Hi MYOB,
Since I've started to use MYOB over a couple of years ago, I've struggled with issuing Invoices as the Invoice number field is way too short. Each company has their own way of setting ...
The invoice numbering system is archaic and remains at the old 8 aphanumeric length.
I had hoped that v15 had changed this but have found out [from a post this morning ] that this has not changed.
Leading zeros for invoice numbers that are considered by MYOB internals as a number seems outdated.
ie 00000001 is silly -when I pay this invoice is the ref number 00000001 or 1
I know why it occurs - because this number is an alphanumeric - but if it looks like a number smells like one and increments like one MYOB will treat it as one.
Hence the auto system
And if you remove the leading zeros MYOB puts them back - but remove them and put an A in the number as
A1 or 1A and MYOB doesnot add back the zeros.
However with a max of 8 alphas - if we need to make provisions [sensibly] for Credit Notes and re-sssues then we shorten our allowable numbering system.
ie. lets say we have an invoice 12963 which would be stored and printed as
00012963
And we need to create a credit in full - can't be 00012963CN as that is 10 characters.
So we remove 2 leading zeros and put 012963CN - and the number becomes very different to 00012963
So instead of using numbers we add an A and make it
12963A - and MYOB permits this and stores it as "12963A" and alphanumeric
Now we can issue a credit note 12963ACN and a re-ssue 12963B - and these will sort correctly in MYOB 1 after the other - so the book keeper can see at a glance CN and re-issues relating to the original 12963A - goodaccounting procedure.
However - we now limit the numbering system effectively to 99,999 invoice numbers before restarting.
Please MYOB rethink this archaic invoice numbering system - make it 16 at least. - perhpas have 2 fields - a number and an alphanumeric!
The Doc - and yes a tick box to include or exclude leading zeros