SENDSAFE ACHITECTURE

SendSafe overview
Customer GUI
How an order is processed
How an order is fufilled
The backend system interface
Where do the customer orders come out?
Order tracking numbers
Special order types
Basic Cart Pages
Optional E-Store Framework

SendSafe is an enterprise level, high performance, mission-critical solution; and as such the majority of the code is native system binaries written in C++ and not code written in lower performance scripting languages such as PHP. The system follows the classic thin-client / fat server architecture.

Enterprise level E-Commerce systems such as SendSafe are very much like advanced multi-ledger accounting systems combined with a real-time manufacturing control system. SendSafe is a complex and very powerful piece of software, and as such there can be a steep initial learning curve.

SENDSAFE IS COMPRISED OF SIX SUBSYSTEMS:

CORE SENDSAFE:

1. The THIN WEB CLIENT Customer User Interface(UI). This thin client performs jobs which generate lower CPU loads. This UI is database driven ASP which renders HTML and JavaScript plus Java applets. Full uncommented ASP source code is provided with each license.
2. The SendSafe Software Robot (backend) handles the majority of the heavy lifting in the system's workload. The Robots perform the majority of the data processing, backend functions, integration, and IDS security operations. The Robot was designed with a multi-threaded architecture coded in C++. The Robot performs numerous tasks in parallel which makes for efficient operation. The Robot also runs approximately 50 different types of system batch jobs in parallel. We chose to make the Robot an application as opposed to a O/S service to insure peak mission-critial reliability through enhanced testing and debugging options available for applications.
3. The HTTP Web server which runs the database driven ASP based GUI. There are typically two or more web servers in an installation.
4. The Admin system, a set of secure database driven ASP GUI and Java based pages, provides full capabilities to search/modify/create: customer orders, inventory, customer records, dealer records, coupons, reports, security settings, SendSafe configuration, and more.
5. SQL Database server (Microsoft SQL is recommended).

The code breakdown is approximately 25% ASP client verses 75% C++ server.

OPTIONAL E-STORE:

The E-Store framework is the sixth subsystem. This optional software system provides advanced e-store product browsing which includes very powerful functionality such as: FFP custom product designer tools, suggestive selling, intergated tracking, and so much more.

HOW A SENDSAFE CUSTOMER ORDER IS PROCESSED

1. A customers enters an order into a web page containing the SendSafe ASP Code.
2. Shipping and Sales tax costs are calculated.
3. The ASP Code saves all non-encrypted data to the database. The ASP code does not have access to data base tables which contain credit card information.
4. Credit card information is encrypted using 128Bit SSL (or other levels determined by web server configuration) and saved using a confidential mechanism to the server.
5. The SendSafe JSOF Robot batch processes the customer order and credit card information.
6. The Robot obtains credit card or other financial approval
7. The Robot completes the order
8. The Robot sends e-receipt confirmation to the customer
9. The Robot optionally performs Fulfillment (B2B or local)
10. The Robot optionally performs B2B transactions with your backend systems such as accounting programs.
11. The Robot optionally sends B2B shipping requests to UPS, Fedex, etc..
12. The Robot optionally recalculates shipping based on B2B transactions with UPS, Fedex, etc..

THE CUSTOMER GUI (STOREFRONT)

Examples of customer GUI Basic Cart Pages.

The Customer interacts with database driven ASP based shopping carts, catalog pages, and product browsing pages. The GUI uses industry standard online shopping metaphors to achieve immediate familiarity by the user. This UI has evolved and proven itself in the commercial market place for over 10 years.

1. Automated shipping cost calculations.
2. Automated sales tax calculations.
3. Automatic Entry completion using previously entered name and address information.
4. e-Coupons
5. Support for “Custom” Product Ordering, with various definable entry fields and values – this function will be immediately usable for accepting orders for this application of purchasing imagery products i.e. time-slot, location, platform, etc.
6. QuickBuy automatic Entry completion, using previously entered name and address information for one-click checkout.
7. QuickBuy reordering pages work with one-click checkout for fast reordering of products. This can be easily customized to allow for reorder of the same product with a different time-slot or target location.
8. Lines of credit
9. Sale Pricing (like Buy 1 Get 1 free).
10. Full On-line catalogs which are integrated into the SendSafe system.

See this page for some websites running SendSafe

See this page for for general SendSafe information

See these files for more information on the customer interface:

• Shopping Basket
• Shipping Information Entry
• Line Item Modification
• Billing Information Entry
• Optional Agreement Page
• On-Line HTML E-Receipt
• E-Mailed E-Receipt
• Prior Purchase, Reorder, & GiftList
• Customer Login

DATA PROCESSING ENGINE AND BUSINESS INTERFACE

Running on the web server is an automated data processing and security management system called the SendSafe Software Robot.

The Robot handles the bulk of the work required to run your site and transact e-commerce. There are typically multiple robots running on multiple computers coordinating work between themselves. A partial list of  Robot activities:

• Order processing
• Credit card authorization.
• Automated e-mails such as e-receipt confirmations and notifications
• I-CRM Functions
• Inter process communications
• System integration such as integration with external remote or local software systems: accounting, shipping, contact management, CRM, etc.
• =Fulfillment systems such as: local digital payloads, remote digital payloads, B2B drop shipment fulfillment centers, etc.
• B2B and IPC Connection with remote SendSafe robots for coordination and control of e-commerce processing and remote system integration.
• Local Fulfillment systems such as digital payloads and access control
• Subscription and other automated billing systems
• System auditing
• Security including IDS.
• Generation of custom reports and paper work.

The SendSafe JSOF Robot can be run on any Windows Server computer (the web server is the typical platform).

The SendSafe JSOF Robot was designed with a multi-threaded architecture coded in C++. The robot performs numerous tasks in parallel which makes for efficient operation. This parallel nature can be viewed by watching how tasks status messages are interleaved in the Robot's status window.

ORDER TRACKING NUMBERS

The SendSafe JSOF System automatically assigns order tracking numbers to every order. The tracking number is included in the e-mail confirmation with is automatically sent back to the customer and is also included in the full printed order. This number is sequentially assigned much like a number in a check book. This number is also displayed in "Order List" box on the SendSafe JSOF robot's GUI.

You can set the initial tracking number to any value you like by setting the "START E-COMMERCE NUMBER" value in the SendSafe JSOF Robot's config file (JSOF.config).

SPECIAL ORDER TYPES

In addtional to normal purchasing orders and RMA return orders, the system uses some special types of orders as placeholder.

Preferences order - This order contains some of the preferences used when the system fills in form values for the customer. For example: this order (if present) will be used for default shipping address information.

Subscription Preferences order - This order contains the shipping address which will be used when refilling subscriptions.