Financials includes the process of assigning document numbers to all types of documents existing within the Accounts Payable, such as invoices, credit notes, payments, discounts and exchange rate differences.
The document types and document number series are part of the main foundations within Financials. The document types are used to categorise the different types of documents within the Accounts Payable. For each document type you define how the numbering should be issued. The system then verifies that the correct numbering updates the Accounts Payable.
For documents manually entered into the system it is always possible during entry to affect the numbering. For documents automatically entered into the system the document number is always retrieved according to its setup and cannot be changed. Example of such transactions are all types of discount documents such as cash or hidden discounts, exchange rate differences, but also for instalments and control account adjustments.
Three methods exist for assigning numbers to your documents:
- A number series is used for retrieval of document number.
- The voucher number is used as a document number.
- The document number from a related document is used as a document number.
General Ledger postings which are created either automatically or manually with a document are always updated with a unique document number. With this system you will reduce time spent on transaction tracking. See About working with document numbers in G/L.
See About document number series vs. voucher number series to read more about the relation between the document number series for invoice numbering in Distribution and the voucher number series in Financials.
Within the Accounts Payable
Number series
The system enables you to create a unique number series. The document number is retrieved from the number series specified for the type of document you want to update within the system. Each number series is connected to one or several document types.
The number series can be either yearly or continuous. The numbering can be set automatically by the system as well as being manually entered.
For each number series you can define if the system should check for duplicate numbers within the series. This means that the system will verify that the number is unique within the accounting year for yearly number series or unique within the Accounts Payable for continuous number series. The system always verifies that the number is within the valid range defined for the document number series.
Note: Even though it is most common to use this document number handling for invoices, credit notes, instalments and payments, this method can also be used for all types of documents.
Voucher number
The voucher number can be used as a document number. If you use this setup, then the validation of the document number is done through the voucher number series.
Note: Even though it is most common to use this document number handling for invoices, this method can also be used for all types of documents.
Related document
The document can receive the same number as a related document, e.g., a cash discount document receives the same document number as the invoice. This document number handling is most commonly used for all types of discount documents such as cash or hidden discounts, exchange rate differences, as well as for instalments and control account adjustments.
General interface
The following rules apply for documents transferred from pre-systems to Financials through the General interface. The rules are dependent on which of the three methods of numbering that is used for the document.
Number series
If the document number is already set by the pre-system the number series must also be set up in Financials in order to verify a correct validation in aspect of number ranges and duplicate control.
If the document number has not been set by the pre-system (i.e., is set upon transfer to the Accounts Payable) the number series must be set up in Financials from which the numbers will be retrieved.
Voucher number
Since the voucher number is validated towards the voucher number series, no additional setup and validation is required.
Related document
This method is not supported for documents updated from pre-systems.
Preliminary and final invoices
If you use the preliminary invoice facility within the Accounts Payable the following setup is recommended (that is, if you want the invoice to keep the same number from preliminary to final):
You need to set up two number series which have identical number intervals. One with automatic numbering, meaning that the system will suggest the next available number (the document number, however, can always be changed at manual entry). You should connect this number series to the document type used for preliminary invoices. The other number series should be defined with manual numbering, meaning that the system will use the document number defaulted from the preliminary invoice for the final invoice. You should connect this number series to the document type used for final invoices.
If you do not want a number series for final invoices to have a gap (a gap in the final number series will occur when you delete preliminary invoices) you should use an automatic number series for preliminary invoices as well as for final invoices. With this setup, a new number from the number series will be retrieved for the invoice at final entry.
Enquiries and printouts
- A/P transactions and balance enquiry – displays all updated documents in Accounts Payable. In this enquiry program you have the option to select and sequence documents on document number level.
- G/L transaction enquiry – displays all updated postings in the General Ledger. In this enquiry program you have the option to select postings on document number level.
- A/P transaction list – displays all updated documents in the Accounts Payable. When you order this list you have the option to select and sequence documents on document number level.
- G/L transaction list – displays all updated postings in the General Ledger. When you order this list you have the option to sequence the postings in document number order.