Reference Numbers
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Reference Numbers
Most transaction forms in Manager allow you to enter a reference number to identify individual transactions or Manager can also assign sequential reference numbers for you. Just check the box within the Reference field:
On transaction entry forms, this field is labeled simply as Reference:
In two cases, it is given a label more in keeping with traditional accounting usage on completed transactions. Following is a list of forms that include the Reference field. Where a different label is used, this is shown in parentheses:
- Receipts and payments
- Inter account transfers
- Expense claims
- Sales and purchase quotes
- Sales and purchase orders
- Sales and purchase invoices (Invoice number)
- Credit notes and debit notes
- Delivery notes and goods receipts
- Inventory transfers and inventory write-offs
- Production orders
- Payslips
- Journal entries
Manager provides two methods for entering reference numbers.
Free text
The default mode allows entry of any alphanumeric content as free text. Possibilities include:
- Externally generated sequence numbers
- Customer or supplier reference numbers, such as purchase order or sales invoice numbers
- Bank transaction or check (cheque) numbers
- Informative prefixes combined with sequence numbers
You have complete control. And, using Form Defaults, you can prefill portions of the Reference field on a form-by-form basis.
Automatic numbering
Manager can also assign sequential reference numbers for you. Just check the box within the Reference field:
When the form is created (or updated if automatic sequencing is selected during editing), Manager will find the highest number among existing forms of the same type and add 1 to its reference number. Automatic reference numbering can also be set under Form Defaults. In that case, the Reference field will show the checkbox ticked and Automatic. Manager will assign the number when you click Create. Afterwards, only the assigned number shows if the transaction is edited. Regardless of how references are originally set, they can be overridden by editing a transaction.
Warnings
When searching for existing reference numbers, Manager ignores alphabetic content and punctuation marks. For example, if the highest-numbered sales invoice includes a prefix, such as INV2018-45, the next automatically assigned number will be 201846.
If a form with an existing reference number is edited to assign an automatic sequence number, that form is included in Manager’s search. So, if sales quote 347 is edited to include an automatic reference number, it will become 348 when Update is clicked.
Because of these features, mixing free text and automatic reference numbers is seldom advisable. Your free-text entries will become the criteria for determining automatic number assignments. However, the search process for each transaction type is separate from all others. So using free-text invoice numbers on purchase invoices and automatic ones on sales invoices would be perfectly acceptable.
When searching for existing reference numbers, Manager ignores alphabetic content and punctuation marks. For example, if the highest-numbered sales invoice includes a prefix, such as INV2018-45, the next automatically assigned number will be 201846.
If a form with an existing reference number is edited to assign an automatic sequence number, that form is included in Manager’s search. So, if sales quote 347 is edited to include an automatic reference number, it will become 348 when Update is clicked.
Because of these features, mixing free text and automatic reference numbers is seldom advisable. Your free-text entries will become the criteria for determining automatic number assignments. However, the search process for each transaction type is separate from all others. So using free-text invoice numbers on purchase invoices and automatic ones on sales invoices would be perfectly acceptable.