# Ship part of an order or close it short (/docs/sales/partial-and-close-short)

An order can ship in several deliveries. After the first one ships, the sales order shows **Partially
shipped** until every piece is out. If the customer will not take the rest, Sales (Nurul Aina) closes the
balance short.

```mermaid
%% title: Partially shipped order
flowchart LR
  A[Confirmed or In production] -->|Ship part| B[Partially shipped]
  B -->|Create delivery order · remaining qty| B
  B -->|Last delivery ships| C[Shipped]
  B -->|Close short · reason| D[Closed short]
```

## Ship the rest of a partly shipped order [#ship-the-rest-of-a-partly-shipped-order]

<Steps>
<Step>

Open the order in **Sales > Orders**. It shows **Partially shipped** and the **Shipped qty**.

</Step>
<Step>

Choose **Create delivery order · remaining qty** and sign. The delivery order is for what is still owed
(ordered less shipped), with lots chosen earliest expiry first.

</Step>
<Step>

Pack, dispatch and ship it as in [Pick, pack and ship](/docs/sales/delivery-and-shipping).

</Step>
</Steps>

<GuideStep
  title="A partially shipped order"
  description="The order has shipped some pieces. The step buttons offer the rest or Close short."
  src="/guide/partial-and-close-short/1.png"
  alt="Sales order in Partially shipped status on desktop with the two step buttons"
  width={1440}
  height={1000}
  callouts={[
    { x: 85, y: 9, caption: "Create delivery order · remaining qty, and Close short." },
    { x: 30, y: 30, caption: "Quantity ordered and shipped quantity." },
    { x: 50, y: 60, caption: "History: each delivery that shipped." },
  ]}
/>

## Ship only part of a delivery [#ship-only-part-of-a-delivery]

On the packing screen you can dispatch fewer pieces than the delivery order holds. Choose the **Partial
dispatch** mode, build and load only the packs that leave, and **Confirm dispatch**. The message reads
`{key} partly dispatched`. When you choose **Ship · issue CoC**, only the dispatched pieces ship on that
delivery order. A new **Picked** delivery order for the balance is created, with its own lots and any packs
built but not sent.

## Close short [#close-short]

Use **Close short** when the balance will never ship.

<Steps>
<Step>

Clear anything open first: finish or cancel the manufacturing order, and ship or cancel any open delivery
order for this sales order. A **Picked** delivery order goes **Return to draft** and then **Cancel**.

</Step>
<Step>

Open the order and choose **Close short**.

</Step>
<Step>

Type the **reason**, at least 4 characters, for example `Customer cancelled the balance`. Sign.

</Step>
<Step>

The order becomes **Closed short**. The history records `Balance closed short` with the number of pieces not
delivered.

</Step>
</Steps>

## What happens to production and planning [#what-happens-to-production-and-planning]

A **Closed short**, **Shipped** or **Cancelled** order is finished. You cannot create a delivery order for
it, raise a purchase requisition for it, or link a new manufacturing order to it. Open manufacturing orders
must be completed or cancelled before the order is closed short, because Production would keep using
material for goods that can no longer ship.

## If the system refuses [#if-the-system-refuses]

Every message is in [Delivery refusals](/docs/sales/refusals#close-short-and-balance). The usual ones:

| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| `{key} has {mo} open ({status}). The balance can be closed short once the manufacturing order is completed or cancelled.` | Complete or cancel the manufacturing order. |
| `{key} has delivery order {do} open. ... before closing the balance short.` | Ship the delivery order, or return it to draft and cancel it. |
| `{key} has no balance left to close. It is fully shipped.` | Nothing to close. |
| `Close short needs a reason. Enter why.` | Type at least 4 characters. |

<NextSteps>

<NextStep href="/docs/sales/refusals" title="Sales refusals" description="Every message and the fix." />

<NextStep href="/docs/sales/delivery-and-shipping" title="Pick, pack and ship" description="The delivery steps." />

<NextStep href="/docs/sales/repeat-order" title="Take a repeat order" description="Order the same product again." />

</NextSteps>