Sales#

The following features expand standard Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central functionality to provide additional options to those working in your organization’s sales department.

Create hierarchies#

Hierarchies are used to link (any number of) customers, vendors, or contacts to each other. Hierarchical relationships can be shown progressing from top to bottom or bottom to top.

Type Setup#

When you’re trying to add a customer to a hierarchy, you might see the following:

“Specify at least one hierarchy type.”

This means that no hierarchy has been set up yet. To create a hierarchy:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Hierarchy Types, and then choose the related link.
2. On the ribbon, choose New.
3. Fill in the fields as described in the following table.

Assign customers#

To specify hierarchical relationships between customers:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Customers, and then choose the related link.
2. Open a customer card.
   To set up a top-down structure
   a. On the ribbon, choose Related > Customers > Hierarchy – Related Customers.
   To set up a bottom-up structure
   b. On the ribbon, choose Related > Customers > Hierarchy – Relates to Customer.
3. Check if the correct type filter is set.
4. Specify a customer number in the Value field.
5. Choose another line and repeat the steps.

View a hierarchy#

To see a hierarchy:

1. Open a customer card.
2. On the ribbon, choose Related > Customers > Hierarchy – Where-Used.
3. Select a method for display:
   • Related records (top-down approach)
   • Relates to records (bottom-up approach)
4. Choose Calculate.

Sales order types#

Keeping track of large numbers of unposted documents in the system can be a difficult task: some might have been created to fulfill standard orders, some might have been set up for rush jobs, and some might be the basis for repairs or consignment. A quick solution to this problem is to organize documents by type so that they can be filtered later.

Setup#

To set up an order category:

1. Choose the search icon, enter Sales Order Types, and then choose the related link.
2. On the ribbon, choose New.
3. Fill in the fields as described in the following table.

Assign dimensions#

You can then assign dimensions to an order type for analytical purposes. To assign a dimension:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales Order Types, and then choose the related link.
2. Choose Related > Sales Order Type > Dimensions > Dimensions-Single to assign the current record or choose Dimensions-Multiple to assign more than one data record.
3. Choose OK to open the Dimensions page.
4. Fill in the fields as described in the following table.

Select reports by type#

You can also use order types to specify what sales reports to print.

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Report Selection – Sales, and then choose the related link.
2. In the Usage field, specify the type of document that you want printed.
3. Fill in the Report ID field on a line or choose Order Types on the ribbon to store a report based on a specific type.

Like on the standard report selection page, you can specify a sequence if you want to enter more than one report here.

Assign an order type#

To assign a type to an order:

• Create or open a sales order.
• On the General FastTab, in the Sales Order Type field, select a type.

Order backlog#

Large and midsize organizations often use their order backlog as an indicator of how business is going.

Backlog, as understood in this context, means the value of all incoming orders and of all unposted invoices not created from orders minus the value of return orders and of unposted credit memos, as revenues are typically generated at a much later date.

The backlog value might change with every edit made to a sales document. It can therefore be a daunting, if not impossible, task to determine that value for a specific point in time from the documents posted in the system. This is also true when trying to add together the amounts that remain on invoices not yet posted. However, both figures play a key role in management decisions.

Setup#

You need to set up the feature before you can use it.

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. On the ribbon, choose Actions > Enable Backlog Statistics. This will also turn on the Create Order Backlog toggle on the page.
3. On the General FastTab, in the Backlog Creation Date and Backlog Modification Date fields, select whether you want the creation and change of backlog entries to be based on an order date or the work date.

Workflow#

To track the value of orders placed with your organization, the system adds backlog entries to the following documents:

• Sales orders
• Sales return orders
• Sales invoices (not created from an order)
• Sales credit memos

For an order or return order, entries are created when the status of the sales document is set from Open to Released or from Released to Open (the latter applies only if you activated the backlog feature after releasing the order).

The same is true when you invoice or reverse the document. Entries change, on the other hand, when you reopen a released order for editing purposes, for example, and invoice, edit, or delete some of the lines.

For an invoice or a credit memo, entries are created once—during the posting process—unless the lines of the document have been assigned to an order or a return order.

Each backlog entry contains all the information from the sales or return order line for which it was set up. This means an unbilled line is mapped to an entry with the terms and conditions, as well as dimensions, specified on it, whereas a line that has been invoiced is mapped with the values and dimensions taken from the related invoice.

When the status on a document header is reset from Released to Open, order backlog will include—broken down by dimension—only amounts already billed. Amounts on lines that have yet to be billed, on the other hand, will be negative to offset the positive value entries created during release.

Item reference numbers#

Many orders include numbers that a customer uses for items. These numbers can be filled in on an order provided they’re specified in the item or customer master.

To facilitate data maintenance, item references can now also be created and changed directly on sales lines after filling in, for example, the following fields:

• Type = Item
• No. = [item number]
• Reference No. = [number that the customer assigned to the item]
• Unit of Measure Code = [standard unit used for the item]
• Variant Code = [blank]

Line unit cost and profit %#

In contrast to standard functionality, you can now specify if the Unit Cost (LCY) field on a sales line can be edited. To activate this option:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. On the Prices FastTab, turn on the Can Edit Unit Cost toggle.

With the toggle turned off, costs are filled in on documents by using item card (or, if available, stockkeeping unit) data.

The Profit %, a field value related to the unit cost, is also no longer copied from an item card, like in the standard app, but is determined based on the Unit Cost (LCY), Unit Price, and Discount line values so that you can see the actual profit on each line.

Line-level profit check#

A lower profit limit can be specified for each item and item category stored in the system. This way, you’ll be notified immediately when the money that you would make from a transaction will not earn you enough profit. You’ll also see the price required to achieve the lowest possible profit target.

Only specially authorized users can then continue with the transaction without having to adjust item prices. The system will check for profit minimums in the following order of priority:

1. Item
2. Item Category

Setup#

User setup#

On this page, you can specify the users who can continue with transactions even if those transactions generate less than the minimum profit.

1. Choose the Search icon, enter User Setup, and then choose the relevant link.
2. Select the user whom you want to authorize for the procedure.
3. On the line, select the Deactivate Profit Minimum field.
4. Alternatively, open the card linked to the user. On the KUMAVISION FastTab, turn on the Deactivate Profit Minimum toggle.

An authorized user then sees a brief note when a certain profit threshold isn’t met but will be allowed to continue. If the field is cleared (or the toggle turned off), the user will see an error message instead.

Maintain minimum profits#

To have lines checked for minimum profits, you need to specify them on item cards or for item categories first.

On Item Cards#

To set a minimum profit on an item card:

• Open a card.
• On the Prices & Sales FastTab, in the Minimum Profit % field, enter the profit that should at least be achieved with each transaction.

On Item Categories#

An item category can be used to group profit targets so that each item in the category is set up with the same minimum profit. To set up a minimum for a group:

• Open an item group card.
• On the relevant line, in the Minimum Profit % field, enter the profit that should at least be achieved with each transaction.

Document-level profit check#

You can also set profit requirements on documents. However, like with line-level checks, an authorized user can continue with a transaction even if the minimum profit isn’t achieved.

For this purpose, the Deactivate Minimum Profit field can be selected in User Setup. Separate authorizations for releasing documents and their lines aren’t available. The system will check for document-wide profit minimums in the following order of priority:

1. Customer
2. Sales Order Type
3. Sales & Receivables Setup

Setup#

Sales & Receivables Setup#

To set up a lower profit limit for use throughout the system:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the relevant link.
2. On the KUMAVISION FastTab, in the Minimum Profit % field, enter the profit that should at least be achieved on sales documents.

Sales order types#

For a sales order type, you set the limit by filling in the Minimum Profit % field on the relevant line.

Customers#

On a customer card, you specify the minimum profit on the Invoice FastTab.

Workflow#

When a document is assigned to a customer for whom a minimum profit has been specified, you receive a message if the profit isn’t achieved with a sales transaction. The message also shows you the price required for achieving the lowest possible profit target.

Only authorized users can then continue with a transaction without having to change prices in the system. To authorize a user:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter User Setup, and then choose the relevant link.
2. Select the user whom you want to authorize for the procedure.
3. On the line, select the Deactivate Minimum Profit field.
4. Alternatively, open the card linked to the user. On the KUMAVISION FastTab, turn on the Deactivate Minimum Profit toggle.

Typically, profit checks are performed when you release documents—unless release is automatic, for example, after creating an advance invoice.

Archive#

To see how often a profit minimum hasn’t been met:

• Open a sales document.
• On the ribbon, choose Navigate or Releases.

You can now track in detail who released orders that fell short of the minimum profit and when this occurred, information which you can also find in the Sales Document Information FactBox. This box will additionally tell you how high the profit should have been (at least) and where the lower profit limit comes from.

