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The Veslink Veson IMOS Platform (VIP) implements a specific invoice numbering process, which is highly configurable. It is important to evaluate all the options to align the Platform VIP with your organization's invoice numbering requirements.
The Platform VIP invoice numbering scheme produces invoice numbers for Accounts Receivable (AR) transactions and Accounts Payable (AP) transactions. Invoice numbers are not produced for Ledger Journal (LJ) transactions.
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Default Configuration BehaviorThe default invoice numbering scheme operates on the principle that AR transactions should be automatically numbered, and that AP transactions should allow for manual invoice numbers to match the number provided by the vendor/counterparty. An invoice number is generated as soon as an invoice is saved, with a status of either Pending or Actual. (Saving a Miscellaneous Revenue with status Pending does not generate an invoice number.) Accounts Receivable InvoicesThe default invoice numbering scheme for AR invoices is NNNNNNSSSS, where:
The system enforces uniqueness for AR invoice numbers by controlling the invoice numbers. Time Charter Out BillsThere is one exception to the automatic numbering: Time Charter Out Bills (TCOB). By default, users you can override a TCOB invoice number. If a user does you do not enter an invoice number, a number is automatically generated based on the principle above. However, if a user you manually enters enter an invoice number, that number is saved. Deleted Invoice GapsIf an invoice document is deleted, AR invoice numbers are not reused. For example, if a user creates if you create an invoice, therefore locking in a number, and then another invoice of the same type is created with the next available number, when the first invoice is subsequently deleted, there will be a gap in the invoice numbering. Breakdown of this example:
Accounts Payable InvoicesThe default invoice numbering scheme for AP invoices is to allow users enables you to manually enter the invoice number. Users You may enter up to 50 characters. By default, the system does not enforce uniqueness for AP invoice numbers. Two separate AP invoices may have the same number, even for the same vendor. Invoice Transaction ReversalsBoth AP and AR invoices may eventually go through a reversal process. As per default behavior in the PlatformVIP, an invoice that is reversed will result in the following:
In the above scenario, the following occurs to the invoice numbers:
AR Invoice Reversal ExampleScenario: An operator creates, approves, and posts a Freight Invoice. When the charterer disputes the Freight Invoice, the accounting team reverses the original Freight Invoice, and then the operator updates the Freight Invoice. Finally, the operator approves and posts the Freight Invoice a second time. Breakdown:
Additional Supported Business ProcessesSeveral configuration flags allow for overrides in the default behavior, typically for certain business use cases. Keep in mind that mixing and matching these configuration flags is allowed, but results may be unexpected. Be sure to make changes in a testing environment before committing any invoice numbering changes to a production environment. Auto Numbering TCO BillsThe Time Charter Out Bill invoice number field can be locked down. This is a valuable configuration for organizations that want to guarantee that all AR invoices have an automatically generated invoice number. To lock down the TCOB Invoice Number field, set configuration flag CFGLockTCOBInvNo to Y. Auto Numbering Time Charter In PaymentsSome organizations may want Time Charter Payments to have controlled invoice numbers. This is especially true if the charterer is responsible for generating statements and hire payment details before issuing cash payment to the owner. To support this use case, the Platform VIP can be configured to generate only Time Charter Payment (bill source TCIP) invoice numbers automatically. The number will be generated upon first save. Other AP invoices will still have manual invoice number fields. Two configuration flags trigger automatic TCIP numbering, but only one flag can be used at a time. If both flags are set accidentally, the value of CFGCustomTCIPInvNo takes precedence.
Auto Numbering All Account PayablesSome organizations have control processes around Accounts Payable that require an internal number to be generated for all payable documents. In the PlatformVIP, this is accomplished by using CFGAutoNumberPayables. When enabled, invoice numbers are automatically generated for AP invoices. The invoice number will be generated when the invoice is first created with status Pending. The exception to this rule is a Miscellaneous Expense. The Miscellaneous Expense must be status Actual before an invoice number is generated. The format for the invoice number is NNNNNNSSSS, where:
This configuration does not lock the Invoice Number field the same way the AR invoice number field is locked. A user You can still manually enter an AP invoice number. Once entered, the invoice number may be overridden until the invoice is approved as part of the approvals workflow. This flag will also naturally create uniqueness for the invoice number, but only if the end user does you do not override the generated number. When this flag is enabled along with either of the Time Charter In Payment auto-numbering configurations, the formatting for the TCIP invoice number will follow the TCIP-specific configuration flag, not the CFGAutoNumberPayables flag. Preventing Duplicate Invoice NumbersThere are two options for preventing duplicate invoice numbers. These options are targeted towards AP invoice transactions; AR invoices are almost always controlled via the PlatformVIP, which never assigns a duplicate invoice number. The configurations are similar, but the subtle difference may be important to an organization.
