Billing: common elements

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Billing includes:

• customer invoicing: quotes, orders, invoices, credit notes, delivery notes.
• supplier invoicing: price requests, supplier orders, supplier invoices, supplier credit notes, and receipt notes.

We will see below what is common to all invoicing, client and supplier, while two other pages will detail what is common to client invoicing and what is common to supplier invoicing.

These screens present the list of documents (invoices, quotes, etc.). Above is the list of customer invoices screen.

The 1 button allows you to switch from customer invoicing to supplier invoicing, and vice versa.

The 2 buttons allow you to display each type of part.

The 3 button allows you to select the exercise to display. The list screen displays all the parts established during:

• the calendar year, if the first financial year date (see parametrage) begins on January 1
• the current financial year, if the first financial year date does not begin on January 1.

The context menu of the 3 field allows you to display the documents by month, and not by financial year, very useful in case of high volume (faster response time, less busy screen).

The 4 column is the one that contains the identifier (ID) of the part. This is a unique, auto-incrementing identifier (see part numbering.

The 5 column displays the status of the part.

In the table, you can directly click on the postit 6 (column N), which allows you to directly record an internal note for the part, a note which will not be visible to the customer.

The filter buttons allow you to display respectively:

• the parts selected according to a configurable filter 1
• documents in “Draft” status (being drafted) 2
• “unfinished” documents (here, all “draft”, “to be transmitted”, “pending”, “late” invoices) 3

The universal search field 4 allows you to search for a part by its ID, its company name, its customer name, nature of part, city, and even its amount including tax.

The list allows multi-selection: you can select several pieces at once.

Using the 1 button, you can filter the parts by status.

• the “overdue” option displays overdue parts (status 4), quotes to be relaunched (status 6)
• the “to be processed” option displays the draft documents (status 1) or those to be transmitted (status 2), and in addition, if these are quotes, the expired quotes (status 4), which can possibly be reactivated.
• the “All except completed” option displays the documents in draft (status 1) or to be transmitted (status 2) or transmitted-pending (status 3) or due (status 6) for quotes or to be relaunched (status 4) for the other parts.
• the “Unpaid/Not completed” option displays the documents transmitted-on hold (status 3), to be restarted (status 4) or rejected (status 7)
• the “Refusal/Cancellation” option returns expired quotes (status 6) or other rejected documents (status 7).

Below is the context menu available on the list of parts, here the list of invoices.

Filter invoices allows you to display only a selection of documents, based on various filter criteria. The Ctrl+Q shortcut, very practical, allows you to filter all invoices from the same customer.

You can select several lines, and calculate the totals with the Total selection option.

Write off allows you to indicate that the invoice will never be paid (or the order canceled, etc.).

It is possible to record abnormalities on all parts.

The Screen options menu is detailed below.

It is possible to directly display all customer information (including customer balance) or invoice information (including payments or genealogy).

It is possible to send the invoice directly, by email or post, or simply to send a message.

The specific options menu allows you to modify all individually redefined options.

The Specific information printing menu allows you to replace the wording identifying the part, such as “Invoice” or “Quotation”, with any other replacement wording. Typically, you could produce a document entitled “proforma invoice”, “proforma invoice”. 'deposit' for example (you could also obtain the same effect, but permanently, using the translation of the parts labels. Very useful for Belgium, in particular, where a Credit is called a Credit Note).

On the list of documents requiring payment or settlement, you can use the Ctrl+M shortcut to display the corresponding entries. You can also double-click on the Payment date in the list.

The context menu of the screen, for example the 1 zone, allows you to display the general settings screen.

Show additional columns allows you to display, for example, the delivery party, the generated or original parts, etc. This display requires access to files other than the main file, so it can slow down the display in the event of large volumes. This is why it is only optional.

The Show balance option allows you to display the balance of the invoice.

Show by month allows you to display parts by month and not by year.

Report anomalies colors the part line on which an anomaly is recorded in red, while Show anomaly column displays the description.

Show Status colors the date column based on the condition of the part.

Including construction sites in unfinished items allows, when you request the display of unfinished parts, to include the invoices concerning the construction sites.

It is possible to display the margin as a percentage instead of displaying it in amount, and to define a coloring threshold (margin) above which the box will be colored: this allows you to identify very easily parts with a margin less than the objective.

Likewise, it is possible to define an unpaid threshold: if an invoice is unpaid, it is indicated by a red flashing light. Whereas if it is unpaid below this threshold (for example, the bill is 95% paid), there will still be a small flashing light, but this time it will be green. This functionality was designed to facilitate the management of retained guarantees, very often confiscated by project owners.

