Entering one order for multiple vendors in BrokerForce®: A Combination, Scan-Across-Lines Order

BrokerForce can be used to enter an order with product from a combination of suppliers (vendors). This can be useful to Scan-Across Lines, to build a For Resale, or Stocking Rep order. A Combination order can be separated into individual vendor orders using the <Separate> button at bottom right of the order entry form. Your Combination order can be kept as a template or removed after it has been separated. The order is removed by default for Partial replicas.

Setup:

The seller’s company name that will show at the top of a combination order will be determined by assigning a <Universal ID> of “ALLVEND” to one vendor record. We recommend that you use your own company’s name for this as that is what will show at the top of a combination order before it is separated into the individual vendor’s orders.

1) On an administrative computer, click <Tools>, <Setup>, and click <Add as Vendor> at right below the company logo. Or:

a. add a new vendor record if you don’t already have a Vendor record for your company. This will be used as the “Parent” of Combination-Vendor orders. To do this, click the <Vendor> tab on the top tab strip, click <New*> on the toolbar at top, enter the name you want to appear at the copy of your combination orders as the company name, click the edit pencil at upper left. Accept the default answer for each vendor preference prompt by pressing <Enter> in response to each question. The individual vendor preferences will be used during order entry and when the order is separated.

b. Double-click on the greyed-out <Universal ID> below and at right of the “Combination” company name. When prompted, answer <Yes>. Enter “ALLVEND” (do not enter quote marks) as the Universal ID. Click the edit pencil at upper left to save your change.

2) Duplicate UPCs within vendors and duplicate item numbers across vendors will slow down order entry of combination vendor orders. Use the “Products with Duplicate UPCs” report on the Products form (tab) to see a list of these items then take remedial action to remove the duplication. If there are duplicate UPCs within a vendor, this is a greater problem because if there is even only one duplicate, there is only a 50% chance that the program will return the right information. If there are 3 duplicates of the same number, there is only a 33% chance of the correct description being returned.

3) When a user scans a new line for a customer, a non-quantity price list column is automatically selected for that customer with that vendor. When a vendor is setup, use the highest column number for their highest minimum quantity prices and when importing their price list. Using price column 5 for “Wholesale” pricing when the minimum quantity is ordered reduces the amount of time spent separating the orders.

4) Only active vendors’ products may be ordered on a Combination order. To activate a vendor, place a check in the <Line Card> check box using the <Setup> tab on the vendor form. Remove the check to inactivate the vendor.

When you click the<Separate> button on button at bottom right of the order entry form, this will separate a Combination order into a separate order per vendor. Each order will use the respective vendor’s preferences.

Notes of caution when scanning or entering a Combination order:

1) BrokerForce will only prompt you if more than one vendor has the same item number and the item number is not for the same vendor as the item you last entered or scanned. Although unlikely, if you scan or enter an item for a new vendor and the prior vendor has the same item number, the item will be added as an item for the previous vendor. You can correct the vendor by clicking the item number drop list and selecting the correct vendor/item from the drop list.

2) It is your responsibility to assure that the vendor name switches on items when you move to a different line (vendor). Be sure to select labels with a vendor identifier and clearly designate the vendor on your displays. Use the “Products w/Duplicate UPC” report on the Products form to detect potential unnecessary scanning issues. If a UPC is duplicated, scanning that UPC will find the first instance of that UPC and return is as the product scanned. If you have items that may be sold individually or as a part of an assortment and have the same UPC, remove the UPC from the individual products and only print barcode labels using the item number of the individual items.

3) When an item is scanned for a new line that a customer has not ordered before, the Vendor Customer Number will automatically be created for this vendor/customer relationship. BrokerForce will use the highest number, non-quantity, price column for this vendor as the default. This can be changed for the respective vendor and the order recalculated after the orders are separated. For example; If price column 5 is “Distributor” and price column 4 is “Wholesale”, this would result in the new customer being awarded “Distributor” pricing for their first order. This order would need to be recalculated after separation if “Wholesale” pricing should have been used.

Use:

1) Click the <Orders> tab on the tab strip at top of the program to view the order entry from.

2) Click the <New *> button on the toolbar at top

3) Select your “ALLVEND” vendor. This may be the same as your company’s name.

