> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.rebottle.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Log Customer Orders

## Logging Orders

There are three order types. Choosing the right one saves time and keeps your inventory accurate.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Standard Order">
    ### Walk-in or Pickup Customer

    Use this when a customer brings in containers or you pick them up, and you know the breakdown — what types, how many, and from which distributor.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Select your operation">
        Choose the truck or drop-off center handling this customer. If you only have one, it's selected automatically.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Add customer info (optional)">
        Enter the customer's name, phone, and email. Type two characters and the app finds existing customers automatically — no duplicate records.

        If you only enter a name (no phone or email), the name appears on the order but the customer won't be searchable later. Skipping this entirely is fine — the order is recorded as anonymous.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Enter the inventory">
        One row per material type and distributor combination. For each row:

        | Field              | What to enter                                                       |
        | ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
        | **Type**           | Plastics, Cans, Glass, or Non-Deposit                               |
        | **Count**          | Number of bags, cases, or units                                     |
        | **Items per unit** | How many containers in each bag or case                             |
        | **Distributor**    | Who made them (e.g. Poland Spring, Pepsi) — leave blank if unsorted |

        **Leave Distributor blank** if containers aren't sorted yet → they become **loose** items. **Fill it in** if already sorted → they become **ready** items that can go straight to an offload.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Payment info">
        Record whether the customer was paid on the spot and how (cash, check, etc.).
      </Step>

      <Step title="Review and submit">
        Check the summary totals, then hit Submit.
      </Step>
    </Steps>

    #### Backdating an order

    Logging an order from earlier? Toggle on **Backdate** and enter the actual date and time the order happened.

    #### What happens after you submit

    * Containers are added to that operation's inventory immediately
    * Loose items (no distributor) go into the loose pile for that material type
    * Ready items (distributor filled in) go into the ready pile, sorted by distributor
    * The order appears on the dashboard
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Express Order">
    ### Quick Count — Sort Later

    Use this when a large volume of containers comes in and you just want to record the total number quickly, without sorting through them right now.

    **When to use it:** High-volume drops where counting by type right now would slow everything down.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Select your operation" />

      <Step title="Enter the total item count" />

      <Step title="Submit" />
    </Steps>

    Items go into an **Express pool** — a holding area for unsorted items. Your inventory total goes up, but items aren't classified by material type or distributor yet.

    You'll come back later and use [Update Inventory](#update-inventory-sorting) to sort them out of the Express pool.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Scheduled Order">
    ### Future Pickup

    Use this when a customer wants to schedule a pickup for a future date.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Enter customer details">
        If new client, enter name and phone or email are required so you can contact the client for the order when the pickup happens.

        If existing client, start typing the name, and contact information will show up to auto-populate.

        Enter the address. Start typing and select the address, or enter in the address manually.

        Customer details will save to the customer contact.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Enter an estimated container count">
        Used for capacity planning — doesn't need to be exact.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Select the pickup date and time" />

      <Step title="Submit">
        The order appears as **Scheduled** on the dashboard.
      </Step>
    </Steps>

    #### When the pickup actually happens

    Open the Scheduled order, click to log it, then fill in the actual inventory. The app keeps the original appointment date for your records but stamps the actual log time as when it was completed.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

***