Skip to content

Purchase Debit Note (Internal) Applet

Purpose and Overview

The Purchase Debit Note (Internal) Applet is your branch’s gateway for managing incoming intercompany adjustments. While a standard invoice records the initial purchase, a Purchase Debit Note is used to accurately record an increase in what you owe an internal supplier after the original transaction has been posted.

A short introduction to the Purchase Debit Note (Internal) Applet:

TL;DR: The Mirror Relationship

This applet is just the “other side” of a Sales Debit Note.

  • Branch A (Supplier) forgot to charge you for something (like a delivery fee).
  • Branch A issues an Sales Debit Note (Internal) to say: “I’m charging you extra.”
  • You (Branch B) receive an Purchase Debit Note (Internal) to say: “I owe you extra.”

They are mirror images. One branch issues the charge (Sales), and your branch accepts the liability (Purchase).

When is this Applet used?

You will find a record in this applet (or create one manually) in the following common business scenarios:

  • Price Under-billing Corrections: If a supplier branch accidentally billed you at RM 10.00 per unit instead of the agreed RM 12.00, this applet records the additional RM 2.00 per unit to correct the record.
  • Omitted Surcharges: When tertiary costs—such as urgent freight, specialized handling, or insurance fees—were discovered or calculated after the original Purchase Invoice was finalized.
  • Internal Service Recognition: For recording monthly management fees, IT support costs, or shared-service allocations issued by HQ to your branch.
  • Audit & Year-End Adjustments: To reflect valuation corrections requested by auditors to ensure that inter-branch payables and receivables are perfectly balanced before closing the books.
Core Concept: This applet represents an Incoming Additional Charge. When finalized, it increases your branch’s Accounts Payable and recognizes an additional expense in your Profit & Loss statement. In most cases, these documents arrive automatically when the supplier branch finalizes their Sales Debit Note.

Why is this Important in Accounting?

Maintaining a disciplined Purchase Debit Note (Internal) process is critical for several key accounting objectives:

  • Intercompany Elimination & Consolidation: For a group of companies to produce accurate consolidated financial statements, intercompany receivables must perfectly offset intercompany payables. This applet ensures that when your supplier branch records an asset, you record an identical liability, preventing month-end “out-of-balance” discrepancies during group consolidation.
  • Completeness & Accuracy Assertions: Financial audits require that all liabilities belonging to a period are recorded (Completeness) and stated at the correct value (Accuracy). This applet allows you to book corrections even after an original invoice is closed, ensuring your Balance Sheet truthfully reflects your obligations.
  • Expense Matching (Accrual Principle): Accounting standards require expenses to be recognized in the same period as the related business activity. By using a Debit Note to correct under-billing, you ensure the additional cost hits the Profit & Loss statement in the correct fiscal period, maintaining the integrity of your performance reporting.
  • Input Tax Integrity: When a supplier branch issues an additional charge, it often includes a tax portion (SST/GST/VAT). This applet ensures you accurately capture and claim the Input Tax on these adjustments, preventing your branch from overpaying its net tax liability to the government.

What is the Purchase Debit Note (Internal) Applet? (Explained Simply)

Imagine your company has two branches: HQ (in Kuala Lumpur) and Branch A (in Penang).

  1. HQ ships laptops to Branch A and originally bills them RM 5,000.
  2. Later, HQ discovers they forgot to include a RM 200 delivery fee.
  3. HQ creates an Sales Debit Note (Internal) for the extra RM 200 and clicks FINAL.

What happens on Branch A’s side?

The system automatically creates an Purchase Debit Note (Internal) worth RM 200 in Branch A’s applet. Branch A’s finance team can now see:

  • “We owe HQ an extra RM 200 for delivery charges.”
  • The document is already linked to HQ’s original debit note.
  • Branch A’s Accounts Payable is updated automatically.

A “Purchase Debit Note” in this context means an “Incoming Additional Charge” — your branch is on the receiving end of an upward revision from an internal supplier.

Relationship to Other Applets

This applet sits at the receiving end of the intercompany debit note workflow:

  • Sales Debit Note (Internal) Applet (The Origin): When a supplier branch finalizes a Sales Debit Note targeting your branch, this applet automatically receives the corresponding Purchase Debit Note. They are mirror documents.
  • Purchase Invoice (Internal) Applet (The Original Transaction): The debit note typically adjusts a previous Purchase Invoice (Internal). You can trace back to see the original transaction that was under-billed.
  • General Ledger (Accounting Core): Once finalized, the applet posts financial entries to the core accounting system — increasing your branch’s expense accounts and payable balances.
  • Approval Workflow Applets: If the additional charge exceeds certain thresholds, the system uses workflow rules to pause the document and route it to a manager or director for approval before finalization.

