How to Review and Manage Unacknowledged Orders

Learn the daily best practice for reviewing unacknowledged orders, managing shipping holds, and ensuring timely production optimization.

April 29, 2026 By Alicia Stull

Reviewing your unacknowledged orders should be a top priority every morning. Taking 10 to 30 minutes at the start of your day to address holds, fix dates, and acknowledge ready orders ensures that customers get their products on time and helps the optimization team maintain a regular production schedule.

Accessing Unacknowledged Orders

Step #1: Click the Order Maintenance icon in the top ribbon menu. — Click the **Order Maintenance** icon in the top ribbon menu.

Step #2: Open the view dropdown in the upper left and select Not Acknowledged Orders. — Open the view dropdown in the upper left and select **Not Acknowledged Orders**.

Step #3: Click the Plan Date column header to sort the list. — Click the **Plan Date** column header to sort the list.

Sorting by the planned date brings the oldest, past-due orders to the top of the list so you can address them first.

The Planned Date dictates when the optimization team sends an order to production. If an order sits unacknowledged past its planned date, it will inevitably miss its initial target ship date.

Reviewing and Updating Problem Orders

Look for orders that have past planned dates or are explicitly marked "On Hold."

Step #4: Double-click on an order row to open its shipment details. — Double-click on an order row to open its shipment details.

Investigate why the order is delayed. Common issues include past-due customer accounts or duplicate PO numbers. If an order has been delayed and cannot make its original target ship date, you must push the date out to set realistic expectations.

Step #5: Click the calendar icon next to the Required Date field. — Click the calendar icon next to the **Required Date** field.

Step #6: Select the new, adjusted target date. — Select the new, adjusted target date.

Step #7: Click Yes when prompted to confirm moving the target ship date. — Click **Yes** when prompted to confirm moving the target ship date.

Step #8: Click the X to close the order window. — Click the X to close the order window.

LBUC Deliveries: If you are moving the date on an LBUC (Large Box Unit Carrier) delivery, you must communicate with dispatch before acknowledging. Do not move LBUC dates without making sure the new delivery date works for the scheduled board.

Duplicate PO Numbers: If an order is held for a duplicate PO, investigate if the customer is reusing a PO for a large job. If so, append a "-1" (or similar) to the PO number, or request a system override to process it.

Acknowledging Orders and Cleaning Up

Once you have verified an order is accurate, holds are cleared, and the dates are achievable, you can push it through.

Step #9: Select the ready order(s) from the grid and click Acknowledge at the bottom of the window. — Select the ready order(s) from the grid and click **Acknowledge** at the bottom of the window.

Acknowledging the order removes it from your list and sends the acknowledgment to the customer.

Delete abandoned $0.00 orders: While reviewing, you may see orders with $0 amounts. These are usually abandoned drafts. Be sure to delete or close these out. Leaving them on the board clutters the list and causes tracking issues on the WIP report.

Check this list periodically throughout the day to ensure a smooth flow of orders to the optimization team.