> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.flowretail.com/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.flowretail.com/docs/day-to-day-operations/selling/order-notes.md). # Order notes Attach notes to an order, who they are attributed to, and how they differ from product info. An **additional note** is free text attached to an order — what the customer asked for, what was agreed, why something was discounted. Notes are attributed and timestamped, so an order carries its own history rather than relying on whoever happened to serve the customer. ## What a note records | | | | ---------------------- | -------------------------------------- | | **Note** | The text itself | | **Author** | The user who wrote it, by name | | **Created / modified** | When it was written and last changed | | **Notifications** | Any notifications raised from the note | Because a note carries its author and timestamp, it is the right place for anything that might be questioned later — a promised delivery date, a verbal agreement, the reason behind a manual discount. ## Notes are not the same as product information Three different things put text in front of people, and they are easy to mix up. | | Attached to | Who sees it | | ----------------- | ----------- | ------------------------------------- | | **Order note** | One order | Staff working that order | | **Internal info** | A product | Staff, every time the product is sold | | **External info** | A product | The customer, on the receipt or offer | If the same sentence needs saying on every sale of a product, it belongs on the product as internal or external info — not copied onto each order. See [Product fields reference](/docs/day-to-day-operations/products/adding-products/product-fields-reference.md). ## What this means for you * **Write the why, not the what.** The order already records what was sold. It does not record that the customer agreed to collect on Friday. * **Use a discount reason code for discounts**, and a note for the story behind it. The reason code is reportable; the note is not — see [Discounts on an order](/docs/day-to-day-operations/selling/discounts-on-an-order.md). ## Limitations * Notes are free text and are not reportable. Anything you need to count or filter on needs a structured field instead. *** *Last updated 19.09.2026* --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://docs.flowretail.com/docs/day-to-day-operations/selling/order-notes.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.