Missing or skipped invoices

Question

Is it possible to override the system and skip invoice numbers? I understand that there is a setting for using global invoice numbers but is there a way for someone to skip let's say invoice number 404 when they have invoice 402, 403, and 405? I'm unsure what category to post this in so allow me to apologize now if it isn't posted in the correct category.

Nancy Duhon · Answer

It is not only possible, but somewhat likely that this could happen. 
 It has to do with the fact that lots of users print LOTS of bills that end up never being approved/mailed/sent out. But when Timeslips goes to print them, it has to use an invoice number "in case" the user approves the bill that gets printed. So everything gets a number, but only SOME may be approved. In your example, the user may have printed 402, 403, 404 an 405, but then decided that 404 needed more editing. See examples below re: the two scenarios as to the number on the subsequent/edited invoice. 
 There is a setting that affects this. Under Setup, General, Transactions, there is an option for "Reuse invoice numbers of the last cleared Proof Stage bill or last undone approved bill." 
 The option to reuse invoice numbers will cut down on the number of Invoice Numbers for which there was in fact no invoice ever issued. This drives the accountants crazy. "What do you mean there was no invoice with that number?", they say. Here's how it happens. 
 User prints 10 bills and puts them in Proof Stage while she looks at them. The invoice number sequence is 1112 through 1122. Upon reviewing the bills she sees that Invoice 1118 has a problem, and clears it from Proof Stage. She Approves the remaining bills as they are ready to go. Now she turns her attention to working on 1118, and makes further edits to the slips, etc. and prints another bill. 
 IF the option is NOT checked, that invoice will be numbered 1123 as that is the next invoice ID that the database wants to assign. Thus, there will NEVER be an invoice with the number 1118 in the system. This will create "gaps" in the invoice sequence, that will make it harder to audit the billing. 
 IF however the option IS checked, then the next bill printed FOR THAT CLIENT will reuse the 1118 number for the edited invoice, and result in fewer gaps. Notice, I say "fewer" gaps, because it does not resolve the problem totally. That is because the invoice number is reserved for the next bill for THAT client, and not the next invoice generated for ANY client. If that client should not have gotten a bill, and doesn't get one for 2 years, then two years from now, when a bill is finally generated, it will use 1118. Essentially 1118 is held in suspense until that client gets a bill. 
 So, yes, the Invoice numbering sequence can skip numbers. 
 Nancy Duhon, Esq. 
 Duhon Technology Solutions, LLC 
 Master Certified Consultant for Sage Timeslips 
 Providing individual Consultations and Third Party Remote Desktop Support - including older/unsupported versions. 
 404-325-9779 
 duhon@duhon.biz

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