Here is how the invoice dialog window appears. Below, we explain its individual elements.

Views

These are shown at the top.

They define which data entry fields are visible and which are hidden.

By switching between the different views, you can switch between more general and more detailed views.

The following views are available:

• Base
  • Shows the most frequently used fields.
  • Can be adjusted to one's needs.
• Short
  • Focuses on the Item table.
  • Can be adjusted to one's needs.
• Long
  • Complete view with all fields.
  • Can be adjusted to one's needs.
• Complete
  • Complete view with all fields.
  • Cannot be adjusted.

Via the Settings section, for the Base, Short and Long views, it is possible to define which fields to make visible and which ones to hide.

Structure

(1) Information and Free Texts

This section allows you to enter information regarding the invoice and define free texts to be included in the printout.

•     Invoice number
  • The invoice number is entered.
  • The number is taken and inserted automatically by the programme in the Id column of the Invoices table.
  • It can be included in the invoice printout.
• Language
  • The language in which the invoice is to be printed is entered.
  • If defined, the customer language set in the Contacts table is taken over and inserted.
• Currency
  • The currency in which to print the invoice is entered.
  • You can indicate the abbreviation (CHF, EUR, USD, etc.) that will be printed on the invoice.
  • The programme does not make exchanges and conversions to other currencies.
• VAT mode
  • Select the VAT mode.
  • If the VAT mode is changed, the programme modifies the amounts already entered, so that the same invoice can be printed with gross and net amounts.
    • Without VAT
      No VAT is applied.
    • VAT excluded
      Amounts are net.
    • VAT included
      Amounts are considered gross.
  • The total VAT amount may vary by a few cents compared to the calculation performed directly on the VAT taxable total. The reason for this is that the VAT total is calculated by adding up the (rounded) VAT amount of each individual item. This difference is not to be considered an error, but a feature of the calculation of invoice amounts.
• Invoice date
  • The invoice date is entered.
  • The date is taken and inserted automatically by the programme in the Date column of the Invoices table.
  • It can be included in the invoice printout.
• Due date
  • The payment due date is entered automatically by the programme for all invoices.
  • It can be entered manually for each invoice.
  • It can be included in the invoice printout.
• Order number
  • It's optional.
  • The order date is entered.
  • It can be included in the invoice printout.
• Order date
  • It's optional.
  • The order date is entered.
  • It can be included in the invoice printout.
• Invoice custom fields
  • It requires the Advanced Plan.
  • They are optional.
  • Additional information fields can be defined and added to the invoice (maximum 8 fields) where customized texts can be entered.
  • The value/content is entered. In the Settings section, you define the names/texts of the fields.
  • They can be included in the invoice printout using the CH10 and UNI11 layouts. In the print settings of the layouts, under Print → Information . Custom fields must be activated.
• Invoice title
  • It's optional.
  • The text of the invoice subject is entered.
  • The text is taken over and inserted automatically by the program in the Description column of the Invoices table.
  • The text is included in the invoice printout as title/object. It takes priority over any title entered in the settings of the invoice layout.
• Begin text
  • It's optional.
  • You enter the initial text to be included in the invoice printout, immediately after the title/object.
  • The text may be entered on several lines.
  • You can put the text in bold, including the part of the text between double asterisks **.
    Example: **text1 text2** text3 = text1 text2 text3.
• End text
  • It's optional.
  • You enter the final notes to be included in the invoice printout, immediately below the details table.
  • The text is taken over and inserted automatically by the programme in the Notes column of the Invoices table.
  • The text may be entered on several lines.
  • You can put the text in bold, including the part of the text between double asterisks **.
    Example: **text1 text2** text3 = text1 text2 text3.

(2) Customer address

This section allows you to enter the invoice address. You have two possibilities:

• Retrieve the data from the Contacts table.
  • Select a customer from the list.
  • You can also search directly for an address by entering the first name, surname, company, email or tax number.
  • When you select a contact, the various address fields are automatically completed by the programme.
• Enter the data manually.
  • Complete each element of the address field by field.

The address fields are as follows:

• Business name
  • Enter business name.
• Prefix
  • Enter customer's prefix.
• First Name
  • Enter the first name.
• Last name
  • Enter the last name.
• Address street
  • Enter the street.
• Address extra
  • If necessary, enter extra address.
• Post Box
  • Enter Post Box
• Country code
  • Enter country code.
• ZIP
  • Enter ZIP.
• Locality
  • Enter locality.
• Email
  • Enter email.
• Phone
  • Enter phone number

(3) Items / item columns

This is a table that allows you to enter the lines for the items that make up the invoice.

In the Settings section, you can choose for each view:

• Which columns to display.
• The maximum table height.
  If you define a value, the table used for entering items will have a maximum size (calculated based on the height of a text line). If there are many items, you will be able to scroll through them while always keeping the buttons at the bottom visible. 
  While the cursor is on the table, the mouse wheel scrolls the table content. To scroll the form instead, use the vertical scroll bar. 

