How production reps use commonsku to see every order, resolve problems faster, and stop losing time to status chasing.
Production is where deals either get delivered or fall apart. Proofs stall. In-hands dates slip. Suppliers go quiet. The reps tracking all of it across spreadsheets and email threads are the ones constantly playing catch-up.
See risks sooner. The Production Dashboard surfaces overdue POs, stalled proofs, and flagged orders the moment you open it.
Reduce rework. The Production Report centralizes every PO update, status change, and supplier communication in one place.
Automate the status loop. Shipping notifications, task logs, and newsfeed entries happen automatically so reps aren't manually updating anyone.
This is your guide to production on commonsku.
The Production Rep's Playbook: Three Tools
The highest-impact features in commonsku for production and how to use them
1
Start Every Day on the Production Dashboard
A snapshot of your full pipeline with smart-tiles that flag what needs action before you go hunting for it. ~5 min daily
2
Manage POs at Scale in the Production Report
Track, filter, update stages and statuses, and manage proofs across your entire book without leaving the report.
~10 min per session
3
Build POs from Complete Shipping Details
Shipping information drives every purchase order. Understand how it works and you'll never regenerate a PO twice. ~3 min per order
The result: a production pipeline you can see, risks you catch early, and orders that ship on time.
Tool 1
Start Every Day on the Production Dashboard
The reps who stay ahead aren't checking more reports. They're checking the right one, first thing.
Most production reps start the morning by pulling a report, scrolling a spreadsheet, or calling a supplier to find out where an order stands. The Production Dashboard replaces all of that with a single view that tells you exactly what needs your attention today.
📊
POs by Stage
All open POs from Created to Ready for Billing
🖼️
POs by Proof Status
Every open proof from Awaiting to Client Approved
🔴
Overdue + Problem
Flags POs that need action before anything else
📅
Tasks & PO Calendar
Weekly task view + date-based PO calendar
Smart-Tiles: What Gets Flagged and Why It Matters
Smart-tiles do the monitoring so you don't have to. Each tile shows a count with a red indicator when something is overdue or flagged. Click into any tile to see the full list and take action without leaving the Dashboard.
📌
Overdue Next Action Dates
POs where a rep action is past due. Click in to update the date or reassign.
Orders where the client's receipt date has passed. Update from the project Shipping tab.
🚢
Overdue Projected Ship Dates
Orders where the expected ship date is past. Update the projected ship date from the tile pop-up.
POs flagged manually or by a supplier change request. Must be resolved before the order moves forward.
🔄
POs in Follow Up Status
Reps use this to flag POs that need internal action before continuing through production.
✅
Sales Orders: Client Approved
Approved SOs still waiting on purchase orders. Keeps client-ready deals from sitting idle.
The Task and PO Calendar Panel
The task panel sits below the report and smart-tiles and gives reps a weekly view of all pending and completed tasks. Tasks are color-coded: green for upcoming, red for overdue, grey for completed. Switch to the POs tab for a calendar view where you can view the:
-
Next Action Date
-
In-Hands Date
-
Projected Ship Date
Drag and drop POs to update dates, or click into any PO to open the full slide-out menu.
Tool 2
Manage POs at Scale in the Production Report
The Production Report is where reps go from knowing there's a problem to fixing it.
The Production Report is your operational backbone for managing purchase orders at volume. Access it from Production Tab. Use Search or Lookup filters to pull exactly what you need, then save filter combinations as custom reports for one-click access.
❌ Without the Production Report
- PO status lives across email threads
- Supplier changes get missed
- Proof approvals tracked manually
- No single view of the full pipeline
✅ With the Production Report
- All POs filterable in one view
- Problem status surfaced automatically
- Proof icons visible on every row
- Custom reports saved and reusable
Purchase Order Stage Progression
From Created to Billed: The PO Lifecycle
1
Created
Auto on PO generation
2
Submitted
PO sent to supplier
3
Confirmed
Supplier approves
4
Shipped
Order in transit
5
Ready to Bill
Delivered, invoice time
6
Billed
Invoice sent, complete
The Slide-Out Menu: Four Tabs, Full Context
Hover over any PO in the Production Report and click the + icon to open the slide-out menu. Four tabs give you everything you need without navigating away from the report.
Overview
Proofing
Shipping
Details
📝
Overview
Notes, tasks, @ mentions, and a time-stamped log of every PO update
🖼️
Proofing
Upload proof files, manage approval status, send proof approval emails to client
📦
Shipping
Record ship date, cost, overrun/underrun, projected ship date, and tracking ID
ℹ️
Details
Rep assignment, in-hands date, stage, next action date, supplier contact info
💡 PromoStandards
For suppliers supporting PromoStandards endpoints, click the PS icon on any PO row to view live Order Status details directly in the Production Report.
Tool 3
Build Purchase Orders from Complete Shipping Details
A purchase order is only as accurate as the shipping details behind it. Get that right and the PO builds itself.
A Purchase Order tells your supplier exactly what you need: product names, net costs, artwork details, and shipping instructions. You cannot generate a PO without completing shipping details first for every product on the order.
PO Type 01
Supplier PO
Standard PO for product suppliers. Emailed directly or submitted as an ePO via PromoStandards. Includes product specs, net costs, artwork, and shipping instructions.
PO Type 02
Decorator PO
Generated automatically when a product ships to a third-party decorator. Creates two separate POs: one for the supplier shipping blank goods, one for the decorator with all artwork details.
PO Type 03
Electronic Purchase Orders (ePOs)
ePOs let you submit orders directly to a supplier's system via PromoStandards, no email required. Connected+ suppliers return real-time order status and shipping updates back to commonsku automatically
One Connected Production Workflow
Production in commonsku isn't isolated from the rest of the business. Every PO update, shipping notification, task, and status change connects to the broader workflow. This means orders flow through to invoicing, shipping updates notify clients through the Project Portal, and task completions log across all Dashboards.
From Order to Delivery: How It Connects
Each step feeds the next — production is never a silo.
📋
Step 1
Ship Details Entered
Shipping info entered per product in the project Shipping tab
📄
Step 2
PO Generated
Purchase order built automatically from sales order and shipping data
📊
Step 3
Dashboard Tracks It
Production Dashboard surfaces risks, deadlines, and proof status in real time
🚀
Step 4
Order Ships
Client notified automatically; tracking logged on the PO without manual entry
See risks sooner. Reduce rework. Automate the status loop. That's how commonsku's production tools deliver visibility and control.
What to Do Next
Open the Production Dashboard first thing tomorrow. Check the smart-tiles before pulling any report. If any tile has a red count, that's your priority for the morning.
Save a custom Production Report. Filter by your name as Order Rep and Stage: In Production. Click Save, give it a name, and use it as your daily starting view.
Check the PO newsfeed on your next active order. Click the + icon on any PO in the Production Report to open the slide-out Overview tab. Everything that's happened on that order is logged there.
Use Notify Shipping Changes on your next shipped order. Add the tracking number to the PO's Shipping tab and click Notify. Your client gets an automatic update with the tracking info and a link to their Project Portal.
Have questions about your setup? Reach out to your CSM or email support@commonsku.com.
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