Timestone’ Software’s Internet Ordering System (IOS) provides a fully integrated and online ordering experience for both users and their customers.
The system supports two flexible ordering modes:
Pre-ordering (also known as Identify ordering)
Live Preview, where customers can view their images and preview their selected products with their selected pose, background an other customization choices.
These options enhance the customer experience and can significantly boost sales.
Thanks to seamless integration within the Timestone ecosystem, users can easily extend their workflow and custom ordering site to include advanced features such as:
Custom package templates and customer views
Dynamic pricelists
Multiple payment and shipping options
Conditional marketing
This article is intended to help users prepare to implement IOS effectively.
IMPORTANT
IOS is not a stand-alone product. It requires at least some of the Timestone Software production applications such as NeoPack.
Users must also be working with SQL jobs not TNJ files.
Hosting and Infrastructure
Timestone Software uses a specialist third-party hosting provider to manage all IOS websites. Hosting servers are strategically located in Europe, North America, and Australia. The choice of server is determined by the geographical location of the photographer.
All server maintenance, including backups, is handled directly by Timestone.
Preparing for IOS
A separate document is available, detailing what is needed from the user in order to prepare a site
Preparing for IOS
Requirements needed for building a site are discussed here:
Integrating with Applications
IOS integrates directly with the production applications. The production applications are where jobs are prepared, including data and image management and template creation.
The Timestone Administrator (tsAdmin) is used to define packages and offers that will be used online, together with a host of other customization and configuration options.
Uploading jobs
A dedicated upload utility, tsIOS, is used to upload jobs and manage all the associated options.
There is no need for the user to gather images and other resources, export text files, or do any number of manual tasks in order to have a job appear online.
Further Reading: Uploading a Job to tsIOS
Jobs are uploaded to the Timestone Internet Ordering System via the tsIOS utility. Apart from uploading the job and (if present) images, tsIOS is used to set several parameters pertaining to how the job behaves once online.
A feature of the Timestone Internet Ordering System (IOS) is the concept of "Live Rendering", meaning the customer can see their images inside the Products and packages available online.
Downloading Online Orders
There are two applications capable of retrieving online orders for processing: NeoPack and Fulfill
Online orders in NeoPack
Most commonly, online preorders are downloaded into NeoPack, where they are batch-handled and printed.
If orders are set to process via NeoPack, the user must first add their IOS login in the File > Options window, under the Portal tab. Orders can then be downloaded in Orders Mode via the Orders> Download Online Orders menu.
Further Reading: Online Orders in NeoPack
Online Orders can be downloaded and processed in NeoPack as “pre-orders”.
Online Orders in Fulfill
In addition to processing orders through NeoPack, Fulfill is a specialty application that can be used to process orders, regardless of the source job.
Fulfill contains its own print queue and specialty order header templates, which can help with printing and shipping individual orders.
Further Reading: Fulfill
Fulfill is a utility provided with the Timestone Software Internet Ordering System (IOS) that allows users to download and print online orders.
FAQ
Can I use the online ordering system without the other apps?
No, it requires at least one of the Timestone Software production applications, e.g., NeoPack. If you are a photographer with the photographer apps such as DataPost or PackBuilder, your lab will need the production apps.
Is it only pre-orders that download into NeoPack, or can post orders be downloaded there too?
You can download any order type into NeoPack. Likewise, you can download any order type into Fulfill. Most commonly, though, people download pre-orders into NeoPack and post-orders into Fulfill
Is IOS a stand-alone product?
No, IOS is not a stand-alone product; it requires at least some of the Timestone Software production applications, such as NeoPack.
What payment options are there?
A full list of the supported payment providers can be found in the ‘Preparing for IOS’ document.
How much does it cost?
We charge you a flat fee per order. We bill you each month for the orders you received the month before. Contact us for details, as the rate will depend on your region.
Is it possible to host the site ourselves?
No, we host all the sites.