Understanding Next Numbers
When you create a document such as an invoice, a voucher, or a journal entry, you can assign a document number to uniquely identify the document or let the Next Numbers program (P0002) assign one. If you choose to manually assign a document number instead of using next numbers, you must enter the number during data entry.
Next numbers is an automatic numbering utility. The Next Numbers program assigns numbers to documents using one or both of these:
Standard next numbers.
The system finds the next available number in the Next Numbers - Automatic table (F0002) and assigns that number to the document.
Next numbers by company and fiscal year.
The system finds the next available number by company and fiscal year or by company only in the Next Numbers by Company/Fiscal Year - Automatic table (F00021).
Next numbers work in conjunction with the data dictionary. Each data dictionary item that uses next numbers contains a next-numbering index value that corresponds to the line number that contains the next number value for that data item.
Follow these rules when you work with next numbers:
Do not use blank as a next number value.
Do not change a next number.
Changing the numbers can result in duplicate numbers, as well as the inability to locate previously added numbers. If you must change a next number, change it to a greater value only.
Do not delete next number values.
If you delete a next number value, you might get unexpected results.
Do not change the sequence of the next numbers in the table.
Each next number must remain on its current line because programs reference a specific line in the table. For example, in the General Accounting system, the next number for journal entries must be on the second line.
You can have the system assign check digits for any set of standard next numbers. The check digit feature prevents errors that are caused by transposition during data entry. For example, activating check digits in the address book for suppliers prevents a voucher from being assigned to the wrong supplier if digits are transposed during voucher entry. Use check digits for next numbers only when a transposition error is likely to occur during data entry.