Order to cash is the path a sale takes through DataFlow: a quotation converts to a sales order that reserves stock, a despatch note decrements it, the invoice posts to the sales ledger and nominal, and the receipt is allocated against the invoice. Each step writes the ledgers, stock, VAT and audit trail in one action — no re-keying between an order system and the accounts.
The problem
When the order and the accounts live apart.
If the order system and the accounts are two separate places, someone has to keep them in step by hand — and something always slips.
Re-keying between systems
Orders live in one place and the accounts in another, so the same figures get typed twice — once to trade, once to post — with a chance to differ each time.
Invoices raised late
When invoicing is a separate job done after the deliveries, invoices go out days later than they should, and the cash comes in later still.
No stock reservation
Without a sales order that commits stock, two orders can claim the same goods, so you promise what you cannot ship and oversell the shelf.
Receipts sit unallocated
Money lands in the bank but is never matched to the invoices it pays, so statements show the wrong balance and you chase customers who have already settled.
Overview
One flow, posted as it happens.
Every document in the sale posts the moment you process it.
A quotation converts to a sales order that reserves stock
Quotation is non-binding and commits no stock. On acceptance it converts to a sales order that reserves stock.
Non-bindingquote, no stock committed
Reservedstock once the order is raised
A despatch note decrements stock as the goods leave
Despatch is raised against the reserved sales order. Stock decrements as the goods leave, keeping the figure true.
Against orderdespatch draws on the reservation
Livestock decremented on despatch
The sales invoice posts to the sales ledger and nominal in one action
The sales invoice posts to the sales ledger and the nominal. Debtors, sales and VAT are all posted in one action.
One actionsales ledger and nominal posted
Debtors · Sales · VATposted together
The customer receipt is allocated against the invoice and shown on the statement
The customer receipt is allocated against the invoice. The statement reflects the allocation, so the balance is right.
Allocatedreceipt matched to the invoice
On statementbalance reflects the receipt
In their words
Order processing, stock and accounts sit on one system, so the whole team works from the same picture.
MatconManufacturing & engineering
Explore more
More capabilities.
Order to cash is one of the workflows DataFlow posts as it happens — explore the other capabilities that carry a sale onward.
No. A quotation is non-binding and commits no stock. Stock is reserved only when the quotation converts to a sales order, so a quote costs you nothing until it is accepted.
When does stock actually decrement?
The sales order reserves the stock, and the despatch note decrements it as the goods leave. The reservation stops the same stock being promised twice; the despatch moves the figure when it ships.
What does the sales invoice post?
The sales invoice posts to the sales ledger and the nominal in one action — debtors, sales and VAT together — with a full audit trail, so there is nothing to re-key into the accounts afterwards.
How does the customer statement stay right?
The customer receipt is allocated against the outstanding invoice, and the statement reflects the allocation. What the customer owes and what you have shipped always agree.
