ion; determining the availability of the requested product or service; reserving components of the service, such as a port on a switch or a block of IP addresses and scheduling installation times and dates. Capturing an order means obtaining information about the customer and the service the customer is requesting. With a new customer placing an initial order for service, the IIC must determine the customer's location and understand exactly the kind of service and added features the customer wants. If it is a new customer, not just a new kind of service being requested, this is also the point at which a new account is configured for the customer in billing and customer care systems. This is often done manually among several systems and is thus a process IICs often prioritise for integration and automation. Chapter 2 - A Detailed Look at OSS In a direct sales scenario, the ordering process is tied to the sales process. Current order entry systems are often part of sales force automation (SFA) and customer relationship management (CRM) applications that can prompt IIC representatives to offer related services, and generally help guide the customer to the appropriate services. Which application actually provides the order entry interface depends on the IIC and its specific implementation decisions. More and more, orders are also coming from new channels, such as customer Web portals and trading partners. Figure 1 provides an overview of the order entry process and its components. Points of Order Entry Sales Force Customer Web Portal Wholesale Automation Relationship Ordering Management Application Direct sales Call center Customer self- Orders from Mainly business Business, ordering wholesale orders residential, or Wholesale customers via wholesale orders orders proprietary application Validated orders sent to order manager Inventory Product Catalog Network resource and asset information Service offering Order Management information Facility validation Application Price and discount Resource reservation Figure 1. Or