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Invoice and order defaults overview

You can set up a range of defaults to save you time when entering information in your software, defaults reduce the number of items that you need to enter manually, helping you to speed up your processing.

The invoice and order defaults hold and apply information that is specific to your business and common across the invoicing and order processing functions of Sage Accounts. Whether it's the rate of carriage you apply or your preferred discounting method, you can set up your standard formats here. Using the defaults effectively saves you time every time you enter an invoice or order.


Settings > Invoice & Order Defaults

GeneralOpen this section

GeneralOpen this section

Update ledgersOpen this section

Update Using Order No

Select this check box to post all invoices with the sales order number as the transaction reference on the audit trail. Clear this check box to post all invoices with the invoice number as the reference.

Update Service Invoices using the following text

If you select this check box and enter some text in the box below, this overrides anything you type into the service invoice New/Edit window.

Update using Customer Department

Select this check box to update your invoices and credit notes by customer department.

Purchase Order Delivery AddressOpen this section

Purchase Order Delivery Address

Sage 50 Accounts Professional only

When you create a purchase order a suggested delivery address appears, and this is determined by this setting.

Your choice of setting depends on the location that your purchased goods are normally delivered to.

  • Default to Company Delivery Addresses- Most people use their company address. If you have multiple addresses for your company, then the default address is used. Otherwise your address in Settings > Company Preferences > Details is used.
  • Default to Supplier Delivery Addresses - You may prefer to send goods to a supplier location ready for collection. If you have recorded multiple address for a supplier then the default address is used.

  • Default to Customer Delivery Addresses - You can send purchased goods directly to customers to satisfy sales orders. In this case during order entry the delivery address is blank but at that point you can access your customer addresses and select the one you want to use.

Find out more about multiple addresses.

Footer DefaultsOpen this section

Invoice and Sales Order Carriage Defaults Open this section

Net

Enter the value you typically charge for the delivery of goods excluding VAT.

As you record an invoice or sales order this amount is applied to the sale, but can be overwritten if required.

N/C

Select the nominal account for carriage.

When you create an invoice or sales order the nominal account is used by default, but can be overwritten if required.

Dept.

If you want to link the carriage to a department, from the drop-down list, choose one.

When you create an invoice or sales orderthis department is used by default, but can be overwritten if required.

Purchase Order Carriage DefaultsOpen this section

Net

Enter the value you are typically charged for the delivery of goods excluding VAT.

As you record a purchase order this amount is applied to the order. It appears on the Footer tab, at which point you can change it.

N/C

Select the nominal account for carriage.

When you create a purchase order, this nominal account appears, this can be overwritten if required.

Dept.

If you want to link the carriage to a department, choose one from the drop-down list.

When you create a purchase order, this department appears, this can be overwritten if required.

OptionsOpen this section

Invoice and Order NumberingOpen this section

....start from

Enter the numbers that you want your invoices, credit notes, sales orders, purchase orders, goods received notes and goods despatched notes to start from.

Note: If you already have started to enter your invoices and orders, the numbers that appear for your invoices and orders are the next to be created.

OptionsOpen this section

When an invoice or order is saved

Choose the action you want to take after an invoice or sales order has been recorded:

  • Create a new Invoice/Order after saving (Default) - Saves the invoice or order and clears the window ready to enter the next invoice or order.

  • Edit the last Invoice/Order after saving - Saves the invoice or order and leave the details on-screen for editing.

GDN and GRN OptionsOpen this section

Good Despatched Notes

Choose how you want to generate goods despatched notes:

  • Generate for all despatches (Default) - Always generates a GDN for each order despatched. The GDN on the order's Despatched tab whereyou can view or print it.
  • Prompt at each despatch - You can choose whether to generate a GDN each time you despatch an order.
  • Do not generate - You may prefer this option if you don't use GDNs.

Show Goods Despatched Notes prompt - Select this check box to be prompted when a GDN is available to print.

Goods Received Notes

How do you want to generate goods received notes:

  • Generate for all received (Default) - Always generate a GRN for each order recorded as received. The GRN is stored on the order's Deliveries tab where it can be viewed or printed.

  • Prompt at each received - You can choose whether to generate a GRN each time you record the delivery of an order.

  • Do not generate - You may prefer this option if you don't use GRNs.

Show Goods Received Notes prompt - Select this check box to be prompted when a GRN is available to print.

Special ItemsOpen this section

Set up your default tax codes for special items.

S1 - Special Product Item, Tax chargeable From the drop-down list, choose the appropriate tax code.
S2 - Special Product Item, Tax Zero Rated
S3 - Special Service Item - Tax Chargeable

DiscountsOpen this section

Unit PriceOpen this section

Discount by Unit Price

Select this to calculate discounts based on the unit price of the products on the invoice.

