Building a Smarter Order System for Stokes
Role:
Service & Workflow Designer
Tools:
Microsoft Forms
When I joined the Stokes marketing team, they were handling supply orders from over 100 stores through a shared inbox. Each request had to be copied manually into a spreadsheet, which made the process slow, inconsistent, and difficult to track. They needed a simpler system built around the tools they already used, so I created a solution using Microsoft Forms that led to improvements in:
Efficiency
Reduces manual entry and order processing time, saving hours of admin work each week.
Accuracy
Standardizes item selection to eliminate errors and reduce missing or incorrect shipments.
Visibility
Provides a centralized, trackable record of orders to support planning and inventory control.
Context
The existing process relied on store associates emailing their orders to a shared inbox, where the marketing team manually transcribed each request into a spreadsheet. This created multiple pain points:
Repetitive manual data entry
Frequent errors and missing items
Inconsistent item naming
Overflowing inboxes
No centralized record for tracking demand
Because stores operated within a closed system using iPads and Microsoft 365, external tools weren’t an option. The new process had to be designed entirely within those constraints.
Objective
Create a reliable, easy-to-use ordering system that:
Standardizes how supplies are requested across all stores
Eliminates manual spreadsheet entry
Simplifies fulfillment with a clean, auto-generated output
Works on store iPads using Microsoft 365 tools
Can be updated internally by the marketing team without technical support
Approach
🛠️ Tool selection:
After confirming tech limitations with IT, I selected Microsoft Forms for its structured output, ease of use, and compatibility with both iPads and non-technical administrators.
⚙️ System design:
Built a form categorized by signage type. Each submission generated a clean Excel sheet, immediately usable for fulfillment.
📔 Catalog organization:
I audited and reorganized the full supply list to clearly label and group all available items, ensuring the form would be simple to navigate and understand.
✅ Accessibility & rollout:
Created icons for quick access on store iPads and wrote detailed instructions to support adoption across the country.
A section of the Microsoft Form used by store associates to submit marketing supply orders — categorized for quick navigation, limited to available items only, and supplemented with images where applicable.
The custom icons created for the home screen provided quick access to the English and French versions of the form.
A glimpse of the user guide available through the intranet to help associates troubleshoot basic issues.
Testing & Iteration
Before full rollout, the form was tested with 25 randomly selected stores. I created a feedback form to collect comments on ease of use and technical accessibility.
While feedback was positive overall, users noted that navigating the form page by page could be time-consuming when ordering from only one category.
To address this, I added:
A clickable menu at the start of the form for faster section access
An optional notes field for special cases or clarification
Solution Summary
The final system replaced multiple inefficiencies with a streamlined workflow:
Stores now submit standardized, clear orders
Fulfillment teams receive accurate, categorized data with no formatting required
Trends in ordering can be monitored to inform restocking and planning
The marketing team manages the form content independently, without added technical support
“It is extremely helpful. It was so quick and easy to order the signs we would need. Thank you for doing this for us.”
“This new process is a great idea! It is very helpful in ensuring we are able to order supplies easily and clearly.”
“Yes, being able to order without hassle, it’s very helpful. ”
Key Takeaway
Service design doesn’t always require building something new. Sometimes, the smartest move is repurposing existing tools in a smarter way. A well-structured form, paired with a clear process, can transform how a team works without adding overhead or complexity.
