Stock is held when the order is saved. The rest waits its turn.
Saving an order holds stock for each line in its warehouse. A line the warehouse cannot cover waits as a backorder, and when stock comes in it goes to the oldest waiting order first, not to whoever asks loudest.
- Order of 2 March, waiting
- 40 cartons
- Order of 5 March, waiting
- 50 cartons
- Held for 2 March
- 40 cartons
- Held for 5 March
- 20 cartons
Held · The 5 March order still waits for 30 cartons
How a backorder fills
Save the order
Each stocked line is held in full in the order’s warehouse when there is enough available stock for it.
Short lines wait
A line the warehouse cannot cover holds nothing and waits as a backorder.
Stock comes in
A posted receipt, a stock increase, a customer return or a transfer into the warehouse releases waiting lines for that item.
Oldest order first
Waiting lines are filled by order date, then line number, as far as the new stock goes. The last one may be filled in part.
Details that matter
Edits hold again
Saving a change to an order releases its holds and places them again for the new lines and quantities.
Only goods are held
Services are not held, and a drop-ship line goes to a purchase order with its vendor instead.
Cancelling frees the stock
A cancelled order releases what it held, ready for the next order in line.
Questions buyers ask
Is part of a short line held when the order is saved?
No. On save a line is held in full or it waits. When stock arrives, a waiting line can be filled in part.
Does the order need a warehouse?
Yes. Stock is held in the order’s warehouse, and an order without one holds nothing.
Who decides which customer gets scarce stock?
The order date. The oldest waiting order is filled first, so the queue is the same for everyone.