Enter and Track Custom Orders

[themoose]

Hi all - we are currently using Square Retail with the Square Register in store.  However we also take custom orders for items we produce, we're a chocolate/candy store.  Some items are packaged and fall in the retail business flow easily, but typically our custom orders don't.  I'm trying to figure out how to utilize Square best for those custom orders. 

The custom orders can come from various places, but typically involve a few back-and-forth emails, phone calls or other messaging.  Once the order is settled, I would like to be able to track it in Square in a similar fashion to how typical "Orders" work in Square so we can track the progress of it and get an easy look at all outstanding orders.  However running into an issue where we can't create new orders directly on the Register, and also can't use the phone app(s) to do this.  I think it might be possible on the Ipad app, but honestly if I introduce another device to this mix I think my wife will kill me.

The second part of this is that typically we would ask for half of the payment when the order is placed and the other half when the order is complete.  I don't believe that is possible with Orders?  Square Invoices work well for this, however with invoices I don't believe it's possible to track the status of the "order".  So we wouldn't get that all-up view of outstanding orders.  So it seems I'm looking for some sort of Order/Invoice hybrid.

Would love to hear any ideas on how Square could be used best in this scenario or if any of my assumptions are not correct.  Thanks!

[Walkersmiths]

Hi there. 

I have a similar retail arrangement as you in that I sell standard and custom items. For my custom items I still create an “item” in the normal way but make it hidden so that it’s not available to the general public. I can then send a website link to my customer which allows them to see all the details and pay in the normal way through checkout allowing me to keep a track of it. I do all my item creation via square online (on iPad and laptop) as I find the apps a bit slow.

Hope this helps. 

[themoose]

Thanks Walker, that gives me something to think about.  Something like that could work, but the workflow to create an item for each order and then send may not be intuitive enough, and not sure if it would scale.  Also if i'm understanding correctly, you would also lose the ability to use existing items/pricing and inventory tracking would be more difficult.  But certainly another option.

[themoose]

Replying to myself...  🙂  I feel like the functionality I'm looking for could land in Square for Retail.  Seems that so much new functionality is being built around restaurant type businesses.  Would love to hear if anything new is coming on the Retail side for order management.  Maybe someone is listening?  🙂  Thanks!

[stitchnsmile]

I am with you on this issue. I get orders off the web, but I also provide custom orders that I have to track on order tickets instead of together with my online orders. Would like to be able to see a report of all my custom orders out of the system. Also, while most customers pay up front, others require a down-payment of varying amounts. Please help us!

[SweetCarrieP]

Adding my voice to this request! I’d love to be able to use square for retail goods and custom orders in one place!

[rusticbeadsnbow]

Being able to manually enter orders would take my business to the next level as it is a custom order business. My website has very little most email or direct message for orders. So keeping track of orders is difficult when I cannot manually enter orders to track!! Being able to show the status of orders and entering tracking info after I’ve shipped etc, would be a tremendous help!!

[HC_Charlie]

Hello @rusticbeadsnbow thanks for your post. Are you talking about you putting together an order for a customer, rather than having them go to your website, add items to their cart, and then checking out with their credit card? If this is the case, have you considered using the Invoice feature in Square? You can easily put together an invoice for a customer, adding whatever items you'd like, and then email them the completed order/invoice. They would then have the option to pay with their credit card when they see their invoice.

I hope this is something that would work for your business. Please let me know what you think of this idea, or if you have more info you can add.

[Shelissascrafts]

I would like to request an feature to track in progress custom orders. Example 1. Created and sent mock-up 2. Customer accepted 3 in progress 4 paid 5 ready for pickup or ready to ship 6. complete 

[Shelissascrafts]

Wanting an update as this has been a request for at least 4 years