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Default Items

This setting in the Sales Ledger allows you to define sets of Items which will then be added automatically to new Invoices on entry of a Customer Number. They will also be added to Invoices created from Orders, although they will not be shown in the Orders themselves. One set of Default Items can be allocated to each Customer (using the field on the Customer card of the Customer record).

To open the setting, move to the Sales Ledger using the Modules menu and click the [Settings] button in the Master Control panel (or choose 'Settings' from the File menu). When the 'Settings' list is opened, double-click 'Default Items'. The 'Default Items: Browse' window is displayed, showing all Default Item records previously entered. Double-click a Default Item record in the list to edit it, or add a new record by clicking the [New] button in the Button Bar.

Assign each Default Item record a unique Code and Name. In the grid area, specify all the Items that are in this set of Default Items using 'Paste Special' if necessary. Use one row per Item. All Items listed in the grid area will be added to Invoices automatically for all Customers using this Default Item record.

An example use of this setting might be to set up a system of courier charges, as shown in the example illustration above (which also include the provision to send a free catalogue with every Invoice). Each Customer is assigned a Default Item record containing the appropriate courier charge. Each courier charge is a separate record in the Item register, with a price calculated using an Item Formula (in this example, 10% of Invoice value):

When an Invoice is entered in the name of a Customer using the overnight courier, this Item and the catalogue are added to the first rows of the Invoice:

Note that no Quantity appears for the default Items. Add the other Items to the Invoice and then specify a Quantity for the overnight courier. A Unit Price of 10% of the Invoice value will appear. Because the overnight courier has a calculated price based on the value of the other Items on the Invoice, its Quantity should not be entered until all the Items have been added.

When Invoices are raised from Orders, the Customer's Default Items will again appear, although they will not be shown on the Order or the Delivery. As before, the Default Items will have no Quantity, so be certain to specify one before printing and approving the Invoice. Particular care should be taken to make sure Quantities for Default Items are specified in Invoices created in batches using the 'Group Invoicing' Maintenance function in the Sales Orders module before printing and approving them.