Trade Guides
Windows and Exterior Doors: Moving Dealer Orders Off Email
Window dealer ordering software replaces emailed spec sheets with checked orders: rough openings, handing, glass options, POs and status that dealers can see.
Window dealer ordering software replaces the emailed spec sheet with a structured order that checks itself: sizes within the product's limits, handing and swing set correctly, glass and hardware options that actually go together. For manufacturers of windows and exterior doors, that means fewer phone calls to clarify, fewer remakes and dealers who can see where their order stands without asking.
Why email ordering breaks down
Most window and door manufacturers started with a spreadsheet or PDF order form that dealers fill in and email back. It works at low volume. As the dealer network grows, the cracks show:
- Free-text fields. "LH inswing" can mean different things to different people. A dealer types "white" when the product comes in three whites.
- Impossible combinations. A size outside the product's range, or a grille pattern that is not offered with that glass package.
- Re-keying. Someone in your office types the emailed order into your production system, and every re-key is a chance for a transposed digit.
- Version drift. Dealers keep using last year's form with old options and old prices.
- No status. Dealers email to ask where an order is, and someone has to look it up.
Each of these is small. Across hundreds of openings a month, they add up to remakes and a customer service team that spends its day on clarification.
What window dealer ordering software should check
The value is in the rules. A good ordering flow checks each line before it is submitted.
- Size limits per product. Minimum and maximum width and height, plus any maximum area or ratio limits your engineering sets.
- Rough opening vs. unit size. Let dealers enter one and calculate the other with your standard allowances, so the order is clear about which size is which.
- Handing and swing. Use diagrams, viewed from the exterior or interior as your standard says, so left-hand and right-hand are not guessed.
- Option compatibility. Glass packages, grilles, colours, hardware and screens filter based on what is already chosen.
- Code-style checks. Common North American codes set requirements such as emergency escape openings in sleeping rooms and safety glazing in certain locations. A checkout can prompt the dealer to confirm room use and location, and flag combinations that may need attention. The dealer and their customer should always confirm requirements with local code.
Line entry for big jobs
A dealer quoting a whole house might have 25 or 40 openings. Entering each one through a step-by-step flow is slow for a professional. Two options help:
- Grid entry. A table where each row is an opening, with dropdowns for product, size, handing and options, checked row by row.
- CSV upload. The dealer uploads a schedule from their own takeoff, and each line is checked against the same rules, with errors shown per line. This is the same idea as ordering from a cut list in cabinetry.
| Approach | Best for | What gets checked |
|---|---|---|
| Guided flow | Homeowners, single replacements | Every choice, step by step |
| Grid entry | Dealers, mid-size jobs | Each row against product rules |
| CSV upload | Dealers, large schedules | Each imported line against product rules |
POs, terms and approvals
Dealers buy on account. They need to add their PO number or job name to every order, and many expect net terms. Larger dealers have several people ordering, so the owner wants approval limits: a salesperson can submit up to a set amount, and anything above that goes to a manager. We go deeper on this in Net 30, POs and credit limits.
Status that dealers can see
A dealer's customer will ask "when are my windows coming?" The dealer should be able to log in and see the status of each order without calling you. Even a simple set of stages (received, in production, ready, shipped) cuts a lot of inbound email.
Reorders matter too. Replacement sashes, screens and hardware are often reordered exactly as before. A one-click reorder from order history saves the dealer from filling out the whole form again.
Moving dealers over
Changing how dealers order takes a little care:
- Start with a few active dealers who are comfortable with online tools.
- Keep the email option open for a short transition, then set a date when new orders come through the portal.
- Show dealers what they gain: status visibility, saved jobs, faster reorders and fewer clarification calls.
For more on what a dealer portal should include, see what a B2B dealer portal should do.
How Inlay handles this
- Inlay's dealer portal gives each dealer a login, their own price tier, PO numbers on every order and net terms (Net 15/30/60) invoiced through your Stripe account.
- Size limits, option compatibility and code-style checks run on every line, including CSV bulk entries, so errors are caught before the order is placed.
- Dealers can see order status, reorder in one click and set up team logins with approval limits.
- Dealers can send quotes to their own clients under their own logo and markup.
- Orders sync to your production system via Allmoxy, a webhook, CSV or email.
Book a 20-minute demo to see your window and door catalogue in an Inlay dealer portal.