The value of the discount varies depending on the method of discounting you use.

The calculation used for Discount By Unit Price is: (Unit Sales Price - Discount) x Quantity

For example, a customer buys 20 units at £9.99, with a 20% discount.

  • Using the Invoice Value Discount method: (Unit Sales Price x Quantity) - Discount (199.80) - 39.96 = £159.84
  • Using the Discount By Unit Price method: (Unit Sales Price - Discount) x Quantity (7.99) x 20 = £159.80

By calculating the discount value on each individual unit, the discount given is different than if the discount was applied to the entire invoice.

Apply Quantity/Value Discounts toOpen this section

Sage 50 Accounts Plus and Accounts Professional only

Decide how you want the quantity and value discounts to be applied to invoices. You can select all customers or customers that aren't associated with a price list.

Special Prices

Select this to apply discounts to special prices. If this box is clear, value discounts aren't applied to any invoices or orders that contain special prices, and quantity discounts aren't applied to any line items using special prices.

Price List Prices

Select this check box to apply quantity discounts to your customer price list prices.

If this box is cleared, value discounts are not applied to any invoices or orders that contain price list prices, and quantity discounts are not applied to any line items using price list prices.

Standard Prices

Invoices that include standard prices are always discounted. This check box is always selected.

Select whether you want the Special Price, Price List and Standard Price discounts to be applied to all customers, or only to those customers who aren't included on any price lists.

Discounting Special ItemsOpen this section

Accounts Plus and Accounts Professional Only

Always apply Value Discounts to special items (S1, S2 and S3)

To apply discounts to any special items, select this check box - transactions with a code of S1, S2 or S3, which appear on your invoices are discounted regardless of the other settings.

Item Line DiscountOpen this section

Show Discount on Main Invoice/Order screen

If you select this check box, two discount columns appear on the invoice entry window and the order entry window - Discount and Discount %.

The columns show any discount awarded to items on an invoice or sales order and can be used to change the discount that has been applied.

To edit the discount, press F3 to show the Edit Item Line window, then amend as required.

IntrastatOpen this section

Declarations - DispatchesOpen this section

Generate Intrastat entries for Sales Orders

If you export goods to the European Union (EU), select this check box so that Intrastat reports can be generated.

Default Terms of Delivery

Delivery terms - Indicates what part of the costs and risks the seller of goods has agreed to take on as part of the contract of sale.

You only have to provide delivery terms information if your annual threshold exceeds £16,000,000. If this is the case, choose the code you expect to use regularly in your Intrastat report.

We have included a list of commonly used codes. Find out more.

Default Nature of Transaction Code (NOTC)

This code indicates the type of transaction made. Select the code you expect to use regularly in your Intrastat report.

We have included a list of commonly used NOTC for the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Declarations - ArrivalsOpen this section

Generate Intrastat entries for Purchase Orders

If you import goods from the European Union (EU), select this check box so that Intrastat reports can be generated.

Default Terms of Delivery

Delivery terms - Indicates what part of the costs and risks the buyer of goods has agreed to take on as part of the contract of purchase.

You only have to provide delivery terms information if your annual threshold exceeds £16,000,000. If this is the case, choose the code you expect to use regularly in your Intrastat report.

We have included a list of commonly used codes. Find out more.

Default Nature of Transaction Code (NOTC)

This code indicates the type of transaction made. Choose the code you expect to use regularly in your Intrastat report.

We have included a list of commonly used NOTC for the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Cash SalesOpen this section

PrintingOpen this section

When performing a Cash Sale

Select the documents you want to generate for a cash sale from these options: sales order, goods despatched note or sales invoice.

OptionsOpen this section

Add message to Invoice

To add a message to the generated invoice, select this check box. Enter the text you want to appear on the invoice. For example: Cash sale - Paid in full.

Default Cash Sales Bank Account

From the drop-down list, choose the bank account you want the value of a cash sale applied to. You must choose a base currency bank account.

Always post to Default Cash Sales Bank Account

Select this option if you always want the value of a cash sales to update the default cash sales bank account.

Always prompt for Cash Sales Bank Account

Select this option to be able to choose the bank account to send the value of a cash sale when you record the sale.

Quick PrintOpen this section

You can use the options on this tab to set up your default layouts for use with the Quick Print feature. Use the Browse option locate the required layout, then click OK.

EmailOpen this section

You can use the options on this tab to set up your default layouts for use with the Email feature. Use the Browse option locate the required layout, then click OK.


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