Key Features Overview

Who Benefits from This Applet?

Procurement & Operations Teams:

  • Receive and review additional charges from internal supplier branches
  • Real-time visibility into document statuses (Draft, Final, Void, Discarded)
  • Verify incoming debit notes against original purchase invoices
  • Attach supporting documents and correspondence for audit readiness

Finance & Accounting Teams:

  • Maintain accurate Accounts Payable balances with auto-synced intercompany entries
  • Eliminate manual double-entry — the document arrives pre-populated
  • Complete audit trail from auto-creation through finalization
  • Accurate cost-center and profit-center tagging via Department Header

Management & Branch Directors:

  • Oversight of all incoming intercompany adjustments
  • Control over spend compliance via approval workflows
  • Consolidated view of all additional charges received from internal suppliers
  • Data-driven analysis of inter-branch cost patterns

What Problems Does This Solve?

The Manual Intercompany Receiving Problem:

Traditional intercompany adjustment workflows require the receiving branch to manually re-enter charges. Common issues include:

  • Forgetting to book the corresponding payable when the supplier branch issues a debit note
  • No traceable link between the supplier’s debit note and your branch’s payable
  • Out-of-sync books at month-end — the supplier says you owe RM 500, your records show RM 0
  • Missing approval trails for large incoming adjustments
  • Delayed month-end closings due to intercompany reconciliation gaps

The Purchase Debit Note (Internal) Applet Solution:

  • Auto-receipt of charges — When the supplier branch finalizes their Sales Debit Note, your Purchase Debit Note appears automatically
  • Pre-populated data — No manual re-entry; all line items, amounts, and references arrive intact
  • Intercompany sync — Both branches stay on the same page in real-time
  • Complete traceability — Every adjustment links back to the originating supplier branch document
  • Approval workflows — Configurable routing ensures the right people review incoming charges
  • Error elimination — No more out-of-balance intercompany accounts at month-end

Key Features Overview

Purchase Debit Note (Internal) Applet Overview: Problems, Solution, and Benefits
Purchase Debit Note (Internal) Overview: Moving from disjointed intercompany adjustments (The Problems) to automated, synchronized, and traceable financial control (The Solution) for Procurement, Finance, and Management (Who Benefits).

Key Concepts

Intercompany Transaction Flow

When the supplier branch finalizes an Sales Debit Note (Internal), the system executes an automated two-sided posting:

Supplier Branch (HQ)                         Your Branch (Branch A)
─────────────────────                        ───────────────────────────
Creates & Finalizes Internal                 System AUTO-CREATES Internal
Sales Debit Note (+RM 500)                   Purchase Debit Note (+RM 500)
     │                                            │
     ▼                                            ▼
Accounts Receivable ▲                        Accounts Payable ▲
(HQ is owed +RM 500)                        (Branch A owes +RM 500)
Real-World Example: HQ realizes they under-billed Branch A for inventory by RM 500. HQ issues an Sales Debit Note (Internal). Your branch (Branch A) automatically receives an Purchase Debit Note (Internal) for RM 500 — your payables increase, HQ’s receivables increase, and everything stays in sync without double entry.

Document Lifecycle

Every Purchase Debit Note (Internal) follows a predictable lifecycle:

StatusWhat It MeansWhat Happens Next
DraftCreated (manually or auto-generated) but not yet finalizedEdit freely, verify details, add/remove lines. From here you can either FINAL or DISCARD.
FinalLocked and posted to the GLNo further edits; payable is officially recorded. The only way out is VOID.
VoidCancelled after finalizationReversal GL entries are posted; corresponding documents at the supplier branch are also updated. The document stays visible for audit.
DiscardedA draft that was abandoned before it was ever finalizedNo GL impact. The document is excluded from the default listing and from any reporting that filters on Active records. Use the Advanced Search Posting Status filter to bring DISCARDED documents back into view.
DISCARD vs VOID — DISCARD applies to drafts only (no GL entries ever existed). VOID applies to finalised documents only (the system posts reversal entries). The two buttons never appear at the same time — the system shows whichever applies to the document’s current Posting Status.