This table includes the following columns:

• Row
  • The sequential row number.
• Type
  • Requires the Advanced Plan.
  • Allows you to assign a special role to the invoice row, such as headings, notes, and subtotals. 
    See the detailed explanation of advanced entry in the Type column.
• Item
  • Optional.
  • By using the Items table, you can select an item from the list. The fields in the following columns (Description, Quantity, Unit, Unit Price) are automatically completed by the program.
  • You can also search for an item by typing part of its descriptive text.
• Item date
  • Requires the Advanced Plan.
  • Optional.
  • Enter a date for each item, useful for example to indicate the execution date of the billed work.
• Description
  • Enter the description of the item or the object being invoiced.
  • The description text can span multiple lines.
  • You can make text bold by enclosing the relevant part between double asterisks **.
    Example: **text1 text2** text3 = text1 text2 text3.
• Quantity
  • Mandatory.
  • Enter the quantity.
  • To create, for example, a credit note or a discount, enter the quantity with a negative sign (the total amount of the row will be negative). See also Create a credit note.
• Unit
  • Optional.
  • Enter the text related to the unit (pcs, hours, etc.).
• Unit Price
  • Mandatory.
  • Enter the price of a single unit.
• Item Discount
  • Requires the Advanced Plan.
  • Optional.
  • Specify a discount for each item.
    The discount is calculated on the price of a single unit (Unit Price column), and can be entered:
    • As an amount. Enter the discount amount directly.
      Example: Quantity 2; Unit Price 10.00; Discount 1.00; Total = 18.00
      If the Discount is equal to or greater than the Unit Price, the Total is set to 0
    • As a percentage. Enter a percentage (e.g. 10%).
      Example: Quantity 2; Unit Price 10.00; Discount 10%; Total = 18.00
      If the Discount is equal to or greater than 100%, the Total is set to 0
• Total
  • The total is calculated and entered automatically by the program.
• VAT
  • Optional.
  • Enter the VAT code to use as defined in the VAT Codes table.

(4) Discounts and totals

This section allows any discounts to be entered and shows the invoice totals.

The programme automatically calculates the following

• Subtotal
  • The sum of all amounts in the Total details column is shown.
• Discount
  • It's optional
  • You enter the discount to be applied to the invoice total by entering a description and the percentage or amount.
  • If a percentage is entered, the programme automatically calculates and displays the discount based on the percentage value entered.
• Rounding
  • Rounding is indicated.
• Deposit
  • It's optional
  • The deposit already paid by the customer is entered, indicating the description and amount.
• Total
  • The final total of the invoice is shown.
  • The total is also shown in the top right-hand corner of the dialogue to speed up invoice verification.
• VAT
  • The totals of the VAT amounts are shown.

(5) Settings

The settings of the Invoice Dialogue.

For more information, please refer to the Invoice settings dialogue page.

(6) Commands

• Print
  • Command to print an invoice.
• Copy
  • Command to copy an invoice.
• Save
  • Command to save changes.
• Close
  • Command to end the dialogue.
• Cancel
  • Command to delete changes and close the dialogue without saving.
• Help
  • Command linking to online documentation where information on invoice dialogue can be found.

Customisation

The invoice dialog is programmed through a BananaPlus extension, and is updated independently of the application. The version provided is generic and covers most of the needs.

For contexts where invoices are complex, or many invoices are created, you can adapt the dialog to make creating invoices easier, more functional, and faster.

By clicking Settings (in the lower left corner) you enter the settings dialog of the invoice.

The settings you set are specific for the invoice.

• The currency code
  You can indicate the code (CHF, EUR, USD, etc.) that will be printed on the invoice.
  The program does not make exchanges and conversions in other currencies.
• The number of decimals to be used for the amounts.
  All amounts will have the number of decimals set.
• Rounding up totals.
  Put a "0.05", "0.10" amount that becomes the minimum rounding unit.
  The decimal separator must always be the dot ".".
• Payment term in days
  It is used to preset the due date, which can then be changed manually.
• Validity of the Estimate in days
  This is used to preset the expiry date of the offer, which can then be changed manually.
• The VAT mode
  If the VAT mode is changed, the program modifies the amounts already entered, so that the same invoice can be printed with both gross and net amounts. If the VAT is set to gross and net amounts have been entered, once the setting has been changed, the amounts must also be changed so that they are net amounts.
  • No VAT. No VAT is applied.
  • VAT Inclusive. The amounts are considered gross.
  • VAT Exclusive. The amounts are considered net.

Use settings for new invoices

You can choose to use these settings for new invoices that will be created.
The settings of other existing invoices are not changed.

In the Settings dialog, clicking on a text field, such as the title for new invoices or the description of one of the user fields, leads to the Translations dialog.

In the Translations dialog: 

• You can enter the texts to be used in the various languages.
• Only the languages currently in use are listed.
• If a language is not listed, simply add a contact or invoice in the desired language.
• The first language listed corresponds to the programme language.
• The language marked with an asterisk * is the document language, defined in the menu File → File accounting properties→ Other tab → Current language.

The beta version of the Estimates and Invoices extension provides early access to new features and bug fixes before the official release.

How to install it

Watch the video tutorial which shows you how to try out the brand new Beta version of the Estimates and Invoices extension.

• Download and install the last Banana Accounting+
• Open the Extensions menu > Manage Extension dialog
• Select the Estimates and Invoices extension
• Select the Beta release as preferred channel.

You can change the release channel at any time without data loss.

Change history

View the change history.

Feedback

We would appreciate every feedback about this new release.
You can send us your feedback through the contact form, please also include a short description about the context where your are using this extension.