It is possible to directly access the settings via the Edit Settings option.

Below is the screen for a standard document, in this case an invoice.

The 1 icon presents the status of the part. This status can be:

“Draft” is the default status in creation. This corresponds to the pieces that are being created. As long as a document is in “Draft” status, it is not taken into account in the statistics or in the accounting, unless explicitly requested to be taken into account in certain statistics screens.

When the Draft box is unchecked, the document is considered validated, and its destiny is to be transmitted to the client. Its status changes to “To be transmitted”.

The document can be sent by post or email. Upon transmission, the status of the part changes to “Pending”: in the case of a quote or an order, you wait for customer agreement, in the case of an invoice you wait for payment, in the case of a BL, you wait for confirmation of receipt by the customer.

The status can then change to “Expired”, such as for example a quote for which customer approval has not been received before the due date of the quote, or an invoice that has not yet been paid on its due date.

The part moves to “Processed” status when what needs to be done for it is done (for example, customer agreement for a quote, or payment for an invoice)

It may finally happen that the part is rejected: explicit refusal of a quote by a client, or rejection of an invoice and going unpaid, For example.

The timestamp 2, as in all Gestan record screens, presents the ID of the record, and the date/time/user code of creation and last modification of the record. Please note that any modification to a part is archived and accessible via the history consultation screens.

When the document has been transmitted or the date 7 is entered, the document can no longer be modified. If a modification is nevertheless desired, you must uncheck the “Transmitted” box to be able to modify it again, having previously, if necessary, deleted the date 7 if entered. To do this, you must have the administrative privilege of the parts. Any modification to a part, whatever its condition, is fully archived and can be consulted in the history of the part. piece.

In case of deletion, the internal number of the deleted invoice will not be reused. However, a Gestan administrator with explicit administration rights will be able to force a part number, an operation which will be traceable.

In addition to the statuses, the list of which is fixed (because there are logical controls which are linked to these statuses), it is possible to define states for the parts, which will be displayed at the top of the screen as below.

States are saved via the configurable labels screen. For example, here are two states we recorded for BLs:

The Customer 1 drop-down list displays the contacts for whom a document of the same nature (invoice, quote, etc.) was established less than a year ago (or less than 7 days or less 30 days, depending on the number of existing pieces)

Two additional options are available:

• choose a contact allows quick selection from the contact list
• quick creation allows you to open a screen whose aim is to quickly create a contact supposedly not yet registered in the database.

The External reference 2 zone allows you to indicate a reference which will replace the part number, when edited. This field can be used, for example, to indicate an invoice number from a previous invoicing system, for example (see part numbering options).

The address fields displayed are either the business address if the contact is registered as a business, or the home address if the contact is registered as an individual (see contacts). You can choose any other address via the drop-down context menu.

If a dedicated address had been specified, this address takes precedence over the personal address and the professional address. For example, if you create an invoice, if a billing address had been recorded, it is this address that will be displayed first.

The context menu of the drop-down list of clients allows in particular:

• to open the selected customer's file
• directly create a new client using the normal screen
• display client projects
• create an action for the customer
• to select another address for the customer
• to select a “construction site” address for the client, this for headers of type 2AdrA
• to select a contact for delivery. In this case, any BL generated from this part will be to the delivery contact address.

The context menu of the company name allows you to:

• search for company information via societe.com
• paste a business card in vCard format in the address boxes
• paste form boxes into address boxes.

The latter case corresponds to the following use case: you collect customer data via a web form (for example an order form), which you receive in the form of an email which includes, per line, a zone name, two points, and the value of the area. For example :

TOWN: CHALONS EN CHAMPAGNE

You can copy the email, and use this option, which will automatically paste the recognized areas of the email into the correct areas of the invoice. In the case of our example, the city will be supplied by CHALONS EN CHAMPAGNE. The list of recognized keywords is as follows: LAST NAME, FIRST NAME, (FIRST NAME, FIRST NAME), (EMAIL, EMAIL), ADDRESS, COMPANY, (POSTAL CODE, POSTAL CODE), CITY.

You can put, on the second address line, an email address different from the one present or not on the customer file.

This corresponds to the following use case: you sell a product to customers whose contact details you do not want to save in the contacts file, but to whom you want to issue an invoice. In this case, create a “generic” customer which can be called, for example “sales counter 2023”. Then create the invoice for this generic customer, indicating a postal address only in the invoice form, and the email address in the second address line. When you right click, the invoice will be correctly sent to the correct email address, read in the invoice file and not in the customer file. You will therefore keep the memory of the customer's complete contact details.

