Using the Ordering Agent

There are two ways to use it. When you create a purchase order, you can let Scotch build the whole order, or enter your own quantities and have Scotch review them before you place it.

When Scotch builds an order, it fills in the draft, then checks it over. Anything unusual is held for you under "Needs your attention" instead of being added automatically.

When Scotch reviews your order, it doesn't change anything on its own. Each suggestion is a proposed increase, cut, addition, or question. You accept it, change the quantity, or keep your own number.

You're always in charge. It only works on draft orders, and it never sends anything to your distributor. You place the order yourself.

It shows its work. Every suggestion explains why, with the numbers behind it and a chart of how long your stock will last.

It remembers what you tell it. Notes you leave on an item are read every time Scotch looks at an order with that item.

Your recent sales. The last 30 days count most. Holiday days are left out so one odd week doesn't throw things off.

Up to two years of history and trends. If an item is growing or slowing, Scotch leans that way, by no more than 25%.

Busy days and holidays. Fridays and Saturdays get more of the week's demand. Scotch also learns how your store sells around 15 holidays, like the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

This time last year. If sales usually pick up in the coming month, Scotch leans toward more.

Open customer orders. Approved customer orders are added in.

Days you were out of stock, sales, and price changes. Scotch won't cut an item for sales it couldn't make because the shelf was empty.

Cases or bottles. Scotch orders whole cases, but can order single bottles when you need half a case or less, for items you've bought by the bottle before.

Department limits. You can cap how many days of stock to buy for beer, wine, and spirits.

A budget. If you set one, Scotch trims the order to fit, cutting the least important cases first and protecting fast sellers and anything running low.

Deals. Scotch only moves up to a bigger deal level when the savings beat the cost of holding the extra stock. If an item is in more than one deal, it gets the best price.

It leaves off dead stock (no sales in 60 days and sitting over 180 days), items you've stopped carrying, and items you already have enough of.

It adds back good sellers that have been off the shelf for 120 days or more, but not seasonal items.

It suggests up to 10 new items per order, added in the last 60 days, sized like similar items. These are always held for your decision.

It holds unusually large quantities for your decision instead of adding them automatically.

New items are a best guess. With no sales of their own, they're sized like similar items. If there's nothing similar, Scotch orders the smallest amount. Always check new items.

Seasonal swings beyond holidays. Scotch won't plan for a slow January or a summer rosé run on its own. Adjust those quantities yourself, or leave a note.

Local events and weather. Scotch doesn't know about a festival down the street or a big storm unless you tell it. Notes can help it trim, but for a big event, raise the quantities yourself.

Long stretches out of stock. An item that was out for a long time looks like it sold less than it would have. Double-check fast sellers that were recently out.

Some lines aren't reviewed. Lines not matched to an item, deleted items, and items outside beverage departments are left for you to size.

"Changes to this order" has proposed increases and cuts for items already on the order, plus any questions. Accept the change, type a different "Qty" and click "Update," or click "Keep" to leave your number.

"Not on this order" has items Scotch thinks you missed, like ones that are out of stock or would help you reach a deal. Click "Add to order," or set "Qty" to 0 and click "Update" to pass.

A tag next to an item means it's in a deal. Click it to see the deal's levels and add enough to reach one.

Free goods a deal earns show as their own rows, like "Free with 5 cs of [product]."

Prices update on their own when a deal starts, changes, or ends. If you typed a cost yourself, that line keeps your cost.

While Scotch works, a window lists each step as it finishes.

In the order, the "Scotch" column shows each open suggestion, like "Order 3 cs" or "Drop item." Look for it in the "✨ Ordering agent view."

If you change the order after a review, changed lines show a sync icon and the report says "This review is out of date." Click "Update review" to re-check.

When you're done, Scotch sums up the changes, like "Trimmed $120 off the order — 14 accepted, 3 modified, 2 rejected."

To start a review over, go to "Start this review over" at the bottom of the report.

To rebuild an order Scotch built, choose "Start over" in the order menu.

You don't see "How do you want to build your order?": The Ordering Agent isn't turned on for your account yet. Contact Scotch support.

"Continue" or "Start Order" is grayed out: Choose a store, a distributor, and how you want to build the order.

You see "Enter the days of supply this order should last after it arrives, as a whole number from 1 to 60.": Enter a whole number from 1 to 60.

You see "Nothing to order from [distributor].": None of that distributor's products can be ordered at this store. Add products to the distributor, or mark them orderable at this store.

There's no Scotch banner on an order: Scotch only works on draft orders. If the order says "Rep drafting," your sales rep is still building it, and the banner appears once they submit it.

You see "This order can't be built right now.": Scotch can only build an empty draft it hasn't built before. To rebuild, choose "Start over" from the order menu. Otherwise, add lines yourself and use "Review my order."

"Review my order" is grayed out: Enter at least one quantity first.

You see "That didn't finish" or "This review didn't finish.": Click "Try again." If it keeps happening, contact Scotch support.

Quantities look too low: Raise the number of days the order should last, or check the distributor's delivery time.

You see "Enter a whole-dollar budget…": Enter an amount, or uncheck "Keep this order under."

A line says "No cost on file": Enter the cost under "Needs your attention" and click "Save" before placing the order.

A new item wasn't ordered: Scotch only suggests up to 10 items added in the last 60 days that have never sold. Add others yourself.

Some lines weren't reviewed: Scotch skips lines not matched to an item, deleted items, and items outside beverage departments. Size those yourself.