4) Select a customer from the customer drop list or add a new customer name.

5) Ship to information can be completed once the orders are split out if it won’t be the same for all vendors in the combined order. PO#, terms, and ship date will be consistent across the orders when separated. FOB location will be blank since that will vary by vendor when the order is separated. You may be prompted later if there are vendor specific requirements not met by the individual orders such as terms, required date, or other EDI requirements. You will be able to change any information on the individual orders after they are separated.

6) Click into the first item number and start scanning, select, or enter an item number. If you are entering item numbers and there are duplicate item number across vendors, be sure to verify that the item you selected displays the correct product description and vendor.

7) If the customer has not bought the line before you will not be prompted for a vendor customer number. A place holder vendor/customer number will be created and the customer will be assigned to the highest number price column that is not a <Quantity> based price column. You can edit the vendor/customer relationship using the <Cust#> button on the order entry form. That number will be for the vendor of the current product that is selected on the order.

8) If more than one vendor has the first item you select, you will be prompted to select which vendor is intended. Once an item is selected, this will determine the “On-going vendor”. It will be assumed that the “On-going” vendor should be checked first as each item is selected.

9) If an item is not found for the “On-Going” vendor, the list of items will be further checked for another vendor with that item. Only if more than one vendor has that item, will you be prompted to select among those vendors. This will determine the next “On-Going” vendor.

10) It is important that you verify that the first item you enter shows the correct vendor. The vendor name is shown on each line item on the order.

11) Click the <Vendor> tab at top right of the order entry form to view on-going totals by vendor and minimums for each vendor.

12) When the vendor is changed by the selection of an item for another vendor, the new vendor’s preferences are applied to the order entry form. This includes the visibility of some line item columns and volume level pricing.

13) Adding a new item: The usual prompts will be shown for a new item and the item will be assumed to be for the “On-Going” vendor. If you know it’s another vendor than the last item entered, or it’s the first item in the order, select an item from the correct vendor first, delete that item if it’s not needed, then add the new item.

14) Contact pricing is not supported in the combination order, but contact prices may be awarded after the order is separated.

15) Copy/Paste of multiple columns from an Excel sheet into a Combination order is not supported.

16) The Zip Order Guide is not supported on a Combination order. The Sell Through pop-up will be available in future versions.

Minimums:

Click the <Vendor> tab at upper right of an <ALL VEND> order to see a total for each vendor and if those totals meet the minimum for each vendor.

Completion:

1) Click the <Separate> button at bottom right of the order entry form for an “ALLVEND” (Combination) order. The order will be separated into an order per vendor and a filter will be applied to the order entry form to limit it to the individual orders.

2) You may be prompted if you want to remove the original order. Unless the original order will be used as a resale order, it should be removed.

3) Use the navigation buttons at bottom left of the order entry form to move between the orders.

4) Check that pricing appears correct on each order. If you see that the wrong on-the-fly default price list was set for this customer, click the <Cust#> button at left above the line items, select the correct price column for future orders that this customer should be assigned to and close that dialog. Select the correct price column from the <Price List> drop list above the line items, and answer <Yes> when prompted “Should the order be recalculated?”.

5) Adjust each order as needed per vendor for PO#, terms, minimum, FOB, ship date, discount….

6) Once the order is correct: Change the order <Status> at top right of the order entry form from “Quotation” to “Pending” if you want the order to be able to be sent from the EDI form.

7) If you print preview, print, or <Send Order> on any one of the orders from the batch of orders, you will be prompted if you want to include all orders within the filter of this batch. Answer <Yes> to include all the orders for a customer, <No> to include only the current order you are on for a single vendor.

8) Choose “Order RTF” from the <Reports> drop list at bottom left of the order entry form to preview, e-mail, or print this batch of filtered orders.

9) To be able to view other orders, click the <Remove Filter> (funnel w/red X) button on the toolbar at top to remove the filter for this batch of orders.

10) Click the <Representative> tab, go to the correct representative, click the <Cust Not Sent> tab to view the collective of orders. Check mark the ones you want to e-mail or print in a batch for the respective customer. Click <Send Order> (mail chute icon) at left to batch e-mail the orders. You can open the PDF file attachment and print it for your customer.