The Nature of the part is its general description, for example “Installation of a French window”, “Software creation” or “Kitchen equipment”. It makes it easy to find your way through the list of parts.

You can indicate your references in the V/Ref area. In this area, the context menu Add external reference allows you to insert the external reference of the client (It may be necessary, in particular for “large account” companies using Gestan in addition to their corporate ERP (SAP , PeopleSoft, Sage, Dynamics, etc.) that the reference in the company's ERP appears on the parts produced by Gestan).

To do this, indicate the external customer reference (the SAP number, PeopleSoft, etc.) in the “External reference” area of the contact form under Gestan. Then, when you make a quote, an invoice, or another part, right-click on the N/Ref area of the invoice card: this allows you to insert the external reference of the selected customer.

The Draft box designates the fact that the piece is still in a draft state, not finished. As long as it is in the “Draft” state, the document is not taken into account either in the accounting or in the statistics (unless explicitly chosen otherwise).

The Transmitted box indicates that the part has been transmitted to the customer. From then on, it can no longer be modified, unless your privileges allow it.

The Date is the date the document was issued.

The dates 1 and 2 have different meanings depending on the coin types.

The 3 button allows you to store internal notes related to the part. These notes are not transmitted to the recipient.

The 4 icon indicates, if applicable, that the room is locked.

The 5 button allows you to link files to the part.

The 6 and 7 buttons allow you to add text, before and after the piece, such as an introductory word, and additional information for the attention of the RECIPIENT.

These areas allow you to specify:

• a deposit amount requested
• a global discount amount granted. It will appear at the foot of the invoice and will be recorded in the RRR account mentioned in the accounting settings, without breakdown by product or rate. To break down discounts by product or rate, you must specify the discount rates at line level, and not overall (see below). Discounts by product lines are automatically deducted from the sales account of the products concerned.

To add a part line (item), click on the add button 3.

It is also possible to directly enter a product code in the 2 field, if direct entry has been activated in the general parameter. In this field, the Enter key triggers a new entry directly (instead of closing the screen).

When, in the general settings, the Favorite product buttons box is checked, three small buttons appear, and allow you to insert a “favorite product” line in the room. This insertion can be automatic if the Auto box of the general settings is also checked.

The 5 button allows you to use a laser scanner to directly scan the products. It is displayed when direct product entry has been activated.

When entering an invoice line, the VAT rate is entered with the VAT rate entered at the product level. If it is not entered, or if you do not use a product catalog, it is automatically populated with the VAT rate defined as the default VAT. It is still possible to modify it directly in the line.

Gestan does not manage account codes at the item line level, but at the item level. Also, when you have, for example, a supplier invoice concerning two different matters and you wish to do a separate financial analysis for these two matters, instead make two separate orders which will result in two invoices, or save your supplier invoices in two separate documents.

The details tab groups together information that can be linked to the part.

You can link the part to a project 1, a machine 2, or a contract 3.

The right part allows you to enter transport and customs information, including INCOTERM.

This tab allows you to record notes in free format, which will be published on the part (such as “Our advice: replace your obsolete machine” on an IT intervention invoice).

The small stamps 1 allow you to “stamp” repetitive information, for example “Date of completion of work: DD/MM/YYYY”.

The context menu allows you to insert any address linked to contact 2, or to insert an rtf file 3. A bit technical, but it allows you to create complex RTF formats with an external word processor, and to inject the result into the notes area.

Although it is possible to insert images there, it is not recommended, because the storage mode for this area is RTF, a not optimal format for images, which will quickly take up a lot of space.

Many options are available:

In the context menu items:

• Add a percentage line allows you to add a line calculated as a percentage of all or part of the other lines. Very useful for calculating certain taxes.
• You can Add comment lines, or a standard wording
• Apply a discount allows you to add a discount per line (will be counted differently from a global discount applicable to the entire part, see above).
• It is possible, even if you manage a product catalog, to add a non-catalog product.
• Select by supplier codes allows you to add a product by selecting it by supplier codes (instead of your own codes)
• For quotes, it is possible to put the line as an option, displaying the prices or not.
• Price History allows you to view product prices for different issued coins, while Customer History shows operations performed for the product and for the customer.
• Manufacturing batches and serial numbers opens the batch number and serial number management screen serial numbers.
• If you manage inventory, you can display stock information for the selected product or for all products in the room
• You can Calculate the weight and volume, or the surface area

The Data menu allows you to perform numerous operations on all or part of the items in the room.

