Purchase Coding

Created by Harriet Medlicott, Modified on Mon, 5 Sep, 2022 at 3:52 PM by Harriet Medlicott

Finance

Invoice and Credit Management

Purchase Coding is where you can set up your finance coding (nominals and cost centres). Having completed set up Pi will automatically apply your codes to invoices/credits. You can view spend breakdowns within statements and reporting periods, plus export coding reports for your finance package. Using this module will also allow you to view nominal spend within other areas of Pi too. We recommend nominal codes are set up based on category spend (Food, Drink, Disposables, etc) and cost centres configured to help split spend per site/department. We understand everyone has their own way of working, but are sure you will be able to create your own set up that suits best.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Getting Started
Overview
Step 1: Manage your codes
Step 2: Apply your codes
Step 3: Configure your export settings
Step 4: Export reports
Coding Reports
Related Articles

Getting Started

Select the Finance module from the left-hand navigation bar
Select Purchase Coding

Overview

By using Purchase Coding you are another step closer to less admin and less piles of paper!

Step 1 - Manage your codes

Step 2 - Apply your codes

Step 3 - Configure your export settings

Step 4 - Export report

To manage each step click Edit/Manage:

As you work through the steps, you will see an overview for number of codes created; number of rules applied; chosen export format; last exported date. Once each step has been completed, you will see a tick. All configurations and changes will take affect from the date they were made, but you do have the ability to backdate using Re-apply rules. Each step is broken down into more detail throughout this article.

The Re-apply rules tool enables you to re-apply your nominal and cost centre codes to historic invoices and credit notes. Use this tool if you have made changes to your purchase coding set up and require historic invoices and credits to reflect these.

Step 1: Manage your codes

Step 1 is where you manage your Nominal Codes and Cost Centre Codes.

Within each tab use the Code and Description text fields to enter your coding detail. Selecting Add Nominal/Cost Centre Code will save the new addition. Once created these can be amended:

If a code is in use (refer to Step 2) this cannot be deleted. We advise to disable the code and create a new one.

Step 2: Apply your codes

Step 2 is where you create your rules.

Make sure there are no uncoded products to avoid gaps in reports.

i. Cost Centres

Within the Cost centres tab, assign your cost centre codes to your sites/departments:

Sites/departments are based on the set up of requested accounts via your Account Manager.

Selecting the '+' icon will expand to show all accounts that fall under that site/department:

The Last invoiced date is based on the most recently received invoicing data.
Warning icons will show if there is missing coding.

Selecting a default code will automatically apply that code to all accounts:

If some accounts do not fall within the same cost centre code, crossovers can be accounted for:

ii. Nominal Codes

Within the Nominal codes tab, assign nominal codes to your products.

Products that fall within Pi's Inventory module will appear for coding. If you are struggling to find a product, contact the Pi Helpdesk.
Alert icons will show when there is missing coding.

The Coding drop-down will automatically show Uncoded products only. Coding all products will ensure there are no gaps in coding reports and breakdowns. Assigning a nominal code works in the same way as assigning cost centres.

Selecting the '+' icon will expand to show all sites/departments that have a connection with that product:

Selecting a default code will automatically apply that code to the product:

If not all sites/departments use the same nominal code, crossovers can be accounted for:

Warning icons will show when multi codes are in use. To view multi codes, use the Coding drop-down.

Further features here include:

*Search*	*Coding*	*Supplier*	*Categories*
Text field to search for products (by code or description)	Switch between different types of coding set up	Filter by suppliers	Filter by product category

Changing the Coding view will allow you to filter by nominals.
Refresh Update any changes made.		*Download* Excel reports per supplier showing coded/uncoded products.
*Bulk apply* Your new best friend if you have a large number of products to assign. Choose the nominal to bulk assign a group of products to. Then select all sites (recommended) or individual sites before applying: The listed sites available will depend on the sites you have access to within your user log in.

iii. Fallback Rules

Within the Fallback rules tab, assign nominal codes to your accounts.

