Generic Ordering App: Alice Instructions

Before using Alice, two files are required:

1.  item.csv This is a CSV file that contains the item list.  Each line of the file must contain the following:

<item_name>,<item_code>,<unit>

For example, a business that is involved with groceries may contain the following lines in its item.csv file:

Bears Brand Powdered Milk 33g,BB33,case
Bears Brand Powdered Milk 80g,BB80,case
Cofimate Original 80g,CM80,case
Cofimate Original 170g,CM170,case
Nescape 3in1 Brown N' Creamy,NESBRN,case
Nescape 3in1 Creamylatte,NESCRM,case

It is recommended that item codes are short, so that it does not take too much character space in the SMS the app sends.

2.  customer.csv This is a CSV file that contains the customer list.  Each line of the file must contain the following:

<customer_name>,<customer_code>

Again, as an example of a business involved in groceries, the file may contain the following lines:

Seven Eleven Twelve,7112
Mini Go,MINGO
Lawton,LAW
Family Supermart,FAM
Puresilver,PUR
Shopsmart,SHOP

Similar to the reasoning in item.csv, it is recommended to keep customer codes short.

Open Alice, and a directory "2_alice" at internal storage is created.

Copy the CSV files in 2_alice.

Open Alice.  Tapping the three vertical dots on the upper right corner of the screen reveals the menu.  Tap "Import Client File", and "Import Item File".  The CSV files are loaded into the app's internal storage.  After doing this, you may delete the CSV files.

Before using Alice, the mobile phone where the SMS orders shall be sent must also be set.  Do this by opening the menu again, and tapping "Edit Send Number".  The phone's directory opens, where you can select the contact to send the orders.

Once setup (importing item and client files, setting the send number) is complete you may start using Alice.

Selecting a customer is easy.  Just type the customer name at the text box on the screen.  It is autocomplete, so once suggestions appear after two characters are typed, select the customer name.  You won't be able to send SMS orders if clients are not selected from the suggestions.

Adding orders is done

by tapping the plus icon at the title bar.  Doing so opens the "Add Order" screen where you can specify the quantity and item the customer wants.  Type a number in quantity.  Similar to the customer text box, the item text box is also autocomplete, so typing any initial two letters within the item's name brings out suggestions.  Select the item name from the suggestions, and you will be back at the main screen with the order in the list.  You may also scroll the item list to manually look for the item.  There is an index to the list's right for faster searching.

You may change the order quantity by long pressing an order to make a context menu appear, and tapping "Edit".  A dialog box "Edit Order" appears.  Edit the quantity, and press "OK".

Delete an order by selecting "Delete" from the context menu.

When you're done with taking a customer's order, and you're ready to send the orders to the main office, just tap the paper airplane icon, or open the menu and tap "Send".  A message confirming the orders are sent through SMS appears.

The sent message appears like this:

<customer_code>
<quantity>-<item code>

or a more concrete example is:

71112
3-BB33
7-CM170
1-NESCRM

which means client Seven Eleven Twelve ordered:
3 cases of Bears Brand 33g
7 cases of Cofimate Original 170g
1 case of Nescape 3in1 Creamylatte

As a company goes along, clients, and items may change.  You may edit clients by opening the menu, and tapping "Edit Client".  A list of client names, and client codes appears.  To add a client, tap the plus icon on the upper right of the screen, and the "Add Client" dialog appears.  Fill up the name, and code fields, and press "OK".  Not filling up one of them cancels the addition process.

To change a client's name, or code, long press the client entry in the "Edit Client" screen to show a context menu with "Edit", and "Delete".  Tap "Edit" to show the "Edit Client" dialog, which is similar to "Add Client" dialog.  Edit the fields you want, and press "OK".  The client entry is updated.

You may also delete clients by long pressing the client entry, and selecting "Delete".

Editing item entries is similar to editing clients.  You may start editing items by selecting "Edit Item" at the menu of the main screen, and following similar steps as editing clients.

 Exit the app by doubling tapping the back button.

Generic Ordering App: Alice

Alice is a generic products ordering app that uses SMS to send orders from clients to the main office.  The app was created to address issues of documentation, response time, and mobile internet availability in certain areas where clients are located.  Its simple user interface enables roving agents to accurately receive orders from customers, and immediately send these to be fulfilled by the main office.  The SMS Alice generates are in the form of compact quantity-item code pairs, which is well suited for the 160 character limit.  Sending orders via SMS is much more reliable than using mobile data, which may not be available in some remote areas, or whose signal may be too weak to be efficiently used.  An added benefit of using SMS is documentation of client orders, so mistakes can be avoided making products delivered to the customers are what they specified.

This app is intended for companies, which employ agents, who are deployed to remote areas to receive client orders.  The app also assumes that the organisation using this has clients codes, and item codes for each customer, and SKU, respectively.  Moreover, it may also be used by customers, who may conveniently select the orders by themselves instead of spelling out the whole product name, and quantity on SMS.