FactBoxes#

The new FactBoxes and FactBox-related functions included with KUMAVISION base (BOOSTER) can provide you with even more details on sales documents and their lines.

Sales Line Profit Details#

Provides the contents of the following fields filled in for an item or a customer on a sales document line:

• No. (=item number)
• Line Amount (LCY)
• Line Amount (LCY) Excl. VAT
• Unit Cost (LCY)
• Cost (LCY)
• Profit (LCY)
• Profit %
• Minimum Profit %
• Min. Profit Source
• Low Profit Released By

Sales Document Information#

Provides the contents of the following fields filled in for a customer on a sales document:

• Beginning Text
• Ending Text
• Sell-to Customer (Comment)
• Bill-to Customer (Comment)
• Profit (LCY)
• Profit %
• Minimum Profit %
• Min. Profit Source
• Low Profit Released By

Sell-to Customer Sales History#

As with standard functionality, provides the number of documents created for a customer in the sales area.

In contrast to standard functionality, however, the extended FactBox now also includes tiles for archived quotes, orders, blanket orders, and return orders. You can click a tile to view individual documents.

You can also set a date filter to limit how many of them will be shown. To set up the filter period:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup.
2. On the Archiving FastTab, in the Sales History Date Formula field, specify a formula, such as -1Y.

Add transaction data#

You can use the Add Transaction Data function to correct posting information on orders that have been shipped but not invoiced.

You make the corrections before choosing this action on the ribbon. When you run the action, the contents of the following fields will be copied from the lines that have been shipped but not billed to a posted shipment and the associated item, G/L, and value entries:

• Gen. Bus. Posting Group
• VAT Bus. Posting Group
• Gen. Prod. Posting Group
• VAT Prod. Posting Group
• Dimension Set ID
• Global Dimension 1 Code
• Global Dimension 2 Code

Print released documents#

The system performs multiple checks when a sales document is released. This includes checking if mandatory fields are filled in and whether prices and costs have been calculated.

For this reason, KUMAVISION base (BOOSTER) limits printouts to documents that have been released, the only exception being quotes (print previews will not be restricted either).

Send quotes to contacts#

You can use a customer template to send quotes to potential suppliers, that is, to contacts to whom no customer has been assigned.

Customer templates are set up in Finance. You can then run the Create Sales Quote action from the ribbon of a customer card to fill in a new quote with the required contact details and choose in the Customer Template Code field the template that you want to use.

You can also create a quote without having to create a customer. In this case, a customer must be set up only when you convert the quote to an order.

Blanket order extension#

When you create a sales order from a standard blanket agreement, the prices set by the agreement are copied alongside other data to the new order.

However, when you change the quantity on the order, the prices specified on it will most likely change as well. This is because standard functionality updates all prices regardless of origin. See also Price Origin.

The new pricing feature, on the other hand, will update only lines on which the Blanket Order field has not been selected.

Create a sales order from a blanket order#

When you fill in a quote or an order line, you might see a message saying that the item and customer given on the line have both been assigned to a blanket sales agreement.

After the number of the blanket order is entered in the Blanket Order No. field, you’re asked whether you want to copy the contents of the Unit Price and Line Discount % to the line. You can choose Yes to replace current values or No to keep the price and discount stored on the quote or order line.

For trackability purposes, you can now also see in the Qty. on Order and Rem. Qty. on Blanket Order fields on a blanket agreement the quantities entered on related sales orders and the quantity that remains for release.

The field additions were required because standard functionality doesn’t show the quantity delivered with an order until you post a sales shipment for it.

An error message appears if you attempt to retrieve more from an agreement than is available after the order quantity is subtracted from the quantity that is still outstanding.

Framework agreements#

Framework agreements are an addition to (customer-specific) blanket orders. In contrast to blanket orders, framework agreements can be used by multiple customers linked to each other in a hierarchy. The agreement therefore binds both the main customer and the customers on a lower hierarchical level.

Framework agreements aren’t assigned to requisition or planning worksheets. As a result, you need to use a variety of settings or sales plans to manage the items that will be used on sales orders created from this type of agreement.

Setup#

You need to set up the feature before you can use it.

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. On the Number Series FastTab, in the Framework Agreement Nos. field, select the series that will be used for framework agreements.
3. You can also specify the hierarchy type that should be used by filling in the Framework Hierarchy Type Code field on the KUMAVISION FastTab.

Create a framework agreement#

To set up an individual agreement:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Open Framework Agreements, and then choose the related link.
2. On the ribbon, choose New.
3. Fill in the fields as described in the following table.

General#

Lines#

On the framework lines, you can store for each item the total quantity that can be purchased by all customers during the period entered in the Valid From and Valid To fields.

Instead of an item, you can also enter an item price group; the specific item is then retrieved from the group when you create an order from the agreement.

Prices and discounts can be specified here too. All values are shown without VAT, as the framework agreement feature is only used for B2B transactions.

When you’ve finished filling in the fields, you can choose Release and Confirm on the ribbon to release and print the agreement, respectively.

Create an order from an agreement#

When you fill in a standard quote or order, you’ll see a message if a framework agreement exists for an item and customer entered on a document line.

When the number of the agreement is then filled in on the line, the system will copy the price and discount specified for the agreement to the quote or order.

On the agreement, on the Lines FastTab, you can choose Line and the relevant document line function if you want to see the quantities that have been copied to (archived) sales documents.

After an agreement is no longer valid, you can archive it by choosing Actions > End to move it to the Completed Framework Agreements page.

This decision cannot be undone. However, you can use the Copy Framework Agreement function (as you can use the Copy Document function) to copy a completed agreement to a new one. You can choose on the options dialog if you want to transfer all data from the old header and lines or just transfer the header or the lines.

Manage sales commissions#

You can use the commission feature to determine the compensation that your sales representatives should receive for their performance. Each payment will be calculated with the help of an invoice or a credit memo posted in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central¹.

Only revenues generated as part of standard workflows count toward payouts. This excludes, for example, sales recorded and posted manually in the form of invoices to G/L accounts in Finance.

To fill in the Salesperson Code and Salesperson 2 Code fields when you set up commissions, you can have salespeople copied from the customer master. As an alternative, you can specify them on a sales invoice or credit memo prior to posting.

The commission feature is used only on a field that is filled in. If you specify a salesperson in both fields, a commission will be calculated for each. However, neither field influences the other when payments are calculated.

As salesperson codes apply to a document as a whole, the codes aren’t found on unposted lines.

A commission can be calculated for a certain customer or product, a group of customers or products, or a responsibility center. The amount that a sales rep receives can be based on net or gross revenues or on profits.

Setup#

Salespeople#

Each salesperson whom you want to pay a commission to must be set up on the Salespeople/Purchasers page and be assigned on the relevant customer card in the Salesperson Code or Salesperson 2 Code field (on the Commission FastTab).

Commission groups#

Commission groups are used if the same commission rate applies to multiple customers or items. They’re copied to posted documents automatically.

Customer Commission Groups#

On this page, you can set up codes and descriptions for groups of customers. A code can then be selected on the Commission FastTab on a customer card.

Product commission groups#

Here you can group items in the same way as you did customers. The groups can then be selected on item cards on the Prices & Sales FastTab.

To achieve standardization, you can assign product commission group codes to each G/L account, item, resource, fixed asset, and item charge stored in the system.

Commission rates#

Commission rates regulate how much commission a salesperson can receive. You can specify a variety of factors that will be used to determine payments in each case. To search for a rate:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Commission Rates, and then choose the related link.
2. On the header, fill in the fields as described in the following table.

To set up or change a rate, select a line and fill in the fields as described in the following table.

Calculate a commission#

Payouts are calculated based on the commission rate that is valid at the time. If more than one is valid within the period specified on a sales document, the rate is retrieved according to the following order of priority:

• Individual rates are preferred over general rates. A rate linked to a single customer will therefore be prioritized over entries assigned to customer commission groups. These, in turn, have a higher priority than rates that have been assigned to all customers.
• A valid rate for an individual product will be selected before a rate linked to a customer is. Customer-specific rates, in turn, will be prioritized over those assigned to salespeople.

In combination with a responsibility center, a rate will be retrieved as follows:

• If no rate can be found for a certain salesperson and responsibility center, the system will use the rate assigned to the All Salespeople option in combination with the responsibility center.
• If a rate for the salesperson and responsibility center is found, the rate will be used.
• If no responsibility center has been specified for a salesperson, the system will use the rate set up for this salesperson in combination with a blank Responsibility Center field.

Workflow#

Commission journal#

Post a commission#

On the commission journal, you can have commission payments suggested based on posted document lines.

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Commission Journal, and then choose the related link.
2. On the ribbon, choose Set Up Commission to fill in the journal lines. You can choose on the Options tab what filters to set. For example, you can set a filter on document dates or posting dates, customer ledger entries, salespeople, or invoice headers.

