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Online ordering

The 'Online ordering' workflow is designed to assist you with processing orders that are placed online, from quoting the client, to delivering their order, and following up on payments that are due. While this workflow looks very complex, with many role players and potential scenarios, you don't need to worry about a thing - this is because the 'Online ordering' workflow keeps track of the order's status and always knows which task needs to be completed next and by whom. The only time when you have to think about anything, is when the workflow sends you an email with an instruction.

A step-by-step guide to Online ordering

This guide will explain the ‘Online ordering’ workflow step by step.
It makes use of numerous screenshots, but if you’d like to follow along in the Kotive webapp, you can sign up and copy the workflow into your account for free.
Keep the workflow open in a separate tab in your browser, and interact with it while reading the steps in this guide.

Section 1: Placing an order online

In this section, a client creates a new order using a form embedded in your website.

Place your order

The first thing you'll notice on this form is a big paragraph that's titled: !!! IMPORTANT CHANGES you need to make BEFORE running this workflow: This paragraph contains instructions on how to personalize the workflow for you and your company. If you intend to run the workflow, these changes can not be ignored.

Next you'll notice that there are three faded out fields. These are called 'hidden fields'. These fields capture information without displaying them to the user and make their information available to other tasks in the workflow.

The workflow starts when a potential client fills in this form.

After the client fills in this form, the next form, 'Details for delivery', is displayed for them to complete.

Place your order

Details for delivery

The process of placing an order is divided into two forms. This is so that the client only has to deal with a limited amount of questions at a time, making it feel easier to fill in the forms, and resulting in more orders being completed.

In this form, the client fills in their details (with the option of including their ideal delivery date), and saves the form. The client's part in the workflow is over for now.

Details for delivery

Thank you for your order

This email, thanking the client for placing an order, is sent to the client. At the same time, the 'Notify sales 1' email (the next email discussed in this guide) is sent to the sales person.

Thank you for your order


Section 2: Checking stock availability

The sales person is notified of the new order, and is guided through the process of checking if the stock is available and if it's feasible to deliver on the customer's ideal delivery date.

Notify sales 1

This email is sent to the sales person at the same time as the email from the previous task. Their email address is pulled in from the hidden field 'Sales person's email address' in the first form, 'Place your order' . Data from the first two forms (the client's name, their order, and delivery details) is pulled into the email using dynamic field tags.

Let's take a look at how the email is typed up. There are lots of normal looking text words, but there are also lots of rectangular, shaded in, blocks of text. What's the difference?

Well, the normal text is just that: normal text. There's nothing special about it. But the blocks of text are actually information that is being pulled in from earlier forms. If you click on the text area of the email, you'll see that it changes and suddenly looks like a lot of code with lots of curly brackets { } and numbers. This code (called dynamic field tags) is what tells these fields of text what they're going to end up saying. When this email gets sent to the sales person, it won't look like it does now, it will all be normal text, because the workflow will look at the previous forms and put the information from those forms into this email.

This email is sent at the same time as the previous email. Once the sales person has received this email, they'll follow a link that leads them to check the stock availability in the next task.

Notify sales 1

Check availability

Although this form and 'Delivery date' are shown next to each other in the Designer, this one is displayed first, and the 'Delivery date' form might never get activated at all. This is possible because of conditions.

In this form, the sales person will indicate if the requested stock is available or not. If some of the stock isn't available, they will select the relevant checkboxes in the form to notify the client about the situation.

If the sales person says 'Yes', the stock is available, then the 'Delivery date' form will be displayed next. If they select 'No', then the 'Out of stock' sub-workflow will be activated.

Check availability

Delivery date

This form has one condition:

Activate this task when…
'Is the stock available?' IS 'Yes'

This task will only display if the sales person indicates that the stock is available. If the answer was 'No', the stock isn't available, then this form would be skipped and the 'Out of stock' sub-workflow would be activated instead.

The sales person indicates whether or not delivery can be made by the requested delivery date.

Delivery date


Section 3: Out of stock

In the next step of the 'Online ordering' workflow, one of two sub-workflows can be activated. They are called 'Out of stock' and 'Stock available'.

(We'll start by explaining the 'Out of stock' sub-workflow, and touch on the 'Stock available' sub-workflow afterwards, as the 'Stock available' subworkflow is very simple and its tasks are replicated near the end of the 'Out of stock' sub-workflow.)

In this section, the customer indicates how they'd like to go forward with the order, and the relevant emails are sent out based on their decision.

Out of stock

The only condition on this sub-workflow is:

Activate this task when…
'Is the stock available?' IS 'No'

The 'Stock available' sub-workflow has the condition:

Activate this task when…
'Is the stock available?' IS 'Yes'

If the stock is unavailable, then the client must be notified and given the option to adjust their order, which is what this sub-workflow covers.

Out of stock

Out of stock 1

An email is sent to the client, detailing the unavailable stock and prompting them to follow the link to the next task where they can indicate how they would like to go forward with their order.

Out of stock 1

Change of order

This form is displayed to the client. The client can do one of three things:

1. Change their order
2. Wait for the stock for their original order to become available
3. Cancel their order

Their decision in this form will determine which of four emails are sent out in the next step.

