Sage 50 Sales Order: Create, Setup, Process, and Tracking

Sales orders are used when items are not available for immediate delivery or when an order needs to be fulfilled in parts. The Sales Order feature in Sage 50 allows you to record customer requests, track backordered items, and monitor goods that have been delivered. This feature helps maintain accurate inventory, manage partial shipments, and ensure customer commitments are properly recorded. Once the order is ready, it can be converted into an invoice for billing.

This article explains how to create, set up, process, and track Sage 50 Sales Orders step by step for smooth and efficient order management.

What is a Sales Order?

A sales order is a request submitted by a customer for a product or service. It is used when the customer agrees to purchase items or services that are not shipped immediately.

Sales orders also help in tracking backordered items. For example, when a customer orders twenty computers but only eight are available in stock, the remaining twelve units can be recorded and monitored as backorders.

How to create Sage 50 sales order?

• Go to Sales Orders and select New.
• Enter the details of the sale as follows:

Details tab	Enter the required details, including the customer account reference and any customer order numbers. Use this section to add information about the products and services being sold. To choose a product, go to the Product Code column, click the drop-down menu, and select the appropriate product. To modify the details for each product line item, click the Finder button in the Description column or press F3 on your keyboard.
Order tab	Enter or update additional details related to the order. This may include the delivery address, customer contact information, and any other relevant notes you want to record for the order.
Footer tab	Enter the details for any carriage charges and settlement discounts. You can also assign the entire invoice, credit, or order to a single global nominal code, tax code, description, and department when required.
Payment tab	When you receive a payment, such as a deposit, enter the payment details in this section.
Despatched tab	After delivering or partially delivering the order, review the delivery details in this section. You can also view or print the goods dispatched notes as needed.
Invoices tab	After delivering or partially delivering the order, review the list of invoices linked to that order.

Additional options:

• Remove the added item line by pressing F8 on your keyboard.
• Apply a net value discount to the invoice.
• Use the Cash Sale option to update stock, post the invoice to the ledger, and allocate a sales receipt.
• Use the Profit Analysis option to review the profitability of the invoice.
• Set up recurring orders using the Memorise option.
• To save the invoice, credit, sales order, or quotation, click Save.

Read Also: Sales order processing may also fail due to Sage 50 Connection Manager problems, or backend service interruptions that prevent proper data synchronization.

How to Set up Sage 50 Sales Order

• Go to the Sales Orders section from the software dashboard.
• Click New to create a new sales order record.
• Enter all required details, including customer information, product or service details, pricing, and delivery instructions.
• Click Save to store the sales order for further processing.
• Configure the default sales order settings, such as terms, shipping methods, and preferences.
• Convert the sales order into an invoice once the order is ready for shipment.
• Review inventory levels to confirm availability and ensure the order requirements are met to avoid overcommitment.

Following these steps helps you efficiently set up and manage sales orders in Sage 50 while maintaining accurate tracking and processing of customer transactions.

Read Also: If sales orders are not saving correctly, check for Sage 50 out-of-balance errors, or corrupted company data files that can disrupt transaction processing.

Processing of Sage 50 Sales Order

Processing a Sales Order in Sage 50 requires creating the order in the Customers & Sales navigation center, allocating stock to reserve the items, and later converting it into a sales invoice for billing.

The main steps include entering customer information, product codes, quantities, and shipping details, followed by printing or emailing the order to the customer.

Steps to Process a Sales Order in Sage 50

1. Create a New Sales Order:

• Open the Customers & Sales navigation center.
• Click Sales Orders and choose New Sales Order.
• Select the appropriate Customer ID and confirm the billing and shipping addresses.
• Enter the item details, including Product Code, Description, Quantity, and Unit Price.
• Click Save to record the sales order.

2. Allocate Stock

• Select the sales order and allocate stock, either fully or partially, to reserve the items. This ensures the inventory is not used for other orders.

3. Print or Email the Order

• Click Print or Email to send the sales order to the customer.

4. Convert to Invoice and Dispatch

• When the order is ready to ship, open the sales order and click Convert to Invoice, or create a new invoice and select the related sales order.
• This process generates a sales invoice in the Invoices and Credits section, updates the inventory, and posts the transaction to the ledger.

5. Generate Purchase Order (Optional)

• When items are out of stock, use the Generate PO button within the sales order to create a purchase order for the vendor.

6. Receive Payment

• Complete the process by receiving payment for the invoiced sales order.

How to Track Sage 50 Sales Order

Track Sage 50 sales orders by using the Ship By date in the Sales Orders window, which helps monitor inventory levels and order fulfillment. Use the Sales Order Report to review open orders, compare quantities ordered versus quantities shipped, and identify any remaining items. For more detailed tracking, use the Track It panel to assign statuses and follow order progress through the customer event log.

• Sales Order List: Open the Sales Order list to check order status. Review columns such as Ready for Allocation, Allocated, Despatched, and Invoiced to monitor progress at a glance.
• Ship By Dates & Action Items: Enter a Ship By date while creating a sales order. This helps plan inventory and meet delivery deadlines. Set up Sales Orders to Ship in the Action Items window to receive reminders about pending shipments.
• Track It Panel: Access the transaction screen and select the Track It panel on the right side. Monitor the workflow status and set up notifications to alert users when the order status changes.
• Reports: Run the Sales Order Report to track order activity. Apply filters such as open, closed, or specific date ranges to review backlog and fulfillment performance.
• Tracking Shipments: Add shipment tracking numbers (waybills) directly in the transaction window under Track Shipments. This keeps delivery details organized and easy to access.
• Convert to Invoice: Convert completed sales orders into invoices. This action finalizes the sale and updates the order from pending to completed status.

Conclusion

Managing sales orders in Sage 50 helps businesses control inventory, track customer commitments, and improve order fulfillment accuracy. The sales order feature allows you to record customer requests, reserve stock, monitor backorders, and convert orders into invoices when goods are ready to ship.

By setting up default preferences, entering complete order details, allocating stock correctly, and using tracking tools like Ship By dates, Sales Order Reports, and the Track it panel, businesses can reduce errors and prevent stock shortages.

Frequently Asked Questions