What it is
A simple catalogue of how the job is physically delivered to the customer: collection from the shop, courier delivery, urgent delivery, and so on.
What it is for
- Keeping a list of delivery methods you can pick from when quoting and taking orders.
- Keeping what appears on printed documents consistent (delivery notes, invoices).
- Attaching to each delivery method a piece of text that will be shown on the printed document.
- Creating quick variants with Duplicate and backing up or migrating the list with Import / Export.
How it is used
Menu Settings → Delivery → Delivery method (the card with the lorry icon). Next to it you will see the Delivery lead times card: it is not the same thing (see Key concepts).
Fields of the record
| Field | Type | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Text (required) | What the delivery method is called (e.g. "Collection from the shop", "Untracked delivery", "Urgent delivery"). |
| Note on the printed document | Long text (optional) | Text that appears on delivery notes and invoices explaining the delivery method (e.g. "Collect from 5 High Street, Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00"). |
Layout of the screen
| Column | What it shows |
|---|---|
| ID | Unique numeric identifier of the delivery method. |
| Delivery lead time | The Name of the delivery method. |
| Days | The Note on the printed document (description) of the delivery method. Despite being called "Days", it shows the text of the note, not a number of days. |
No status and no default. It is a simple catalogue that keeps your documents consistent. The delivery method is chosen on each sales document or attached to the customer from their record.
Buttons and actions — what each one does
Use the exact wording you see on screen. That is what you type when you ask "what does button X do?".
| Button / Control (wording on screen) | What it does |
|---|---|
| Add | Opens the empty Delivery lead time dialogue so you can create a new delivery method. It may appear disabled if you have reached the limit of methods allowed. |
| Name | Required text field in the dialogue where you type the name of the delivery method. Without this field it cannot be saved. |
| Note on the printed document | Optional free-text field in the dialogue where you type the description that will appear on the printed documents attached to that delivery method. |
| Save | Validates the form and saves the delivery method (creates it if it is new, or updates the existing one). It is disabled until you make a change, or if the Name is missing. |
| Cancel | Closes the dialogue without saving any changes. It works both in the create/edit dialogue and at the foot of the list. |
| Duplicate (copy icon) | In the actions menu on each row. Creates an identical copy of that delivery method (same name and description), after a confirmation. Handy for creating variants quickly. |
| Delete (bin icon, red) | In the actions menu on each row. Removes that delivery method from the catalogue, after a confirmation. |
| Import / Export | Opens the dialogue to import delivery methods from an external file or export the current list (backup or migration). Only visible if you have import or export permissions. |
Key concepts
- Delivery method: the method or mode of delivery available to customers (collection from the shop, courier, urgent, and so on). It is set up at company level and appears as an option you can select on sales forms.
- Delivery lead time (what you see on screen): this is the title of the dialogue and the name column of this list. Careful: here "Delivery lead time" refers to the delivery method, not to days or surcharges. The module that handles days and surcharges is Delivery lead times, which is separate from this one (see below).
- Note on the printed document: free text attached to each delivery method that will be shown on printed documents (delivery notes, invoices) whenever that method is selected.
- The "Days" column: although the heading suggests a number of days, it shows the Note on the printed document of each method. It is only the table labelling.
- Duplicate: creates an identical copy of an existing delivery method, with the same name and description. Ideal for starting from one and adjusting it.
- Import / Export: lets you bring delivery methods in from a file, or take the full list out for backup or migration to another system. It requires specific permissions.
Features by plan / role
- TRY / STD / PRO / FULL: the delivery methods catalogue is available on every plan.
- Role permissions:
supply_editis required to edit the catalogue. Import / Export only appears if the user has import (allow_Import) or export (allow_Export) permission.
Frequently asked questions
Q: How do I create a new delivery method?
A: Click Add. In the Delivery lead time dialogue, type the Name (required) and, if you want, the Note on the printed document. Then click Save.
Q: What is the "Note on the printed document" field for?
A: It is the text that will appear on printed documents (delivery notes, invoices) whenever that delivery method is used. It is optional. For example: "Collect from the shop, Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00".
Q: Why is the "Save" button disabled?
A: Because you have not made any change yet, or because the Name is missing, and it is required. Fill in the Name and it will become active.
Q: What does the "Duplicate" icon do?
A: It creates an identical copy of the delivery method on that row, with the same name and description. It asks you to confirm first. It is there to create variants quickly without typing everything again.
Q: How do I delete a delivery method?
A: On the row, open the actions menu and click the Delete icon (red bin). It asks you to confirm before removing it. Delivery notes or invoices already issued keep the historical data; the option simply stops appearing on new documents.
Q: What is the "Days" column? I cannot see any number of days.
A: Despite its name, the Days column shows the Note on the printed document of each delivery method, not a number of days. It is only the table labelling.
Q: The dialogue is titled "Delivery lead time", is that the same as the Delivery lead times module?
A: No. Here "Delivery lead time" is the title of the delivery methods dialogue (how the job is delivered: collection, courier and so on). The separate Delivery lead times module handles days and surcharges. They are different things even though the names look alike.
Q: What is the difference between a delivery method and a delivery lead time?
A: Lead time = how long it takes plus the surcharge. Method = how it is physically done (collection versus shipping). They complement each other.
Q: How do I back up my delivery methods or move them to another system?
A: Use the Import / Export button. Export to take the full list out (backup or migration) and import to load it from a file. It only appears if you have import or export permissions.
Q: Why can I not see the "Import / Export" button?
A: Because your user has neither import nor export permission. Ask an administrator to enable them for you.
Q: Why is there no default delivery method?
A: It is designed as a catalogue of "labels" with no business logic attached. The delivery method is chosen on each sales document or attached to the customer from their record.