I would like to see the back end order editing improved

[Robert_ITMan]

I would like to see the back end order editing improved - seems easy enough and obviously something everyone can use... so I'm sure someone is on it already. I used Artio VM Invoice (http://www.artio.net/virtuemart-tools/vm-invoice-generator) and found it works well... but in my websites it is mostly redundant and only adds confusion for our clients having to use the 'other program'... so what we do to cancel a product on an order is pretty simple really: We use VM (currently 2.6.0a) and open the order from the back end > update the Status of ordered product to 'Cancelled' > click Edit > change the Quantity of the product to 0 and add [CANCELLED] to the beginning of the product description and update the taxes and discounts (when calculation rules are per bill, not needed when per product) > click Save > then click Update Status (at the top) we add our comment (something like "Your order has been updated as requested. We cancelled your product ___ and partially refunded $___ from initial payment of $___.") > check Notify Shopper > check Include This Comment > UNCHECK Update status for all lines > click Save > the order is updated and customer gets an email and their online order holds all the needed info (customer gets notified because Order Status 'Cancelled' is added to VM Configuration > Checkout > Default Order Status to send email to shopper). Then we manually process the refund, normally we go into our payment gateway (PayPal) and issue the Partial refund.

The issue we have is that our clients can't do this by themselves yet - especially when coupons are involved and taxes and discounts are calculated by order and not per product.

!! NOTICE that we really just need to be able to edit the coupons and discounts (already have discount amount editable) ... because as it is now, I have to edit the database directly to remove or edit the coupon/discount description and values, example: UPDATE `db_test`.`jos_virtuemart_orders` SET `order_billTax` = '{"1":{"virtuemart_calc_id":1,"calc_name":"HST 13%","calc_value":"13.0000","result":37.41}}', `coupon_discount` = '', `coupon_code` = '' WHERE `jos_virtuemart_orders`.`virtuemart_order_id` =166;

If I find a solution I will add it here.

[AH]

We would like to be able to add a product in a reasonably user friendly way

At the moment it is a bag of spanners.

[Robert_ITMan]

Hi Hutson! I never heard of a bag of spanners before - but I get what you mean.

My sites typically have a lot going on in the front end as we use breezing forms which validates certain specific criteria that is external to VirtueMart so we are happy asking the customers to add new items with new orders - and all we need is to be able to cancel items and adjust the discounts / coupons / taxes. It's easier for us to cancel the whole order as the payments are auto refunded... but it's nice to be able to cancel one item and not need the customer to do anything more. Adding a new item to an existing order opens other issues like not getting a customer to click 'I agree to Terms' and having to manually charge them more which is difficult - if not illegal.

We can already use VM 2.6 to edit the order items and it has the ability to add new items ... but if you need more functionality maybe you would like Artio VM Invoice - I found it really good for adding items. You can also customize the back end templates to get the order to do exactly what you want, copy the file: /administrator/components/com_virtuemart/views/orders/tmpl/order.php - and paste it to /administrator/templates/(your-admin-template)/html/com_virtuemart/orders/order.php ... if you do so please share here!

Otherwise, lets hope the VM development team will be working to improve this sooner than later.

[AH]

Hi Robert

Bag of spanners is a British term.  http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bag%20of%20spanners

We often have to adjust for these business reasons as our customers often order multiple lines
When one order line is wrong, asking them to re-order it is not good business practice.
If they did order a single line then delivery would be charged and we would have to refund ( Pretty poor customer service!)
Plus the  single item refund on the first order.

So the functionality needed (for us) ends up being what we had in core VM1 (Devs, I know old VM is dead and I know new WM is way better in nearly all cases)

Remove order line
Change QTY of existing order line
Add additional order line
Adjust shipping charge

Concerning the legality of adding new items to orders.

We take additional payment by credit card, which covers the acceptance of any terms thereafter and as the terms have not changed, the customers have explicitly agreed.

Note we only do this prior to invoicing!!!  Adjustment thereafter are not made!! For legal reasons

[Robert_ITMan]

Hutson,

Good points! Its an order not an invoice and as such we need to be able to edit it much better than we have now.

Until VM improves it you will like Artio VM Invoice as it does everything you ask for out of the box. You can also do what I do and edit the order directly in the database. Do you have the resources to contribute to the VM community by editing (or paying someone to edit) the admin order template file and build the form exactly as you think we all need it ... if you do so please share here!

[AH]

I might have to look at building such an option, but I don't think my skills are up to it.

I don't really want an additional plugin as these tend to lag behind the Core code and create a dependency on resources outside of anyone's control.

No budget for development :-(  But isn't that always the way?