Allow Letters in Invoice Numbers

AGGSpeaker

Simple value add. Business editions that allow Invoice creation should allow letters as they are often used as identifiers. Example: "4321A" or "4321B". Today invoices are only allowed number values. If entered in an invoice the A or B in above scenario is automatically removed in the GUI. For comparison, the check number field in the standard register already does this.

I * suspect * the reason this isn't enabled is because the GUI wants to automatically increment the invoice number from the previous invoice created. If previous invoice was 4321 the GUI will automatically make the next new invoice number 4322, regardless of whether that's what's needed by the user. Fine, but let me edit it afterwards. The automatic entry by the GUI can simply read the numeric character values and ignore alpha characters.

NotACPA

The only question that I have about this idea is: But what the the user wants to put the letter in the middle of the number portion?

AGGSpeaker

Three possible answers:

#1 Allow alpha characters as a prefix or suffix only.

#2 Allow them anywhere and eliminate the restriction entirely. See #3

#3 Increment a count of 1 from the FIRST invoice number created, not the most recent invoice created. We use Freshbooks in a different business and it manages this just fine. Freshbooks does so by automatically incrementing a count of 1 with each new invoice w/ the count starting at the very first invoice ever created from the invoice number value you asked it to start with. If I started a year ago with Invoice Number 2001, and 300 invoices later, when I click create new invoice the number will be 2301. Makes zero difference if I subsequently edit that invoice number to "A2301QZH" or some nonsense. The next new invoice will be 2302. I can edit any invoice number in any way I please.

Note that Quicken's own checking account register entries already allow this. Go to an entry in a checking account where no check number is present. Edit the transaction and enter something like 1234A. In fact, you can use the PIPE character ( | ) to enter two check numbers in the registry, like this: "1234A | 1234B".

AGGSpeaker

Quick explanation as to why I would be editing the check number field in such an odd way. The screenshot I shared of the register is the deposit account for our business. Since the check number field is always empty for a deposit I use the field to match the invoice number the respective deposit is for. In the cases where a single payment covers more than one invoice number, I separate them using the pipe "|" character.