the end user would like their PO number displayed in the packing slip of a drop ship order. The windshield wiper icon to the left of the [Copy from] menu button clears all the fields.

Reseller E-Mail

The Reseller E-mail address is required for some license and/or warranty orders. This is typically used for the license or warranty vendor to contact the reseller should they have any questions about the order.

Click the [Copy from] menu button here and you will have the option to auto fill the e-mail field with the e-mail address from the logged in user, the 'Our Location' E-mail address from the Company tab in Tools | Options menu, or from a pre-defined list.

MyOrderTracker tab

This tab contains Tech Data MyOrderTracker options.

Reseller Notification(s)

Set the e-mail address for the reseller order status notification e-mails for this order here. Then using the checkboxes below, select the order status notifications that you would like to receive.

End User Notification(s)

Set the e-mail address for the end user order status notification e-mails for this order here. Then using the checkboxes below, select the order status notifications that you would like the end user to receive.

Click the [Copy from] menu button here and you will have the option to auto fill the e-mail field from the Ship To, Sold To, Bill To fields as well as from a pre-defined list. If you selected the option to order items from multiple orders, only the option to select from a pre-defined list will be available.

Line Item Information

This section of the Online Order Form displays the line items that you have selected to order. You may remove an item from the list by selecting it and clicking the [Remove Item] button.

Step 1: Verify current P & A

Initially, only five columns will display in the Line Item Information box - the part number, description, quantity, line item ID and the unit price.

Click on the [1. Verify Current P & A] button (P & A stands for Pricing and Availability). This step accesses the Tech Data website in the same way the Real-Time Data module does, and returns the current pricing and availability of the line items. Once the P & A request is complete, additional columns of real-time information will display.

Note: The Product Total label displays the extended total of all the items on the order. Before real-time pricing is retrieved, it totals the offline prices from the QuoteWerks line items. After real-time pricing is retrieved, it totals the real-time prices. After the order has been placed, it totals the ordered prices.

Realtime Unit Price

This is the current real-time price.

Realtime Physical Qty in Stock

This is the current total quantity in stock at all of the physical warehouses combined.

Realtime Vendor Drop Ship Qty Available

Some items are not stocked in a physical warehouse, but can still be ordered. When these items are ordered, Tech Data places an order with the vendor and drop ships the items to you.

Requires End User Info

If this column has a Y in it, then the product requires that you complete the End User details on the End user tab.

Requires Gov Order Info

If this column has a Y in it, then you are receiving government pricing on the product which requires that you complete the End User details on the End user tab.

Ship from Warehouse

This column for each line item will contain a list of all the Tech Data physical warehouses and the quantity in stock of this item in each of the physical warehouses. If you would like the item to ship from a specific warehouse, then you can choose warehouse from here, otherwise by default Tech Data will choose which warehouse to ship it from.

Note: If you have specified a preferred warehouse in the real-time module setup, the preferred warehouse will automatically be selected as long as the preferred warehouse has the item in stock.

Step 2: Validating the Order

Once the P & A Request is completed, the [2. Validate Order] button will become available.

Validating the order will validate all the information entered on the order form, and then will validate all the items on the order form.

Header validation

You will be notified if there are any validation issues with the order. If there are any issues, you can make the changes and then click on the [2. Validate Order] button again to verify that your changes have satisfied the validation.

Item validation

If Tech Data does not have sufficient stock of the item to place your order, QuoteWerks will notify you of this and will ask if you want to remove the item from the order.

You may also receive warning notifications indicating there are pricing differences between the price on the QuoteWerks order and the real-time price. This can occur often since real-time prices change often. You are notified of this so that you are aware of this price difference. With this knowledge you can make a determination as to whether or not this is simply a small price variance or a significant price difference which would require your verification before proceeding.

Tip: There is a good chance that the Unit Price for the items in the QuoteWerks order may be different than the real-time Unit Price. When this happens, you will receive a series of warning messages alerting you to this discrepancy. As a procedural control you could update the QuoteWerks order with real-time pricing and availability (using the Tools |Refresh with latest pricing menu) before beginning the online ordering process which would ensure that the Unit Price in the QuoteWerks ORDER would be the same as the real-time Unit Price retrieved from Tech Data during the ordering process.

Step 3: Submitting the Order

Once you have successfully validated the order, you may now submit it using the [3. Submit Order] button.

This step submits the order to Tech Data, and receives and order confirmation if the order is successful.

Note: When some orders are placed, Tech Data will split the single order into multiple orders. Typically this happens when an item that is ordered is an item that Tech Data does not have in physical stock, but rather orders from the vendor and drop ships to you. In these cases, the line items will not have the same sales order number.

Once the order submission is complete, additional columns with order specific information will be displayed.

Ordered Unit Price

This is the final and actual price that Tech Data is charging you for the item.

Ordered Quantity

Since items can be backordered, the total quantity that you ordered may be split between ordered and backordered quantities.

Ordered Backordered Quantity

This is the quantity of this item that was backordered.

Ordered Warehouse

The item will be shipped from the warehouse listed in this column.

Ordered Sales Order #

This is the sale order number associated with the item.

Step 4: Reviewing the Order

The order form remains open after you have submitted the order to give you the opportunity to review all the new information displayed in these additional columns. When you are done, click the [Close] button.

Once the Tech Data Online Order form has been closed, if you had ordered items only from the current open document, this document will automatically re-open for you to review. If you ordered items from multiple documents, you will need to open them individually to review them.

When you open a document that contains items you just ordered, you will note that the SO Number (Sales Order Number), PO Number, and Order Date columns have been updated with the Tech Data sales order number, PO Number, and the date of the order respectively. Also, QuoteWerks will update the QuoteWerks document Unit Cost field with the Tech Data ordered unit price. When this happens, the Cost Modifier value (if any) will be cleared. If the item being updated has a Price Modifier that is based on Unit Cost, the Price Modifier will also be cleared.

Note: The SO Number column was added in the QuoteWerks 4.0 build 33 release along with the Online Ordering Module functionality. As such, this column may not be visible by default. If you do not see this column, select the View | Customize columns menu and make it visible.

Tip: Since the SO Number, PO Number, and OrderDate column will be populated with the Tech Data order information, it is a good idea, to make sure these columns are visible and it might be helpful if they were located next to each other.

When you first start using the Online Ordering Module to place online orders with Tech Data we recommend that you verify through the Tech Data website that the order has been received by Tech Data and the order details such as price, warehouse selections, and shipping carrier selection are as you expect them to be.

To find your Tech Data order on the Tech Data website, log into the Tech Data website and then choose "Order Management" from left hand side, then "Order Status", and then need to enter a specific po# or Tech Data Sales Order # to find the order that was just placed.

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