Change of order

Order cancelled and Cancellation confirmation

The 'Order cancelled' and 'Cancellation confirmation' email tasks both have the same condition:

Activate this task when…
'Or, do you want to cancel your order?' IS 'Yes'

These emails will only be sent if the client decides to cancel their order in the 'Change of order' form.

The 'Order cancelled' email is sent to the sales person, and the 'Cancellation confirmation' email is sent to the client, at the same time.

Order cancelled and Cancellation confirmation

Order changed

This email task has the following conditions:

Activate this task when…
'Or, do you want to cancel your order?' IS 'No'
AND
'Or, do you want us to contact you once we have stock available for your original order?' IS 'No'

This email will only be sent if the client didn't decide to cancel or delay their order in the 'Change of order' form, but rather decided to fill in the form, making changes to their order.

This email is sent to the sales person, detailing the changes in the order that were made by the client. The sales person is directed to 'Check revised availability' of the stock in the next task.

Order changed

Order on hold

This email task has one condition:

Activate this task when…
'Or, do you want us to contact you once we have stock available for your original order?' IS 'Yes'

This email will only be sent if the client decides to wait for the stock to become available.

An email is sent to the sales person, notifying them that the order has been placed on hold. A link at the bottom of the email prompts them to move onto the next task.

Order on hold


Section 4: Checking the availability of a revised order

In this section, the sales person is guided through checking stock availability for the revised order, and deciding if they can still deliver by the customer's ideal delivery date.

Check revised availability

The next three tasks will only be activated if the client changed their order. This form is the first task to display, and it has the same conditions as the 'Order changed' email task.

Activate this task when…
'Or, do you want to cancel your order?' IS 'No'
AND
'Or, do you want us to contact you once we have stock available for your original order?' IS 'No'


The sales person checks the stock availability for the adjusted order, and indicates whether it's available or not. Based on this, EITHER the 'Revised delivery date' form will be activated, OR the 'Out of stock 2' email will be sent.

Check revised availability

Revised delivery date

This form has the condition:

Activate this task when…
'Is the stock available?' (from the form task 'Check revised availability') IS 'Yes'


The sales person indicates whether or not the ideal delivery date can be met.
Revised delivery date

Out of stock 2

The only condition on this email task is:

Activate this task when…
'Is the stock available?' (from the form task 'Check revised availability') IS 'No'


The client is sent an email notifying them that the stock for their revised order is also unavailable.
Out of stock 2


Section 5: Getting back to a delayed order

If the client decides to place their order on hold until the requested stock becomes available, then the 'Order on hold' sub-workflow is activated.

Order on hold

This sub-workflow is activated by this condition:

Activate this task when…
'Or, do you want us to contact you once we have stock available for your original order?' IS 'Yes'


Order on hold

Updated stock availability

The sales person indicates when stock for the client's order has become available.

Updated stock availability

Revised delivery date 2

The sales person indicates whether or not the ideal delivery date can still be met.

Revised delivery date 2

After the form has been saved, the 'Order on hold' sub-workflow is over and the 'Out of stock' sub-workflow continues.

Section 6: Stock availability emails

In this section, one of two sub-workflows can be activated. They are the 'Not on hold emails' sub-workflow and the 'On hold emails' sub-workflow. These are almost identical, with the only difference between them being the details of the client's order in the emails within the sub-workflows. To keep things simple, we'll only explain the 'On hold emails' sub-workflow.

(The 'Stock available' sub-workflow - as opposed to the 'Out of stock' sub-workflow - looks very similar to the 'On hold emails' sub-workflow. This is because if the stock was available in the 'Check availability' form, then the 'Out of stock' process would be skipped out and the client would be sent a confirmation email as soon as the 'Delivery date' form was saved.)

On hold emails

The conditions of this sub-workflow are:

Activate this task when…
'Or, do you want us to contact you once we have stock available for your original order?' IS 'Yes'
AND
'Or, do you want to cancel your order?' IS 'No'

This sub-workflow will only be activated if the client decides to wait for stock to become available.

Show me the conditions for the 'Not on hold emails' subworkflow:

Activate this task when…
'Or, do you want us to contact you once we have stock available for your original order?' IS 'No'
AND
'Or, do you want to cancel your order?' IS 'No'

This sub-workflow will only be activated if the client made changes to their original order.

On hold emails

Date: No - email client

This email has one condition:

Activate this task when…
'Will you be able to deliver on the ideal delivery date?' IS 'No'

This email will only be sent if the sales person won't be able to deliver by the client's ideal delivery date.

The client is informed that stock has become available, and that their ideal delivery date can't be catered to.

After this email has been sent, the 'Send a quote' email is sent to the sales person.

Date: No - email client

Date: Yes - email client

This email has one condition:

Activate this task when…
'Will you be able to deliver on the ideal delivery date?' IS 'Yes'

This email will only be sent if the sales person will be able to deliver by the client's ideal delivery date.

The client is informed that stock has become available, and that their ideal delivery date will be met.

After this email has been sent, the 'Send a quote' email is sent to the sales person.