Key Menu Functions

When utilizing this applet, users have access to several key functions to manage their daily workflows:

1. Purchase Debit Note (Main Listing)

  • The primary workspace. View, create, edit, and manage all purchase debit notes.
  • Filter and search by document number, date, status, supplier branch, or amount.
  • Create new manual debit notes or review auto-generated ones from intercompany sync.
Listing toolbar with the hamburger icon highlighted - clicking it opens the Advanced Search panel
Advanced Search trigger — click the hamburger icon on the Listing toolbar to expand the filter panel.
Advanced Search panel scrolled to the Posting Status multi-select filter showing DRAFT, FINAL, VOID, and DISCARDED options
Advanced Search — Posting Status filter. Tick DISCARDED to surface drafts that are hidden from the default listing view.
  • The Advanced Search panel includes a multi-select Posting Status filter with the values DRAFT, FINAL, VOID, and DISCARDED — use it to surface DISCARDED drafts that are hidden from the default view.
  • The toolbar above the listing carries the bulk action buttons described in the next section.

Bulk Actions on the Listing

Listing page bulk action toolbar showing the FINAL, DISCARD, VOID, SINGLE/MULTIPLE PRINT, SELF-BILLED, and SEND EMAIL buttons above the document grid
Bulk actions toolbar — appears above the Listing grid. Select one or more rows first, then click any button to apply that action to the eligible rows in your selection.

Select one or more rows on the Listing using the checkbox column, then click any of the buttons in the toolbar above the grid. The system only applies the action to rows where it makes sense — eligible rows are processed, ineligible rows are skipped, and each button is disabled if the selection contains nothing it can act on.

ButtonWhat It DoesWhen It’s Disabled
FINALPosts every selected DRAFT document — GL entries are written and Posting Status flips to FINAL.No row selected, or any selected row is not DRAFT.
DISCARDAbandons every selected DRAFT. Posting Status flips to DISCARDED. No GL impact. A confirmation dialog asks “Are you sure you want to DISCARD selected documents?”No row selected, or any selected row is not DRAFT.
VOIDReverses every selected FINAL document — reversal GL entries are posted. A confirmation dialog asks “Are you sure you want to VOID selected documents?”No row selected, or any selected row is not FINAL.
SINGLE/MULTIPLE PRINTGenerates printable PDFs for every selected document using the default Printable Format.The applet setting PRINTABLE is off.
SELF-BILLEDMarks every selected document as self-billed for e-invoicing (sets einvoice_self_billed = true). Use this for documents you are issuing on the supplier’s behalf under a self-billing arrangement.No row selected.
SEND EMAILMails PDFs of the selected documents to the customer / supplier using the Email Template, Recipient Email, and CC List values from the fields on the same row — see the next subsection.The applet setting HIDE_SEND_EMAIL_BUTTON is on. When that setting is on, the button and the three accompanying fields are all hidden.
Bulk FINAL is irreversible — once posted, the only way back is to VOID each document individually. Verify your selection before clicking FINAL.

SEND EMAIL form

SEND EMAIL inline row showing the SEND EMAIL button, Email Template dropdown opened with a searchable template list, Recipient Email dropdown, and CC List text field - all on a single toolbar row
SEND EMAIL row — all four controls sit on one line: SEND EMAIL button, Email Template (dropdown shown opened), Recipient Email (dropdown), and CC List (text field).

The SEND EMAIL button sits on the same toolbar row as three fields that feed it: Email Template, Recipient Email, and CC List. All four controls are visible from the start (they appear and disappear together based on the HIDE_SEND_EMAIL_BUTTON setting). Fill the three fields, select your document rows, then click SEND EMAIL to send.

FieldPurposeHow to fill it in
Email TemplatePicks the template that supplies the email subject and body. The template’s code shows in the dropdown.Type into the search field (“Search name..”) to filter, then pick a template. The chosen template’s title becomes the email subject and its description becomes the body.
Recipient EmailDecides whose email address(es) on each document get the message.Choose one of: Billing and Shipping Email (sends to both), Billing Email Only, or Shipping Email Only. The system reads the address from each document’s Account → Billing/Shipping tab.
CC ListOptional CC recipients added to every email.Type comma-separated addresses, e.g. a@a.com, b@b.com.

