Preparing and tracking a shipment
A shipment turns an order into goods that leave your building. IEMSuite lets you prepare it first (without touching stock), then confirm to deduct the exact lots you shipped.
Before you start
You need an order that's ready to ship, with enough available stock. A delivery address on the customer helps. See Managing customers & delivery addresses.
Step 1 - Prepare the shipment
From the order, start a new shipment. This creates a Preparing record - nothing is deducted from stock yet.
Step 2 - Choose lots, packages, and address
- Items to ship - pick the lots and quantities. IEMSuite pre-allocates by FIFO/FEFO; adjust if needed.
- Delivery address - select where it's going.
- Packages - for B2B, add pallets or boxes with quantities and dimensions.
- Set the shipment date, carrier, and tracking number if you have them.
Step 3 - Save, then confirm
Save the preparation to keep working, or confirm to commit. On confirmation, the chosen lots are deducted from stock (a Ship-out movement) and the shipment moves through Preparing → Ready for pickup → Shipped → Delivered.
Tips
- Preparing first lets you stage a shipment without affecting stock until it actually goes out.
- A shortage warning means you can't cover the order yet - receive or produce stock first.
FAQ
When is stock actually deducted?
Not while it's *Preparing* - only when the shipment is confirmed. That's why you can plan ahead safely.
Can I ship part of an order?
Yes - ship the quantities you have; the order reflects what's still outstanding.