Invoice module

We create invoices for two separate services, and need two different sets of Invoice #’s.
For example, Service #1 would use IN-10001 and Service #2 would use IN-20001.

There is only one series of Invoice #’s that can be set in the Company Profile (as best that I can see).

Question: Is there any way to set two separate series that automatically increment? (We would also have to create some type of rule as to which # series to use).

Note: Using the Archived Invoicing is not a solution in this case.

I don't believe you can, so your options are limited. Here are a few suggestions:

1. The archive invoice can have a different prefix, so they could enter Service #1 in current and Service #2 in archive. Then copy those archived invoices to current, preserving the invoice number.

2. Use an optional field in the header to identify the service type. Perhaps a dropdown. Gridview could be used to separate invoices by service type. Perhaps optional fields (or some alternate field) would survive the post to A/R. Alternatively, archive all invoices and use that data.

3. Import invoices and switch off invoice number incrementing.

Hello Sam,

Could you explain why separate invoice numbers are required? How would the software possibly know which series it was supposed to use?

Would 2 databases + Dakota's National Accounts work?

Sam:

Seting up Invoices so that it can follow a rule for assigning invoice numbers would be a big job.

Using the Archieve invoice number is the only solution (this is how I deal with this problem). This assumes you are not using Archive invoices for some other purpose. Why do you believe this would not work?

The other option is to use a second invoice tool, like Order Entry or CounterSales.

Thanks for the plug, Michael, but I don't see how it could be used in this circumstance. It groups customers to speed up the processing of payments.

I checked with the client. They have for years produced two separate Invoice #’s for the products/services they offer. They have two separate divisions taking care of this (even in separate offices).

So even though they may be ways to just use one Series of #’s and use either an optional field or use the Customer Report Group to separate the stats after the fact, sometimes we just can’t introduce new ways of doing things. (There are additional issues that I won’t bother with now.)

How to know which series to use? In their case, I think that the Customers are separate, so that we could use the Report Group or a Customer Control Account. Alternately, when we click the NEW button to start another Invoice, perhaps Invoices could prompt which Series to use.

Samuel:
If the Customers are distinct and they aren't tracking inventory, Michael's suggestion of 2 separate Invoices databases (and 2 separate AR's) both feeding the same GL would be an option. A feature of the GL Retrieve process, though rarely used, is the ability to specify another dataset.

Hi Bruce:
Good idea.
But I think that I have to keep all the data in one database, as they are feeding the information over to Sales Analysis, and there may be Salesperson reporting needs also that will cross over between the two groups of Customers.

For now, we will have the Invoice module produce the #'s automatically for the more active division, and we will enter the #'s ourselves for the less busy division (and hope that we do not err.)