diff --git a/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_bridge_mrp/models/sale_order.py b/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_bridge_mrp/models/sale_order.py
index 6bcc1487..b1844bad 100644
--- a/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_bridge_mrp/models/sale_order.py
+++ b/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_bridge_mrp/models/sale_order.py
@@ -229,35 +229,38 @@ class SaleOrder(models.Model):
                 self.env.cr.execute('RELEASE SAVEPOINT %s' % savepoint_name)
             except Exception as exc:
                 self.env.cr.execute('ROLLBACK TO SAVEPOINT %s' % savepoint_name)
-                self.message_post(body=_(
+                self.message_post(body=(
                     'Auto-MO group %s failed: %s'
                 ) % (tag or 'single-line', exc))
                 continue
 
         if created or adopted:
+            # _() needs a lang in env.context; in shell/cron this may be
+            # unset. Compose the message with plain format strings — this
+            # text is an internal chatter log, not user-facing UI.
             msg_parts = []
             if created:
                 lines_html = '<br/>'.join([
-                    _('MO <a href="/odoo/manufacturing/%s">%s</a> '
-                      '(%s, %d source line%s)') % (
-                          mo.id, mo.name, tag or 'untagged',
-                          n, 's' if n != 1 else ''
-                      )
+                    'MO <a href="/odoo/manufacturing/%s">%s</a> '
+                    '(%s, %d source line%s)' % (
+                        mo.id, mo.name, tag or 'untagged',
+                        n, 's' if n != 1 else ''
+                    )
                     for mo, tag, n in created
                 ])
                 msg_parts.append(
-                    _('%d draft MO(s) auto-created:<br/>%s') % (
+                    '%d draft MO(s) auto-created:<br/>%s' % (
                         len(created), lines_html,
                     )
                 )
             if adopted:
                 adopted_html = '<br/>'.join([
-                    _('MO <a href="/odoo/manufacturing/%s">%s</a> '
-                      '(legacy, now line-linked)') % (mo.id, mo.name)
+                    'MO <a href="/odoo/manufacturing/%s">%s</a> '
+                    '(legacy, now line-linked)' % (mo.id, mo.name)
                     for mo in adopted
                 ])
                 msg_parts.append(
-                    _('%d legacy MO(s) adopted:<br/>%s') % (
+                    '%d legacy MO(s) adopted:<br/>%s' % (
                         len(adopted), adopted_html,
                     )
                 )
diff --git a/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_configurator/models/sale_order.py b/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_configurator/models/sale_order.py
index 939255b5..1f620ef9 100644
--- a/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_configurator/models/sale_order.py
+++ b/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_configurator/models/sale_order.py
@@ -113,6 +113,12 @@ class SaleOrder(models.Model):
         string='Margin %',
         compute='_compute_margin',
     )
+    x_fc_margin_available = fields.Boolean(
+        string='Margin Available',
+        compute='_compute_margin',
+        help='False when no order line has a costed coating — the '
+             'margin fields should render "n/a" in the UI.',
+    )
 
     x_fc_workorder_count = fields.Integer(
         string='Active WOs',
@@ -486,24 +492,34 @@ class SaleOrder(models.Model):
 
     @api.depends('order_line.price_subtotal', 'amount_untaxed')
     def _compute_margin(self):
-        """Simple margin: untaxed total minus rolled-up cost from coating configs.
+        """Margin = untaxed total − rolled-up cost from coating configs.
 
         x_fc_margin_percent is stored as a fraction (0.0 - 1.0) so the
-        widget='percentage' formats it correctly (a 100% margin reads
-        as 100%, not 10000%).
+        widget='percentage' formats 100% as 100%, not 10000%.
+
+        x_fc_margin_available is False when NO line has a costed coating
+        (i.e. fp.coating.config.unit_cost isn't populated anywhere). The
+        UI should render margin fields as "n/a" in that case rather than
+        showing a misleading 100%.
         """
         for rec in self:
+            has_cost_data = False
             cost = 0.0
             for line in rec.order_line:
-                if line.x_fc_coating_config_id:
-                    cost_per_unit = getattr(
-                        line.x_fc_coating_config_id, 'unit_cost', 0.0,
-                    ) or 0.0
-                    cost += cost_per_unit * (line.product_uom_qty or 0)
+                cc = line.x_fc_coating_config_id
+                if not cc:
+                    continue
+                if 'unit_cost' not in cc._fields:
+                    continue
+                if cc.unit_cost:
+                    has_cost_data = True
+                cost_per_unit = cc.unit_cost or 0.0
+                cost += cost_per_unit * (line.product_uom_qty or 0)
+            rec.x_fc_margin_available = has_cost_data
             rec.x_fc_margin_amount = (rec.amount_untaxed or 0) - cost
             rec.x_fc_margin_percent = (
                 (rec.x_fc_margin_amount / rec.amount_untaxed)
-                if rec.amount_untaxed else 0.0
+                if (rec.amount_untaxed and has_cost_data) else 0.0
             )
 
