Ready Checkbox
The Ready Checkbox appears on the Billing tab of Invoices to indicate the invoice will be sent automatically (by EDI, a procurement system, or online invoicing). When sent, the Ready checkbox will be unchecked and the Sent Checkbox will be checked.
To re-check the Ready checkbox manually, you must un-check the Sent checkbox first.
See Sent Checkbox linked below for details. (6842)
Invoice From Quotes
Big Business lets you Carry Forward a Quote to an Invoice, bypassing the Sales Order. (3277)
Big Business allows you to Carry Forward directly from a Quote to an Invoice. This is handy for repeat billing or if you don't have a need for creating Sales Orders.
To Convert a Quote to an Invoice:
1. Open the Quote.
2. Click the Create Invoice button.
3. Modify the Invoice as necessary.
4. Click the OK button to save.
Working with Invoices
Working with Invoices (6437)
Invoices represent actual sales to customers and record the shipment of items. Dollar amounts are posted into your accounting system and item quantities decrease the quantity on hand for the item.
Every invoice has its own window, which can show different kinds of information.
Click the Invoice tab to enter or view basic information about the customer and items in the invoice. This is the information you see when you open an invoice.
Click the Expanded tab to enter or view basic information about the customer and items in the invoice. This is the information you see when you open an invoice.
Click the Profitability tab to see how the terms of an invoice affect your bottom line. You can adjust prices and profit levels to ensure that both your needs and the customer's are met.
Click the Payments tab to receive new payments, see the payments already made, and view the balance due. This information is updated automatically as you record customer payments.
Click the Category tab to view and change category information for the invoice.
Creating a New Invoice
Creating a New Invoice (6438)
The way you create an invoice depends on whether you have already generated a
quote or sales order for this order.
• If a quote or sales order exists, you can either convert it into an invoice or load the information into a blank invoice. See "Carrying Information Forward" in Chapter 2 for more information.
• If no quote or sales order exists, you need to enter information into a blank invoice. You enter two types of information--customer and item information.
You can add printed and internal comments to the invoice, if desired. See "Adding Comments" in Chapter 2 for more information.
Entering Customer Information
Entering Customer Information (6439)
When you open a new Invoice window, it's blank except for the invoice number and the current date. The invoice number is assigned automatically based on the next number listed in the Customer Preferences window.
The first information you need to enter is the customer. The customer you choose determines who will be billed and where the invoice will be sent. The customer also determines many of the financial categories used in the invoice.
You enter the customer information by choosing from the Customer Listing or by typing the customer listing. Big Business fills in the customer name, address, salesperson, ship method, and terms from the Customer Card. You can change the information that is automatically filled in. These changes apply only to this invoice; they aren't applied to the Customer Card.
Three fields are optional and need to be filled in by hand:
• The Customer P.O. Number field can be used to enter an order number supplied
by the customer.
• The Department field lets you keep track of which department of your business
generated the invoice.
• The From Order Number field lets you specify a quote or sales order from which to
load information. See "Loading Quote or Sales Order Information," later in this section, for details.
Entering Item Information
Entering Item Information (6440)
You enter item information by typing all or part of the item code or description into the appropriate column of the Line Items list. (The two description columns next to the Item Code column are named in the Item Preferences window. See "Setting Item Preferences" in Chapter 5 for instructions.) If you don't type enough characters to identify an item, you'll be prompted to choose from the Item List when you move to another column.
• The unit price and tax status are automatically filled in based on information in the Item Card. The price is determined by the price level assigned to the customer. The Item Card also determines which item-related financial categories are used for the invoice. You can change the unit price for this invoice. The tax status of an item can only be changed in the Item Card.
• After the basic item information is filled in, you enter a quantity. This quantity is automatically subtracted from the inventory of that item. The extended price is calculated based on the item price and the quantity you enter.
• The Comments field is optional. You can use it for short notes about the item.
• The Other Charges field near the Total field is also optional. The field's label depends on the setting in the Customer Preferences window. Amounts entered in the field are added to the total.
If you enter a bundle item, a line for the bundle itself appears along with lines for each of the items in the bundle. See "Working with Builds and Bundles" in Chapter 5 for more information.
Loading Quote or Sales Order Information
Loading Quote or Sales Order Information (6441)
If you have already created a sales order or quote that covers this transaction, you can save time by loading information from it into the invoice. If anything has changed, you can modify the invoice accordingly.
You load sales order or quote information by entering a number into the From Order Number field on the invoice. If you enter a quote number, the field label changes to read "From Quote Number." See "Carrying Information Forward" in Chapter 2 for detailed instructions.