• Round the total
• Group by product allows you to reduce the number of lines in a part. For example, if you have an order with three lines, one of 3 things, the other of 4 machines, and the third of 10 things, this option will reduce your order to a single line of 17 things (very useful in particular in the case of generating a supplier order from several customer documents).

It is possible to print a specific wording at the bottom of the document, for each type of room, such as your opening hours or any other useful information.

The 1 label is configured via the general parameter, tab Parts → Bottom of page.

The label 2 is configured via the general settings, Parts tab → Options by type.

The bill bottom can also be replaced by a detachable butterfly bottom, via the general settings.

You can print the IBAN of the bank account concerned by the document either at the top of the document, via the header type, or at the bottom, via the general settings. In the example below, both options have been enabled.

It is also possible to print general conditions of sale,

• either in text directly added to the part,
• or in the form of a second PDF, sent automatically when sending by email, depending on the settings.

The second option is preferable: smaller in size, and more practical for your recipients if you send it by email.

You can personalize the T&Cs with the following keywords:

• %CIVILITY_COURT%
• %PRENOM_CONTACT%
• %CONTACT_NAME%
• %SOCIAL REASON%
• %ADDRESS_1_2_PRO%
• %POSTAL_PRO_CODE%
• %CITY_PRO%
• %CIVILITE_LITT_PRO%

Via the general settings, it is possible to specify a “Shipping costs” family (box Rupture shipping costs).

This allows you to present the shipping costs separately, at the bottom of the invoice, and to make a subtotal.

Since :

• the base manages “vehicle” type “maintenance machines”;
• the part is linked to a vehicle;
• the general setting specifies that vehicle information must be printed on the invoice;

a specific “Vehicle” block is inserted into the room, as below.

For English or American cars, mileage is expressed in miles. To do this, translate Kms into Miles for the “Canadian French” language via the translation of the parts labels. Then declare your invoice as being an invoice expressed in “Canadian French”. And voila !

It is possible to easily import document lines from a spreadsheet. This is particularly useful for people who make complex quotes: they can do them using their usual spreadsheet, then either load the data directly from the spreadsheet, or copy and paste it into the Gestan spreadsheet.

The import program is available from the context menu of the invoice line table, on the invoice card (Data → Import spreadsheet format → New file).

The menu opens a spreadsheet, with a first line filled in as follows: CD_PRODUIT, QUANTITY, PU_VENTE_HT, LIB_LFACT and UNITE_VENTE. In the case of an invoice whose lines are classified by title/lot, the first line of the spreadsheet will contain, in addition to the previous elements, the columns LIB_TITREFACT (for the title), and LIB_LOTFACT (for the invoicing batch). The columns with a red background are mandatory, the others optional.

Column 1 must contain the product code, column 2 the quantity (enter in the sheet, or copy and paste from another spreadsheet). The Catalog price button would populate the PU_VENTE_HT column with the unit sales price excluding taxes. It is possible to enter a line label in the LIB_LFACT column and a sales unit in the UNITE_VENTE column (otherwise, they are read in the product catalog).

All lines will be read, up to the first unfilled line, and the lines will be added to the part, after checking the product code.

In this example, 5 lines should be added to the part.

Here, the procedure updated the price of leeks, but it detected that potatoes and celery were not listed product codes: it will be necessary for the operator to delete these lines, or correct the codes product.

The 1 paperclip allows you to link any document (pdf, spreadsheet, image, text) to the part.

It opens the screen below:

The Link button opens the list of documents linked to the contact, which will allow you to link an existing document to the part (in addition to the contact). The Unlink button will delete this link, without deleting the document (it will only be linked to the part contact).

Double-clicking on the table opens the linked file (pdf, docx, xlsx, txt, etc.).

Attachments will be automatically added to the email sending the item.

Right-clicking on the list of invoices, quotes, etc., and using the Normal transmission menu generates a PDF and opens an email sending window.

You can choose the sender via the 1 combo. The recipient 2 is also pre-populated via the contact information linked to the part.

If Memo 3 is checked, the sending of the email will be stored in the contact's “Action” folder.

The attachment area contains the references of the pdf file that will be transmitted. The context menu 4 allows you to automatically add documents linked to the contact and/or those linked to the product.

The content of message-type 5 is pre-written according to the user.

Other “Billing” articles