Automatic assignment of item charges
Continia Document Capture can automatically assign item charges to the lines of an incoming document, in accordance with a method you define in the relevant document template. In this way, any item charge that appears in an imported document can be split among the lines of that document – as specified by you in the template setup. Item charges can be assigned according to the following four methods:
- Equally
- By amount
- By weight
- By volume
These methods are explained in more detail below, along with a more in-depth account of the functionality in general. The actual charges are automatically assigned when you register documents.
Note
Matching against item charges is only supported when you match against receipt/return shipment lines.
To set up the assignment of item charges
To have item charges automatically split between the lines of incoming documents:
- Search (
) for and select Document Categories. - To open the purchase document category, select the PURCHASE line (not the PURCHASE code itself), and then click Edit on the action bar.
- On the Document Category page, on the Templates FastTab, select the template you want to configure.
- On the FastTab title bar, click Edit to open the template card.
- On the Purchase Documents FastTab, go to Item Charge Assignment Method, and then select the method you want Document Capture to use when assigning item charges. For more details about the assignment methods, see Understanding the methods below.
Your selected method is now used for every assignment of item charges in documents using this template, once you register the documents. The sections below explain how the charges are actually distributed among the lines of each document when assigned, and how you can view this distribution.
Note
When using the Match and update order step and matching a document with a charge item line to a purchase order, the charge item line is created on the purchase order. However, the charge itself isn't assigned according to the template settings (i.e.: equally, by weight, etc.).
To view assigned item charges
After registering a document with an item charge, the item charge is automatically assigned to the lines of the document according to your specifications in the setup – and the document page opens (e.g.: the Purchase Invoice page for invoices). To view the item charge assignment and check that this is correct:
- On the Lines FastTab, in the list of document lines, select the one that says Charge (Item) under Type.
- On the FastTab title bar, click Line > Related information > Item Charge Assignment.
- On the Item Charge Assignment (Purch) page, in the Amount to Assign column, check that the item charge has been distributed among the lines as intended.
Understanding the methods
To understand the different item charge assignment methods, consider the following example of an incoming document with an item charge:
- Three item lines
- Total amount excluding VAT: €1,000.00
- Total weight of all line items: 100.00 kg
- Total volume of all line items: 10.00 m3
- One item charge line with a quantity of 1 and an amount of €200.00
When this document is registered, the distribution of the item charge among the document's item lines is as follows in the various scenarios:
Note
This distribution would have been the same if the item charge had been at header level rather than line level. Item charges are assigned to document lines in exactly the same way, no matter if they're at line level or header level.
Equal assignment
If you choose the item charge assignment method Equally in the setup, the item charge is distributed like this:
| No. | Qty. to assign | Amount to assign |
|---|---|---|
| Item 1 | 0.33 | €66.67 |
| Item 2 | 0.33 | €66.67 |
| Item 3 | 0.33 | €66.67 |
The item charge line has an amount of €200.00 and a quantity of 1, and these are both divided by three – as there are three item lines. As a result of this equal distribution, each of the item lines is assigned an item charge of €66.67.
Assignment by amount
If you choose the item charge assignment method By amount in the setup, the item charge is distributed like this:
| No. | Line amount excl. VAT | Qty. to assign | Amount to assign |
|---|---|---|---|
| Item 1 | €500.00 | 0.50 | €100.00 |
| Item 2 | €200.00 | 0.20 | €40.00 |
| Item 3 | €300.00 | 0.30 | €60.00 |
The assigned amount for each item line is calculated based on the line amount's proportion of the total amount. For example, item 1 has a line amount of €500.00, which is exactly half of the total amount of €1,000.00. The item charge line has an amount of €200.00 and a quantity of 1, and because half of 1 is 0.50, the amount to assign is 0.50 × €200.00 = €100.00.
Assignment by weight
If you choose the item charge assignment method By weight in the setup, the item charge is distributed like this:
| No. | Gross weight | Qty. to receive (base) | Qty. to assign | Amount to assign |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Item 1 | 2.00 | 5 | 0.10 | €20.00 |
| Item 2 | 10.00 | 4 | 0.40 | €80.00 |
| Item 3 | 5.00 | 10 | 0.50 | €100.00 |
The assigned amount for each item line is calculated based on the line item's weight and its proportion of the total weight of all line items. For example, item 1 has a total weight of 2.00 kg × 5 = 10.00 kg (the gross weight of each item unit multiplied by the number of units specified in Qty. to Receive), which is exactly one tenth of the total weight of all line items (100.00 kg). The item charge line has an amount of €200.00 and a quantity of 1, and because one tenth of 1 is 0.10, the amount to assign is 0.10 × €200.00 = €20.00.
Assignment by volume
If you choose the item charge assignment method By volume in the setup, the item charge is distributed like this:
| No. | Unit volume | Qty. to receive (base) | Qty. to assign | Amount to assign |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Item 1 | 1.00 | 5 | 5.00 | €100.00 |
| Item 2 | 0.25 | 4 | 1.00 | €20.00 |
| Item 3 | 0.50 | 8 | 4.00 | €80.00 |
The assigned amount for each item line is calculated based on the line item's volume and its proportion of the total volume of all line items. For example, item 1 has a total volume of 1.00 m3 × 5 = 5.00 m3 (the volume of each item unit multiplied by the number of units specified in Qty. to Receive), which is exactly half of the total volume of all line items (10.00 m3). The item charge line has an amount of €200.00 and a quantity of 1, and because half of 1 is 0.50, the amount to assign is 0.50 × €200.00 = €100.00.