Invoice numbers in your format
Decide what your invoice numbers look like and SeroPOS keeps them in order. Invoice schemes set the prefix, an optional year in the format, the starting number and how many digits to pad to, and you can preview the next number before you save.
Invoice numbering in SeroPOS
Prefix of your choice
Start every invoice number with letters that mean something, such as a store code or INV.
Year-based format
Choose a blank format or one that includes the year, so numbering restarts cleanly each year.
Start number
Pick up where your old system left off by setting the first number in the scheme.
Fixed digit count
Pad numbers to a set length, such as 0001, so they sort correctly in lists and spreadsheets.
Live preview
See the next invoice number as you change the settings, before you save the scheme.
Scheme per location
Give each business location its own scheme, and choose a different one on a sale when you need to.
Setting up an invoice scheme
In the back office, go to Settings, then Invoice Settings, and open Invoice Schemes. Add a scheme with a name, choose the format, enter the prefix, the start number and the number of digits. The preview shows exactly what the next invoice number will look like, so you can adjust before you save.
Mark one scheme as the default. New locations and sales use it unless you choose otherwise. You can keep several schemes, for example one for retail sales and another for wholesale invoices. Keep the number of schemes small, so staff are never unsure which one to use. Name them clearly.
- Name
- Format: blank or year-based
- Prefix
- Start number
- Number of digits
- Default
Continuing from your old system
When you switch to SeroPOS, customers and your accountant expect invoice numbers to carry on rather than restart at one. Set the start number to the next number after your last invoice in the old system and add the same prefix. Your sequence continues without a gap or a repeat.
If you prefer a clean break, start a new prefix with a year-based format. Old invoices keep their numbers in the old system, new ones are easy to tell apart, and nobody confuses the two. Tell your accountant which approach you chose, so their records match yours. Either way works well.
Schemes by location and sale
Each business location has an invoice scheme setting. Give each store its own prefix and every invoice shows where the sale was made. That helps when a customer brings back a receipt, and when your accountant reviews sales by store. It also helps you spot a gap in one store's numbers quickly.
On Create Invoice you can pick a different scheme for a particular sale. In the POS settings, Show invoice scheme adds the choice to the sale screen for businesses that need it there too. Editing an invoice number after a sale is a separate permission on roles, so only trusted staff can change one.
Other reference numbers
Invoices are not the only documents with numbers. The Prefixes tab in Business Settings sets reference prefixes for purchases, purchase returns, stock transfers, stock adjustments, sell returns, expenses, contacts, purchase payments, sell payments, expense payments, business locations, subscriptions and drafts. Each one can be changed to suit the way you work.
With every document type numbered from its own series, you can tell what any reference is from its first few letters. A stock transfer is never mistaken for an invoice, and payments can be traced back to the right record. Short, clear prefixes work best, such as PO for purchases or ST for stock transfers.
Frequently asked questions
Can I continue my invoice numbers from my old POS?
Yes. Create an invoice scheme with the same prefix and set the start number to the next number after your last old invoice. Set it as the default, and SeroPOS continues the sequence from there. Your numbers carry on without a gap.
Can each store have its own invoice prefix?
Yes. Create a scheme for each store with its own prefix, then set it as the invoice scheme on that business location. Every invoice from the store then carries its prefix. Use short prefixes so receipts stay tidy. It also makes store-by-store checks quicker.
Can invoice numbers include the year?
Yes. Choose the year-based format when you create the scheme. The preview shows how the number will look so you can check it before saving. Many businesses use it so numbering restarts cleanly each year and the year is obvious from the invoice number alone.
Can staff change an invoice number?
Editing the invoice number is a separate permission in roles. Leave it off for most staff so numbers stay in sequence, and give it only to people who need to correct a number. That keeps numbering trustworthy for audits. Everyone else simply cannot.
Do drafts and quotations use invoice numbers?
Drafts use their own draft prefix from the Prefixes tab, so they do not use up invoice numbers. A sale takes the next invoice number from its scheme when it becomes a final invoice. Quotations are kept separate from final invoices in the same way.