QBP Special Order Protocol

About once a month, the Bike Kitchen places an order with QBP (distributor subject to change). This is how we keep the bearings, ferrules, cables, housing, etc. in the shop. This is also how staff members place personal orders. This system is meant to help the Bike Kitchen ensure that people pay for their special orders, and that when they don't, we can track them down!

I'm a staff member and I want to place an order

Check the definition of a staff member to confirm you are eligible for this perk. No hookups and no resale! Special orders are for personal use only!

• Log in at http://online.qbp.com (email tech@bikekitchen.org for login credentials)
• Click "Select Basket" -> "New", and name your basket with your full name, phone number, and date, eg: "Tim Ledlie 415-765-4321 2009-07-19". Leave all other options as their defaults and click "Create".
• Surf the catalog and add stuff to your basket.
• Click "Select Basket" -> "Preview" and make sure all the quantities are correct. To finalize your basket, email it to orders@bikekitchen.org using one of these two options:
  1. tell your web browser to print to file, generate a pdf, and email it as an attachment
  2. highlight / select everything including the basket header, line items, and subtotal at the bottom, click "Edit" -> "Copy" in your web browser, and paste into the body of an email.
• Your order will not be placed without this email confirmation step. Once you send this email, you are responsible for paying for what you ordered (plus 15%).

If you can't use this online method, follow the old paper protocol.

I want to order something for the shop

• Discuss the order with others, especially if it's something expensive.
• Follow the instructions above for creating a basket, but include in your basket name "(for BK)", eg: "Tim Ledlie (for BK) 415-765-4321 2009-07-19"

I'm in charge of placing the order. How do I do it?

• Announce the order date that you will be placing the order on the mailing list about a week in advance.
• Log in to QBP online and create a new "master" basket for the order
• For all staff-created baskets for which you've gotten confirmation emails, merge them into your master basket. Before merging a staffer's basket, make sure you have a pdf or email copy of her order (which she should have sent with her confirmation email). Once you merge their basket, you will no longer be able to distinguish that person's order.
• Don't hesitate to ask around about any suspicious orders. For example, if you see a $1200 order from somebody you don't know, ask around. If you see an order from somebody who you suspect does not have staff privileges, ask around.
• Add any other items for the shop to the master basket.
• Alert a BK debit card holder to authorize the order.
• Print copies of the master basket and each individual staff member's baskets.
• On the master basket printout, highlight which items are for which orders. This "annotated manifest" is invaluable for resolving the inevitable mysteries that emerge when special orders don't get picked up, paid for, etc. [Note: QBP does not allow the same item to be listed in more than one line in the invoice. Thus if two or more people order the same item, note this explicitly.]
• Put the annotated manifest and the individual staff basket printouts in the "Waiting to Arrive" folder. Note that this folder should be empty before you add new special order forms. If it's not, please try to figure out why.
• Keep checking the status of the order and bugging BK debit card holder until order is confirmed.
• Check with the vendor to get the shipping tracking numbers. Forward these to whoever will be receiving the order so she knows when to expect the order.

The order has arrived. How do I unpack it?

• Open up the boxes and confirm that all of the items on the manifest have arrived. If there are any discrepancies, discuss them on the mailing list.
• Take the special order forms and the annotated manifest from the "Waiting to Arrive" folder. This folder should be empty after this step. If the folder contains paperwork that doesn't belong, please get it where it belongs.
• Separate the items by special order.
• On the special order pages, mark any items that were out of stock and didn't arrive.
• Add up the actual cost of the items and enter it in the subtotal. Calculate the 15% mark up and add it to the subtotal to get the total due.
• Bag each special order and fasten its special order form.
• Put the bagged and tagged special orders in the special order area.
• Put the SHOP order away.
• Put the annotated manifest in the Accounting Inbox. This is crucial for accounting.
• Announce on the mailing list that the order has arrived and is ready for pick up.

Yay! My special order is here! How do I pay for it?

• Inspect the "actual" column of your special order for accuracy. Note that prices may vary from the catalog, and some of your items may have been out of stock. If you have any issues, discuss them on the mailing list.
• Make sure you include an additional 15% for taxes and shipping
• Have somebody else ring up your special order into the register under CODE 4. If you don't know what this means, ask for help or consult the documentation near the register. If you make an error, just hit Cash to end the sale, scribble a LEGIBLE and MEANINGFUL note on the register tape, and start over.
• Pay for your special order and write PAID on the special order form
• Place your special order form in the register underneath the change container. DO NOT PLACE YOUR SPECIAL ORDER FORM IN THE ACCOUNTING INBOX, UNDER THE REGISTER, ON SOME RANDOM SHELF, OR IN THE TRASH!! IT GOES IN THE REGISTER!
• Play with your new toys.

Special order protocols using paper system (no longer in common use)

See the Special Order Protocol Paper page.