After submit, the system groups selected documents by recipient email, attaches each group’s PDFs, and sends the emails. Documents missing the address required by your Recipient Email choice are skipped — a notice tells you which ones.

The list in the Email Template dropdown is specific to this applet — templates you see here will not appear in any other applet’s SEND EMAIL dropdown, and vice versa. To create, edit, or activate a template, go to Settings → Email Template in this applet’s sidebar. See Email Template settings for the full step-by-step walkthrough, screenshot, and gotchas.

2. Line Items

  • A dedicated cross-document view of all individual line items across every purchase debit note.
  • Useful for analysis: “How much have we been charged for delivery fees across all debit notes this quarter?”
  • Powerful filtering and export capabilities.

3. File Import

  • Upload a CSV file to bulk-create many Purchase Debit Notes in one shot — the fastest way to handle month-end batches. See the File Imports section below for the full walkthrough, CSV column reference, Checking tab, and validation rules.

4. Applet Settings

  • Configure branch mappings, default accounts, workflow approval chains, printable formats, and field visibility rules.

5. Personal Default Settings

  • Save favorite defaults (like preferred branch or currency) to speed up continuous data entry.

Quick Start Guide

Get up and running quickly with these essential workflows.

For Procurement & Operations: Reviewing Incoming Debit Notes

Goal: Review an auto-generated purchase debit note and verify all details.

  1. Navigate: Go to Purchase Debit Note from the sidebar
  2. Find the Document: Look for new entries in the listing (auto-generated from supplier branch activity)
  3. Open and Verify: Click on the document to open the edit screen
    • Main Details: Confirm the supplier branch, document date, currency, and description
    • Account: Verify the supplier entity and billing/shipping addresses
    • Lines: Check that item codes, quantities, and amounts match your expectations
    • Attachments: Review any supporting documentation uploaded by the supplier branch
  4. Cross-Reference: Check the Trace Document tab to see the originating Sales Debit Note (Internal)
  5. Finalize or Escalate:
    • If everything looks correct → Click FINAL (or route to manager for approval)
    • If discrepancies exist → Contact the supplier branch for clarification before finalizing

What happens after finalization?

Draft → Click FINAL → GL entries posted
                     → Accounts Payable updated
                     → Intercompany ledgers balanced

You can also SAVE changes before finalizing, or DISCARD the document if it was created in error.


For Managers: Authorizing Incoming Charges

Goal: Review and authorize purchase debit notes before finalization.

  1. Open the Document: Navigate to the debit note listing and select the document to review
  2. Verify Details:
    • Main Details: Confirm the supplier branch and document description match known business activity
    • Account: Check that the correct billing entity is selected
    • Lines: Verify item codes, quantities, and amounts are accurate and justified
    • Attachments: Review supporting documentation (emails, purchase orders, delivery receipts)
  3. Check Trace Document (if visible): Confirm the debit note links to the correct upstream Sales Debit Note (Internal)
  4. Decide:
    • Approve / Finalize: Click FINAL → System posts GL entries and updates intercompany balances
    • Return for Correction: Inform the team of any discrepancies before finalization
    • Void (if already finalized in error): Click VOID → Reversal entries are posted

For Admins: Initial System Setup

Goal: Configure the applet so your teams can manage incoming internal debit notes.

Step 1: Configure Branch Settings (Settings > Branch Settings)

  • Map internal suppliers for each branch
  • Configure branch-specific default accounts
  • Permissions Wizard: Control user access and permissions within the applet

Step 2: Configure Default Settings (Settings > Default Selection)

  • Set default currency for new documents
  • Configure running number format and sequence
  • Set default document date behavior

Step 3: Configure Field Configuration (Settings > Application Settings)

  • Control which fields are mandatory, optional, or hidden during document creation
  • Configure field-level validation rules

Step 4: Configure Printable Format (Settings > Printable Format Settings)

  • Customize the PDF export layout, company logo, header/footer text, and included fields

Step 5: Test the Full Flow

  • Have the supplier branch create and finalize an Sales Debit Note (Internal) targeting your branch
  • Verify the corresponding Purchase Debit Note (Internal) appears automatically in your applet
  • Finalize it and verify GL postings are correct on both sides

New to the system? Start with the basics:

  1. Operations staff: Open an existing Purchase Debit Note (Internal) and explore each tab
  2. Managers: Practice reviewing and finalizing a test document
  3. Admins: Review Configuration & Settings below for detailed setup guides

