Keith,
It seems you are trying to determine if it makes sense to use Shipping Data Entry in your company, or just go directly to Invoice Data Entry. Let me see if I can help provide some clarity. Shipping Data Entry is designed to be used by warehouse workers who are packing boxes and filling orders. It includes functionality to help them put items into multiple boxes and track which items go into which boxes. It then allows them to print a packing list for the shipment and optionally can print a separate packing list for each box, listing the unique contents of just that box, while also printing a master packing list that shows everything being shipped. So, if this business process makes sense for your organization, like it does in Big Louie's case, then you can use it. This works well if there are frequent backorders and exceptions that need to happen. And, it has the added benefit of being able to use scanners to scan each item as it is being shipped to help ensure accuracy. Shipping Data Entry also integrates with StarShip for shipping integration, allowing freight rates to flow back into the record for accurate shipping costs on corresponding invoices.
If your shipping needs are simple, you tend to put everything in a single box, don't need the packing list or shipping integration, and want to have accounting personnel create invoices after shipping has occurred, then use Invoice Data Entry. As Louie says, the two functionalities end up with the same result - you've got Invoices entered into the system that you need to deliver to your customers. It's really a matter of what makes the most sense in your operation and how you prefer to do business. Hope this helps!
