VbzCart/docs/pieces/status

Process Breakdown

1. Shopping interface
   1. display of individual titles
      1. display of all active images for each title, with appropriate annotations and in appropriate order
      2. display of all available items for each title, with pricing and stock information
   2. display of groups of titles
      1. by topic
      2. by department
   3. display of topics
      1. search topics (as part of catalog search feature)
      2. display individual topic
         1. show topic's place in topic hierarchy
         2. show all available titles for the topic
         3. list or show unavailable titles for the topic
   4. display of departments
      1. same as topics
   5. display of suppliers
      1. show individual supplier
         1. show list of departments; if only one department, show its page instead
         2. summarize items available by attributes (e.g. item type, size)
   6. show/search stock
   7. add items to cart
   8. create an order from cart
      1. enter shipping and payment information
      2. log in to re-use/manage previously entered shipping/payment information
      3. display order confirmation before formal submission
      4. send full order information (except card #) via email
2. Administrative interface
   1. security
      1. create/edit security groups
         1. edit name and permissions for each group
      2. assign users to groups
      3. edit user information
      4. only allow access to any admin feature if user has the corresponding permission (via group membership)
   2. manage local catalog
      1. edit items
      2. edit titles
      3. edit departments
      4. edit suppliers
      5. edit supplier catalogs
   3. order processing
      1. view shopping carts
      2. view/edit/process orders
         1. select items from stock locations to put into a /package for shipment
      3. process outgoing packages
         1. calculate proper charges for items
         2. add charges to payment queue
         3. print packing list
         4. enter information for estimating cost (cost of postage, materials, time)
         5. enter tracking information
         6. assign package to a shipment
         7. mark when package was received by customer (if information available)
      4. process incoming package
         1. calculate refund, add to payment queue
         2. record stock location where each returned item was placed
      5. process payments
         1. processing page needs to display all information needed for processing in one place
            1. later: use payment processor's API, where possible, to minimize copying-and-pasting
         2. record when payment was processed and what its status was (successful or not; error code)
         3. add charge to package's or order's transaction queue, so current balance can be calculated correctly
      6. manage shipments
         1. create new shipments as needed
         2. mark shipment as "dedicated" (special purpose)
         3. mark shipment as mailed (date, carrier)
   4. manage supplier catalogs
      1. create common groupings of item types/attributes/prices (suppler/catalog/item-group)
      2. manage supplier catalog
         1. name, effective date, expiration date, catalog this one supercedes
         2. enter/edit all titles available, and items or item-groups for each title
      3. update local catalog from supplier catalog data
         1. deactivate items not in currently active catalog unless they are in (sellable) stock
         2. add new items not already in local catalog