The Last invoiced date is based on the most recently received invoicing data.

Setting up fallback rules helps Pi to know which nominal code to assign if an invoice/credit has an uncoded product. Selecting a default nominal code will automatically apply that code to the site/department's account number:

Nominal rules assigned on a product level (Nominal codes tab) will override the Fallback rules. Ensuring you keep up-to-date with coding your products will prevent anything getting missed.

Further features here include:

*Site*	*Supplier*
Filter by site	Filter by supplier

Bulk apply Useful when assigning group of accounts to the same nominal. Use the Site and/or Supplier drop-downs to filter, then choose the nominal to bulk apply to the accounts. You will be asked to confirm changes before proceeding.

Step 3: Configure your export settings

Step 3 provides the final stages to complete set up for your exports.

This step helps final set up as some account packages may require other codes.

If you require coding breakdowns based on your statements/reporting periods, skip to the section Coding Reports within this article. Before doing so, go into Step 3 and ensure the check box is selected to Show purchase coding data on invoices/statements:

i. Preferences

Within the Preferences tab, select your preferred export type. Options here range from Excel to well known finance package templates, such as Sage:

ii. Account Mapping

Within the Account mapping tab, set up your coding per purchase account. Use the drop-downs to help search. Select the check box to Show unmapped accounts only to help identify any missed:

The above example shows the Finance code to be the supplier name. Yours may differ.

ii. VAT Rate Mapping

Within the VAT rate mapping tab, add the VAT rates and codes your finance package may use. Select the Add button to save. If you need to delete a VAT entry, select Delete:

Step 4: Export reports

Step 4 is where you create exports to upload to your finance package.

Once exports are created you will be able to see a history of these, as shown above.

Features here include:

Exported details including exported status
Summary - provides a coded breakdown based on the export and can be downloaded in an Excel format
Download - downloads your export in the chosen format ready for you to upload into your finance package
Mark exported - select this once the export has been uploaded to mark the invoices/credits as exported
X - select if an export needs to be deleted

To create an export...

Select New export
Change the description (if required) and use the filters to set the export criteria
When ready, click Save

Unpaid invoices/credits will automatically be hidden as will those that have been marked as exported. Ensure to use the filters to change this where required.
Use the check boxes to deselect any invoices/credits you do not want to include in an export.

The below example shows two different alerts:

A warning (triangle) will appear when there is missing coding within the invoice/credit. Check Step 2 is complete and re-apply rules to update any changes. This warning will not stop the invoices/credits being included in the export, however, it will result in gaps within the coding breakdown and export.
An error (circle) will appear when either account mapping or VAT rate mapping is missing and your selected export format requires that information. Check Step 3 is complete and re-apply rules to update any changes. This alert will stop the invoices/credits being included in the export.

Coding Reports

If not done so already, go into Step 3 and ensure the check box is selected to Show purchase coding data on invoices/statements:

i. Invoices & Credits

When viewing an invoice or credit, your nominals and cost centres will show:

Here, you have the ability to amend the assigned coding, if required. By changing a nominal code a heart icon will appear. Selecting that will provide options on how you want to proceed:

ii. Statements

When viewing a statement, at the very bottom, you will see a Coding Summary. This is based on the statement itself and provides the ability to breakdown by cost centre. You can download the summary in an Excel format. This report can be used if you do not require an export for a finance package:

Here, you have the option to include zero value rows and you can also search for a nominal or cost centre. The download will be based on the selected and searched criteria.

iii. Reporting Periods

When viewing your set reporting periods (handy if you are also managing user-managed invoices/credits), at the very bottom, you will see a Coding Summary. This is based on the reporting period itself and provides the ability to breakdown by cost centre. You can download the summary in an Excel format. This report can be used if you do not require an export for a finance package:

Contact Us

If you need any additional help, please get in touch.