A custom part or occasional special order can still be handled smoothly online, even when it does not belong in your public catalogue.
A customer asks for a specialized component outside your regular lineup. Your team sources it, works out the price and sends over a quote. Even if you do not want that part listed publicly, the follow-up still deserves an online path.
In B2B distribution, many item codes are tied to one customer agreement, ordered rarely or quoted for a specific job. Publishing a full public product page for every one-off item quickly bloats the catalogue.
A quote-driven workflow handles special requests differently. An authorized buyer signs into their portal and finds the exact items, pricing and terms prepared for their file.
Depending on the rules defined for your business, they can request an adjustment, route the quote for internal approval or convert it straight into an order without starting another chain of emails.
Clear boundaries need to be defined from the outset: how long quoted pricing stays valid, which quantities are allowed, who may view the file and which edits require a fresh review by your team. Simply hiding an item from navigation is not enough without proper document access controls.
In Boutik, separating public catalogue content, ERP item records and commercial documents makes it possible to design this workflow around each project’s rules.
An order placed over the phone can still have an online follow-up. A portal connected to your systems can bring useful information together, with the right access for each person.
A good-looking catalogue is only the start. The journey must account for customer terms, approvals and the work that follows an order.