Invoice numbers are checked for duplicates against other existing Operations invoice records. In theory, this prevents ever having a duplicate invoice number for the specific invoice types supported by the flag. To enable this configuration, set the configuration flag CFGCheckDuplicateInvNoInOps to Y. When enabled, there are several changes to the PlatformVIP:
Alternatively, if you set CFGCheckDuplicateInvNoInOps to A, an invoice cannot be saved if it has the same invoice number as another invoice for the same vendor within the same Account Period. This refers to the default Account Period (with no Company specified). Check for Duplicates in Financials (At Posting)Invoice numbers can also be checked for duplicates against only invoices that are already posted. This is accomplished by setting the flag CFGCheckDuplicateInvNoInAct to Y. Effectively, this means users you can create invoices with the same invoice number, but when the user attempts you attempt to post, the Platform VIP will check if a posted invoice for that vendor already has the invoice number. This is primarily used when interfacing with accounting systems. When this flag is enabled, there are several changes to the PlatformVIP:
Alternatively, if you set CFGCheckDuplicateInvNoInAct to A, an invoice cannot be saved if it has the same invoice number as another invoice for the same vendor within the same Account Period. Invoice Numbers by CompanyIt is possible to use automatically generated invoice numbers that use the linked Type W Company Code as part of the invoice number. This is instead of using invoice numbers that are linked to the Bill Source, which is the default behavior. To enable company-based invoice numbering, set the configuration flag CFGInvoiceNoByCompany to Y. When enabled, an invoice number is automatically generated in the format CCCCNNNNNN, where:
For example, if a company has company code COMP and generates a Freight Invoice first, the Freight Invoice will have invoice number COMP000001. If the company then creates a Miscellaneous Revenue, it will have invoice number COMP000002. By default, AR invoice numbers are automatically generated only when company-based invoice numbering is enabled. If CFGAutoNumberPayables is enabled, AP invoices are included as part of the set for the next available invoice number. If unique Time Charter invoice numbering is enabled, those invoice numbers will take precedence over company-based invoice numbers. Reversals in Company-Based NumberingReversal transactions are handled differently in company-based numbering (using CFGInvoiceNoByCompany). Depending on your organization's principles it will be important to make the correct decision on which configuration flags to use. Default Company-Based ReversalsWhen only CFGInvoiceNoByCompany is enabled, the Platform VIP has the following behavior with reversals:
Example:
Company-Based Reversals Without Returning Invoice Number to the Available SetSome organizations may not want to reuse an invoice number if it has already been posted. It is possible to configure the Platform VIP to block returning an invoice number to the available set by setting CFGInvNoByCompanySkipGap to Y. When the configuration is enabled, the Platform VIP has the following behavior:
Same example as above, but with this configuration enabled:
Company-Based Reversals With Different Invoice NumbersFurther to the above, some organizations may not want to reuse the same invoice number for the reversal transactions. This ensures that each posted transaction has a unique invoice number. To enable this, you may use either CFGCheckDuplicateInvNoInOps or CFGCheckDuplicateInvNoInAct along with company-based invoice numbering. Enabling this configuration CFGInvoiceNoByCompany has the same effect on reversals as described above. Same example as above, but with this configuration enabled:
Finally, it is possible to combine the duplicate-checking flags with CFGInvNoByCompanySkipGap to ensure that a reversed invoice number is not added back into the invoice number set. It is considered best practice to combine these configurations. Document NumbersIn addition to the default numbering scheme and company-based numbering, a third option is available for controlling invoice numbers: Document Numbers. Document Numbers are enabled by setting CFGEnableDocumentNumbers to Y. Document Numbers enable you to automatically generate invoice numbers based on a user-defined pattern, instead of a PlatformVIP-defined pattern. Much of the functionality around the Document Numbers setup form is explained on the Document Numbers page; this page focuses on the impact of those configurations. Document Numbers Invoice Number SetsDocument Numbers will generate invoice numbers automatically for any of the invoice categories specified on the form, based on the patterns entered on the form. The categories have a hierarchy, which is followed to determine which invoice number set to draw from per invoice.
* Note: In order to have Document Numbers auto-generate AP, you must enable configuration flag CFGAutoNumberPayables. Document Numbers Deleted Invoice GapsDocument Numbers functionality handles deleted invoice number gaps in a different manner from both the default configuration and company-based invoice numbering. Configuration flag CFGDocNoTableScan further enhances gap handling. The difference between gap handling with and without the additional flag is subtle, so it is important for your organization to understand the difference before choosing which to implement. Default Deleted Invoice GapsBy default, Document Numbers handles deleted invoices by returning the deleted invoice number to the set, but only if it is also the next available invoice number. For example, if a user creates you create an invoice with number COMP000001 , and then deletes delete it immediately, COMP000001 will return to the invoice number set. However, if a second invoice, COMP000002, is created after COMP000001, and COMP000001 is COMP000001 is deleted, the number is not returned to the invoice number set. Example breakdown:
However, with a second invoice created in between:
Deleted Invoice Gaps with CFGDocNoTableScanAn enhancement to Document Numbers is available for handling invoice number gaps. To enable this feature, set configuration CFGDocNoTableScan to Y. When enabled, any deleted invoice number is returned to the available invoice number set, regardless of the sequence. Example: A user creates You create an invoice with number COMP000001, and then immediately creates create a second invoice with number COMP000002. The user You then deletes delete invoice COMP000001. If a user creates you create a third invoice, it will receive invoice number COMP000001, because the number was returned to the invoice number set. Breakdown:
Using this flag ensures that there are never any invoice number gaps when using the Document Numbers invoice numbering scheme. Use With Other FlagsDocument Numbers is considered a complete invoice numbering solution. Therefore, its interaction with other configuration flags can have mixed results. Below are some notes about interactions between Document Numbers and other configurations.
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