Setup Example – Delivery Notes
- Use Delivery Notes to manage deliveries of goods to customers.
- Delivery notes do not apply if you offer a service.
- It is possible to issue a combined invoice and delivery note by including the delivery address on the invoice.
- The invoice template can also be edited to indicate it is a combined delivery note and tax invoice. In this case, you do not need a Transaction Type for delivery notes.
- Delivery Notes are not posted to the ledger. In this example, they do not affect inventory, because inventory-movement transactions (for example, Goods Issued) record the stock that is issued. A Delivery Note affects inventory only if its Transaction Type is set up to do so and the organisation does not use inventory-movement transactions.
- Delivery Notes can be linked to a calendar to help with scheduling.
- In this example, delivery notes do not show prices, but they can.
- Delivery Notes can be copied from Customer Invoices or from Sales Orders, depending on how your organisation works (see Copy Rules below).
💡This page provides an example of a Transaction Type setup for Delivery Notes.
Header
- Description: Delivery Notes
- Code: CUS DN
- Entities: All
Settings (tab)
- This section lists the compulsory and optional settings that can be used to customise Delivery Notes.
- Settings with Default as part of the name can be changed when capturing a transaction.
| Setting | Description | Value | When Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting > Debit Type | Select from a dropdown list of account types. The options are:
| Customer | Always |
| Accounting > Pricing | Select a pricing option from the dropdown list:
| None | Always. In this example, delivery notes do not show prices. |
| Calendar > Enable Date End (Enter Caption) | Enter a caption for the transaction’s end date on the calendar. | Enter a caption (e.g. Del. End). | If deliveries are scheduled over more than one day. |
| Calendar > Enable Date Start (Enter Caption) | Enter a caption for the transaction’s start date on the calendar. | Del. Date | If deliveries are scheduled and shown on a calendar. |
| Calendar > Resource Calendar (Transaction Items) | Select the Calendar Type for the transaction from the dropdown list. | Delivery Schedule First create a calendar to manage deliveries, then select it here. | If deliveries are scheduled and shown on a calendar. |
| Defaults > Default – Data Filter | The default filter when you view a list of transactions for the Transaction Type (e.g. This Month, Pending). | Select an option from the dropdown list. | The default value is Pending & Active. Add this setting if you want a different default filter. |
| General > Add Items from the following Categories | Limits the items that can be added to those in the selected categories. Click Edit in the Value column and select the categories. | Click Edit. Move the categories from the Available to the Selected section to include them. Move the categories from the Selected to the Available section to exclude them. | If delivery notes are manually created (not copied from other transactions) and you want to limit the items that can be entered on a delivery note. |
| General > Add to Followers | Select Follower options from the dropdown list. Multiple options can be selected:
| Rep, Assign To | If you want the rep and the staff member the delivery is assigned to (e.g. the driver) to receive a copy of the delivery note when it is emailed. |
| General > Enable Address | Select which addresses are enabled on the transaction from the dropdown list. You can select one or both:
| Select Delivery. | Always |
| General > Enable Company | Select what type of company should be in the header:
| Customers (All) Goods are delivered regardless of the customer’s status. Select Customers (Active) instead to prevent goods being delivered to suspended customers. | Always |
| General > Enable Due Date (Enter Caption) | Enter a caption to add the Due Date field to the transaction (e.g. Due Date). | Enter a caption (e.g. Required). | If you schedule deliveries ahead of time. |
| General > Enable Entities | Select an option from this list:
| Branch | If you allocate transactions to branches. |
| General > Enable Required Date (Enter Caption) | Enter a caption to add the Required Date field to the transaction (e.g. Req. Date). | Req. Date | If you require more than one date to schedule deliveries. |
| General > Enable Staff | Select how transactions are assigned:
| All | If you want to alert a rep that the order is out for delivery, assign the delivery to a specific driver, or both. |
| General > Enable Timekeeping | Enables the Timekeeping module. | Check the box. | If you track the time it takes reps or delivery personnel to deliver goods. You can track both time and mileage on timekeeping. |
| General > Reference Lookup | Enter Reference lookup lists. | Click the Value column. Enter a reference, one entry per line. Check Auto Height to show the full list. | If you create delivery notes manually instead of copying them from other transactions. |
| General > Transaction Number | Specifies how transaction numbers are allocated when the Transaction Type is first created. The options are:
A warning appears on the orange warning bar if you enter a duplicate transaction number.
This setting cannot be changed if transactions exist. | Select an option from the dropdown list (e.g. Generate (Entity)). | If you have multiple entities that handle their own deliveries. |
| Mobile > Enable in Mobile App | Checkbox. If checked, the transaction can be accessed from the mobile app. | Check the box. | If you want to manage deliveries from the mobile app. |
| Transaction Items > Enable Adding Items | Specify which type of items can be added to a transaction. The options are:
All the buttons to add items still appear. A disabled feature shows an error message when clicked. | None | In this example, Delivery Notes are only created by copying Customer Invoices, so no items can be added. Select another option if you capture delivery notes manually. |
Statuses (tab)
- You may create an unlimited number of statuses.
- However, there are only four Status Groups:
- Pending
- Active
- Complete
- Cancelled
- The first status should allow editing.
- The final status should ideally not allow editing.
- If the setting Accounting > Enable Accounting is checked, at least one status should have the Accounting column checked.
- If inventory is used, at least one status should have the Inventory column checked.
- If editing is allowed when the inventory or accounting columns are checked, any accounting or inventory reports should be considered provisional.
Categories (tab)
- Use categories to sort records.
- The categories you choose should be meaningful to your business.
- Using categories is optional but recommended.
- Categories can be copied from another Transaction Type. The existing categories are replaced by the copied categories.
This example has no categories. If you want to sort your Delivery Notes (e.g. by delivery method, such as own vehicle, courier or collection), create your own categories. Delivery Notes are created by copying Customer Invoices or Sales Orders, and the category is copied with them. You can change the category on a copied transaction, but it is easy to forget, so it is best to use the same categories as the Transaction Type they are copied from. See Transaction Categories Tutorials.
Copy Rules (tab)
- Copy Rules determine when transactions may be copied.
- Although the copy involves two transactions, you only need to create one Copy Rule.
- User access must be set for each Copy Rule.
- You can automate copying transactions by selecting a Trigger status.
Copy Rules for Delivery Notes can work either way, depending on the organisation:
- Invoice first: The Customer Invoice is issued first and then copied to a Delivery Note. That Copy Rule is set up on the Customer Invoices Transaction Type (see Customer Invoices). In the first screenshot, the filter at the top right of the Copy Rules tab is changed from From to All. The Copy Rule from Customer Invoices then appears on the Delivery Notes Transaction Type.
- Delivery Note first: The Delivery Note is copied from the Sales Order and then copied to a Customer Invoice. Because prices are not on the delivery note, they must be picked from another transaction. The second screenshot shows such a Copy Rule, with Sales Orders selected in the Price From column. The items are copied from the delivery note, and the price information for those items is copied from the Sales Order.
Output Templates (tab)
- Output Templates are the forms you need to print, preview or email a transaction (e.g. invoices).
- Default templates are included. They automatically show your company name, logo and bank details, as filled in on the Output tab of a registered entity.
- You may edit these templates to include or exclude information.
- You may also create your own forms and templates from scratch.
