Ship what you have, bill what went, close when it’s done
A shipment opens from the order with everything still to go, and you send the lines and quantities that are ready. The order shows as partially shipped, each invoice is drawn from goods that have left, and the order closes itself once it is shipped and billed in full.
- Ordered
- 120 cartons
- Shipped
- 80 cartons
- Invoiced
- 80 cartons
- Still to ship
- 40 cartons
Held · Partially shipped: the order stays open for the last 40
How an order ships in parts
Start from the order
The shipment opens with each line’s quantity still to ship. Drop lines or lower quantities to send only what is ready.
Pack and post
Pack the shipment and post it with its carrier and tracking number. Posting takes the goods out of stock.
The order follows
Shipped quantities are counted from posted shipments. Some shipped reads partially shipped; all shipped reads shipped.
Invoice what went
The invoice is drawn from the shipped goods, so it bills what actually left the warehouse.
It closes itself
When an invoice posts and the order is shipped in full with nothing left unbilled, the order closes.
Details that matter
Shipped is counted, never typed
The shipped quantity on each order line comes only from posted shipments, so the order and the warehouse cannot disagree.
No closing with goods unbilled
An order with delivered goods not yet invoiced, or a service line not yet billed, cannot be closed until you bill or credit it.
Service orders close on billing
An order with no stocked items closes once every line is billed, with no shipment needed.
Questions buyers ask
Can one order go out in several shipments?
Yes. Each new shipment opens with whatever is still to go, until the order is shipped in full.
Can we close an order that will never ship in full?
Yes, once every delivered quantity has been invoiced. Closing is refused while goods have gone out unbilled.
Does someone have to close finished orders?
No. When the invoice that completes the billing posts and every stocked line has shipped, the order closes and its history records it.