<OL>
* Create a new Text Type Property for the Vendor SKU. Leave Display On Site off if you don't want customers to see it. Check Display to Drop Shipper. See http://screencast.com/t/kiROucHn15f.

* Assign the new Type Property to your Product Types. See http://screencast.com/t/a4BKrOP2y.

* Edit the product and assign the Vendor SKU. See http://screencast.com/t/CVnUeLGzUl.
</OL>

Hey todd, the drop dead answer is to use your Vendor SKU's as the primary SKU. I understand if you're using your own SKUs to throw off any competitor's or other reasons though.

There may be a solution for you but it might fall into the custom programming category. Here's a couple scenarios I deal with:

1. A client of mine uses their own SKUs for their catalogs, but the order is pulled down into their accounting system and the accounting system creates the purchase orders (Vendor SKUs are mapped in the DB) and PO's are auto created &amp; sent from the accounting system. They use their own SKUs for two reason, (1) mask the SKU from competitors, (2) for their own warehouse for pick pack of the products they stock and do not need dropshipped. This is all done via their custom accounting system.

2. On another client's site, we add a product with their own SKU and if the products has choices, we add the vendor SKU's to the individual choices via the Inventory feature. This places the vendor SKU in the order receipt for any dropship emails. This doesn't solve the issue for a single product with no choices though. A majority of the time, the orders are screened prior to sending to a vendor since orders tend to have multiple products that may be in the warehouse, inventory issues, are from a different vendor or isn't a dropship item and is a special order item. So the orders tend to be split in X number of ways.

We don't fault BV at all regarding the handling of dropship relationships, it's just too tough to nail it down. All vendors are different and their policies change all the time. The two clients above chose these two methods because it eliminated a few headaches based on their operating procedures. I can tell you that the volume for the second scenario has become entirely too time consuming and we're in the process of transition to the first scenario.

IMHO, this completes all order processing &amp; fulfillment via the accounting system which is where all the magic should really happen.

Matt-


I totally get what you are saying and WISH it was that simple. My first guess was to try what you suggested in scenario #1, but it turns out that for some of our vendors, I need to have a drop ship email sent from BV automatically with their SKU, as this email is the only thing they will use as a Drop Ship order (its a long story, but believe me, I am trying to get them to change.) This also allows me to be away from my office entirely and still get drop ship orders placed, then catch up from the accounting when I get back. ;)


Mitch - Your solution sounds like it will work! Especially because at the moment, I only have one Type Property. Quick question for you: If I use this method, will I be able to assign a Typer Property (Vendor SKU in this case) to a tab delimited file to import?

Thanks!

@Mitch - Good call. I did a little testing and it turns out that Display On Site must be checked or it will not appear in the email (any email). Display To Drop Shipper is not used.


@Stealth - I don't know if you can import type properties.

Me too. I searched the code and could not find any usages of the display to drop shipper property (other than allowing you to edit the value and saving it to the database).


I think it is a bug unless we both totally misunderstand what it means.

Anyone have an update on this bug? I really need to figure out a way to add the Vendor SKU to my drop-ship request email that is sent out.

Thanks.

Marcus to the rescue! Thanks. ;-)

I changed my Drop Shipper Email template and nothing happened:

<tr>
<td align=left valign=top>[[LineItem.Quantity]]</td>
<td align=left valign=top>[[VendorManufacturer.Name]]</td>
<td align=left valign=top>[[Product.Sku]]</td>
<td align=left valign=top>[[Product.ProductName]]</td>
<td align=left valign=top>[[Product.TypePropertiesDropShipper]]</td>

</tr>


Here is what I got in the generated email:

1 Stealth Auto Warehouse BMW-E46-LIGHT-HL-BLK-2222 BMW E46 Headlights [[Product.TypePropertiesDropShipper]]

Should the [[Product.TypePropertiesDropShipper]] Tag call up the VendorSKU Type property I added to the product?

Thanks for the help on this Marcus, I think this must be a major issue for any of your customers doing drop-shipping and a solution will gain you some very happy customers for sure!

-Todd

That tag is not listed in my editor page. Should it be?

SP 3.2 and I am hosted with Resposio. ;)