Send items out on approval
Sometimes a client needs to see a product in their own home before they commit. An area rug might look different under their lighting, or they want to check a runner against the hallway trim. Out on Approval lets you send a product home with the client straight from their quote or invoice, set a date it’s due back, and keep track of everything that’s out until it comes back or the client keeps it.
Before you start
Section titled “Before you start”- An Admin or Admin Staff user needs to turn the feature on for your account (see step 1 below).
- The product has to be in your catalog as a Product with an Inventory Type of Inventory. Services and non-inventory items can’t be sent out on approval. See Add an item to your catalog.
- The item has to be a line on a quote or an invoice for the client who’s taking it. Jobs don’t have the on-approval option.
- To send items out, change due dates, or check items back in, you need the Admin, Admin Staff, Office Staff, or Sales Staff role. Field Worker Staff and Accounting Staff can view what’s out but can’t change it.
1. Turn on Out on Approval
Section titled “1. Turn on Out on Approval”- Click Settings in the left sidebar, then click Product (under Work Settings). The Product Settings page opens.
- Under Out on Approval Management, switch on Out on Approval Tab.
An Out on Approval page now appears under Products in the sidebar, and an On Approval switch appears on eligible quote and invoice line items.
2. Send a line item out on approval
Section titled “2. Send a line item out on approval”- Open the client’s quote or invoice and find the product line the client is taking home.
- Click the On Approval switch on that line.
- In the On Approval popup, pick the Due Back date. It starts at one week from today.
- Click On Approval to confirm.
Service Buddy saves the quote or invoice first, then sends the item out. You’ll see a confirmation with the item name and its due-back date, and the line now shows the switch turned on with a Due Back date next to it.
3. Change the due-back date from the line
Section titled “3. Change the due-back date from the line”While a line is out, you can change its Due Back date right on the quote or invoice. Pick a new date and it saves straight away.
When you don’t have enough stock
Section titled “When you don’t have enough stock”When you send an item out, Service Buddy checks how much of it you have available, after counting any units already out on approval with other clients. If there isn’t enough, you’ll see a Not enough stock warning instead of an error. It shows:
| Field | What it means |
|---|---|
| Needed for this line | The quantity on the line you’re sending out |
| Available to send | How many units Service Buddy thinks are free right now |
| Out on approval | Units of this product already out with other clients. Click the number to see who has them. |
| Short by | The difference between what’s needed and what’s available |
If you know you physically have the units on hand (for example, a delivery came in that hasn’t been recorded yet), click Send N anyway to send the item out regardless. Otherwise, click Cancel.
Track everything that’s out
Section titled “Track everything that’s out”Click Products in the left sidebar, then Out on Approval. The page lists every item currently out with a client.
Out and Overdue views
Section titled “Out and Overdue views”Use the buttons above the list to switch views. Each shows a count.
| View | Shows |
|---|---|
| Out | Everything currently out with a client, whether or not it’s late |
| Overdue | Only items past their due-back date |
An item counts as overdue from the start of its due-back date. Overdue dates are shown in red.
Columns
Section titled “Columns”Each row shows the product image, Product, Client, Order (the quote or invoice it went out on), Balance Due on that order, Out date, Due Back date, Days Out, and Location. Click the client name to open their profile, or the order number to open the quote or invoice.
Search, filter, and sort
Section titled “Search, filter, and sort”- Search Products — type a product name to narrow the list. Press Enter or pick a suggestion to keep it as a search chip, and add more chips to search for several products at once.
- Column filters — filter by Product, Client, Out date, Due Back date, Days Out (minimum and maximum), and Location.
- Sort — click the Product, Client, Out, Due Back, or Days Out column heading to sort by it.
- Use the reset button next to the search bar to clear all filters.
Export to Excel
Section titled “Export to Excel”Click Export to download the current view (with any search and filters applied) as an Excel file. If you’ve ticked rows, the button changes to Export (N) and downloads only those rows.
Extend a due date
Section titled “Extend a due date”- On the Out on Approval page, find the item.
- Click Extend 7 days on its row.
- Check the new date in the dialog, then click Extend.
