I have in the past been using yyyymmdd1 numbering sequence for invoice numbers, but I want to change to sequential numbering. However the old numbering keeps coming through, even after creating invoices with sequential numbering. Can the numbers be reset in some way without having to change all the invoice numbers already issued? I want the invoice numbers to not be so long.
No sorry, this is not possible currently. The only way is to change reference numbers on all issued invoices.
Where do I configure this sequence numbering?
You don’t configure it anywhere. For the few fields where Manager has auto-numbering (such as sales invoices), the program finds the highest existing number and adds 1. So, for example, in @greenie’s example that started this topic, an invoice number of YYYYMMDD1 would be followed by YYYYMMDD2. But if those were 2015 invoices, the first 2016 invoice would still be next in sequence: 2015MMDD3. Manager would not be parsing the old numbers as dates, but merely as numbers. However, if one were to manually overwrite the first invoice of 2016 as 201601011, the next would be 201601012. Again, however, while a new range in the sequence would thereby be established, only the last digit would change when February came around.
To summarize, you don’t have to configure anything and, in fact, cannot modify the auto-numbering except to jump to a higher starting point. This really only works well if your scheme is YYYYxxxx. In that case, make sure xxxx includes enough leading zeroes to accommodate an entire year’s worth of invoices. Your only other option is to manually edit invoice numbers, which you can always do.
Thank you for the explenation
hi
when I am putting invoice no on Automatic Mode, It is being wrong all the time, For example my last in voice ni us 991 next should be 992 but it’s showing 8262. I don’t know from where this no is coming
You have an invoice with “8261” in the reference field - not necessarily a number - for example it could be AB8261
you can use the search to try and find it
No
Maximum Invoice no is 1022 and I m using this software since last April.
from May 2019 onwards I have to put invoice No manually all the time
What version of Manager are you using?
Can you show a list of your invoices - sorted in ascending and descending order?
@Jhabbu2, you have contradicted yourself. First, you said automatic sequence numbers were wrong “all the time.” Now you are saying you input them manually all the time. Second, you said your last number was 991, so the next number should be 992. But then you said your maximum number is 1022. All these statements cannot be true.
Nevertheless, whether numbers are assigned manually or automatically makes no difference. If you choose the automatic option, even for one invoice, the program will find the highest existing number and add 1. If the program keeps assigning 8262, you have an invoice somewhere in the database with a number than contains 8161.
Rather than disagreeing, please search as @Joe91 suggested. You will be able to resolve your problem.
I agree that invoice numbering could be improved. It looks to me that Manager simply ignores text. E.g., when an invoice’s number is VK20F002, ticking the Invoice number tick box when creating a new invoice, the next invoice number is 20003 and not the expected VK20F003.
@mark, isn’t your expectation a little ambitious? How could the program possibly know the next reference in the sequence is VK20F003 instead of VK21F002, VL20F002, VK20G002, or something else entirely, Like GB20R003? In other words, once you depart from straight numerical sequences, who knows what the scheme is? Companies sometimes incorporate salespersons’ initials, customer codes, product line designations, warehouse identifiers, and other things into fancy systems.
@Tut Ambitious? Not at all. I’ve seen numerous examples of series numbering for invoices. Just enter my example number VK20F001 in an empty Excel cell and drag outside (down or to the right) to extend the series. You’ll see that the new cells will show VK20F002, VK20F003, etc. Excel calls this function Fill Series:
The guide mentions “The program will search for the highest number among all existing sales invoices and add 1” so it should add 1 to the previous invoice number. Why is it totally ignoring the text and only sees the numbers? In other words: it doesn’t detect series.
Because Manager has designated that field as being numeric, not alphanumeric.
I am very well acquainted with this feature of Excel. It works the way it does because Microsoft’s software engineers made a very deliberate choice to only consider trailing numbers during the fill process. There are no options. The only difference between Excel’s and Manager’s automatic sequencing process is that Manager ignores non-numerical characters. Excel identifies the final non-numerical character and treats everything up to that point as a prefix.
The trouble with Excel’s approach is that it disallows all other schemes, such as those I illustrated in post #12. And we know from prior discussions in this forum that many users of Manager employ such methods for various purposes. So a conscious design choice was made by Manager’s developer. As @Brucanna told you, the sequence field is treated as purely numerical for automatic numbering. That is a feasible methodology that works for pure numbering. In addition, you can manually insert any alphanumeric content you wish. But Manager does not impose any other interpretation on how to treat mixed content the way Excel does.
Manager’s approach has a further benefit. If you are using mixed content, you can still use automatic numbering to identify the next numerical sequence number, then edit the result to add non-numerical characters. For example, you could number all invoices from multiple locations sequentially, but insert leading initials for salespersons and locations. Thus, you could have Robert Smith’s sale from the London office numbered as RSL1234 and Moustapha Mbaye’s from Dakar be MMD1235 without either having to look up what the next number should be. And, should one of them forget to edit the automatic number, no harm is done. The prefixes can always be added later.
Isn’t it the other way around? I mean, if it were, as you say, a numeric field, then it wouldn’t allow you to enter text at all. As text can be entered, it cannot be other than an alphanumeric field. However, it seems that the automatic numbering option only looks for numbers in that field (hence VK20F002 becomes 20003) and I think that’s a strange behaviour.
@Mark, read my more detailed explanation above: “…the sequence field is treated as purely numerical for automatic numbering.” [Emphasis added.] If you enter content manually, it accepts all characters. Like many things in the program, behavior adapts to the context of how it is used.
Yes, exactly as I explained.
You may think so, but it is what allows the flexibility of combining automatic numbering with manually entered characters. A scheme like Excel’s would not. Manager’s scheme also allows resetting of annual sequences as described earlier in this thread (post #4).
This topic has come up periodically on the forum. The most frequent suggestion has been that users be allowed to specify a prefix for automatic numbering. Given, however, that there have been no modifications to automatic numbering (except to make it more widespread) in at least 5 years, the developer does not seem inclined in that direction.
Why? Using your Excel for example, you could specify a cell (field) to be numeric but that doesn’t prevent you from also entering text into that cell, Manager is no different.
Being numeric just means that mathematical functions can be applied to the content.
Last Invoice number + one, Qty x Unit Price.
As you can see, entering text marks the entry field with a red border as a warning that a number is expected (although there’s no real warning popping up). Entering a number marks the field blue. The Invoice number field is marked blue no matter what is entered so it’s not a numerical field.
BTW, try to enter data other than a number in a database (such as Access for example) field defined as numerical:
If you are referring to the Invoice number field, that is not true. The field outlining is blue regardless of what you enter. The red outlining occurs on Qty and Unit price fields, which do not accept anything but numbers.
Further, this forum is not for discussing or illustrating features of other programs. I have edited your post to remove the illustration of the other program.
Manager’s behavior has been explained to you.