Auto Numbering for Documents: Set the Prefix and Starting Number

The system gives every invoice, client, product and document an automatic number based on rules you set, such as the prefix INV, the number of digits and the starting number. This guide explains the auto numbering settings for each document type, prefix variables such as the year and month, manual number editing, when a number is used up, and why numbers can appear out of sequence.

Open the numbering settings

• Directly from Auto Numbering Settings.
• Or from Settings › Auto Number Settings.
• Or from the numbering button in the invoice, estimate, sales order or inventory settings.

The page’s side menu groups documents by module, such as Sales, Inventory & Purchases and Accounting. Choose a document to edit its numbering. A document appears only if its app is active.

Documents that have numbering

Module	Documents (default prefix)
Sales	Invoice (INV), Invoice Payment (PAY), Refund Receipt (RR), Estimate (EST), Credit Note (CN), Sales Debit Notes (DN), Sales Order, Advance Payment Invoice, Offers (OFR). Each additional invoice type has its own numbering.
CRM	Client (CUS)
Accounting	Income (INC), Expense (EXP), Auto Journal (JNL), Manual Journal (JNL-M), Asset (AST)
Inventory & Purchases	Products (ITEM), Inbound Requisition (INR), Outbound Requisition (OBR), Transfer Requisition (TR), Stocktakings (STK), Stock Requests, Purchase Invoice (PI), Purchase Refund, Purchase Order (PO), Purchase Request (PR), Purchase Quotation (PQ), Supplier (SUP), and purchase notes and payments
HRM	Employees (EMP), Contracts (CTR), Employee Assets, Employee Custody, Task
Operations	Work Order (WO), Booking, Lease Contracts, Manufacturing Orders, Bill of Materials, Production Plan
Construction	Bids, Construction Projects, Construction Contracts, Construction Payment Certificate, Cost Sheets, Quotations

Numbering options

Option	Description	Required	Shown when
Next Number	The number the next document will get. A preview of the full number appears next to it.	Yes	Always
Sequence Format	Numeric digits (0, 1, 2, …) (the default), letters, letters followed by numeric digits, or hexadecimal numbers.	Yes	Always
Number of digits	The length of the number, padded with leading zeros. Example: with 5 digits, the number 3 appears as 00003. If a number exceeds this length, it simply gets longer.	No	Always
Unique	Prevents duplicate numbers and skips numbers already in use.	No	Always
Prefix and Prefix Format	Fixed or variable text before the number, such as INV- or INV-%Y-.	No	When the prefix is enabled
Separate Manual Entry Numbering	Gives manual journal entries their own sequence, separate from automatic entries.	No	In journal numbering

Click Save. The message Numbering format has been saved appears. The new numbering applies to new documents only; existing documents keep their numbers.

The prefix and its variables

Click Variables Guide to see all variables. The most common are:

Variable	Replaced with	Example
%Y	Four-digit year	2026
%y	Two-digit year	26
%m	Two-digit month	03
%d	Two-digit day	15

Example

The prefix INV-%Y-%m- with 4 digits gives: INV-2026-03-0001

Variables use the date the document is created, not the document’s own date.

Yearly and monthly numbering

When the prefix contains a variable, such as the year or month, choose what happens when it changes in Prefix change options (only if the prefix is in a variable format):

Option	What happens at the start of a new year or month
Continue from The Last Number	Numbering continues from the last number. Example: INV-2025-0150, then INV-2026-0151.
Create a Separate Serial for Each Prefix	Each prefix has its own sequence. Example: INV-2026-0001.
Start from Beginning	Numbering restarts from 1 whenever the prefix changes.

For numbering that restarts every year, use the %Y prefix with Start from Beginning.

Editing the number manually

• For sales invoices, refunds, notes and advance payments: enable Manual Editing of Invoice Numbers in Invoice Settings. The number field then becomes editable when you create the document.
• Estimate and sales order numbers are always editable.
• When Saudi e-invoicing is enabled, the invoice number can’t be edited.
• If you enter a number higher than the Next Number with the same prefix, numbering continues after it. A lower number, or one in a different format, doesn’t change the sequence.

When does a document get its number?

• The number shown when you open the create form is for display only. It isn’t reserved.
• The number is assigned when you save and issue the document. If another user saves a document at the same time, yours may get the next number.
• A draft doesn’t take a number from the sequence. It gets its number when it’s issued.
• If saving fails because of an error, the number isn’t used up.
• A deleted document’s number isn’t reused.

Why are numbers out of sequence?

Cause	Explanation
A higher number entered manually	The sequence jumps to the entered number and skips the numbers in between.
Changing the Next Number	Numbering starts from the new number.
Deleted documents	Deleted numbers aren’t used again.
Drafts issued later	A draft gets its number when issued, so number order can differ from date order.
Unique enabled	The system skips numbers that were already used.
Branches	Each branch has its own sequence, so numbers interleave when you view all branches together.
Prefix changes	Depending on the prefix change option, numbering may continue or restart.
Invoice and journal types	Each invoice type has its own sequence. Manual and automatic journal entries share one sequence unless you separate them.
Insurance invoices	They are created automatically and take numbers from the invoice sequence.

Numbering with branches

When branches are enabled, each branch has its own numbering settings and sequence. You can add the branch name or code to the prefix to tell documents apart. Branches, employees, employee contracts and some manufacturing settings use one numbering for all branches.

Error messages and solutions

Cause	Message	Solution
The number is already used by another document and Unique is enabled.	Serial number already exists	Change the number, or leave it to automatic numbering.
The Next Number doesn’t match the sequence format.	Number must match the format chosen	Enter a number in the same format, for example digits only for the numeric format.
The number field is empty or contains spaces.	The invoice number cannot accept spaces.	Enter a valid number.
The invoice is a Saudi e-invoice.	According to the instructions of the Zakat and Income Authority, it is forbidden to delete or update the invoice after it has been issued…	Issue a refund receipt or a credit note.

FAQ

How do I change the next invoice number?

In Auto Numbering Settings, choose Invoice and change the Next Number.

I deleted an invoice. Why wasn’t its number used again?

Numbers aren’t reused after deletion, to keep the sequence intact.

How do I make numbering restart from 1 every year?

Add %Y to the prefix and choose Start from Beginning.

Why can’t I edit the invoice number?

Either Manual Editing of Invoice Numbers is off in the invoice settings, or Saudi e-invoicing is enabled.

The saved number differs from the one I saw when creating the invoice. Why?

Another user saved an invoice before you, so your invoice got the next number.