The function then uses the posted lines that include salespeople for whom no commissions have been posted to calculate valid commission rates. The business logic as described here lends itself to the creation of a variety of agreements with multiple levels of granularity. As a result, more than one rate might be applicable in a given situation.

The number of currently valid commission rates can be found in the lower part of the journal. Rates aren’t totaled; to see them, select the highlighted number in the No. of Valid Commission Rates field. All journal lines can also be edited manually.

Commission entries are created by using the Post function. When you run this action, the invoice line field Commission Posted (Salesperson) or Commission Posted (Salesperson 2) is automatically selected for the salesperson linked to the entry (to prevent a commission from being paid twice).

Cancel a commission#

Commission entries can be cancelled.

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Commission Entries, and then choose the related link. You can also open a posted invoice and choose Related > Invoice > Commission Entries on the ribbon.
2. Select a line.
3. On the ribbon, choose Reverse Entries.

Cancellation results in the Commission Posted (Salesperson) or Commission Posted (Salesperson 2) field being cleared on the relevant document line. This way, you can retrieve a commission statement again for editing.

Commission register#

Commission entries can also be analyzed through reports. Printouts of these reports provide the basis for commission statements (commission data isn’t copied to payroll or purchase documents anymore).

You can print one of the following reports:

• Commission Register
• Commission Statement (By Group)
• Commission Statement (By Doc.)

A register shows all posted commission entries, whereas a statement shows the payout per salesperson (if necessary, broken down by commission group). You can set filters, for example, on posting dates and salespeople, before you print a report.

Alternate quote lines#

When you fill in a sales quote, you can specify for each document line whether the price shown on it should be included in the total quote price.

A line where the Alternative field is set to Alternative, Optional, Selectable, or On Request then appears on printouts in a different format and alongside the value you chose in that field so that you can make customers aware of their options for customization.

Validity period on quotes#

To limit the period in which an offer is valid, you can fill in the Quote Expiration Date field on the General FastTab of a quote document or have the system fill in the date by specifying a formula in the Quote Validity Formula field in Sales & Receivables Setup.

Afterward, users will be notified of validity issues when quotes are converted to orders but can ignore the warning if necessary.

Quote status#

A status code was added to sales quotes so that when you create or convert a quote, you can enter this code (for example, NEW or ORDER) in the Quote Status Code field on the document or have it filled in automatically. To set up a status:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Quote Status, and then choose the related link.
2. On the ribbon, choose New.
3. In the Code and Description fields, specify the code and description that will be used for the status.

Afterward, select one of the other fields on the line if you want the code filled in automatically under the specified circumstances.

Non-billable lines#

Standard functionality typically prevents users from invoicing sales orders on which one or more line amount fields are empty.

However, as some of these lines might still need to be shown on invoices, for example, because of a goodwill policy or warranty claim, the Not Billable field has been added to all invoice lines. Choosing an option in this field will allow an invoice to go through and display the option value on printouts.

When you choose an option on a line, you can also decide whether to have the line amount field cleared or keep the amount and have a line discount of 100% entered automatically.

You can specify in setup when the system should check for blank line amount fields.

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. On the FastTab, turn on the Check Not Billable on Release field to have the system check for non-billable lines when a document is released. If the toggle is turned off, lines will only be checked after the document is posted.

Proforma invoice on order#

Some businesses, especially those exporting goods, need to provide shipping agents or customers with a proforma invoice prior to delivery. The invoice can be printed from every order available in the system.

Basically, a proforma invoice looks like a confirmation receipt, the difference being that the extended texts printed on invoices are also printed on proforma documents.

Setup#

Sales & Receivables Setup#

Proforma invoices typically require an invoice number. To set up a number series for them:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. On the Proforma Invoice FastTab, turn on the Get Invoice No. toggle.

Report Selection – Sales#

You also need to set up the proforma invoice report on the Report Selection – Sales page.

Printing#

To print a proforma invoice:

1. Open an order.
2. On the ribbon, choose Actions > Posting > Proforma Invoice.

The system then uses the series set up for invoices to assign a number to the proforma invoice, adding a P upfront. Despite the added P, the number can no longer be used for posting a standard invoice later.

Print shipment or delivery date on order confirmation#

With this feature, you can specify if you want the Planned Shipment Date or the Planned Delivery Date printed on confirmation receipts.

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. On the KUMAVISION FastTab, in the Print Planned Shipment or Delivery Date field, select the date that you want printed in this context.

Duplicate orders#

Besides telling you about existing quotes and blanket orders, the system can also notify you of possible duplicates when you fill in a sales order.

Setup#

Sales & Receivables Setup#

You need to set up the feature before you can use it.

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. On the General FastTab, in the Duplicate Orders Period field, enter how far back the system should go to search for the same item having been added to an order for the same customer. All periods are entered with a minus sign.

Sales order types#

A notification is only shown if you’re also using sales order types. As a result, you must select the Duplicate Orders field for types that you want to show the notification for.

Check for duplicates#

After the feature has been set up and assigned to an order type, you can enter an order for a customer. You are notified if another order of this type contains a line on which the item has been entered within a certain period.

To identify the correct search period, the system will use the formula entered in setup and, as a starting point, the date shown in the Created On field on the new order.

Drop shipment and special order extension#

As an addition to standard functionality, you can now create purchase orders for drop shipments and special deliveries directly in the sales area.

Drop shipments#

You use drop shipments to have goods shipped by one of your suppliers to a customer without the items being delivered to you first. To make a drop shipment in sales:

1. Create a sales order and enter the items you want to sell on the lines.
2. Select the Drop Shipment field on lines that you want delivered to the customer without your direct involvement.
3. On the ribbon, choose Order > Drop Shipment > Purchase Order.

Like in the standard app, the selected lines are then copied when you choose OK on the vendor selection page (on which the default vendor is filled in). If a drop shipment includes items from a variety of suppliers, that is, the item master shows a different vendor for each item, a purchase order is created per vendor.

Special orders#

You can use special orders, for example, to receive customized items from a supplier for inspection by your quality management staff. To create a special order in sales:

1. Create a sales order and enter the items you want to sell on the lines.
2. Select the Special Order field for lines that you want delivered for inspection.
3. On the ribbon, choose Order > Special Order > Purchase Order.

Like in the standard app, the selected lines are then copied when you choose OK on the vendor selection page (on which the default vendor is filled in). If a special order includes items from a variety of suppliers, that is, the item master shows a different vendor for each item, a purchase order is created per vendor.

Process IDs#

A shared document number, known as a document process ID in the system, can be helpful, for example, for tracking a sale from quote entry to (potential) return receipt.

This is especially true if the documents used during a transaction need to be connected across departments, such as when orders returned by customers must be linked to orders that will be returned to vendors.

Setup#

Before you can use document tracking, you need to set up a number series for process IDs.

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. On the Number Series FastTab, in the Document Process ID Nos. field, select the number series that you want to use for this purpose.

Workflow#

A process ID is always copied from the header of the initial document to each header and line created from the document on quotes, orders, shipments, and invoices, as well as return orders (provided the Get Posted Document Lines to Reverse action was used to set up the order lines) and their archived versions.

For example, a process ID entered on a sales order is transferred to an invoice or shipment that you created from it when you post the order.

On the order, on the Line FastTab, you can then choose Line > Navigate Doc. Process ID on the ribbon to see the documents linked to the ID. You can also view individual documents by selecting the value in the No. of Entries field, or you can use the standard Navigate action to look for them.

When you copy a document or run the Get Posted Document Lines to Reverse function to create lines from a return order, the system will transfer the ID that is specified on the source document to all new lines. Afterward, you can find a line only by searching for the source document ID.

If you don’t want this to occur, you must turn off the Copy Document Process ID toggle on the options dialog before you fill in document lines with the Copy Document function. As for return order lines, the ID is always copied from the original sales order.

Salutation on documents#

In addition to formal and informal ways of addressing contacts with the help of standard functions, you can choose in the Sell-to Contact field a salutation for assignment to documents.

This feature was introduced because some contacts might not have their first names stored in the system, which means that only their last names without a salutation would be printed in the standard app.

Setup#

Document-based salutations should be set up for all available salutation codes.

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Salutations, and then choose the related link.
2. Select the line for which you want to set up a salutation formula.
3. On the ribbon, choose Formulas.
4. For each language code, fill in the fields as necessary.

Show salespeople on printouts#

In KUMAVISION base (BOOSTER), you can specify two salesperson codes on each customer card and sales document.

One or the other code might later show up on documents sent to customers. For example, the Salesperson Code field might contain the code of the sales rep whom you pay commissions to, whereas the Salesperson 2 Code might refer to the person whom the customer will be talking to.

In this context, the customer should see only the contact details of the second person. To specify the correct code on a document, you need to fill in the Print Salesperson field on the Commission FastTab there. Alternatively, as a global setting, you can fill in the Print Salesperson field on the KUMAVISION FastTab in Sales & Receivables Setup.

Communication types (data privacy)#

OOn September 1, 2012, an amendment to Germany’s data privacy act BDSG took effect, in many ways changing the way customer data is being handled.

The revisions, especially to section 28 of the act, mainly covered the use and processing of personal data for advertising purposes. Tailoring ad content to specific audiences therefore became an even more difficult challenge, as the success of any campaign now hinges entirely on the consent of those whom the ads are supposed to reach.

Additionally, the revisions might apply retroactively to data already collected. Even though non-personalized ads, such as ad papers that land in mailboxes, aren’t affected by the new rules, many customers most likely have had to opt in to their data being processed.

What’s more, consent given over the phone must be confirmed in writing. The people targeted by personalized ads must also be informed each time another company begins storing their information.

For the CRM functionality, this means:

Contacts need to consent to the use of personal data prior to their inclusion in marketing segments used for ad campaigns. This primarily affects campaigns that are distributed over email. Personalized ads in the mail are allowed if they haven’t been objected to. Organizations, by contrast, can always be contacted through any method.

Communication types in contact management#

On contact cards, you can set up the following types of communication on the Communication FastTab:

• Fax
• Email
• Phone
• Letter

You can select Yes or No in each field. Initially, all of them are blank. However, the fields must be filled in before you can assign contacts to a segment.

To see if or when (and by whom) the fields have been edited, choose Related > Related Information > Communication Log Entries on the ribbon.

When you fill in or change a communication type field, you’ll see a text window where you need to enter a comment (such as “consent given during our phone conversation on”) to ensure that changes aren’t made by mistake and that you can quickly respond to inquiries about the permitted means of communicating with a contact.

To set all types to No for contacts stored in the system (as blank fields cannot be used anywhere), you can run the Initialize Communication Allowance batch job.

None of the settings you make, however, will prevent you from sending emails to contacts via the email symbol or create individual interactions. The system will only check if certain communication types are permitted when you set up interactions on the Logged Segments page.

Add contacts to a segment#

After creating a segment, you must add a communication type before adding contacts. This ensures that only those contacts who have agreed to a certain means of communication will be part of the segment.

Before the segment is logged, the system will recheck if the specified types of communication haven’t been objected to in the meantime.

You can specify a type by selecting an interaction template on the header of a segment. We recommend that you set up one interaction template per type of communication.

When you run the Add Contacts function on the ribbon, the system will check if a person who matches the search criteria can be contacted in the way that has been described in the segment. Only contacts for whom the entered type is allowed will be added.

If you want to change a type completely, you must do so on the interaction template and pull that template onto the segment header to have the system perform another check.

Auto ship added sales lines#

Besides specifying items that require warehouse handling, you often need to enter associated expenses, such as freight costs, on document lines. Service items are also being used in this context with increasing frequency.

Typically, with the release of an order, the sales department’s job is done (as delivery of the order is handled in the warehouse and inventory area with the help of a one-stage or two-stage picking process and invoices are sent by the billing department on a periodic basis).

However, any item not posted through the standard warehouse and inventory functionality will not be shipped or billed in this scenario. Although sales staff could go ahead and post these items manually, that would mean spending an inordinate amount of time and effort on posting the related invoices as well.

For this reason, KUMAVISION base (BOOSTER) provides you with the Auto Ship Added Sales Lines function. This feature automatically invoices all items on a sales order when you post warehouse and inventory documents for the order.

Setup#

KUMAVISION Module Setup#

You need to turn on the function before you can use it.

1. Choose the Search icon, enter KUMAVISION Module Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. On the Settings FastTab, turn on the Auto Ship Added Sales Lines toggle.

Add sales lines#

To set up a sales line:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Added Sales Line Shipment Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. On the lines, fill in the fields as described in the following table.

Workflow#

The auto ship feature is only used when you post a warehouse or an inventory document on a sales order. For drop shipments, for example, quantities must still be entered manually. If an order contains lines with and without warehouse and inventory items, the feature is run each time you post a warehouse or an inventory document. Non-warehouse items that have been shipped earlier can be posted manually.

Before a shipment is posted, the system checks if the document that you’re working on contains a line stored in Added Sales Line Shipment Setup, such as a G/L account used for freight costs. If so, the Qty. to Ship field is filled in automatically.

This doesn’t create a second shipping note, however; everything is still shown on the same note.

Print alternative line totals#

With this feature, you can print separate totals on sales quotes.

Separate means that one total line will show the sum of all lines related to a bundle or subtotal, whereas a second number put in parentheses will display the total value of all lines marked as alternate lines.

To set up the feature:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Company Information, and then choose the related link.
2. Turn on the Print Alternative Line Totals toggle. With the toggle turned off, the bundle or subtotal lines specified as alternative totals will not be printed when you print the quote document.

Undo posted shipments#

Sometimes, you might want to remove only a partial quantity from a shipment. To activate this feature:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. On the KUMAVISION FastTab, set the Warehouse Undo Type field from Default to Extended Undo.

To reverse a partial quantity on a document:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales Shipments, and then choose the related link.
2. Open the relevant shipment and select the line you want to cancel.
3. On the ribbon, choose Change Cancellation Qty.
4. Fill in a quantity.
5. Choose Post to post the reversal document.

Packaging Act (Germany)#

Extended producer responsibility has been a staple of EU waste management policy for many years. As a short explanation, EPR programs are based on the principle that manufacturers should also be responsible for the environmental impact of the goods that they put on the market.

Among the laws intended to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste across the Union is the German Packaging Act of 2019—which established a national packaging registry by the name of LUCID, among other things.

In KUMAVISION base (BOOSTER), you can maintain all information that must be submitted to ZSVR, who manages LUCID, including data regarding the amount of material used to pack items that you intend to sell in the country

Setup#

LUCID#

Those who market goods in Germany, whether they’re manufacturers or ‘initial distributors,’ must report the materials they use to pack the items to ZSVR. For this purpose, they must register with the agency’s LUCID database.

The registration requirement, which took effect on July 1, 2022, applies to any kind of packaging used for products sold in a store, shipped to a customer, or repacked in a warehouse if the manufacturer or initial distributor participates, including financially, in a system where the collection, sorting, and recycling of waste is left to a producer responsibility organization.

The requirement, however, also applies to all materials not collected by a PRO, including transport wrappings, as well as reusable or single-use packaging you might need to redeem a deposit for.

To simplify the management aspect of waste collection, a business such as a bakery, which packages goods just before selling them to end customers, can take advantage of a special rule that lets it buy pre-licensed materials from its suppliers, that is, packaging for which waste collection and recycling fees have already been paid.

Depending on whether a supplier or customer has agreed to bear the costs for wrapping the requested items, you might need to store the business partner’s LUCID ID in the system so that you can check the number in ZSVR’s registry, if necessary.

To specify an ID, open a customer (or vendor) card, and then fill in the LUCID ID field on the Shipping (or Receiving) FastTab.

To maintain (and print) your own ID, fill in the field with the same name on the Company Information page (on the General FastTab). You can use the Tell Me function to get to the page.

Default unit of measure#

You can also choose a shared unit of measure, for example, gram or kilogram, that all materials designated for packing items should be shown in.

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. On the KUMAVISION FastTab, fill in the Packaging Material Unit of Measure field.

Packaging Materials#

On this page, which can be opened by using the Tell Me function, you specify the materials that will be assigned as packaging to items. Examples are PPT, glass, and tinplate.

Assign materials to items#

If you want to calculate the amount of packaging (materials) that you placed on the market, you need to assign packaging to every item involved.

1. Open an item card.
2. On the ribbon, choose Related > Item > Packaging Material Assignment. Alternatively, use the Tell Me function to open the page.
3. Fill in the fields as described in the following table.

Packaging materials entries#

These entries are used to determine the amount of packaging that was placed on the German market. An entry is created automatically each time you assign a material.

You can also have the system determine the amount needed for certain items even if those items have been shipped already. This way, you can still enter or change the packaging material on orders where none is assigned or where the wrong packaging or quantity has been specified. To edit an entry:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Packaging Material Entries, and then choose the related link.
2. On the Lines FastTab, select the entries that you want to change. You can also select all of them, if necessary.
3. On the ribbon, choose Manage > Delete, and then choose OK to confirm.
4. Afterward, choose Actions > Refresh Entries on the ribbon. You can set filters on the request page if you want to limit the number of entries that should be recreated.

You can then use Excel, Power BI, or the analytical tools provided by Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central1 to evaluate and report packaging materials to ZSVR (a separate analysis option isn’t part of this feature).

Item reference starting date#

With standard functionality, you can enter both starting and ending dates for item references in the system.

In KUMAVISION base (BOOSTER), you can also specify if the starting date should be filled in automatically when a reference is created from a sales line.

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. On the General FastTab, in the Item Reference Starting Date, select one of the options described in the following table.

Item reference validity#

If valid at the time, item reference starting and ending dates can also be used for framework agreements, labels, and price data.

Prices#

Quoting prices to customers#

For retailers that sell products over the phone or online, providing quick price estimates is an indispensable part of doing business. With a new feature, you can now tell customers immediately whether certain items are in stock and at what price they can be shipped.

You can also save newly agreed-on prices and discounts in the system, show price histories, and log the quotes provided to a customer. To create a quote for an item:

1. Open a contact card.
2. On the ribbon, choose Related > New Price Quote (Customer).
3. Fill in the fields as described in the following table.

From the copied or manually entered price and discount data, the system then calculates a line amount (without VAT) that can be quoted to the customer.

Besides the Line Amount (LCY) Excl. VAT, you can also see the Cost (LCY), the Profit (LCY), and the Profit % on a price quote line. None of these fields can be edited, however.

The Comment, Minimum Quantity, Starting Date and Ending Date, on the other hand, can be changed. They’re used when you copy prices and discounts from the price quote to the Sales Prices and Sales Discounts pages.

You can store a price or discount by choosing Save Sales Price or Discount on the ribbon. You can also have price data saved automatically when leaving the page by turning on the Auto Save on Exit toggle.

Price source#

The Price Source field indicates where the Unit Price Excl. VAT or Unit Price (Price Unit) Excl. VAT value on a document line comes from:

For line discounts, the equivalent to this field is the Line Discount Source field.

Save prices or discounts#

Often, the sheer number of item variations sold in the retail sector means that prices aren’t maintained in advance but depend on quotes or orders.

The Save Price/Discount feature provides a convenient way for you to save for reuse the item prices that you agreed to on quotes or orders the next time that the items are needed. To save prices from a quote or an order:

1. Create a sales quote or order that contains the requested items.
2. Change the values in the Unit Price and Line Discount % line fields to what has been agreed on.
3. Select a line that you want to save a price or discount for.
4. On the Lines FastTab, on the ribbon, choose Line > Related Information > Price/Discount Calculation > Save Price/Discount.
5. Fill in the fields as described in the following tables.

For sales prices:

For line discounts:

Sales conditions#

Sales conditions provide another way for you to calculate a wide variety of prices or discounts on documents. For this purpose, a condition is linked to calculation lines on which you can enter the price or discount formulas that should be used within the system.

You can already specify calculation lines when you set up base data in the app and can later copy these lines along with a condition to one or more price or discount records.

Create a condition#

To create a sales condition:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales Condition List, and then choose the related link.
2. On the ribbon, choose New.
3. Fill in the fields as described in the following tables.

General#

Lines#

On the lines, you can specify how a price or a reduction in price will be calculated when the condition applies.

As an example, a condition might have been specified as follows:

In this example, a 10% discount needs to be deducted from the cost amount—which is EUR 3,040—before 5% is added to the resulting EUR 2,736 (EUR 3,040 - EUR 304) because the product has a markup.

By applying the condition, the item is then sold at EUR 2872.80. As another example, consider the following net percentage conditions:

In this example, a 10% discount needs to be deducted from the cost amount—which is EUR 3,040—before 5% is added to the resulting EUR 2,736 (EUR 3,040 - EUR 304) because the product has a markup.

Additionally, you can choose Translations on the Lines FastTab to have steps in the calculation translated and copied automatically to documents on which the specified language code is used.

Link a condition to a price or line discount#

You must fill in the Sales Condition No. field if you want to link a condition to a price or line discount. The currency that you’ve specified for the condition must match the currency entered for the price or discount.

For prices or discounts linked to conditions, the Unit Price or Discount % field will always be blank in the item master. The values in these fields will be filled in only when you enter a condition-based price or discount on a document line.

Use a condition to find the best price or line discount#

When trying to determine the best prices or reductions in prices, the system uses condition-based prices or line discounts in the same way as standard functionality; a condition isn’t a factor in deciding whether a certain price or line discount can be entered on a sales document. The only difference to standard functions is that sales prices or line discounts linked to conditions are calculated in real time.

Get Sales Price#

The standard Get Sales Price action can be used to copy the sales prices that are available for a document to selected document lines. With this action, you can bypass the pricing function that is run when you enter an item number or a quantity on a line.

The same is true for the Get Line Disc. action. However, this function now also calculates for each line that is assigned to a sales condition the discount based on price entries that include the condition (instead of retrieving a value of 0 from the item master).

Sometimes, the currency and unit of measure specified for the document line and price record might differ when you’re trying to calculate the best price for an item. The following fields were therefore added to the Sales Prices page:

• Unit of Measure (Calc.)
• Currency Code (Calc.)
• Unit Price (Calc.)

The first two fields contain the values that were entered on the document line from which the calculation was run. The third field shows the price in the unit and currency specified on the line—unlike the standard Unit Price field, which shows prices in the currency and unit stored in the sales price master. You can select the Assist button next to the Sales Condition No. field to see in what way a condition has been used to determine sales prices or discounts.

Copy a condition to a calculation line#

When you specify a price or discount on a sales line, the condition lines that might be linked to either will be copied to a sales line subpage. To see the subpage:

• Open a sales order.
• Go to the Lines FastTab and select a line.
• On the ribbon, choose Line > Price/Discount Calculation > Price or Line Discount.

You can change, delete, or insert lines here if necessary. Alternatively, you can set up a blank calculation sheet and use a ribbon function to copy values from condition lines.

Edits are made on this buffer page so that you can simulate their impact first and discard them if necessary; only changes that are accepted by you will be copied to the relevant sales line (and saved for when you want to reopen the page to make revisions).

When you exit the page, the Price Calculation or Discount Calculation field will be selected on the associated sales line depending on which kind of calculation has been changed.

Copy calculation lines#

When you post or archive a sales order, all calculation lines that have been filled in for a condition-based price or discount on the order are copied alongside other data to the posted or archived document. However, you can still open the lines from there (albeit in read-only format).

Price units#

The following formula is used in the standard app to determine the price on a document line:

Line Amount Excl. VAT = Quantity * Unit Price * [(100 – Line Discount %) / 100]

But there are other formulas. One of them provides a method for calculating a multiple of an amount by using a price unit. Typically, this method is preferred when dealing with items that are large in number but low in price (like screws).

Example 1
You enter Piece as the base unit on an item card and a document line.

You can then state a price on the line in multiples of 1000, that is, the price unit (or price per unit) equals the sales price for 1000 pieces.

Example 2
You enter Piece as the base unit of measure on an item card and Package on a purchase line. A package equals 50 pieces, as specified on the Item Units of Measure page.

You can then state a price on the line in multiples of 50, that is, the price unit (or price per unit) represents the sales price for 50 packages.

You can already specify price units that you and your customers agreed on when you set up basic app data.

For example, you might want to use the unit Piece and enter an item on a document line in pieces. However, the price for the line is determined based on weight (weight-dependent document pricing). To calculate this price, you will need another method that requires a separate explanation (outside the scope of this article).

Item price groups#

For items of the same type, you can specify a price per category. For example, a group of paperbacks might cost the same because of the size and material used (regardless of who authored each book).

You can set up prices for item groups in the same way as for individual items. The feature supports entering agreements:

• For sales types
• For campaigns
• In customer hierarchies
• For sales conditions
• According to quantity, delivery date, and currency
• Based on units of measure, in the following way:
  
  You can store the price (for a group) in a certain unit of measure on a document line provided the unit has been assigned to the relevant group beforehand.

To set up a price group for an item:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Item Price Groups, and then choose the related link.
2. On the ribbon, choose New.
3. Fill in the fields as described in the following table.

After creating a group, you can choose Related > Item Price Group > Sales Prices on the ribbon to enter prices for the group. This process is the same as for prices maintained per customer or customer group in the standard app.

Block prices#

What values are shown in the Unit Price and Line Discount % fields on document lines depends on the agreements you have in place with customers.

You can specify a wide variety of sales price and discount agreements in the system, including agreements made with an individual customer, a group of customers, or all customers, as well as agreements covering single products or an entire group of items.

When you add an item to a document, the system will compare the value that you enter in the Quantity field on a line against the minimum quantities set for the associated customer in the item master to calculate the best sales price and discount available.

In short, the standard app calculates prices and discounts separately on each line of a document. Sometimes, however, you might need to enter one and the same item on multiple lines, for example, because products must be delivered in batches on different dates.

For this reason, standard functionality has been extended so that prices and discounts can now be determined based on the total quantity entered for an item on all lines of a document. For a line to be included in the total, however, the values in the following fields must also match those on the other lines:

• Type and No.
• Variant Code
• Unit of Measure Code and Qty. per Unit
• Allow Line Disc. and Allow Invoice Disc.

Lines on which the following fields aren’t blank will not be included under any circumstances:

• Shipment No. or Return Receipt No. (concerns invoice or credit memo lines created from a blanket sales order)
• Blanket Order No. (concerns order lines that refer to a blanket order line)
• Alternate

To calculate block prices:

1. Open a sales document.
2. On the ribbon, choose Update Block Pricing. Block prices are then calculated when you release the document.

If you manually change the Unit Price or Line Discount % field on a document line, the system will not update the value in either field when you run the function, and the line will not become part of the quantity for calculation.

The same will happen with document lines that are related to blanket order or framework lines, with alternate lines, and when you invoice posted shipments or returns.

You can also deactivate the block pricing feature on individual documents by turning off the Price/Disc. Min. Qty. per Line toggle on the relevant document header. This might be necessary if you want to show a customer how a block price or discount is calculated on a quote.

Pricing by order type#

IIn certain situations, you might need differing (price and discount) conditions considering the purpose of an item, such as when it is sold to a new customer versus when it is required for repairs.

For this reason, you can now assign a sales order type to sales prices and line discounts on item cards. Either is then used by the pricing functionality only if you enter the relevant order type on the header of a sales document.

Customer resource prices#

As another option, you can now assign customer-specific prices to resources on customer or resource cards.

Resource prices can be created for a specific customer, a customer group, or all customers. They can also be linked to an individual resource or a resource group and, like item prices, can be given a starting and an ending date.

The business logic that undergirds best price and price sequence calculations is also used to determine resource prices.

Save prices or discounts#

Often, the sheer number of item variations sold in the retail sector means that prices aren’t maintained in advance but depend on quotes or orders.

The Save Price/Discount feature provides a convenient way for you to save for reuse the item prices that you agreed to on quotes or orders the next time that the items are needed. To save prices from a quote or an order:

1. Create a sales quote or order that contains the requested items.
2. Change the values in the Unit Price and Line Discount % line fields to what has been agreed on.
3. Select a line that you want to save a price or discount for.
4. On the Lines FastTab, on the ribbon, choose Line > Related Information > Price/Discount Calculation > Save Price/Discount.
5. Fill in the fields as described in the following tables.

For sales prices:

For line discounts:

Afterward, choose OK to exit the page.

Best price calculations#

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central¹ will always calculate the best price on sales documents. In this context, the best price is the lowest unit price with the highest line discount allowed on a given date. Sometimes, this means that a higher unit price with a line discount might beat out a lower price that comes with no discount.

Certain customers, however, are typically charged prices slightly above those calculated by the system. For this reason, you can now turn off the best price option for everyone or only certain customers.

Turning off the feature corresponds to hierarchical pricing.

General setup#

To change the pricing rules:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. On the General FastTab, in the Best Price Calculation field, select if and to what extent the best price option should be used.

Customer-specific setup#

If you selected See Customer in Sales & Receivables Setup, the No Best Price toggle must be turned off for each customer for whom you want to calculate the best possible sales price.

With the No Best Price toggle for a customer turned on, the system will always use a price that is specific to the customer, even if that price is higher than the standard price. The toggle then also turns on automatically on each document created for this customer.

You can still change the setting on a sales document if you selected Always or See Customer in the Best Price Calculation field in setup (if you set it to Never, the field will be grayed out). This way, you can offer the lowest prices also to a customer typically not included in best price calculations, for example.

Pricing behavior#

To account for a variety of item quantities, customers, and customer groups, you can enter different (but equally valid) prices for an item. If the best price calculation is used, the system then retrieves these price records to find the lowest possible price at which the item can be sold.

Pricing date#

The date used to calculate prices on quotes, orders, and return orders is the order date. On credit memos and invoices, it’s the posting date.

Price sequences#

With the Best Price toggle turned off, the system will retrieve a price based on the following field values, each listed in order of priority:

1. Hierarchy Level
   Lowest to highest. The value in this field, however, is only used if you’re working with hierarchies in the system, for example, when selling to members of an association.
2. Sales Type
   Campaign, Customer, Customer Price Group, All Customers
3. Sales Order Type
   [filled in], [not filled in]
4. Type
   Item, Item Price Group
5. Variant Code
   [code specified], [no variant]. The value in this field, however, is only relevant if you’re working with variant codes in the system.
6. Unit of Measure Code
   [filled in], [not filled in]
7. Currency Code
   [code], [no code]. The value in this field, however, is only relevant if the customer uses a foreign currency.
8. Responsibility Center Code
   [filled in], [not filled in]
9. Minimum Quantity
10. Starting Date
    [newest], [older], [not filled in]

When you enter a campaign created for a customer on a sales document, the customer’s other (active) campaigns will be disregarded. The prices specified for this campaign have a higher priority than all other types of prices.

If no campaign is specified, every campaign linked to the customer or contact will be included in the price calculation (when a hierarchy is available: if it was created for the main customer in a hierarchy).

Initially, the best price is determined only for the customer whom you entered on the document. If the customer is linked to another customer in a hierarchy, the latter will be ignored by the system for the time being.

However, if no valid price is found for the customer, the system will search the next level of the hierarchy. You’ll see an error message if the customer has been linked to multiple other customers on the same level.

The number of hierarchy levels can be unlimited. If no valid price can be found for the customer on any level, the system will go through the available customer price groups based on the same logic. Within a group, a price for an item variant has a higher priority than a general price for an item—provided the sales and item type match.

The same check is later repeated for currencies. In this context, a price with a currency is prioritized over prices for which no currency has been set up.

As for the minimum quantity, the highest quantity threshold within the validity period will be used to retrieve the price.

Lastly, the system will check the starting date, with a more recent price given a higher priority than older entries. Essentially, only prices available on the order date can be retrieved.

Discount calculations#

Discounts are determined in the exact same way as prices.

Pricing by responsibility center#

In addition to standard functionality, you can now also assign prices and line discounts to different responsibility centers.

To be able to use this feature, you only need to fill in the Responsibility Center field for a unit price or line discount record.

Pricing by hierarchy#

Another new feature will include the prices and discounts stored at a higher level of a customer hierarchy (see Create Hierarchies) to determine the lowest price with the highest discount for an item that you want to sell to a customer. However, before you can use this feature, you must set it up first:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. In the Hierarchy Type Code Pricing field, select the type of hierarchy that you want to use for extended pricing.

Customers linked to this hierarchy are then included in calculating the best price and discount on a document line based on multiple price-related factors, such as the validity period, minimum quantity, unit of measure, currency, and responsibility center.

At which level of a customer hierarchy a value is determined isn’t relevant in this situation, as prices or discounts might be calculated, for example, for customers and item price groups at multiple levels at the same time.

Price worksheets#

Price worksheet extension#

The Extended Sales Price Worksheet page includes the following fields for when you want to calculate or save prices:

• Price Unit
• Current Unit Price (Price Unit)
• New Unit Price (Price Unit)
• Responsibility Center
• Sales Order Type

Prices (Version 20.0 or higher)#

New pricing experience#

The new pricing features must first be turned on.

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Feature Management, and then choose the related link.
2. Go to the line that says Feature Update: New Sales Pricing Experience and set the Enabled For field to All Users.

Quoting prices to customers#

For retailers that sell products over the phone or online, providing quick price estimates is an indispensable part of doing business. With a new feature, you can now tell customers immediately whether certain items are in stock and at what price they can be shipped.

You can also save newly agreed-on prices and discounts in the system, show price histories, and log the quotes provided to a customer. To create a quote for an item:

1. Open a contact card.
2. On the ribbon, choose Related > New Price Quote (Customer).
3. Fill in the fields as described in the following table.

From the copied or manually entered price and discount data, the system then calculates a line amount (without VAT) that can be quoted to the customer.

Besides the Line Amount (LCY) Excl. VAT, you can also see the Cost (LCY), the Profit (LCY), and the Profit % on a price quote line. None of these fields can be edited, however.

The Comment, Minimum Quantity, Starting Date and Ending Date, on the other hand, can be changed. They’re used when you copy prices and discounts from the price quote to the Sales Price Lists page.

You can store a price or discount by choosing Save Sales Price or Discount on the ribbon. You can also have price data saved automatically when leaving the page by turning on the Auto Save on Exit toggle.

When you run either function, the system will also check for duplicate records. If a combination of customer, item, and variant already exists in a certain price list, you’ll be notified so that you can remove the lines from that list.

Price source#

The Price Source field indicates where the Unit Price Excl. VAT or Unit Price (Price Unit) Excl. VAT value on a document line comes from:

For line discounts, the equivalent to this field is the Line Discount Source field.

Sales conditions#

Sales conditions provide another way for you to calculate a wide variety of prices or discounts on documents. For this purpose, a condition is linked to calculation lines on which you can enter the price or discount formulas that should be used within the system.

You can already specify calculation lines when you set up base data in the app and can later copy these lines along with a condition to one or more price or discount records.

Create a condition#

To create a sales condition:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales Condition List, and then choose the related link.
2. On the ribbon, choose New.
3. Fill in the fields as described in the following tables.

General#

Lines#

On the lines, you can specify how a price or a reduction in price will be calculated when the condition applies.

As an example, a condition might have been specified as follows:

In this example, a 10% discount needs to be deducted from the cost amount—which is EUR 3,040—before 5% is added to the resulting EUR 2,736 (EUR 3,040 - EUR 304) because the product has a markup.

By applying the condition, the item is then sold at EUR 2872.80. As another example, consider the following net percentage conditions:

Here, a 10% discount needs to be deducted from the cost amount before a 5% markup based on the original amount is added to the total.

In this situation, the item can be sold at EUR 2888.00 (with EUR 2,736 left after applying the basic discount but EUR 136.80 added at the end).

Additionally, you can choose Translations on the Lines FastTab to have steps in the calculation translated and copied automatically to documents on which the specified language code is used.

Link a condition to a price or line discount#

You must fill in the Price Condition No. field on a price list if you want to link a condition to a price or line discount. The currency that you’ve specified for the condition must match the currency entered for the price or discount.

For prices or discounts linked to conditions, the Unit Price or Discount % field will always be blank in the price list. The values in these fields will be filled in only when you enter a condition-based price or discount on a document line.

Use a condition to find the best price or line discount#

When trying to determine the best prices or reductions in prices, the system uses condition-based prices or line discounts in the same way as standard functionality; a condition isn’t a factor in deciding whether a certain price or line discount can be entered on a sales document. The only difference to standard functions is that sales prices or line discounts linked to conditions are calculated in real time.

Get Sales Price#

The standard Get Sales Price action can be used to copy the sales prices that are available for a document from a price list to selected document lines. With this action, you can bypass the pricing function that is run when you enter an item number or a quantity on a line.

The same is true for the Get Line Disc. action. However, this function now also calculates for each line that is assigned to a sales condition the discount based on price lists that include the condition (instead of retrieving a value of 0 from the item master).

Sometimes, the currency and unit of measure specified for the document line and price record might differ when you’re trying to calculate the best price for an item. The following fields were thus added to the Sales Price Lists page:

• Unit of Measure (Calc.)
• Currency Code (Calc.)
• Unit Price (Calc.)

The first two fields contain the values that were entered on the document line from which the calculation was run. The third field shows the price in the unit and currency specified on the line—unlike the standard Unit Price field, which shows prices in the currency and unit stored in the price list master.

You can select the Assist button next to the Price Condition No. field to see in what way a condition has been used to determine sales prices or discounts.

No default units on sales lines#

Standard functionality will fill in the sales unit of measure as the unit on new price list lines.

However, this means that if you regularly store prices in the item’s base unit, you will need to remove that unit manually from each price before the system can calculate a new price based on another unit of measure.

To have the unit field left blank on new lines:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. On the Prices FastTab, turn on the No Default UOM Code toggle.

Price units#

The following formula is used in the standard app to determine the price on a document line:

Line Amount Excl. VAT = Quantity * Unit Price * [(100 – Line Discount %) / 100]

But there are other formulas. One of them provides a method for calculating a multiple of an amount by using a price unit. Typically, this method is preferred when dealing with items that are large in number but low in price (like screws).

Example 1
You enter Piece as the base unit on an item card and a document line.

You can then state a price on the line in multiples of 1000, that is, the price unit (or price per unit) equals the sales price for 1000 pieces.

Example 2
You enter Piece as the base unit of measure on an item card and Package on a purchase line. A package equals 50 pieces, as specified on the Item Units of Measure page.

You can then state a price on the line in multiples of 50, that is, the price unit (or price per unit) represents the sales price for 50 packages.

You can already specify price units that you and your customers agreed on when you set up basic app data.

For example, you might want to use the unit Piece and enter an item on a document line in pieces. However, the price for the line is determined based on weight (weight-dependent document pricing). To calculate this price, you will need another method that requires a separate explanation (outside the scope of this article).

Item price groups#

For items of the same type, you can assign sales prices per category. For example, a group of paperbacks might cost the same because of the size and material used (regardless of who authored each book).

You can set up prices for item groups in the same way as for individual items. The feature supports entering agreements:

• For sales types
• For campaigns
• In customer hierarchies
• For sales conditions
• According to quantity, delivery date, and currency
• Based on units of measure, in the following way:
  
  You can store the price (for a group) in a certain unit of measure on a document line provided the unit has been assigned to the relevant group beforehand.

To set up a price group for an item:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Item Price Groups, and then choose the related link.
2. On the ribbon, choose New.
3. Fill in the fields as described in the following table.

After creating a group, you can choose Prices > Sales Prices on the ribbon to enter prices for the group. This process is the same as for prices maintained in the standard app.

Block prices#

What values are shown in the Unit Price and Line Discount % fields on document lines depends on the agreements you have in place with customers.

You can specify a wide variety of sales price and discount agreements in the system, including agreements made with an individual customer, a group of customers, or all customers, as well as agreements covering single products or an entire group of items.

When you add an item to a document, the system will compare the value that you enter in the Quantity field on a line against the minimum quantities set for the associated customer in the item master to calculate the best sales price and discount available.

In short, the standard app calculates prices and discounts separately on each line of a document. Sometimes, however, you might need to enter one and the same item on multiple lines, for example, because products must be delivered in batches on different dates.

For this reason, standard functionality has been extended so that prices and discounts can now be determined based on the total quantity entered for an item on all lines of a document. For a line to be included in the total, however, the values in the following fields must also match those on the other lines:

• Type and No.
• Variant Code (depending on whether you turned on the relevant toggle in Sales & Receivables Setup or on the item card)
• Unit of Measure Code and Qty. per Unit
• Allow Line Disc. and Allow Invoice Disc.

You can also have the system calculate block prices independent of variants (that is, a quantity is calculated without considering any variant).

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. Turn on the No Variant Block Prices toggle.
3. To change the global setting for individual items, open an item card and in the No Variant Block Prices (Sales) field, choose one of the options described in the following table.

Lines on which the following fields aren’t blank will not be included under any circumstances:

• Shipment No. or Return Receipt No. (concerns invoice or credit memo lines created from a blanket sales order)
• Blanket Order No. (concerns order lines that refer to a blanket order line)
• Alternate

To calculate block prices:

1. Open a sales document.
2. On the ribbon, choose Update Block Pricing. Block prices are then calculated when you release the document.

If you manually change the Unit Price or Line Discount % field on a document line, the system will not update the value in either field when you run the function, and the line will not become part of the quantity for calculation.

The same will happen with document lines that are related to blanket order or framework lines, with alternate lines, and when you invoice posted shipments or returns.

You can also deactivate the block pricing feature on individual documents by turning off the Price/Disc. Min. Qty. per Line toggle on the relevant document header. This might be necessary if you want to show a customer how a block price or discount is calculated on a quote.

If you’ve already filled in the lines of a sales document, you’re asked to confirm your choice.

Pricing by order type#

In certain situations, you might need differing (price and discount) conditions considering the purpose of an item, such as when it is sold to a new customer versus when it is required for repairs.

For this reason, you can now assign a sales order type to sales prices and line discounts on item cards. Either is then used by the pricing functionality only if you enter the relevant order type on the header of a sales document.

Customer resource prices#

As another option, you can now assign customer-specific prices to resources on customer or resource cards.

Resource prices can be created for a specific customer, a customer group, or all customers. They can also be linked to an individual resource or a resource group and, like item prices, can be given a starting and an ending date.

The business logic that undergirds best price and price sequence calculations is also used to determine resource prices.

Save prices or discounts#

Often, the sheer number of item variations sold in the retail sector means that prices aren’t maintained in advance but depend on quotes or orders.

The Save Price/Discount feature provides a convenient way for you to save for reuse the item prices that you agreed to on quotes or orders the next time that the items are needed. To save prices from a quote or an order:

1. Create a sales quote or order that contains the requested items.
2. Change the values in the Unit Price and Line Discount % line fields to what has been agreed on.
3. Select a line that you want to save a price or discount for.
4. On the Lines FastTab, on the ribbon, choose Line > Related Information > Price/Discount Calculation > Save Price/Discount.
5. Fill in the fields as described in the following tables.

For sales prices:

For line discounts:

Afterward, choose OK to exit the page.

Close prices or discounts#

The system retrieves unit prices and line discounts based on the starting and ending dates entered for them on a price list.

KUMAVISION base (BOOSTER) always uses the most recent price or discount for an item or item group provided all other factors with an impact on sales remain the same.

