2 About the Quote-to-Order Business Process

The Quote-to-Order business process streamlines the journey from initial customer inquiry to confirmed order submission, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and efficient hand-off between sales and fulfillment teams. The process integrates sales, pricing, validation, and approval steps, enabling organizations to respond to customer needs quickly while maintaining control over business operations.

This business process involves the following:

  • Quote Creation
    • The Enterprise Sales Representative (ESR) creates a quote by selecting products and services from the catalog.
    • The ESR customizes offerings, applies configurations, and reviews pricing, discounts, and terms.

    For more information about quote creation, see Creating a New Quote.

  • Quote Validation and Feasibility
    • The system validates the quote for completeness, pricing accuracy, product eligibility, and compliance with business rules.
    • Any validation issues are flagged for resolution before progressing.

    For more information about quote validation, see Performing Automated Feasibility Validation.

  • Quote Approval
    • If the quote exceeds defined approval thresholds or requires special authorization, the system initiates the approval workflow.
    • The designated approver reviews the quote and approves or rejects it. Approval activities and comments are tracked for audit purposes.

    For more information about quote approval, see Approving a Quote.

  • Proposal Generation
    • The system generates a proposal based on the selected products, services, and pricing details.
    • Users can review and edit the proposal content before finalizing.
    • The system records all proposal versions and changes for audit purposes.

    For more information about proposal generation, see Generating an Opportunity Proposal and Generating a Quote Proposal.

  • Order Conversion
    • Once the quote is approved and feasibility is complete, the ESR converts the quote to an order using the auto order or direct conversion action.
    • The system transfers all relevant data, including product selections, pricing, discounts, and approvals from the quote to the new order.
  • Order Validation
    • The system performs additional validations specific to order fulfillment (OSM/COM), such as inventory checks, resource reservations, and billing completeness.
  • Order Approval
    • Orders that meet specific criteria, such as high value or exception terms may trigger a further approval workflow, reusing logic from the quote approval process.
  • Order Submission
    • The ESR submits the approved order for fulfillment.
    • The system changes the order status to Submitted, restricts further edits, and triggers downstream provisioning, billing, and delivery activities.
  • Fulfillment and Activation
    • Fulfillment teams process the order according to the customer’s requested schedule.
    • Products and services are provisioned and activated, completing the quote-to-order workflow.

Benefits

  • Ensures accurate, validated, and compliant quotes and orders.
  • Provides an auditable approval process with clear roles and responsibilities.
  • Facilitates seamless transition from sales to fulfillment, reducing manual effort and the risk of errors.
  • Enhances the customer experience through timely and transparent transaction management.

About Order Management

Order Management is a comprehensive, end-to-end process that manages all customer service and product orders through their complete lifecycle. This process is designed to handle high-volume and complex orders for mobile, fixed-line, broadband, and bundled services, covering both B2B and B2C customer segments. Order Management integrates multiple functions, such as product selection, configuration, feasibility, validation, approval, fulfillment, activation, change management, and customer communication to ensure timely and error-free delivery of telecom services.

Benefits

  • Automates and streamlines order handling, reducing lead times and expediting service activation for customers.
  • Minimizes errors through feasibility checks, validation, guided entry, and automated business rules, reducing rework and order fallout.
  • Delivers timely updates and clear communication, resulting in greater transparency, satisfaction, and trust.
  • Reduces manual intervention and process bottlenecks, lowering operational costs and supporting high transaction volumes.
  • Ensures all orders are processed according to legal, regulatory, and business policy requirements.
  • Handles orders from self-service portals, mobile apps, retail stores, partner channels, or direct sales, providing unified control.
  • Supports rapid introduction of new products, promotions, and bundles with minimal disruption to order processing.
  • Offers comprehensive tracking, reporting, and audits for all order activity, enabling informed decision-making and continuous improvement.

The sections that follow describe various features supported by the Order Management process.

Creating a New Order Using Auto Ordering

The Auto Ordering feature allows the Enterprise Sales Representative (ESR) to efficiently convert an approved quote into a customer order. This automated process streamlines final order capture, contract issuance, and submission to fulfillment, minimizing manual steps and ensuring data consistency.

To initiate auto ordering, the ESR navigates to the customer screen, locates the approved quote, and selects the Auto Order action. The system validates the prerequisites (approval, feasibility, customer eligibility, billing readiness), validates the quote, creates a new order, and guides the ESR to the order view for further processing. The Auto Ordering feature concludes once the quote header is completed and order details are successfully captured.

