> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.macleather.co.uk/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Material Workflow

> Track materials from order to approval

# Material Workflow

Every sample has three materials that need to be sourced: **Leather**, **Accessories**, and **Lining**. Each material moves through its own workflow independently.

## Status Flow

```mermaid theme={null}
flowchart TD
    A[Not Ordered] --> B[Ordered]
    B --> C[Started]
    C --> D[In Transit]
    D --> E[In House]
    E --> F[Approved]

    B -.-> G[Delay]
    C -.-> G
    D -.-> G
    G -.-> B
    G -.-> C
    G -.-> D

    E -.-> H[Sent Back]
    H -.-> B

    A -.-> I[On Hold]
    B -.-> I
    I -.-> A
    I -.-> B
```

## Status Definitions

<Steps>
  <Step title="Not Ordered">
    Initial state. Material hasn't been ordered from a supplier yet.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Ordered">
    Purchase order sent to supplier. Waiting for them to begin work.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Started">
    Supplier has begun preparing or manufacturing the material.
  </Step>

  <Step title="In Transit">
    Material shipped from supplier. On its way to the factory.
  </Step>

  <Step title="In House">
    Material arrived at the factory. Ready for quality inspection.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Approved">
    Quality check passed. Material is ready to use in production.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Special Statuses

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Delay">
    Use when a supplier has reported a delay. The material will return to its previous status once the delay is resolved.

    Common reasons: stock issues, production backlog, shipping delays.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="On Hold">
    Use when you're pausing procurement. Perhaps waiting for customer confirmation or evaluating alternatives.

    Materials on hold won't progress until you manually resume them.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Sent Back">
    Use when material failed quality check and needs to be returned to the supplier.

    After marking as Sent Back, the material returns to Ordered status when the replacement is dispatched.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Updating Material Status

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the sample">
    Go to **Samples** and click on the sample you want to update.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Find the Materials section">
    Scroll to the **Materials** card showing Leather, Accessories, and Lining.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click the status badge">
    Click on the current status badge next to any material.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select new status">
    Choose the new status from the dropdown. Add any notes if needed.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Supplier Information

Each material can store supplier details:

| Field         | Description                        |
| ------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| Supplier      | Company providing the material     |
| PO Number     | Purchase order reference           |
| Expected Date | When you expect delivery           |
| Notes         | Additional details or instructions |

<Info>
  **Auto-Status Update**

  When all three materials reach **Approved** status, the sample automatically moves to **In House** status. This triggers the next phase of sample development.
</Info>

## Tips

<Tip>
  Update material statuses as soon as you receive updates from suppliers. This keeps the whole team informed and helps identify bottlenecks early.
</Tip>

<Warning>
  Don't skip statuses. Moving directly from "Ordered" to "Approved" loses valuable tracking information and makes it harder to audit the procurement process.
</Warning>

***

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can't change material status">
    **Cause:** You may not have permission, or the transition isn't allowed.

    **Solution:** Check the status flow diagram above. Some transitions require intermediate steps.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Sample not updating to In House">
    **Cause:** Not all materials are Approved yet.

    **Solution:** Check each material (Leather, Accessories, Lining). All three must be Approved.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Wrong status selected">
    **Cause:** Clicked wrong option.

    **Solution:** Change to correct status immediately. Add a note explaining the correction.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Supplier field not saving">
    **Cause:** Field validation error.

    **Solution:** Ensure supplier name is entered. Check for special characters.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>