Invoice system? opinions please (1 Viewer)

Gasman

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Hi all,
Just looking for opinions?

At work I generate csv files that go into our invoicing system (Express invoice)
On import, Express generates the next available invoice number?. All well and good.

Now we are moving to a cloud? system called Xero.
In Xero, you have to have an invoice number in the import file otherwise it will fail.
So, as far as I can see, I have to login to Xero, find the next available invoice number and enter that in my export and import as fast as possible before someone else tries and adds an invoice that would end up with failing as it would have the same number, however from feedback it apepars one can have duplicate invoice numbers?

Invoice number issue aside, from the help
Code:
[B]Required columns    What you need to enter[/B]
AccountCode         Enter the code, as it displays in Xero, to code the item to.
TaxType             Enter the sales tax rate display name as it appears in Xero.

If an Account Code or Tax Type isn't entered, the import will be set to  No VAT, and the invoice total will be the VAT exclusive amount.
???
Has anyone come across another invoicing system that works this way?, are there some advantages I am missing? for the extra work involved in importing data?
 

Minty

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It might mean you can generate your own invoice number?

We do that on two completely different systems as batch imports, and as long as we ensure the invoice number is unique, it works fine.
 

Gasman

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Hi Minty,
That would appear to be the case, but I find it very strange that I have to go into the system, locate the next available number, then enter it into my Access system so as to populate the csv file with the correct number?

Fortunately we are a small company, but the system is meant to be multi user, so I could see a conflict arising.

I would have liked to have see an invoice number generated and then allow it to be overridden if required.

I just thought it a weird way to work. :D
 

Minty

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You don't need to interrogate their system.
If it works like the one we use, we supply a different sequence for "Externally" generated invoices e.g. UD12345. The number is generated in Access then the prefix added to create the Invoice number to identify it was an externally imported document.

The numbering sequence is therefore controlled in Access, Xero would carry on generating it's own non prefixed unique numbers for it's own use, when applicable.
 

Gasman

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You don't need to interrogate their system.
If it works like the one we use, we supply a different sequence for "Externally" generated invoices e.g. UD12345. The number is generated in Access then the prefix added to create the Invoice number to identify it was an externally imported document.

The numbering sequence is therefore controlled in Access, Xero would carry on generating it's own non prefixed unique numbers for it's own use, when applicable.

That is a good idea, thank you Minty
 

Minty

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That's assuming that's how it (Xero) works obviously.

I'd see if they have a example file or workflow document or something to accurately describe the process.
 

Gasman

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TBH I do not really want to have to create my own numbering system, as we could be back where we started.?

However taking your lead I could easily create something like 200-P-171207 where 200 is Sales and so it could categorised under that, the P means something to me (Packs) and the rest is just the date. So in one foul swoop we identify where it came from, what it is for and even when it was created? and easily done in Access.

The accountants wanted us to create a pdf to upload and attach to the invoice. I think this solution is neater. Just passing it by the accountants to see if it would cause them any problems, though as long as I keep that 200 in, I do not believe it will.

Thanks for the tip.:cool:
 

Minty

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Well you have to be sure it's unique. Dates can be a good starting point.
Is it a once a day task rolled up task or multi user any time any place(Martini?) type thing?

You can easily bulk update a number of things to be invoiced with a rolling number, and guarantee no one else is doing so, by simply setting an "in use" flag on a system table. If someone else tries to get in it won't let them. Make sure you can reset the flag by some method an admin can get to though. (in case of a system crash etc.)
 

Pat Hartman

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I don't know anything about Xero but I've had several small clients take the jump to the cloud and come to regret it. Never entrust your data to a cloud based service if there is not a plan in place to get your data back in a machine readable format. Preferably an actual database .bak file so it can simply be reloaded at your site. After a year of using a CRM two clients decided they didn't want to continue and their only option was to print out reports and rekey all their data. It was a huge task.
 

Gasman

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Hi Pat,

Yes, I have found a few bad reviews for them, but you rarely get good reviews posted, so I'll take that with a pinch of salt, but it is what we are going with (at present at least).
I've seen a few others mention the lack of invoice number generation, but I believe now that what I have suggested above will work fine, just need to put it to the bosses.

@Minty
No it is once a week creation of two types of invoice and an adhoc timescale for the third.

I don't know anything about Xero but I've had several small clients take the jump to the cloud and come to regret it. Never entrust your data to a cloud based service if there is not a plan in place to get your data back in a machine readable format. Preferably an actual database .bak file so it can simply be reloaded at your site. After a year of using a CRM two clients decided they didn't want to continue and their only option was to print out reports and rekey all their data. It was a huge task.
 