Date: Yes - email client
After one of the emails has been sent, the 'On hold emails' sub-workflow is over and the 'Out of stock' sub-workflow continues.

Send a quote - email

This email is sent to the sales person, prompting them to send a quote to the client and to move on to the next task.

Send a quote - email

After the email has been sent, the 'Out of stock' sub-workflow is over and the original workflow continues.

Section 7: Quote and receive the deposit

In this section, the sales person quotes the client and the finance department receives the deposit.

Send a quote - form

This form has three conditions:

Activate this task when…
'Is the stock available?' (from 'Check availability') IS 'Yes'

OR

'Is the stock available?' (from 'Check revised availability') IS 'Yes'

OR

'Is the stock available?' (from 'Updated stock availability') IS 'Yes'

This form can be activated by any of the three forms that request information about stock availability.

The sales person indicates that they've sent a quote to the client.

Send a quote - form

Notify finance 1

The finance department is sent an email notifying them that a deposit payment is expected. They're prompted to continue to the next task once the payment has been received (or if the payment hasn't been received after a lengthy wait).

Notify finance 1

Deposit payment status

There is only one condition on this form:

Activate this task when…
'Role' IS 'Finance Department'

Only a member of the finance department can view this form.

The finance department indicates whether the deposit payment has been made or not.

Deposit payment status

Notify finance 2

This email has one condition:

Activate this task when…
'Has the 50% deposit been paid yet?' IS 'No'

The email will only be sent if the deposit hasn't been paid yet.

The finance department is sent another email reminding them to indicate whether the deposit has been paid or not in the next task.

Notify finance 2

Deposit payment reminder

This email has the same condition as the 'Notify finance 2' email.

Activate this task when…
'Has the 50% deposit been paid yet?' IS 'No'

The email will only be sent if the deposit hasn't been paid yet.


The client is reminded that they need to pay a 50% deposit before their order can be shipped.

Deposit payment reminder

Deposit payment status 2

There are two conditions on this form:

Activate this task when…
'Has the 50% deposit been paid yet?' IS 'No
AND
'Role' IS 'Finance Department'

The form will only be displayed to the finance department, IF the deposit hasn't been paid yet.

The finance department can indicate, again, if the deposit has been paid or not.

Deposit payment status 2


Section 8: Shipping the order

In this section, the sales person is instructed to ship the order to the client.

Notify sales 2

This email task has two conditions:

Activate this task when…
'Has the 50% deposit been paid yet?' IS 'Yes

OR

'A payment reminder has been sent to the client. Has the 50% deposit been paid yet?' IS 'Yes'

This email will be activated as soon as the finance department indicates that the deposit has been received.

The sales person receives an email instructing them to send the client's order, and to move onto the next task.

Notify sales 2

Send the order

This form has the same two conditions as the 'Notify sales 2' email.

Activate this task when…
'Has the 50% deposit been paid yet?' IS 'Yes

OR

'A payment reminder has been sent to the client. Has the 50% deposit been paid yet?' IS 'Yes'

This form will be activated as soon as the finance department indicates that the deposit has been received.


The sales person indicates that they've sent the order to the client.

Send the order


Section 9: Invoice and receive final payment

In the final section, the finance department invoices the client and receives the final payment.

Notify finance 3

This email only has one condition:

Activate this task when…
'Has the order been sent?' IS 'Yes'

This email will be activated once the sales person indicates that they've sent the order to the client in the 'Send the order' form.

The finance person is instructed to send the client a final invoice, and to check for payment, before moving onto the next task.

Notify finance 3

Payment status

This form has two conditions:

Activate this task when…
'Role' IS 'Finance Department'
AND
'Has the order been sent?' IS 'Yes'

This form can only be viewed by the finance department, once the order has been sent to the client.

The finance department indicates if they've received the final payment from the client or not.

Payment status

Payment reminder

The only condition on this email is:

Activate this task when…
'Has final payment been made?' IS 'No'

The email will only be sent if the client hasn't made the final payment.

An email is sent to the client reminding them that their order has been sent and that they need to pay the outstanding balance.

Payment reminder

Notify finance 4

This email has the same condition as the previous email task, and is sent at the same time.

Activate this task when…
'Has final payment been made?' IS 'No'

The email will only be sent if the client hasn't made the final payment.


The finance department receives another email instructing them to check for final payment before moving onto the next task.

Notify finance 4

Payment status 2

This form has two conditions:

Activate this task when…
'Has final payment been made?' IS 'No'
AND
'Role' IS 'Finance Department'

This form will only be displayed to the finance department, if the client hasn't made the final payment.

Once again, the finance department indicates if they've received the final payment from the client or not.

Payment status 2

Payment made

There are two conditions on the final email task of this workflow:

Activate this task when…
'The payment is late and the client has been sent a reminder email. Has final payment been made?' IS 'Yes'

OR

'Has final payment been made?' IS 'Yes'

This email will be sent as soon as the finance department indicates that payment has been received in either the 'Payment status' or the 'Payment status 2' form.

The client receives an email thanking them for making payment.

Payment made

After the 'Payment made' email has been sent to the client, the 'Online ordering' workflow is complete.
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