To enter invoice information from a quote or sales order:
1. Click the Invoice tool in the Customer toolbar.
2. In the blank Invoice window that appears, enter a number in From Order.
3. Edit the invoice as needed and click OK to save.
Adjusting Invoice Prices and Profits
Adjusting Invoice Prices and Profits (6442)
You can click the Profitability tab in an Invoice window to see how the sale affects your bottom line. The Line Items list shows the cost of each line item and the profit you make on it in both percentage and dollar amounts.
You can adjust the profit percentage, profit amount, and extended profit amounts. For example, you may need to reduce a price for a customer but still achieve a certain level of profit. When you change one entry, all related entries are also changed. If you change a profit amount, the price is adjusted automatically.
To adjust prices and profits:
1. Click the Profit tab in the Invoice window.
2. Change price or profit entries as needed.
Viewing the Payment History
Viewing the Payment History (6460)
You can click the Payments tab in an Invoice window to see a list of payments received and applied to this invoice. You can add new payments to the list by entering payment information. See "Applying Payments to Invoices," later in this chapter, for details.
The Payments Received For This Invoice list shows all the payments applied to this invoice. Basic information--date, payment method, reference number, discount amount, finance charge, payment amount, and comments--is listed for each payment. A dot appears next to payments that were received in the Invoice window.
To view the payment history:
• Click the Payments tab in the Invoice window.
Automatic Notes on Customer Invoices
Use the new Order Preferences found in the Cust Prefs tool to automatically add any or all of the following Automatic Notes when printing built-in Invoice forms:
Customer Code
Customer Listing
Total Quantity (total count of all Items on the Quote)
Boilerplate Text
Read the instructions below for maximizing the benefit of these options. (3265)
Big Business includes the option to automatically fill in the Notes on a Customer Invoice. All of these items are added during printing and work only with Built-In forms (not Custom Forms).
The following can be automatically added:
• Customer Code
• Customer Listing
• Total Quantity (total count of all Items on the Invoice)
• Quote Number
• Sales Order Number
• Payments Received (including Reference, Amount, Discount, and Finance Charge)
• Boilerplate Text
To automatically add Notes to Invoices:
1. Open the Customer Prefs.
2. Click on the Invoice Preferences button.
3. Click the checkbox for each item you wish to add.
4. Fill in any Boilerplate text you wish to add.
5. Click the OK buttons to save changes to Invoice Preferences and Customer Prefs.
Receiving Payments in the Invoice
Receiving Payments in the Invoice (6461)
You can receive payments while you're working in an Invoice window if you just want to record payments for that invoice. If you want to record payments to different invoices from several different customers or apply a single payment to several different invoices, you need to use the Receive Money window. See "Receiving Money" later in this chapter for instructions.
You receive payments by clicking the Payments tab and then entering information into the Payments Received For This Invoice list. When you click the button in the list, you see a dialog box asking for payment information. Payments received in this way are recorded just as if you had used the Receive Money window.
To receive a payment:
1. In the Payments Received For This Invoice list, click the button.
A dialog box appears with fields for the payment information.
2. Enter the payment information, then click the OK button.
The payment appears in the Payments Received For This Invoice list.
Expanded Line Items Tab On Invoices
This Solution describes the new Expanded Line Items Tab on Invoices. This feature was added in Big Business 2.5, allowing you to see stock levels (Inventory Allocations, Quantity on Hand, etc.) while completing an Invoice. (3341)
Big Business 2.5 adds a new tab to the Invoice, allowing you to view inventory information for Items on the Invoice. The Invoice with Expanded Line Items tab displays the following inventory information:
• Quantity on Hand (QOH)
• Quantity Allocated--the sum of open Customer Sales Orders
• Quantity Available--QOH minus Quantity Allocated
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Keep in mind that if you are modifying an Invoice, its impact may already be reflected in the Quantity On Hand.
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The Invoice with Expanded Line Items tab of the Invoice is larger than other views. If this tab extends beyond the bottom of your screen, switch to the Invoice tab to view Totals.
A Sales Order which has been Carried Forward to an Invoice (#5018 in the picture) affects Quantity Allocated until the Invoice is saved.
Viewing and Changing Category Information
Viewing and Changing Category Information (6462)
When you create an invoice, Big Business takes care of the bookkeeping details for you, using information specified in the relevant Customer and Item Cards and the Customer Preferences window. In most cases, you don't need to worry about these details because the software makes sure that the financial categories are balanced. But if you'd like to review or modify the bookkeeping information, you can click the Category tab in an Invoice window.
The Modifiable Categories list that you see when you click the Category tab includes the posting information that you can change for this invoice. Each line in the Modifiable Categories list includes the category code, category name, comments, and an amount. You can change amounts, replace or remove categories, and add new categories. However, the total of the postings cannot be changed because it reflects the invoice total. If you change an amount, Big Business adds a line to offset the change.
If you make a change that you want to reverse, you can click the Defaults button to restore default category postings to the invoice.
