gsdcypher,
For starters you can read my post #934. It pretty much spells out the problems.
If it is a single or several complete items which I have to back order, I use the "Split Orders" in SO. Then I adjust the amount of funds I capture from the authorization. When the backordered items are shipped, I capture the remainder.
If it's a "partial" shipiment of a single item, then I would have to split the order to remove the partial item, delete that order and create 2 new orders using "Encrypted Password", one for the amount to be shipped now and one for the balance to be shipped later. Lots of work. Easier to tell the customer you'll ship the whole amount when you get the balance.
Yes, attributes are a PITA (pain in the ######), especially since there is no real good way to assign individual stock numbers to keep track of the various items. I was hoping that Helixx would finish his mod, but so far, no go.