V8 - Automated order processing (AOP) rules
Automated order processing, or AOP, allows a user to set rules to establish new workflows within SOS Inventory. A user can define and enable or disable rules as necessary to provide the desired operational workflow. The rule takes effect as the transaction is saved.
View Enhancing workflow with AOP rules for a video tutorial on this feature.
AOP restrictions and limitations
- Pick ticket generated from a sales order. Do not use AOP rules to create the pick ticket from the sales order when using bin-, lot-, or serial-tracked items.
- Lot or serial tracking. Do not use any AOP rules when you use lot or serial tracking, as you must pick the lot and serial numbers you are shipping.
- Bin tracking. Do not use any AOP rules when using bin-tracked locations, as you must select the bin from which you are shipping.
- Partial shipments. You cannot auto-invoice partial shipments.
- Negative inventory. AOP rules override the prevention of negative inventory.
AOP rules will act upon transactions created by other AOP rules.
Creating and editing an AOP rule
To create or edit a new rule, go to the AOP Rules list under Company menu > Miscellaneous > Automated order processing (AOP) rules. Click on Add new to create a new rule, or Edit to make changes to an existing rule.
On the edit page are the following fields:
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Name. The name for the rule, such as Auto-Ship Sales Orders. Rule names must be unique.
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Description. The description explaining what the rule will accomplish.
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Enabled. This checkbox allows you to enable or disable the rule.
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When a/an. This is the transaction type to which the rule will apply. The available types are Estimate, Invoice, Pick ticket, Purchase order, Sales order, Sales receipt, and Shipment.
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Is. This is the state of the transaction. Options vary, depending on the transaction.
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Estimate options include Created and Edited.
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Invoice options include Created, Edited, and Paid.
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Pick ticket options include Created and Edited.
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Purchase order options include Created and Edited.
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Sales order options include Created, Edited, Invoiced, and Shipped.
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Sales receipt options include Created, Edited, and Shipped.
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Shipment options include Created and Edited.
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With channel. You can list a channel through which the transaction is marked as passing through.
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With priority. You can select transactions with a certain priority.
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At location. You can select the location from which the transaction is set to pull items.
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For customer. You can set the rule to affect transactions for a particular customer only.
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Do this. If a transaction meets the above conditions as defined, you can assign any number of actions to take, the target of the action, and the order in which they are to be taken.
Available actions for Do this table
| Action | Target |
|---|---|
| Assign to a user | User |
| Create a new transaction | Type (Invoice, Item receipt, Pick ticket, Sales order, Sales receipt, Shipment). The Type options available on a given AOP rule will vary, depending upon the transaction selected from the When a/an field dropdown. |
| Move to stage | Stage |
| Notify a user | User (based on the user's notification preferences) |
| Send an email | Address (enter an email address or leave blank to send to form default) |
| Set the priority | Priority (1 - High, 2 - Medium, 3 - Low) |
Sample AOP rule: Create a shipment and invoice from a sales order
A sample AOP rule--one in which a shipment and invoice are created from a sales order--is shown in the screenshot below:
