edoc invoice Administration Guide
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Create dependencies between line item data

In some organizations, for example, there is a financial accounting system in which a certain G/L account is linked to a cost center for fixed costs or a certain VAT code (VAT identification number). You can define dependencies for this G/L account in edoc invoice. Your users can then use the correct data directly in edoc invoice.

You can create dependency definitions for almost all fields under Line item data. However, it is necessary for the values in the master data to be complete and up-to-date for the verification to work properly.

Clarify in advance with the parties involved for which line item data a dependency is to be created.

Things to know about dependency definitions and master data import

In the Line item data section of the capture form, your dependency definition ensures that the original value set of the line item column is filtered using the dependent values and checked using the dependency definition. Due to the dependency definition, your users can only use the values in the corresponding line item data columns that you have specified in the dependency definition.

In order for the values to be filtered, the master data import must include both the data with all values for which you want to create a dependency and the defined dependencies. Therefore, after creating a dependency, set up a new master data query for the dependency definition.

It is best to only use fields in the line item columns that have the Autocomplete field format.

If you want to find out which values are available for a company, click on Show values in the ribbon.

Create and import values for dependency definitions

Suppose there are many invoices in your organization for different projects and project tasks that are linked to specific cost centers. So that your users can only select certain values in the line item data fields, you want to define a dependency between the project number, the project tasks and the cost center of an invoice.

Here's how

  1. Click on Settings and select the company.

  2. Click on Capture form > Dependencies.

  3. Enter any name under Name by clicking in the field. You can select the name of the dependency in the query when importing master data under Destination object.

  4. Select a line item data field in Field 1, the second line item data field in Field 2 and the third line item data field in Field 3, e.g. Project number (projectno) for the project number, Project task (projecttask) for the project task and cost center (costCenter) for the cost center.

  5. Proceed accordingly for each dependency to be defined. You can use up to 10 fields for an entry.

  6. Click Save in the ribbon. After saving, you can no longer change the configured dependencies.

  7. Create a new master data query for the dependence under Data > Import - Master data. Select the name Dependence: <name> of the defined dependency as the destination object.

You can find out how to create a master data query here: Create a new query for the master data import

Use a line item data field in different dependency definitions

Theoretically, you could use a line item data field in various dependency definitions. However, this constellation is complex and may lead to unexpected behavior in the data capture form.

If you want to define two further dependent line item data fields for a line item data field, for example, it is best to define a dependency definition.

However, if you want to use a line item data field in two dependency definitions, you need to know the following:

  • The master data import must always be complete.

  • Your users will not always work with filled fields in the line item data.

This is how two interdependent dependency definitions work:

Let's assume you want to check the values in the cost centers automatically and create the following dependency definitions:

  • Fields in dependency definition 1: Cost center and Cost object

  • Fields in dependency definition 2: Cost center and G/L account

In the invoice capture form, e.g. in a line under Line item data, the three fields Cost center, Cost object and G/L account are initially empty (no values available).

If you enter a value for Cost object, for example, this results in a unique value for Cost center, but the Cost center field is not automatically filled or the value set is not filtered.

The reason why filtering or autocomplete does not work is that the G/L account field in dependency definition 2 is still empty. As the G/L account field in the item line is empty, the values for the Cost center field are not filtered so that all values for the Cost center field are permitted.

This results in a unique value for Cost center for dependency definition 1, but according to dependency definition 2, all values in the Cost center field are permitted. All values are displayed so that pre-filtering or autocomplete no longer works.

Only if you have also entered a value in the G/L account field will the filtering work for dependency definition 2 and therefore for the Cost center field.


See also