Invoice numbering

System

I'm setting up systems for a client's new business manufaturing & selling kichens. I'd suggested that each job be given a job number, and then 3 invocies will be raised for each job. I was going to just start the invoice numbers at 1 and obviously just use the next number for each new invoice. Now the owner is saying that he just wants the job number used as the invoice number too, so, say the job number is 456, the invoice numbers will be 456a, 456b and 456c.
Do you think that this is alright? I know that when the VAT inspectors look at the records they question if there's an invoice number missing - if his invoices aren't numbered numerically then they'll not be able to do this check - do you know if this will cause problems?
Are there any other problems you can see arising?
Thanks!
jodie

System

Re:Invoice numbering

You could number the invoices in the logical numerical order, but have a suffix that relates to the job. We do that and it works quite well.

System

Re:Invoice numbering

That would work well I'm sure, but the owner is ademant that he doesn't want to 'complicate things' by using 'too many numbers' :?

System

Re:Invoice numbering

Depends on how many is too many!
He probably wants to get to 20 and start again!

LOL!

System

Re:Invoice numbering

We use a similar process to the one he wants although we actually have three different Job Number/Invoice number sequences to differentiate between three different departments.

All I do is keep a spread sheet for each department, I record all cost against the JN and have a separate column for the Sales invoices. Any Job numbers which don't have a Sales Invoice recorded next to them at the end of each month should be on going jobs.

The VAT man and our Auditors are happy with this.

System

Re:Invoice numbering

Thanks Gill - I think i'll have to let him have his way on this one!