When creating/modifying a supplier it would be very handy/convenient when we could enter a preferred GL-account code for that particular supplier.
When you then enter a new purchase invoice it is very helpful when this preferred GL-code would pop up and that you only have to confirm the suggested code or overwrite it with a different code when necessary.
In many many cases you always use the same GL-code for certain suppliers. Think of telephone, energy, petrol/gasoline, motor and car expenses, office rent etc. etc. etc.
Now we have to look up these codes every time we book a purchase invoice.
Please put this in the ideas category and if you also would like this to be introduced, please like this topic
Cloning is an extra step. Not such a good idea and I will explain why. Cloning means I have to look up the cloneable invoice. That takes extra and avoidable time. I want to speed up things and not slow down.
And this was answered with the same repeated old excuse “they (suppliers) are automatically associated with a balance sheet account, not any expense account.” - so it can’t occur, except:
Take an Inventory Item for example, they are automatically associated with a balance sheet account (Inventory on hand) but you can nominate a custom income or expense account.
In many other parts of the programme you can associate a default tax code which is auto filled.
So why can’t you have a Supplier with a default expense account which is auto filled - no reason.
The nominated expense account would only be a reference field on the Supplier form.
Also a “Gelukkig Nieuwjaar” for the two of you from the two of us.
Usually I read all new topics, but apparently I missed this one. Thanks for putting it in the “ideas category”.
Let’s see and wait what Lubos will do with this idea.
I do hope this is considered. I’m also looking to speed up data entry, not slow it down. I’ve been doing the accounting at my company for the last 29 years. Manager will be the 4th major accounting program change in that time. ALL the previous programs allowed for this - it makes perfect sense.
Most interactions with suppliers/vendors fall into a single category - advertising, vehicle maintenance, rent/lease, insurance, utilities, office supplies - the list goes on. Rarely do I find myself with a supplier that falls into multiple categories and, if they do, it’s okay to alter or add expense accounts for those instances.
Thanks for the consideration!
I’m also adding my voice to this. This is a good idea, suppliers most of the time supply one type of service or product so linking an account with supplier would be good.
We have to however understand that suppliers are selected in purchase orders too and how will this affect the implementation of such a feature? I wonder in a company with a workflow (Order, copy to Invoice) will the GL accounts appear in the order creation stage? If they do not appear there but only at the invoicing stage what happens to the data which would have been entered in the order stage ?
I don’t know if I have explained myself well but GL accounts don’t appear at the Orders stage (as entries here are non posting, Inventory items can be added here though) but only at the invoicing stage.
@ Abeiku
In the businesses I worked in, purchase orders were raised to order goods or services after having been approved by a manager who is responsible for the related budget. Upon receipt of the purchase invoice, the accounting department checks whether there is an approved purchase order. When purchase order and purchase invoice are identical, the accounting department can process the purchase invoice and does the proper coding of that purchase invoice. The purchase order is merely a document to record a new or future liability. So the final decision about the G/L code is when the purchase invoice is processed.
@Abeiku, even though the posting account does not appear on the purchase order, it appears when you copy the purchase order to a purchase invoice (for predefined items).
But you raise an important question. If a supplier has a predetermined expense account associated, and something is purchased with its own predetermined expense account, which will govern and override the other? Currently, for example, the default posting account for inventory items is Inventory on hand. You can modify that for the inventory item. But you cannot change it on an invoice, as that would seriously complicate record keeping.
Most examples used in this topic so far have been for services, where a supplier’s line items might well be posted to the same account normally. But suppose you run a shop offering copy services and supplies. What happens when a supplier you have coded to an account for copy machine maintenance adds paper and toner to its offerings at prices you cannot pass up? Paper and toner are inventory items. Now, your designation of the supplier for posting to maintenance is valid sometimes but invalid other times. A few minutes of thinking will generate other examples.
The longer you think about this, the more you will realize posting accounts belong to the line item, not the supplier.
Fundamentally spoken you are right, but !!
When I book a purchase invoice, consisting of e.g. three lines, per line I have to enter the G/L account code and very often the VAT code as well, unless I have predefined the VAT code for that G/L code.
Sometimes I have to change the predefined VAT code because of the simple fact that a different VAT code is applicable.
So is there any reason against the fact that for every line item a predefined G/L code appears that you can overwrite? One thing is for sure. It will speed up the booking process of invoices and that is what it is all about.
I believe so. This would seriously interact with all the hard-coded, integrated, inventory management processes that interconnect sales and purchase invoices, receipts and payments, delivery notes, goods receipts, inventory write-offs, etc. I think this would involve major surgery on the program.
As with other parts of Manager, I would expect that where there are potential conflicts, especially with control account - sub account functionality, then those accounts would be un-selectable as a default account on the Suppliers form. So nothing new here for Manager in that regard.
Therefore the entire current integrated inventory management processes couldn’t / wouldn’t be compromised.