To view and change category information:
1. Click the Category tab.
2. Enter or change categories as necessary.
Defaulting To The Expanded Line Items Tab for Invoices
Big Business allows you to set a Default Entry Tab for Invoices. (3342)
Big Business allows you to set a Default Entry Tab for Invoices.
To select the default entry Tab:
1. Open the Customer Prefs.
2. Click the Invoice Preferences button.
3. Use the Pull-Down menu in Default Entry Tab.
4. Select “Invoice” or "Invoice with Expanded Line Items."
5. Click the OK button on Invoice Preferences to save changes.
6. Click the OK button on Customer Preferences to save changes
Since the additional information provided on the Invoices with Expanded Line Items tab relates to Inventoried Items, you may want to set this default if most of your Items are Inventoried.
Viewing All Posting Information
Viewing All Posting Information (6463)
You can see all the postings related to an invoice, including those you can't change, by clicking the Posting Information button . Each line in the list includes the category code, category name, comments, and a debit or credit amount.
To view all posting information:
• Click the Posting Information button near the Modifiable Categories list.
Out of Stock Items on Invoices
When saving an Invoice it would be helpful to be warned if any of the Items on the Invoice are out of stock or if the order exceeds current available stock. (3346)
Big Business 2.5 includes the option to Allow, Warn the User, or Prevent the Save of Invoice which include Items whose Quantity on Hand is insufficient to fill the Invoice.
To change this setting:
1. Open the Customer Prefs.
2. Click the Invoice Preferences button.
3. Use the Pull-Down menu in the Sell Into Negative Quantity selection.
4. Select “Prevent Save of Invoice," "Warn User," or "Allow."
5. Click the OK button on Invoice Preferences to save changes.
6. Click the OK button on Customer Prefs to save changes.
If Warn User or Prevent Save of Invoice is selected, and the Quantity on Hand of an Item is insufficient to fill the Invoice, Big Business will show a warning when:
• the Item is added to the Invoice
• the Quantity for the Item is modified
• Saving the Invoice
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When modifying an Invoice, the Quantities on Hand already reflect the saved Invoice. If Prevent save of Invoice is selected you may be unable to save changes. An Administrator can change the setting temporarily to release the modified Invoice.
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Listing Backorders on Invoices
Listing Backorders on Invoices (3340)
Big Business 2.5 includes the option to list Backorders quantities on Invoices. Open quantities on order are tracked on Sales Orders and are loaded on the Invoice only when it is created. Consequently, you can modify one Invoice in a series of shipments for an Order without the Backorder recalculating. You can also manually enter a Backorder quantity.
To calculate a Backorder:
1. Create an Invoice from a Sales Order.
2. On the Invoice with Expanded Line Items tab, modify the quantity being shipped.
The Backorder quantity will calculate.
3. Click the OK button to save the Invoice.
4. Select an Invoice layout with Backorder (B/O) for printing.
Manually entering a Backorder:
1. Select the Invoice with Extended Line Items tab.
2. Enter a number in the Backorder field for a Line Item.
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Backorder quantities only calculate when the Invoice is created from the Sales Order and only the first time the Quantity is modified. Reenter From Order # to reload Open Quantities. Backorder quantities are not calculated for repeat instances of the the same Item.
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Batch Delete of Invoices
The ability to delete old Invoices en masse has long been requested by Big Business Users who use the Import and Memorize/Recall features to automate their repeat billing. Eventually, some mistake is made, and in Version 2.0 the only correction is to delete each and every Invoice, one by one. (3213)
Big Business 2.5 adds the ability to Batch Delete Customer Invoices. Because this Delete is permanent, you should exercise proper caution in its use. Refer to the section on Employee Access Privileges for restricting Access to the Batch Delete tool. You may also want to back up your Company data file, or export the selection of Invoices you are attempting to Delete, prior to deleting them.
To Batch Delete Invoices, using the Invoice QuickSearch:
1. Find those Invoices you wish to delete.
2. Click the Batch Delete tool to Delete all Invoices in the current Invoice List window.
Big Business will display a confirmation dialogue offering to Continue or Cancel.
3. Select Continue to attempt to permanently Delete all Invoices in the list.
Big Business will display those Invoices which could not be deleted.
If you select one Invoice in the List and click Batch Delete, Big Business will display a dialogue with a choice of Deleting the selected Invoice, Deleting all Invoices in the List, or Canceling.
If there are Invoices in your selection which cannot be Deleted because they are Locked, Big Business will provide you a list of those Invoices which could not be Deleted.
This feature is designed to clean up after an erroneous import of Miscellaneous Sales or Recall of a group of Memorized Miscellaneous Sales. Any Invoice which is not locked by having a Receive Money transaction applied to it, can be Deleted.