Common Mistakes in Backorder Management and Partial Shipments and How to Avoid Them

🔁 COMMON MISTAKES IN BACKORDER MANAGEMENT AND PARTIAL SHIPMENTS — AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

Turn Supply Disruptions into Strategic Wins with Better ERP Communication

In a perfect world, every order would ship complete and on time. But in construction, where product availability changes daily and timelines are always moving, backorders and partial shipments are just part of the game.

That doesn’t mean your customers should be left guessing.

In fact, poor communication around partial shipments and backorders is one of the top reasons contractors switch suppliers. The fix? A smarter ERP setup that’s built for transparency, alerts, and coordination.

🚫 THE RISKS OF GETTING IT WRONG

A contractor plans a crew based on expected delivery, only to find half the load is missing

They install the wrong material because they don’t realize the spec item was backordered

They overorder, thinking the original shipment was incomplete

These errors create jobsite chaos, unnecessary returns, and a major loss of trust.

⚠️ COMMON MISTAKES (AND ERP FIXES)

1️⃣ No Backorder Notification Sent

🛠️ ERP Fix:

Set your ERP to auto-email or text customers when any SKU goes on backorder

Include ETA, quantity backordered, and substitution options

Allow inside sales to view backorders by customer/project in real time

2️⃣ Confusion on Partial Shipments

🛠️ ERP Fix:

Print clear delivery notes showing what was shipped and what’s pending

Add visual flags to invoices and packing slips: “Partially Fulfilled”

Use ERP to create follow-up orders linked to the original PO

3️⃣ No Visibility on What’s Coming Next

🛠️ ERP Fix:

Show live expected delivery dates inside the contractor’s portal

Let customers approve substitutions or cancel lines digitally

Add alerts for when backordered items are received and ready to dispatch

📱 REAL-WORLD SCENARIO

A drywall contractor is staging for a Monday ceiling install. Half the order arrives Saturday, but no one tells the site manager it’s incomplete.

Result? The crew shows up, realizes they can’t finish, and sends everyone home.

✅ With ERP: The system flagged the order as partial, the site manager got a text alert, and they rescheduled the crew — saving time and labor costs.

🧰 ERP FEATURES TO REDUCE CONFUSION

ERP FunctionBenefit

Auto backorder alertsKeeps customers informed without follow-up calls

Partial shipment visibilityReduces project confusion and extra labor

Linked delivery ordersKeeps your team organized on follow-ups

Substitution approvalsHelps avoid shipping the wrong replacement

Contractor portal accessBuilds trust through full transparency

🎯 FINAL THOUGHTS

Backorders and partials will happen — but the way you manage them makes all the difference. Smart ERP tools turn these situations from points of failure into moments of reliability and professionalism.

📞 Ready to turn shipping gaps into opportunities to build trust? Let’s make your ERP smarter and your deliveries cleaner.