Glossary
What is a backorder?
A backorder is the yardage still owed to a customer after a shipment goes out short.
Short shipments are normal in fabric, because stock is held in irregular roll lengths rather than uniform units. What matters is whether the shortfall is recorded or remembered.
A backorder should be created automatically when a packing list ships less than ordered, and should be checkable against incoming stock, so the yardage still owed is a number rather than a note on someone’s desk.