System Capabilities and Configuration

The Siebel UI has been customized for the Lead-to-Order reference solution by adding the following new fields or extensions to support auto ordering functionality:

  • The system copies the following fields from the quote to the new order:
    • Header:
      • Transaction type
      • Monthly Recurring Charges (MRC)
    • Line Items:
      • All feasibility-related extensions
      • All reservation-related extensions
      • Any product model extensions reflected in the quote line items (for example, inventory indication, feasibility requirement, approval level, and so on)
  • The system enforces several validations before order creation. If the following validations fail, the system blocks order creation and displays an error:
    • Quote status is Approved
    • If a product requires inventory reservation and a reservation exists, its status must be Reserved and the end date must be valid. If reservation is not required, this validation is skipped.
    • For any line item with resource reservation (resource number allocated in Service ID field), reservation end date is valid (Service ID itself is not mandatory)
    • Customer is in Active status
    • At least one billing profile is fully captured (including contact info, address, and payment method)
    • All quote line items include customer references (owner, billing, service) and billing profile
    • Customer collection status is not In collection
    • Customer Blacklisted indication is not Yes
    • Customer fraud status is Not Fraud
  • Orders created using Auto Ordering have the following characteristics:
    • After final validation, the order can be submitted, which locks edits and triggers downstream fulfillment (OSM/COM)
    • Order is created in Approved status
    • Order header information is read-only
    • Catalog view is read-only; new lines cannot be added
    • Line items cannot be removed
    • Editing line items is restricted to users with the Digital Business Experience Order Operations responsibility
    • Configuration (customize) actions are available only to users with the Digital Business Experience Order Operations responsibility
    • Feasibility, inventory/resource reservation, contract printing, validation, revision, cancellation, and submission are enabled
    • Reverting order status to In progress requires order revision

Creating a New Order Using Direct Ordering

The Direct Ordering feature allows the Enterprise Sales Representative (ESR) to initiate a new customer order without requiring a prior quote. This workflow is used when a quote is not needed, enabling the ESRs to capture customer requests for new services quickly and efficiently. The process starts when an ESR uses the New Order option from the Customer 360 view. The system validates the customer information and creates the order header, guiding the ESR to review and supplement the order with any additional details. The process concludes once the order header is filled out, allowing the ESR to proceed to product and service selection.

This feature provides a streamlined alternative to the auto-ordering process (quote-to-order), giving organizations flexibility to match the order creation method with their business processes.

System Capabilities and Configuration

The Siebel UI has been customized for the Lead-to-Order reference solution by adding the following new fields or extensions to support direct ordering functionality:

  • ESRs can quickly create a new order directly from the Customer 360 view using a New Order quick action.
  • The system disables active order search, ensuring each New Order action initiates a fresh transaction, regardless of existing open orders.
  • The order name defaults to a combination of the customer name and the current date/time for easy identification.
  • The Transaction Type field is included in the order header and is populated from the DBE_MACD_EVENT list of values.
  • The transaction type automatically defaults to New for orders created through this method.
  • The system triggers all relevant checks using the validation matrix, as specified in the validation framework. This ensures that customer and order information meet required business and data quality standards before advancing in the ordering process.

About Order Validation

The Order Validation feature ensures that sales orders meet all business, technical, and compliance requirements before proceeding to the next stage. Sales managers and Enterprise Sales Representatives (ESRs) can trigger order validations manually or validations may be executed automatically during key order events. The system checks the order against a comprehensive set of rules, then displays actionable results to the user, supporting data integrity and order accuracy across the sales process.

System Capabilities and Configuration

The Siebel UI has been customized for the Lead-to-Order reference solution by adding the following new fields or extensions to support order validation functionality:

  • The system leverages the validation matrix developed as part of the quote validation infrastructure. For more information about quote validation, see "Performing Automated Feasibility Validation".
  • Each order validation is categorized with the validation entity Sales Order and validation event Validation.
  • The following are the validations covered:
    • All configurations are complete and valid (all mandatory fields are completed and constraints satisfied).
    • For line items requiring inventory or resource reservation, the reservation end date must be current (non-expired) or in the future.
    • For such items, reservation status must be Reserved.
    • For line items requiring feasibility checks, the fulfillment status must be Passed TSQ.
    • If a feasibility start date exists, the current order due date must be earlier than the feasibility date.
    • An attachment of type Contract must be present and its status must be Approved.
    • The customer account status must be Active.
    • The customer fraud status must not be Fraud.
    • The customer account blacklist flag must be OFF.
    • The order status must be Approved.
    • The customer collection status must not be In collection.
    • All order line items must have an associated billing profile in Completed status.
  • Upon validation, results are presented clearly to the user, indicating where corrections are required or where the order can proceed.
  • If any critical rules are not met, the order cannot advance until all issues are resolved.
  • Organizations can extend and update the validation matrix as requirements evolve, ensuring ongoing compliance with new business rules or regulatory needs.

