A sales order form is an essential business tool that enables companies to record the purchases that their customers make. Each purchase transaction requires a new order form, which can also act as a receipt for the customer. Create a sales order template doc that includes all of the information you require, and automate the process to increase efficiency for your business.

Establish the Goals of a Customer Order Form

Regardless of what kind of products or services you sell, you'll require some version of a sales order form. Before you create one for your business, it’s best to think about what you want this document to achieve. Consider when you'll be using the form in the sales process and what purpose it will serve.

The sales order form is used to record what purchases the customer will make. In some cases, customers pay a deposit for their purchases, which is also recorded on the form. Once the goods have been delivered to the customer, the customer then pays the remaining balance, which is listed on the form as well. Your customer order form can:

  • Help you track orders.
  • Establish how much inventory you have.
  • Tally your total revenue.
  • Provide proof of purchase for customers.
  • Record how much has been paid and is left to pay.

Because they play such an important role in the sales and customer service process, it’s critical to create a sales order form template that includes all of the information you require for your business.

Include Important Elements of a Sales Order Form

Sales order forms can have different formats. However, some fields are almost always included:

  • Your company name and contact information: This makes it easy for the customer to contact you with any questions or issues.

  • Customer name and contact information: These details are critical for tracking who the sale has been made to.

  • Customer billing information: This is required if you'll be charging the customer via credit card.

  • Customer shipping information: If the shipping details are different from the contact address, take note of it here.

  • Product or service information: Note what items are being purchased. Provide descriptive details if necessary. Include a column for the quantity of each item.

  • Price: List how much each item costs.

  • Sales tax, delivery charges and shipping charges: Tally up the purchases and calculate any additional expenses as needed.

  • Total price: Add up the purchases and the additional charges to ascertain the total price.

  • Deposit: If the customer is paying a deposit for the purchase, note it here.

  • Balance: Calculate how much remains once the deposit has been paid. This is the amount that the customer still needs to pay.

  • Terms and conditions: For some business, it’s vital to list any specific terms and conditions on the sales order form. This may include information about shipping and delivery timelines, penalties for late payment or returns and warranty information.

  • Signatures: It's important to get the customer's signature on the order form, showing proof that they accept the price and terms you've provided. If you have more than one employee that handles order forms, it's best to include a spot for the employee's signature as well for tracking purposes.

Customize your sales order form based on the fields you need for your business. You may also wish to create separate templates for different kinds of purchases, which can help make the sales process more efficient.

Use Automation Tools to Increase Productivity

If filling out sales order template docs is taking up a lot of your time, it may be worthwhile to investigate automation tools to boost your productivity. Automating the process can help to ensure accuracy while enabling your business to scale. It can also speed up the order-taking process and improve the customer experience. There are several sales and order form platforms and tools on the market, including:

  • Salesforce
  • Pardot
  • Formworks
  • Launchcloud
  • Zoho Forms

Some applications are designed for larger operations and have multiple functions, while others serve one purpose and are more effective for smaller businesses. However, automating your sales order forms doesn’t need to be complicated. A simple template using Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets can also help you to increase the efficiency of filling out orders.