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Selling a Firearm via Sales Order (Step by Step)

The Sales Order workflow is the standard back-office method for processing firearm sales — used for phone orders, pre-arranged purchases, and any case where you want to invoice the customer separately from the counter. When a Sales Order includes a compliance product, CloudFFL coordinates with FastBound automatically to create the required disposition and manage the 4473 process.

Before You Start

  • The customer must exist as a contact in CloudFFL.
  • The firearm must be in stock with lot (serial number) tracking enabled and at least one serial assigned.
  • Your FastBound account must be connected in Settings → FastBound Configuration.

Step by Step

  1. Go to Sales → Orders and click New.
  2. Select the customer in the Customer field.
  3. Click Add a product and select the firearm — for example, Glock 17 Gen5, 9mm. The product must be in a product category with Requires Compliance checked, otherwise no FastBound disposition will be created.
  4. Set the quantity to 1. Compliance items must be sold one at a time because each requires its own serial number and disposition.
  5. Click Confirm. The order moves from Quotation to Sales Order status.
  6. The FastBound Compliance section appears on the order. It shows:
    • Disposition Status: Pending 4473
    • Disposition Type: Regular (the default for sales to private customers)
    • Is 4473: No (approval not yet received)
  7. Behind the scenes, CloudFFL has called the FastBound API to create a pending disposition. The firearm is now tracked as "in process" in your bound book — it has not yet officially left your inventory.

Completing the 4473

The customer must complete ATF Form 4473 before you can transfer the firearm. You have two options:

Option A — Paper 4473: Print the form, have the customer complete Section A (buyer information), and submit the NICS background check yourself. Once the check comes back as Proceed, record the NTN in FastBound and mark the disposition as approved.

Option B — Electronic 4473 via FastBound:

  1. In FastBound, locate the pending disposition created by this Sales Order.
  2. Send the customer a link to complete their 4473 electronically through the FastBound portal.
  3. FastBound runs the NICS check automatically when the form is submitted.
  4. When the result comes back as Proceed, FastBound sends a webhook notification to CloudFFL.
  5. CloudFFL updates the Sales Order automatically:
    • Is 4473 is set to Yes
    • The NTN (NICS Transaction Number) is recorded on the order
    • The 4473 PDF is attached to the Sales Order chatter

Delivering the Firearm

  1. Once the Sales Order shows Is 4473 = Yes, click Delivery to open the outgoing transfer.
  2. In the delivery, expand the firearm line and select the specific serial number being transferred to the customer.
  3. Click Validate. The firearm is removed from your physical inventory.
  4. CloudFFL commits the disposition in FastBound. The bound book entry is finalized with the transfer date and the customer information.

Invoicing and Payment

  1. Return to the Sales Order and click Create Invoice.
  2. Post the invoice and record payment from the customer.

Do not deliver before 4473 approval. Never click Validate on a firearm delivery until Is 4473 shows Yes on the Sales Order. If the NICS check is Delayed, hold the firearm and wait. Federal law allows transfer after 3 business days if no determination has been made, but most dealers choose not to transfer on delay. If the check comes back Denied, do not transfer under any circumstances — process a refund and keep the firearm in your inventory.

Verifying the Bound Book Entry

After delivery is validated, confirm the entry in FastBound:

  1. Go to FastBound → Compliance Serial Numbers.
  2. Search for the serial number you just transferred.
  3. Confirm the record shows Disposed = Yes with the correct transfer date and buyer information.
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