About Order Approval

The Order Approval feature enables organizations to control, track, and enforce approval workflows for sales orders before submission and fulfillment. The process leverages the existing quote approval infrastructure, ensuring a consistent and audit-ready approach for both quotes and orders. Approval rules, such as thresholds and approver selection are determined according to defined organizational hierarchies and policy requirements.

When a sales order meets certain threshold criteria, the system automatically routes it to the appropriate approver(s) based on position hierarchies. The approver reviews the order details and either approves or rejects the order. Approved orders become restricted for editing, ensuring the integrity and compliance of key business transactions.

For more information about quote approval process, see Approving a Quote.

System Capabilities and Configuration

The Siebel UI has been customized for the Lead-to-Order reference solution by adding the following new fields or extensions to support order approval functionality:

  • Extended the Approval Administration view to include threshold criteria for the Sales Order entity.
  • Added all relevant approval-related fields (such as, approval type, threshold, approver, approval date, and so on) to the order header.
  • During auto-ordering (conversion from an approved quote), all approval information (threshold, approver, approval date) is copied from the quote to the order.
  • After approval:
    • The order header and catalog view become read-only.
    • New line items cannot be added, and existing line items cannot be removed.
    • Only users with the DBE Order Operations responsibility may edit line item information or use configuration actions (customize).
    • Feasibility checks, inventory and resource reservations, contract printing, validation, revision, cancellation, and order submission remain enabled.
    • The status of an approved order can only be reverted to In Progress by creating a new order revision.
  • Supporting configurations:
    • Define position hierarchies with multiple approval levels, aligned with your organizational structure and the quote approval process.
    • Configure the hierarchy to include low approval levels to demonstrate scenarios where no higher-level approver exists (highest-level fallback).
    • Assign users to different positions in the approval hierarchy.
    • Optionally integrate email notifications for approval requests or decisions.

About Order Submission

The Order Submission feature allows the Enterprise Sales Representative (ESR) to formally initiate the fulfillment process for an order, whether it was created directly or via a quote. Once an order has been fully captured, validated, and approved, the ESR submits it for provisioning. The system ensures the order is eligible for submission by running all required validations, updates the order status to Submitted, and transitions the order to a view-only state (except for revision or cancellation). This process is critical for activating the delivery of products and services to the customer.

System Capabilities and Configuration

The Siebel UI has been customized for the Lead-to-Order reference solution by adding the following new fields or extensions to support order submission functionality:

  • The system reuses the existing validation framework, introducing a new validation event called New Order Submission.
  • All required validations for submission are managed through the validation administration matrix.
  • Before submission, the system verifies that all order conditions are met:
    • Full capture, validation, and approval of order details.
    • For orders with inventory or resource reservations, reservation dates must be current if applicable.
    • Logical resource reservation is mandatory when required by configuration.
  • Order submission uses the standard AIA integration and the Submit Order ASI workflow to trigger downstream fulfillment.
  • Standard workflows and web services automatically update order header and line item statuses in alignment with back-end systems (for example, Siebel).
  • Upon submission, the order status changes to Submitted.
  • The order becomes view-only, with the exception of permitted revision and cancellation operations according to inflight ordering policies.

About Order Cancellation

The Order Cancellation feature allows the Enterprise Sales Representative (ESR) to cancel customer orders that are still in the capture stage and have not yet been submitted for fulfillment. This function is available for both direct orders and those created through quotes. When an order must be stopped either by internal decision or at customer request, the ESR can review the order details and use the Cancel Order action. The system then updates the order’s status to Cancelled, releases any reserved inventory and resources, and changes the order to view-only mode. This ensures that all related systems are promptly updated and prevents further modification to the cancelled order.

