Two different starting points
A customer can order listed products that require a prescription, or send a prescription request for the pharmacy to review and price. These are different workflows. An uploaded attachment does not by itself mean a payment has been made, or that the pharmacy has accepted the request.
When a listed product requires a prescription
- The pharmacy marks the product Prescription required in the product form.
- The customer selects the product and uploads the required prescription during checkout. Soko checks for the attachment when the order is submitted.
- The order follows its payment method: a normal cash-on-delivery order begins pending; a successful prepaid route can move it to confirmed.
- Open the order and inspect the attached prescription before accepting or preparing the items. If the image is unclear or the order needs clarification, contact the customer through the available chat or phone details.
- Confirm and prepare only what the pharmacy can appropriately supply. An upload requirement is not an automatic clinical approval.
- Continue through preparation, rider assignment, pickup and delivery. Check the payment status before collecting money.
When the customer sends a prescription request
Enable Prescription order in the pharmacy’s store configuration when the option is available.
- The customer opens the pharmacy’s prescription-order option, uploads the prescription and submits the delivery/contact information. The initial cash-on-delivery request is pending.
- The pharmacy opens that order, reads the attachment and contacts the customer about the available items and their prices. A request can exist before a final item amount has been entered.
- In the order’s pricing summary, use the prescription edit amount control to enter the item amount. Use the separate discount control only if you are deliberately granting a discount. Review the recalculated total, including delivery and applicable charges.
- Tell the customer exactly what will be supplied and the final amount. Ask them to reopen or refresh My orders → that order to see the updated total, and obtain their agreement before preparing it.
- Confirm the order and move it into processing when ready. If the customer chooses an available online payment option, they must complete that payment; check the order’s updated payment status. For cash on delivery, payment remains due at handover to the customer.
- Pack the agreed order, assign the rider, mark it ready and complete the normal delivery steps.
Agree the items and total directly with the customer. Updating the price does not record their agreement. There is no separate “Quote accepted” stage to wait for; after the conversation, continue using the order’s displayed status.
Check that the customer understands the next step
For a listed-product order, explain any clarification needed before you prepare it. For a prescription request, give the customer a clear summary: the agreed products, quantities, any unavailable items, the delivery fee and the final total. Use the order number in the conversation.
A useful message is: “For order [number], we can supply [items and quantities]. The total shown on your order is TSh [amount], including delivery. Please confirm this before we prepare it.” Replace the brackets with the real order details.
Ask the customer to check the order details again after you update the amount. If they cannot see the change, confirm they opened the same order and ask them to refresh. Their agreement about the price and your review of the prescription are separate from whether payment has been received.
If the attachment is unreadable, ask for clarification through the available conversation route. Do not guess the contents or treat the uploaded file as permission to change the order silently.
Editing a prescription price is not ordinary basket editing
Prescription amount/discount controls are separate from the normal pending-order item editor. They can remain available at some active stages, so your operating rule should be to agree the final amount before preparation and collection. Do not change a total after the customer has paid without resolving the payment difference with them and Soko support.
If you cannot fulfil the request, use the cancellation action only where available and explain the reason. If it is already confirmed and cancellation is blocked, contact support rather than marking it delivered. See Order management.