need help building an intranet CMS for order processing for work

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CrashGawker

Gawd
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May 30, 2002
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I'm trying to figure out how to semi-automate our order processing at work via a web based system through our intranet. Essentially I want to be able to create some form of database (XML) that can have orders in it including the data on what's in the order, how many etc. Is there a simple way to do this with php and xml or is there an existing example that could be modified to fit my needs without having to learn too much php programming?
 
A lot more detail is needed about what you are doing, to give you a good estimate on what would be required. But what you are looking to do sounds like it would be possible. You'd be better off using a database opposed to a flat xml file.
 
Well first of all I work for a fabrication company essentially. Currently we receive our orders from our clients via email the majority of the time. Most of our production comes to us in the form of DXF drawings attached to the emails for the parts they need. We pretty much do everything on paper from there. I was hoping to figure out a way to set things up on our website where clients can log into an account where they can upload the drawings we need for the parts and tell us how many they need in what material etc. Then I was hoping to build an intranet for the shop where we can access the information on orders placed through the website to schedule our work according to production deadlines and things so that we could generate or help generate our plan of attack for the work we need to get done.

I'd like to see it so the operators can access the information and like check off parts of the order that are finished so we can easily see what still needs to be done without paperwork getting misplaced/lost and without having to worry that the operators might pass on the wrong information to the next guy at shift change and things get double produced when they don't need to be.

Unfortunately I'm only really familiar with HTML and a very little PHP so I'm not exactly going in as an SQL expert or programmer which is why I was hoping there might be something that might fit my needs without having to learn a lot of new languages and stuff. Hell, even if someone who really did know how to do it could help me figure this out that would be awesome so I can learn some new things along the way.
 
What you are looking to build wouldn't be hard, but for a beginner it's not going to be easy. First of all you have to look at what you need.

1. Authentication system
2. User manager
3. File upload
4. Inventory management
5. Calendar system. (Optional but handy)
6. Squeeze it all together.

You could use a premade CMS system to handle something like this, but customizing might take more time than building something from scratch. If you are looking to get a stronger understanding of PHP this would probably be a good project for you.


On a side note you could get away with learning a pretty limited amount of SQL to get your idea up and running.
 
what would be the best way to go about starting the process? I enjoy learning this sort of thing but I haven't really got tons of time to dedicate to it right now. Any suggestions?
 
I know this isnt the answer you want to hear but you would be much better off buying an off the shelf inventory management system. Or even grabbing one from sourceforge and deploying that.

there are many solutions that allow order processing, note attachment etc..
 
Hrmm....might work for a normal type of web store but I'm not even sure that could be modified to work for our operation. D_D any ideas?
 
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