     @api.onchange('upload_rfq_file')
diff --git a/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_configurator/views/sale_order_views.xml b/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_configurator/views/sale_order_views.xml
index 19f29706..3248c4d0 100644
--- a/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_configurator/views/sale_order_views.xml
+++ b/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_configurator/views/sale_order_views.xml
@@ -148,11 +148,21 @@
                     </group>
                     <group>
                         <group string="Margin">
+                            <div colspan="2"
+                                 invisible="x_fc_margin_available"
+                                 class="text-muted">
+                                <i class="fa fa-info-circle me-1"/>
+                                Margin n/a — coating cost rollup not yet
+                                populated on any line's treatment.
+                            </div>
                             <field name="x_fc_margin_amount"
                                    widget="monetary"
-                                   options="{'currency_field': 'currency_id'}"/>
+                                   options="{'currency_field': 'currency_id'}"
+                                   invisible="not x_fc_margin_available"/>
                             <field name="x_fc_margin_percent"
-                                   widget="percentage"/>
+                                   widget="percentage"
+                                   invisible="not x_fc_margin_available"/>
+                            <field name="x_fc_margin_available" invisible="1"/>
                         </group>
                     </group>
                     <group>
@@ -188,6 +198,13 @@
         <field name="arch" type="xml">
             <list string="Sale Orders" decoration-info="state == 'draft'"
                   decoration-muted="state == 'cancel'">
+                <header>
+                    <button name="%(action_fp_direct_order_wizard)d"
+                            type="action"
+                            string="+ New Direct Order"
+                            class="btn-primary"
+                            display="always"/>
+                </header>
                 <field name="name"/>
                 <field name="partner_id"/>
                 <field name="x_fc_po_number"/>
diff --git a/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_configurator/wizard/fp_direct_order_wizard_views.xml b/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_configurator/wizard/fp_direct_order_wizard_views.xml
index cd3bd630..fa848c42 100644
--- a/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_configurator/wizard/fp_direct_order_wizard_views.xml
+++ b/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_configurator/wizard/fp_direct_order_wizard_views.xml
@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@
         <field name="model">fp.direct.order.wizard</field>
         <field name="arch" type="xml">
             <form string="Direct Order Entry">
+                <div class="alert alert-info py-2 mb-0 small"
+                     role="alert">
+                    <i class="fa fa-info-circle me-1"/>
+                    Changes are not saved until you click
+                    <strong>Create &amp; Confirm Order</strong>. Closing this
+                    window (Esc or X) discards your entries.
+                </div>
                 <div class="alert alert-warning mb-0"
                      role="alert"
                      invisible="not missing_info_msg">
@@ -194,7 +201,10 @@
                             type="object"
                             string="Create &amp; Confirm Order"
                             class="btn-primary"/>
-                    <button string="Cancel" special="cancel" class="btn-secondary"/>
+                    <button string="Cancel"
+                            special="cancel"
+                            class="btn-secondary"
+                            confirm="Discard this order? All header data and line items will be lost."/>
                 </footer>
             </form>
         </field>
diff --git a/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_invoicing/views/sale_order_views.xml b/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_invoicing/views/sale_order_views.xml
index a9c9ad9d..d5819765 100644
--- a/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_invoicing/views/sale_order_views.xml
+++ b/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_invoicing/views/sale_order_views.xml
@@ -13,10 +13,12 @@
         <field name="inherit_id" ref="sale.view_order_form"/>
         <field name="arch" type="xml">
             <xpath expr="//form/header" position="before">
-                <div class="alert alert-danger" role="alert"
+                <div class="alert alert-danger py-1 px-2 mb-0 small"
+                     role="alert"
                      invisible="not partner_id or not partner_id.x_fc_account_hold">
-                    <strong>Account Hold</strong> — This customer is on account hold.
-                    SO confirmation, invoicing, and shipping are blocked for non-managers.
+                    <i class="fa fa-ban me-1"/>
+                    <strong>Account Hold</strong> — SO confirmation, invoicing
+                    and shipping are blocked for non-managers.
                 </div>
             </xpath>
         </field>