Putting negative values into Sage Instant Accounts invoices

Putting negative values into Sage Instant...

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I have a building subcontractor client who has just switched to Sage Instant Accounts. The value of work is assessed each week by the contractor’s QS. Our client then issues a weekly invoice. The contractor requires that the first line agrees with the latest QS valuation and that the second line deducts the amount valued on the previous invoice ie:

Total work as valued by QS [date]        £xxxxxx.xx

Deduct total value per invoice [date]    -£xxxxxx.xx

Net amount                                        £xxxxxx.xx

But Sage Instant Accounts won’t let him put in negative items, so he can’t invoice as required by his contractor. He could produce the invoice in excel, but he has dozens of sites on the go and many contracts. Other software does permit negative items, so why not Sage? I’ve tried using the discount facility, but it doesn’t do the job. I’ve spoken to Sage and they’ve simply said that I can’t do it – full stop.

The only way round it is to put the £xxxxx.xx as part of the details and only the net amount in the value column.

I’ve another client who supplies detailed service invoices and often includes negative items for various adjustments. Listing all these amounts in the details column is an inconvenience and prone to error. It also looks a mess because the values never line up.

Anyone got a better work around? 

Replies (6)

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By sarahg
18th Nov 2011 17:03

I've never managed to find a way round this

Am also interested in this as I have clients with the same problem, but I too have never found a work round

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By johndon68
18th Nov 2011 17:06

Negative Values

There is no way to get Sage to do this at all, generally the advice is to post a credit note for the amount instead...

John

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By Richard Willis
20th Nov 2011 21:11

This is Sage don't forget

Sage is neither written nor run by accountants as far as one can ascertain.  I have tried to have this out with them on the topic of showing the full value of a sale LESS a deposit paid.  As above, all they can offer is 'Raise a credit for the deposit if you want/need to show the gross sale value.'

The same will also apply if you want to show gross less a discount.

As I say 'Sage', you DON'T get what you pay for!!

BTW - It's not just Instant Accounts; as far as I know it's the samethroughout Sage, certainlyup to 50.

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Sarah Douglas - HouseTree Business Ltd
By sarah douglas
20th Nov 2011 22:00

Hi There 

Hi There 

If you ring a sage partner there is an add on software that does this .  We got a letter from a sage partner recently but I cannot not remember the exact details as it is in my clients in tray to look into further.

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By Richard Willis
21st Nov 2011 12:23

Sarah

That's great but why, oh why, should one need to do this.  Anyone that has dealt with more than a dozen or so customers buying anything at all will have come across various requirements for invoice layout, especially if they are abroad!

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By kpdorset
21st Nov 2011 13:44

Sarah

If you, or anyone else, remembers what the add on is called, I would also be grateful to know.

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