Maybe I am just over thinking this, and this is not the correct way of doing this. Currently I have the following setup:
Invoices:
Number Pattern:
{$year}
Number Counter:
-611
Quotes:
Number Pattern:
{$year}
Number Counter:
-600
Please note, both the invoice and quote number counter started at the same number. Now my assumption was that when I create a quote and it gets approved it converts it over as invoice and it takes the number of the quote counter, which is correct. When I create an invoice directly (no quote) required, it uses the next number in line based on the Number Counter for Invoice and this will and can be the exact same number as the Quote that was just approved which cases an duplicate. I assumed it would check the quote counter and adjust from there.
I am most likely doing this wrong, I guess what I am asking is what are people doing for invoices and quotes pattern and do you always keep them the same number counter? Or do always just create a quote for everything and just let the approval process convert it over as invoice?
With some of my clients I have monthly subscriptions and creating quotes is not required.
Thanks @hillel, sorry about the weak explaination. So yes I do have the “Shared Invoice/Qoute Counter” checked under Generated Numbers - Settings. but it doesnt seem to work correctly.
Would I have to make sure the Number Counters and Number Pattern is the exact same in both the Invoices and Quote tabs (Generated Numbers)? In my example above the numbers dont match we I mentioned there are times that I create invoices directly without creating a quote and when I do that the Number Counter increases for invoices but the quote number pattern does not.
Thanks @hillel for the prompt reply. Ok now in that case, what is happening is when I create a quote it gets assgined the following number (2024-610) and when it gets approved by the client its than converted over to invoice, which is than uses the next number from the invoice number counter which is 2024-602. I dont believe the “share counter” is working.
I’ve tested using this pattern and it works as expected for me.
Just to note, is there a reason you are using negative numbers as your counter? When you increment, the number will descend… ie -601 => -600 => -599 rather than increment.
if you need a hyphen in your pattern you will want to use a pattern like:
@david, thanks for that. You are correct I am after the hyphen. Where would insert {$year}-{$counter} to accommodate the hyphen if my pattern will contain numbers?