Mark_

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Something to consider regarding your invoice numbers; have you considered a "Site ID" for your access system? So long as each program/site has a unique identifier you could have multiple sites each adding transactions (or multiple programs if needed) EACH with its own unique "Site" that allows you to quickly identify what is responsible for adding a given transaction as well as keeping all transactions unique.

Ran into this exact type of issue a very long time ago. Individuals would use laptops with local copies of data for sales calls. Site ID specific to the salesman / office helped in resolving many issues as well as keeping all unique IDs unique.
 

Gasman

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Thank you Mark,

At present it is just our site and whilst a small company, the chance of someone picking a duplicate invoice number is there. It will not allow them to save obviously and probably just make them enter the details again, but not ideal.

Certainly my invoice method could be modified for site as well.

If the worst comes to the worst, I will need to create pdf reports and attach those to the invoice instead of the invoice having the invoice details. Not ideal in my view. More work to create and more work for the recipient and these are regular invoices each week. That is the suggestion from the accountant.

Something to consider regarding your invoice numbers; have you considered a "Site ID" for your access system? So long as each program/site has a unique identifier you could have multiple sites each adding transactions (or multiple programs if needed) EACH with its own unique "Site" that allows you to quickly identify what is responsible for adding a given transaction as well as keeping all transactions unique.

Ran into this exact type of issue a very long time ago. Individuals would use laptops with local copies of data for sales calls. Site ID specific to the salesman / office helped in resolving many issues as well as keeping all unique IDs unique.
 

Mark_

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And as its isn't THEIR department doing the work, what would they care if it makes more work for someone else, right?
 

Gasman

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And as its isn't THEIR department doing the work, what would they care if it makes more work for someone else, right?

Correct. Instead of them getting paper/electronic copies and keying in the data, we now do it for them. :D

However as we get charged for their time, it should save our company money in the long run. Well that is the idea. :D

Only time will tell.
 

Pat Hartman

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es, I have found a few bad reviews for them
I wasn't pointing a finger at the company you chose. Please read my warning again. I was pointing out that if you do not establish a way out NOW, you will NEVER GET YOUR DATA OUT. I know no one wants to think the relationship won't last, but data is too important to just trust to the good will of others. You don't want to be forced to abandon it or have to expend the resources to re-key it.

I have another client who is an energy reseller. They started out small and without an IT department or software in place so they signed up with a service bureau that manages the interface between the gas and electric companies and the energy reseller. The transaction volumes are huge. There are hundreds of thousands of active customers and a few million inactive customers - once you start playing the rate game, you have to keep switching providers every time your contract expires. This client is simply dead. The service they get is poor. The data quality is poor but there is no reasonable way to rekey all the data and there is no provision in their contract for THEIR data to be exported in a computer readable fashion. All they have is the ability to export predefined "reports" to Excel. And that is not sufficient for them to be able to simply take their business elsewhere.

You NEVER know how your provider will end up servicing your account so it is incumbent on you (your client) to protect yourself because no one else cares. What if they go out of business? Do you get custody of the software and the data?

In the past when everyone ran the software in house. It didn't matter if it was custom or off the shelf, you still had custody of the data and if you wanted to change your "payroll" company, you could do it. It might take a little effort to do the conversion but it was always possible. If you don't have custody of your data, you are DEAD.
 

Gasman

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Hi Pat,

I realise that and apologise if it seemed otherwise.
I will look at recovering the data regularly. There is an export option in various parts of the system, but have not yet found out if it exports everything though.

It was just as I was unimpressed with the invoice number issue that I went searching.
 

nhorton79

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Did you sort your issue? We use Xero for processing invoices from our Access Database.

Your invoice numbers in Xero do not need to be sequential and you can set them to whatever you want, with whatever complexity you want.

You definitely don’t need to find the next one in the list in Xero. Although if you have to you could utilise the code halfway down this page: https://community.xero.com/developer/discussion/52523090
(Note: read all the posts after, about OpenSSL etc)

And then connect to Xero to get the last invoice number processed (data is supplied as XML which you would need to parse).

You could then insert this into your access database and the invoice CSV you’re about to upload, and would infinitely quicker than having to manually go into Xero.

Currently, we export a CSV that has our invoice number on it and line item details, then import that into Xero, but we generate our invoice numbers in Access where it is easier to track. But am working on developing an interface that works with the Xero API do both GET and POST/PUT data directly into Xero without the need for importing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Gasman

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Yes, I went with my own unique numbering system, which allowed it to stand out from a Xero generated invoice number.

Thanks for the link. It might come in useful in the future.
Sadly I no longer work there, work dried up and they had to let me go.
 

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