Order entry and fulfillment

This chapter explains the order entry process and order fulfillment. All product-manufacturing companies have a sales/marketing function, take orders, process orders, design and build as required, and fulfill those orders. All product manufacturing can also be divided into some basic types: design to order, make to order, make to stock, and make to print. Order entry is sometimes done online by either the customer or sales. Sometimes the order entry system is linked to the MRP/ERP via a Configurator Module or otherwise. This order entry process may have been preceded by some cost estimating, quoting, and contracting processes. A design to order may not include a product build. A make-to-print company will typically not require a design effort except perhaps to identify differences in prints quoted and prints as ordered.