---
title: "Creating an order"
description: "Build, validate, and process orders on the Create Order screen — enter addresses and items, apply shipping and discounts, choose a payment method, and submit for processing."
doc_type: how-to
audience: merchant
sidebar_position: 1
# Provenance — do not edit by hand; used by re-run diffing and redirects.
confluence_page_id: "4159995935"
confluence_url: "https://ultracart.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/ucdoc/pages/4159995935"
last_updated_in_confluence: "2026-02-18T21:41:27.850Z"
---
The create order screen is the primary workspace for building and processing orders. It walks you through addresses, items, shipping, discounts, and payment in a single scrollable form with real-time totals.

## Overview

When you navigate to **Order Entry > Create Order**, UltraCart initializes a new server-side cart. Every change you make — adding items, entering addresses, selecting shipping — is automatically saved to the server. This means your work persists across page refreshes and long sessions.

![Order entry create order screen](pathname:///confluence/4159995935/oe-create-order.png)

The screen is organized into these sections from top to bottom:

1.  Billing and shipping addresses
2.  Line items
3.  Shipping methods and order options (coupons, gift certificates, storefront, sales rep)
4.  Gift message and special instructions
5.  Custom fields
6.  Payment method
7.  Order summary and action buttons

## Starting a new order

When you first open the create order screen, a fresh cart is ready for you. If you need to clear your current work and start over, select the **Start Over** button in the toolbar. UltraCart prompts for confirmation, then deletes the current cart and initializes a new one.

## Building the order

Each major section of the order form is covered in its own documentation page:

-   **Addresses** — enter billing and shipping information, search for customers, and link customer profiles. See [Customers and addresses](./customers-and-addresses.md).
-   **Items** — search for products, handle variations, add items in bulk, and configure item options. See [Items and products](./items-and-products.md).
-   **Shipping** — calculate shipping rates, select a method, override costs, and configure in-store pickup. See [Shipping and delivery](./shipping-and-delivery.md).
-   **Discounts** — apply coupons, gift certificates, store credit, and pricing tiers. See [Discounts and credits](./discounts-and-credits.md).
-   **Payment** — choose from credit card, cash, check, agent-assisted, card reader, and more. See [Payment methods](./payment-methods.md).

## Recalculating totals

Select **Recalculate** at the bottom of the page to save the current cart to the server and have UltraCart recalculate all totals, including taxes, shipping, and discounts. This is useful after making several changes and wanting to confirm the final amounts.

## Validating an order

Select **Validate** to check the order for errors without processing it. UltraCart runs the same validation checks that occur during processing and reports any issues — such as missing required fields, invalid addresses, or payment problems — as notification messages.

## Processing the order

Select **Process Order** to submit the order. This button is enabled when the order meets these minimum requirements:

-   At least one item in the cart
-   A billing email address (not required in POS mode)
-   A payment method selected (not required when gift certificates or store credit cover the full total)

When you select **Process Order**, UltraCart saves any pending changes, validates the order, and submits it for processing. If successful, the screen transitions to the receipt view.

## The receipt screen

After successful processing, the create order screen is replaced by a receipt showing:

-   A success confirmation banner
-   The rendered order receipt with full order details
-   For quote orders: a short URL and long URL with copy-to-clipboard buttons for sharing with the customer

Select **Dismiss and Return to Order Entry** to clear the receipt and start a new order.

## Saving as a template

If you frequently create similar orders, select **Save as Template** to save the current cart state for reuse. You can save up to 20 templates. See [Order templates](./order-templates.md) for details.

## Session keep-alive

Order entry sessions can last a long time, especially during complex phone orders. UltraCart automatically keeps your session alive by sending a background request every 12 minutes, so your cart won't expire during extended order entry.

## Related pages

-   [Order entry overview](./index.md)
-   [Customers and addresses](./customers-and-addresses.md)
-   [Items and products](./items-and-products.md)
-   [Shipping and delivery](./shipping-and-delivery.md)
-   [Discounts and credits](./discounts-and-credits.md)
-   [Payment methods](./payment-methods.md)
-   [Order templates](./order-templates.md)