System Capabilities and Configuration

The Siebel UI has been customized for the Lead-to-Order reference solution by adding the following new fields or extensions to support order cancellation functionality:

  • The Cancel Order action is available for only submitted orders.
  • The Discard Order action is available when the order status is In progress, Approved, or Pending Approval (not yet submitted).
  • When an order is cancelled:
    • The system triggers integration to the inventory management solution, automatically requesting unreservation for line items with an active “Reservation reference ID” and a valid end date (or a null value).
    • The system triggers integration to the resource management solution, unreserving resources for line items where Serialized is set to Yes, the reservation status is Reserved, and the validity end date is current or future (or null).
    • Both integrations use standard APIs, referencing the reservation or resource ID to release allocations.
  • Once the order is cancelled, the system sets the order’s status either to Cancelled or Discarded. The order is changed to View-only mode; no further modifications are permitted.

Note:

ESRs can still copy or revise the cancelled order, as needed, using standard system features.

About Order Cleanup

The Order Cleanup feature provides an automated, scheduled service that cancels inactive sales orders based on defined thresholds. This technical capability helps maintain system cleanliness by identifying and removing orders that remain in inactive states for extended periods. The cleanup process uses predefined rules to determine which orders are eligible for cancellation, ensuring only genuinely abandoned or outdated orders are affected.

System Capabilities and Configuration

The Siebel UI has been customized for the Lead-to-Order reference solution by adding the following new fields or extensions to support order cleanup functionality:

  • Use the Cleanup Details view to set creation and update thresholds (in days) for sales order cleanup.
  • Thresholds are defined for the “Sales Order” entity and determine the maximum allowable inactivity periods before an order becomes eligible for cleanup.
  • Batch process logic:
    • The cleanup service runs as a scheduled batch process using the Siebel scheduler.
    • The batch process performs the following actions:
      • Queries threshold values based on the configuration for the “Sales Order” entity.
      • Identifies all orders in Pending, Awaiting approval, or Approved status.
      • Checks whether the order age (current date minus creation date) exceeds the specified threshold.
      • Verifies that neither the order header nor any line item has been updated within the threshold; if any part of the order has been updated recently, the order is not cancelled.
      • Ensures that submitted orders are never cancelled, regardless of age.

Note:

  • If any threshold value is missing, that specific criterion is not applied.
  • If no threshold value or record exists for the “Sales Order” entity, the batch process stops and cleanup does not proceed.
  • The cleanup feature is purely technical and does not address business-driven cancellation needs.
  • Regularly review and update threshold values to ensure proper order management and to avoid unintended cancellations.
  • Only orders not submitted for fulfillment and not recently updated are eligible for automated cleanup.
  • Review order process statuses and update procedures as needed to align with cleanup policies.

About Order Progress Tracker

The Order Progress Tracker feature empowers sales managers to monitor and review the current state and historical progress of customer orders. Through a dedicated view, managers can quickly assess the timeline of each order, identify potential delays, and drill down into order details as needed. This visibility helps to proactively manage order fulfillment and address timeline challenges before they impact the customer experience.

System Capabilities and Configuration

The Siebel UI has been customized for the Lead-to-Order reference solution by adding the following new fields or extensions to support order progress tracker functionality:

  • The system logs all major order status changes, starting from order creation (Pending status) and tracking each transition in the order lifecycle.
  • Each stage log captures:
    • Status name
    • Start date (quote creation date for “in progress”)
    • End date
    • Total number of days in the status
    • Set by (employee responsible for the status change)
    • Expected duration, compared against actual time in status
  • The state model “Order Tracker” stores an entry for each order status, including the expected duration (in days).
  • The system highlights when any order status exceeds its expected duration, providing a clear warning to the manager.
  • The name of the state model with standard duration is a configurable parameter for flexibility.
  • A new Order Tracker view (or a reused existing view) is added to the Order screen with the following:
    • Default visibility is My team, with an option to expand to Across organization.
    • Fields displayed include:
      • Exception indicators (such as overdue status or order past its requested due date)
      • Owner (sales team)
      • Order number and name
      • Requested due date and submission date
      • Order totals (MRC and NRC, after adjustments)
      • Current status
      • Customer name
      • Linked quote number
    • Orders are sorted by creation date (oldest to newest).
    • The applet supports toggling between All (all non-cancelled orders) and Open only (orders not in Completed or Cancelled status), with Open only as the default.
  • The tracker uses clear graphical cues to flag:
    • Orders past their requested due date
    • Orders with current status exceeding expected duration
  • A dedicated applet displays the status tracker based on the logged status changes, allowing users to see the progression of each order at a glance.