However, you can also have an ending date assigned automatically when you create another price or discount for which you enter a later starting date. This might make it easier for users to understand changes in prices and discounts. To have a date assigned automatically:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. On the Prices FastTab, turn on the Close Prices and Discounts toggle.

If you then enter a price or discount for the same item-price or item-discount combination but enter a later starting date, the system will fill in the Ending Date field for the previously valid entry with a date set to one day before the new starting date.

Move prices to another price list#

You can now move sales price lines from one price list to another, for example, to a list that you’ve set up for the sole purpose of storing historic prices.

1. Open a sales price list.
2. Go to the Lines FastTab and select the prices that you want to transfer.
3. On the ribbon, choose Move Lines.
4. This opens the Select Price List window, where you can set filters to limit the number of lists that are displayed on the page.
5. Choose a list, and then choose OK.

Afterward, the selected price lines are both copied to the new list and deleted from the old one.

Best price calculations#

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central¹ will always calculate the best price on sales documents. In this context, the best price is the lowest unit price with the highest line discount allowed on a given date.

Sales prices and discounts are entered on price lists independently from each other. This means that a sales line might contain the lowest price of one price list line and the highest discount of another.

Certain customers, however, are typically charged prices slightly above those calculated by the system. For this reason, you can now turn off the best price option for everyone or only certain customers.

Turning off the feature corresponds to hierarchical pricing.

General setup#

To change the pricing rules:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. On the General FastTab, in the Pricing Method field, select if and to what extent the best price option should be used.

Customer-specific setup#

You can also specify a price calculation method for a customer by filling in the Pricing Method field on the relevant customer card. The option you select then replaces the setting you made in Sales & Receivables Setup.

With the No Best Price toggle for a customer turned on, the system will always use a price that is specific to the customer, even if that price is higher than the standard price. The pricing method is also copied automatically to the Invoice Details FastTab on each document created for this customer.

The correct calculation method is determined in the following order of priority:

1. Manual setting on the sales document
2. Customer card
3. Customer price group
4. Sales & Receivables Setup

Pricing behavior#

To account for a variety of item quantities, customers, and customer groups, you can enter different (but equally valid) prices for an item. If the best price calculation is used, the system then retrieves these price records to find the lowest possible price at which the item can be sold.

Pricing date#

The date used to calculate prices on quotes, orders, and return orders is the order date. On credit memos and invoices, it’s the posting date.

Price sequences#

With the Best Price toggle turned off, the system will retrieve a price based on the following field values, each listed in order of priority:

1. Hierarchy Level
   Lowest to highest. The value in this field, however, is only used if you’re working with hierarchies in the system, for example, when selling to members of an association.

2. Sales Type
   Campaign, Customer, Customer Price Group, All Customers

3. Sales Order Type
   [filled in], [not filled in]

4. Type
   Item, Item Price Group

5. Variant Code
   [code specified], [no variant]. The value in this field, however, is only relevant if you’re working with variant codes in the system.

6. Unit of Measure Code
   [filled in], [not filled in]

7. Currency Code
   [code], [no code]. The value in this field, however, is only relevant if the customer uses a foreign currency.

8. Responsibility Center Code
   [filled in], [not filled in]

9. Minimum Quantity

10. Starting Date
    [newest], [older], [not filled in]

When you enter a campaign created for a customer on a sales document, the customer’s other (active) campaigns will be disregarded. The prices specified for this campaign have a higher priority than all other types of prices.

If no campaign is specified, every campaign linked to the customer or contact will be included in the price calculation (when a hierarchy is available: if it was created for the main customer in a hierarchy).

Initially, the best price is determined only for the customer whom you entered on the document. If the customer is linked to another customer in a hierarchy, the latter will be ignored by the system for the time being.

However, if no valid price is found for the customer, the system will search the next level of the hierarchy. You’ll see an error message if the customer has been linked to multiple other customers on the same level.

The number of hierarchy levels can be unlimited. If no valid price can be found for the customer on any level, the system will go through the available customer price groups based on the same logic. Within a group, a price for an item variant has a higher priority than a general price for an item—provided the sales and item type match.

The same check is later repeated for currencies. In this context, a price with a currency is prioritized over prices for which no currency has been set up. As for the minimum quantity, the highest quantity threshold within the validity period will be used to retrieve the price.

Lastly, the system will check the starting date, with a more recent price given a higher priority than older entries. Essentially, only prices available on the order date can be retrieved.

Discount calculations#

Discounts are determined in the exact same way as prices.

Pricing by hierarchy#

Another new feature will include the prices and discounts stored at a higher level of a customer hierarchy (see Create Hierarchies) to determine the lowest price with the highest discount for an item that you want to sell to a customer. However, before you can use this feature, you must set it up first:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. In the Hierarchy Type Code Pricing field, select the type of hierarchy that you want to use for extended pricing.

Customers linked to this hierarchy are then included in calculating the best price and discount on a document line based on multiple price-related factors, such as the validity period, minimum quantity, unit of measure, currency, and responsibility center.

At which level of a customer hierarchy a value is determined isn’t relevant in this situation, as prices or discounts might be calculated, for example, for customers and item price groups at multiple levels at the same time.

Pricing by responsibility center#

In addition to standard functionality, you can now also assign prices and line discounts to different responsibility centers.

To be able to use this feature, you only need to fill in the Responsibility Center field for a unit price or line discount on a price list.

Document pricing by sell-to (not bill-to) customer#

Standard functionality calculates prices on a sales document by using the bill-to customer entered on it.

This might cause difficulties when invoices are sent to an association, as you might have agreed on a different set of prices with a member of the association (=sell-to customer).

With the new feature, you can now decide which customer you want to run the pricing functionality for.

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. In the Pricing Customer field, choose one of the options described in the following table.

If you choose the second or third option, you can change the setting again on the relevant customer card.

Consider item categories in pricing#

Standard functionality only allows the assignment of one group of prices per customer. However, not all items a certain customer buys from you might be subject to the same sales agreement.

With this extension, you can assign a price group to every item category, and its subcategories, in the system.

Example
One of your customers typically needs to pay the prices specified in group A. However, for items of the Bicycle category and its subcategories (such as Tires, Apparel, and Accessories), the customer will be billed at group B prices, as per your setup.

Setup#

Sales & receivables setup#

To be able to work with the feature:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Sales & Receivables Setup, and then choose the related link.
2. On the Prices FastTab, turn on the Consider Item Categories toggle.

Item categories#

To create an item category or subcategory:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Item Categories and then choose the related link.
2. On the ribbon, choose New, and then fill in the fields as necessary.

For more details, see Categorize Items - Business Central | Microsoft Learn.

Customer price groups#

Set up one or more customer price groups, as described under Register New Customers - Business Central | Microsoft Learn.

Afterward, you must assign at least one of these groups to an item category.

1. Open a customer card.
2. On the ribbon, choose Related > Sales > Item Categories, and then fill in the fields as necessary.

For more details, see Assign a Category to a Customer.

Items#

Assign the items that you want to set up special prices for to the relevant item categories.

Prices (List)#

Create price lists for the price groups and items that you want to use. For more information, see Record special sales prices and discounts - Business Central | Microsoft Learn.

Assign a category to a customer#

To assign a generally valid price group to a customer, fill in the Customer Price Group field on the relevant customer card (on the Invoicing FastTab). You can then assign another group to a specific category of items by choosing Related > Sales > Item Categories on the ribbon.

Based on our earlier example, you can therefore fill in price group A directly on the customer card while running the relevant ribbon function to assign group B to the Bicycle category.

Workflow#

Following setup, the system will start retrieving price list entries based on the customer price group and item category that you’ve assigned to the customer and item entered on a sales document (in addition to the currency, order type, and other criteria specified on it). For more general information about the pricing business logic, click here.

Price worksheets#

Price worksheet extension#

The following fields have been added to the Price Worksheet page for when you want to calculate or save prices on a price list:

• Price Unit
• Unit Price (Price Unit)
• Responsibility Center
• Order Type
• Price Condition No.

Link a sales condition to a worksheet#

In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central¹, you can use price worksheets to specify factors for calculating unit prices. In KUMAVISION base (BOOSTER), you can now also use a sales condition (see Sales Conditions) on a price worksheet.

Workflow#

To link a condition to a worksheet:

1. Choose the Search icon, enter Price Worksheet, and then choose the related link.
2. On the ribbon, choose Suggest Lines.
3. Choose Price Condition in the Calculation Type field.
4. In the Price Condition No. field, create or select the condition that should be used to determine a new price.

The price is then created and copied to the worksheet.

For conditions that relate to unit costs, you can fill in the Unit Cost Calculation Date field to specify when the cost should be calculated, giving you the option of calculating unit prices for future unit costs.

You can then use the standard Implement Price Change function to copy the prices to the Sales Prices page.