The new due date is seven days from the current due date. If the item is already overdue, it’s seven days from today instead. To pick any other date, change the Due Back date on the quote or invoice line instead (see step 3 above).
Check items back in
Section titled “Check items back in”When the client brings an item back, or decides to keep it, close it out so it drops off the list.
From the Out on Approval page
Section titled “From the Out on Approval page”- One item — click Returned if the client brought it back, or Sold if they’re keeping it, then confirm in the dialog.
- Several items — tick the rows you want, click Bulk Received (N), then choose Returned N or Sold N.
From the quote or invoice
Section titled “From the quote or invoice”Click the On Approval switch on a line that’s already out. In the dialog, choose Returned or Sold.
From the client’s profile
Section titled “From the client’s profile”Open the client and go to the Out tab (see below). Click Received next to an item, then confirm.
Statuses
Section titled “Statuses”| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Out | The item is with the client and not yet due back |
| Overdue | The item is still with the client and its due-back date has passed |
| Returned | The client brought the item back |
| Sold | The client kept the item |
Once an item is marked Returned or Sold, it’s closed and can’t be reopened. If the client wants to take the same line home again later, just switch On Approval back on for that line.
Items marked sold when the invoice is paid
Section titled “Items marked sold when the invoice is paid”If your account automatically holds and deducts stock when invoices are paid (see Auto-deduct stock on jobs and invoices), Service Buddy marks any items still out on approval on that invoice as Sold as soon as the invoice is paid. This also works when the item went out on the original quote and the quote was later turned into an invoice.
If your account doesn’t use automatic stock deduction for invoices, items stay out until someone marks them Sold or Returned by hand.
See what a client has out
Section titled “See what a client has out”Open the client’s profile and click the Out tab. The number on the tab shows how many items the client currently has out, including any samples.
- The on-approval section lists each item with its quantity, value, out date, due date (in red with the number of days late if overdue), and the quote or invoice it’s on. Use the Open button (for example, Open Quote #1042) to jump to that quote or invoice, or Received to check the item in.
- The History section lists items that have been closed, labelled Returned or Sold with the date.
What happens next
Section titled “What happens next”- Items out on approval show up on the Out on Approval page and on the client’s Out tab until they’re checked in.
- When the client decides, mark the item Returned or Sold, or let it close automatically when the invoice is paid (if your account uses automatic stock deduction).
- Keep an eye on the Overdue view. Service Buddy doesn’t send reminders, so it’s worth checking it regularly and following up with clients yourself.
Does sending an item out on approval reduce my stock count?
No. Items out on approval don’t change the Received, On Hold, or Available quantities you see on the Products list. They’re only counted when you send another item out on approval, so you get the Not enough stock warning if the units may already be with someone else. Checking an item in as Returned or Sold doesn’t change stock counts either. Stock leaves inventory through the normal invoice process. See Track inventory levels.
Why don’t I see the On Approval switch on a line?
Check that:
- Out on Approval is turned on in Settings → Product.
- The line is linked to a catalog item that’s a Product with Inventory Type set to Inventory.
- You’re on a quote or an invoice, not a job.
- You have the Admin, Admin Staff, Office Staff, or Sales Staff role.
Can I remove a line that’s out on approval?
Not while it’s out. Service Buddy asks you to check the item in from the client first. Mark it Returned or Sold, then remove the line. This also applies after the quote becomes a job or invoice.
I sent an item out by mistake. How do I undo it?
Click the On Approval switch on the line (or Returned on the Out on Approval page) and mark it Returned. Records can’t be deleted, but marking it returned closes it straight away.
Do clients get a reminder when an item is overdue?
No. Service Buddy doesn’t email or text clients or staff about overdue items. Use the Overdue view on the Out on Approval page, or the client’s Out tab, to see who to follow up with.
Can I send out only some of the quantity on a line?
No. The whole line goes out. Split the line into two (one for the quantity going home, one for the rest) before sending it out.
What’s the difference between Out on Approval and Samples?
Out on Approval is for real products a client might buy, tied to a line on their quote or invoice. Samples are showroom samples you lend out and expect back. Both appear on the client’s Out tab. See Manage showroom samples.