Workflow: Setting up a CSA with Online Order Form

Here we will dive into a step-by-step approach to setting up a CSA with Online Order Form.  Online Order Form makes it easy to connect with members with the option to offer choices in their shares when you want. Using the Online Order Form you can email your members with an email that includes their share contents and value, includes a balance for their credit and a farm update all from VeggieCropper. As soon as you send that email, you can have VeggieCropper create your harvests for you and your harvest lists will update in real-time as members customize their shares until the order window closes.

Check out Managing a CSA in VeggieCropper to set up your weekly CSA shares after you have your CSA setup.

How to set up a CSA in VeggieCropper:

1. Create CSA share 'credit unit' to sell
2. Create a CSA Signup form
3. Get sign-ups and track payment
4. Group customers
5. Setup the share for the first week
   1. Options for members
   2. Adding choices to a share
6. Harvesting and packing shares

Step 1: Create CSA share 'units' to sell

Create an Online Order form that welcomes members and lets them join your CSA by purchasing a 'share' which is tracked as account credit in VC.

1. Click on the ... More menu next to your initials and select Units
2. Select 'Credit Units'
3. Select '+ Credit Unit' and complete the details. After saving, you can add a photo to a credit unit. This photo will show on the CSA signup/share purchase form.

Credit Unit Fields

• Credit Unit Name - This is the name of the broad category like 'CSA Share'.
• Unit Type - This is the sub-category of 'Unit Name' use something like 'Small' or 'Large'.
• Price per Unit - This is the price the customer will pay and the amount of credit that will go into their account.
• Description - The description will show with the unit on the online order form.
• Add Image - Each credit unit can have one photograph that is shown beside the unit on the form and enlarges when clicked.

Considerations

• You can create a top-up credit unit and include it on any online order form. Members can top up and customize their CSA shares at any time.
• Do you have multiple CSA locations or schedules? Duplicate and modify your online order form so you have one for each of your pickup locations. For different schedules, change the name of the form to include an identifier for the schedule and pickup location difference.

Step 2: Create a signup form

1. From the harvests page, click on the Online Order Form icon beside + Harvest
2. Click '+ Online Order Form' and customize your form
   1. You can add pictures, embed video and use rich text in the info box below the title.
   2. Customize the order confirmation text explaining what's next. This text is included in order confirmation emails members receive after placing or updating their order.
   3. Learn more about the Setting up an Online Order Form page here
   4. Click 'Save'
3. Now you are on the form Setup Page, select the credit units from the dropdown, and enter an amount available. You can sell multiple shares at the same time.
   1. Learn more about the form setup page here.
4. Click 'Save' 
5. Click the eye icon to view the form as a customer and double-check your details.

Step 3: Take signups and track payment 

1. Send your form - Click the link icon to copy the link and paste this link in the email you will send to prospective members.
2. Watch the harvest list page (the first page that shows when you click harvests) as forms come in.
   1. As soon as a member buys credit, the credit is assigned to their account.
   2. If a member hasn't paid for their credit, the credit will still work in their account.
3. Click on the payment date or amount and track payments as they come in. 
   1. Do not use 'Customer credit' as the payment method for orders to pay for customer credit.
4. Click the circle on the left to mark the order complete once payment is accepted.
5. Use the filters on the Harvest List tab using status, online order form etc. to see both paid and unpaid forms.

Step 4: Group customers

Before you send out your first share, you will need to add a group tag to your members (customers). The group tag is used in Online Order Form to send unique links to each group member at once allowing them to cancel and edit their orders (if you want them to).

This is a secure and quick way for customers to update and edit their orders that doesn't require a login.

1. Click 'Customers' in the ... More menu beside your initials
2. Select the name of a customer
3. In the group's field, type in the group you want to assign them to. Customers can belong to multiple groups.
   1. To add a new group, start typing the name and click 'Add...' in the drop-down.
4. Click Save

This group tag allows you to search customers by group and will show on the customer's page beside their names.

Nice work!