Operations

7 costly order entry errors
(and how to avoid them)

Most commercial disputes start with an incorrectly entered order. Here are the seven most common errors in sales admin teams, and the ways to avoid them.

· 4 min read · By the Orkest team

1. The wrong item reference

The customer writes “white bowl 12 cm”, while the ERP knows “BOL-12-BL” and “BOL-12-BLM”. Without a cross-reference table, the choice depends on the memory of the person entering the order. The solution: systematic matching between customers’ descriptions and your item codes.

2. The misinterpreted quantity or unit

Cartons, units, packs of six: a mix-up over units multiplies or divides the quantity delivered. Checking unusual quantities against the customer’s order history makes it possible to detect these discrepancies.

3. The price that is no longer current

The customer orders using an old price list, or applies a discount that has expired. Comparing each line with the current price list in the ERP avoids invoicing an incorrect price.

4. The forgotten delivery address or date

An order may need to be delivered somewhere other than the usual address, or on a specific date. This information is often found in the body of the email, and easily goes unnoticed.

5. The wrong customer, the duplicate order, the missed line

Two companies with similar names, an order sent twice, a line at the bottom of the page: three everyday errors that can be caught with simple checks, provided they are carried out every time.

That is precisely what automation makes possible: the checks are applied to every order, and only those that show an anomaly require the team’s attention. See how Orkest Order works.