Shopping cart info-files

The general idea, for this feature, is you’re going to the website of a parts vendor to order parts. In ServiceDesk, you’re using the F8 PartsProcess form’s Items Needing Inquiry/Order page as the basis of seeing what you need to order. Using the vendor’s on-line interface, you identify and order each item there. Then, that same on-line interface allows you to download a “shopping cart” file that contains information regarding what you just ordered. We’re going to use that “shopping cart” file as the means of auto-inputting back into ServiceDesk info regarding what you just ordered, instead of making you enter it manually.

The general sequence for using this system is as follows:

1. At your computer, open ServiceDesk’s F8 PartsProcess form’s Items Needing Inquiry/Order page. Also open your parts vendor’s on-line ordering page.

2. In ServiceDesk, eyeball the first item that you want to order from this vendor. Do a simple click on the item reference number. Among other things, this inserts that reference number into your Windows clipboard.

3. Use the Windows Alt+Tab feature to toggle to the vendor’s ordering web-page. Use mechanisms there to add this item to your shopping cart. In the space provided for your reference number, use the standard Windows command to insert-from-the-clipboard Ctrl+V. This inserts the reference number that was earlier placed in the clipboard by ServiceDesk.

4. If you wish to use this point in time as the basis for making a human judgment as to what the sale price will be on the part, add that price to the inserted reference number. Do this by adding a slash, then your decision as to the sell-for price (i.e., ref#fromSd/12.50).

5. Loop through steps 2 through 4 for each item, as eyeballed in ServiceDesk, that you want to order from this vendor.

6. When done with such looping, conclude your order on the vendor’s website, then pick the option to download your shopping cart.

7. Now, in ServiceDesk’s F8 form, click on the Import Shopping Cart button. You’ll be asked to identify the file you downloaded in Step 6. After you’d done so, ServiceDesk will go through each line-item in that file, as follows: (a) It will display the item for you, and auto-insert all applicable as found in the shopping cart file. It will further place your cursor in the item’s Date Expected box.*
   (b) You should now use the standard input method for indicating the date you expect this item to arrive (i.e., if you expect it in two days, type “2d”).
   (c) Hit Enter or Esc to save the item (note that if you did not insert text on your own, as per Step b., and if you hit Esc rather than Enter, the system would refrain from saving the auto-inserted text).
   (d) ServiceDesk now displays the next item from the Shopping cart, and you should respond per Steps b. and c. You’ll continue to loop through until all items in the Shopping Cart file have been reviewed.

8. Escape out of ServiceDesk’s F8 form, and close your web browser. You’re done.

At present the system is configured to accept the shopping card file format that's used by Marcone. That format does not include a field for expected delivery date. It's owing to that absence that we have to have you, as the user, manually input that particular item.