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Dynamics 365 Community / Forums / Small and medium business | Business Central, N... / Document numbering and...
Small and medium business | Business Central, N...
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Document numbering and Accounting Standards

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Posted on by swenger 152

While we have been using BC for several years, we only recently came across this issue which I a bit surprised that an ERP this size exist. It has to do with numbering of documents in journals. We initially noticed that there multiple journals not related to each other with the same document number. We were discussing this with our consultant and since it had to with some custom work on the Intercompany side they had to look at their code and made some changes to fix this. In the meantime they suggested we use the renumbering feature before posting the new entry. So when they fixed the issue we noticed that renumbering was skipping numbers so we had a call this morning and they explained to us that BC out of the box allows for skipping numbers and duplicates in journal entries. So for example if you deleted a sales or purchase document the system will keep that number as a deleted document for completeness of document numbers. However if you create a journal entry and need to split  this into multiple lines since it created a new journal number for each line in order to post it you must change all lines to the same number as the first but after you post and go to create a new journal it uses the next number which can be skipping a few that you deleted. It also keeps no log of these deleted numbers. As well you can manually change the journal to the same as a posted one and it will allow you to post. Which makes no sense at all because if you are looking up a journal which our auditors have done and see multiple entries that have nothing to do with each other and different dates it gets very confusing.

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  • Verified answer
    YUN ZHU Profile Picture
    YUN ZHU 93,024 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at
    RE: Document numbering and Accounting Standards

    Hi, this is the standard behavior, you can change the following setting to make all No. Series not allow gaps.

    pastedimage1683594819360v1.png

    However, the standard is generally that the documents before posting are not controlled, and the documents after posting are controlled.

    For example, the following case will occur: 
    https://yzhums.com/35909/

    But these all depend on system settings. If you want to go further, you can choose to customize.

    Hope this helps.

    Thanks

    ZHU

  • swenger Profile Picture
    swenger 152 on at
    RE: Document numbering and Accounting Standards

    Thank for the information of the setup screen. What you are explaining makes sense and I read your post except for one thing. The general journals are financial areas and therefore by default should not allow gaps. The same journal number is kept after posting so the posted journals end up having gaps.

  • Verified answer
    KasparsSemjonovs Profile Picture
    KasparsSemjonovs 4,665 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at
    RE: Document numbering and Accounting Standards

    I think the issue is caused because You have the "Manual No." checkmark for the No. Series.

    Usually just the number series is added for the Journal Batch, and if You don't have the Manual No. checkmark for that No. Series - system will not allow gaps (I assume the Allow Gaps checkmark should also be empty for the No. Series, but haven't tested this much). This way You would see an error when trying to post, and would need to do the Renumbering.

    If You have a separate Posting No. Serie provided - if You don't have "Manual No." and "Allow Gaps" for that No. Series- You shouldn't have any problems or errors.

    If You have the Manual No. checkmark for the No. Serie that is added to jounral batch and have no separate Posting No. Serie - then it should work like You are describing - you can create new journal lines with already used number and system would allow You to post it.

  • swenger Profile Picture
    swenger 152 on at
    RE: Document numbering and Accounting Standards

    This was very helpful information. Thank you. Together with the information below regarding manual resolves my issue

  • Suggested answer
    swenger Profile Picture
    swenger 152 on at
    RE: Document numbering and Accounting Standards

    Together with the detailed explanation from Yun Zhu regarding Gaps setting this resolved my problem. Thanks

  • swenger Profile Picture
    swenger 152 on at
    RE: Document numbering and Accounting Standards

    So we started working with the Manual number unchecked as well as the allowing gap unchecked and now came across the following. When we accept the intercompany transactions in the inbox they get added to the Intercompany journal. The numbers assigned there are in sequence and the number series gets updated with the next number after these numbers in the journal even before they are posted. However when we click on post we get a message that there are earlier journals that need to be posted first. So what we have to do is go to the No Series and modify the last number used. As an example

    Before we start this process the last journal posted in BC is JIC020370 and in the number series the next one listed is JIC020371.

    We accepts the inbox transactions and the journals get created with JIC020371 through JIC02375.

    The No series gets updated to last used JIC02375.

    When we go to post we get the error

    We change the last used to JIC020370 and it posts fine.

    I tried the following. I added the check box to allow manual but kept the allow gaps unchecked.

    Went through the same scenario as above and was able to post without changing the No Series.

    However i was also able to change the first number to JIC020376 and leave a gap with NO JIC020371 and it DID post with a Gap. So this is not helpful. Why would i be allowed to post a GAP if it is unchecked.

    Thanks

  • Suggested answer
    KasparsSemjonovs Profile Picture
    KasparsSemjonovs 4,665 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at
    RE: Document numbering and Accounting Standards

    It is allowed because Manual No. is allowed.

    If Manual No. is checked - system only suggests You the next number, but You can change it to anything and doesn't re-check sequence.

  • swenger Profile Picture
    swenger 152 on at
    RE: Document numbering and Accounting Standards

    Personally I think this makes no sense. If the box for allow gaps is NOT checked this means NO gaps, it doesn't mean I can manually change the number to cause a GAP. It is what MS programmed but is wrong in my eyes and against audit standards.

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