Inprotech: Multiple Invoice Formats

I passed on a quick little tip today that’s worth publishing overall I think.

Inprotech has functionality that allows multiple invoice formats to be set up. The idea is that individual clients can each have their own specific format and this format will be automatically assigned as the invoice is raised without the operator having to think about.

It might be because a different of invoice is required for different legal entity or office, a filing case has a different layout from an opposition case or simply one client wants more detail than the firm’s standard invoice.

This automation is achieved by recording attributes against the invoice format and a best fit algorithm is applied when the invoice is raised to pick the format that best meets the corresponding attributes of the debtor.

It all works very nicely but one little issue is when there are multiple clients that require the same invoice layout. The typical example is when you are dealing with multiple subsidiaries of a large organization. Maybe there are 10 or 15 different debtors in total but they all require to the group specific invoice format.

Using the system as it stands, you need to set up the billing template and then create the 15 bill formats in the table, one for each debtor. You get 5 or 6 clients like this and all of sudden you’ve got a maintenance nightmare on bill formats!

The reason you have to do this is that the debtor is seemingly the only client related attribute that you can apply against the invoice format. What you really need is the Client Group attribute or something like that.

The tip here is to use the client Language attribute as the grouping facility. Or course, this assumes you aren’t using it actually for the client’s language!!

Set up a Language in the pick list for say “ABC Company Invoice Format” and then attach this language against all of the name records for those organisations in the ABC Group. Then set up the ABC Invoice Format (once) with the necessary template and attach this Language attribute to the format. When the bill is raised for a debtor with this language the correct format will be selected. You don’t have set up a new format record, to use the same template, if a new group company comes along and you only have to maintain the record in one place when it changes.

I also like to code the Languages with an “AAA” at the start so that all of the invoice format languages are at the top of the picklist:

AAA – Australia Post Invoice Format
AAA – IBM Format
AAA – Proctor & Gamble Invoice Format

The alternative, or course, is to delete any languages not used from the list.

This approach is also useful if you want to have a different invoice format for local clients and international clients. Maybe you don’t want more space for descriptions for clients or the banking/remittance details are different. Simply set up a language type of International Invoice Format (or vice versa) and attach it to international clients.

Of course, you then need to make sure that this happens during the client take on process. Maybe using the name copy facility with a template record, but that’s definitely another story!!