Document Tabs Overview

When creating or editing a purchase debit note, the screen is organized into tabs (or expandable panels, depending on your display settings). Here is a breakdown of what you do in each tab:

TabWhat It Is For (In Simple Terms)
Main DetailsThe header. You see the supplier branch, document date, currency, debit terms, and description. This is where you record the basic “who, what, when” of the incoming charge.
AccountWhere the bill comes from. It has sub-tabs for Entity Details, Billing Address, Shipping Address, and the Intercompany Sync status.
LinesThe core of the debit note. This lists the “stuff” you are being charged for (e.g., “Delivery Fee”, Qty: 1, Price: RM 200). It contains its own detailed sub-menus for things like Costing Details and Serial Numbers.
PaymentHow it’s being paid. For internal transactions, this is often left blank as it’s settled via contra, but if a specific intercompany payment method is used, it’s recorded here.
Department HdrThe accounting tags. Specify which internal department or cost center should bear this expense (e.g., tagging the “IT Support” cost center for a software license charge).
ARAPA dashboard showing the current Accounts Receivable / Accounts Payable balances between the branches. A snapshot of “Who owes Who” for this specific document.
ContraOffsetting balances. If you owe the supplier branch RM 1,000 from invoices and they owe you RM 500 from another transaction, you can “Contra” (cancel out) debts so no actual cash needs to transfer.
Trace DocumentA visual map showing how this document is connected to others — the originating Sales Debit Note (Internal), the GL postings, and any downstream documents.
Doc LinkLink this purchase debit note to related documents such as delivery orders, job sheets, or purchase orders for complete traceability.
E-InvoiceFor tax compliance (if enabled for your region). Tracks the status of submitting the document to the government tax authority (e.g., LHDN in Malaysia).
AttachmentsUpload supporting proof (PDFs, images) like the original purchase order, email correspondence, or delivery receipts.
ExportGenerate a printable PDF of the Purchase Debit Note.

Deep Dive: Main Details Tab

Purchase Debit Note Main Details
Main Details: Capture the document's legal and financial header data.
This tab captures the header-level data that defines the transaction’s legal and financial identity. It ensures Internal Control & Auditability across your entire organization.

  • Tenant, Company, & Branch Document IDs: These are the three levels of system-generated numbers displayed at the top. In a decentralized ERP, they provide Internal Control. The Tenant ID offers a globally unique reference for HQ audits, while the Branch ID maintains local sequence integrity for tax compliance, preventing “missing document” gaps in your records.
  • Branch & Location: The specific physical and legal units where the transaction is recorded. This defines the Accounting Unit, ensuring the liability is recognized in the correct sub-ledger and that the expense hits the specific branch’s Profit & Loss statement rather than being misallocated.
  • Transaction Date: Determines the Reporting Period. In accrual accounting, this date dictates which fiscal month or quarter the document will impact, ensuring expenses are matched to the period in which they occurred.
  • Tracking ID: A unique identifier linking the financial entry to its physical source (e.g., a shipment number). This ensures the “Occurrence” assertion during an audit—proving that the charge is tied to a verifiable business event.
  • Client Documents (1-5): Reference fields for the supplier’s original document numbers. This is your primary tool for Intercompany Reconciliation. Recording the supplier’s original Sales Debit Note or Invoice number here enables the system to “match” records between branches, which is critical for month-end consolidation.
  • Currency, Forex Source, & Rate: Fields managing exchange rate governance. By enforcing a standardized Forex Source, the system ensures both branches use the same rate, eliminating “unrealized exchange gain/loss” discrepancies that often plague group consolidation.
  • Debit Terms & Due Date: The credit period (e.g., Net 30) and the automatically calculated payment date. These drive Liquidity Management by feeding directly into your Accounts Payable Aging reports, allowing you to forecast cash outflows accurately.

Deep Dive: Account Tab

Purchase Debit Note Account Tab
Account Tab: Identify the internal supplier and counterparty branch.
Concept: Identifying your Internal Supplier. In this tab, you are selecting the “Counterparty”—the specific branch that is issuing the charge to you. Precise selection here ensures that your branch’s liability perfectly offsets their receivable during consolidation.

  • Entity ID & Entity Branch: The core identifiers for the internal supplier. This is critical for Intercompany Eliminations. Under standard consolidation rules, revenues and expenses between branches must net to zero. Selecting the exact issuing branch ensures your branch’s Accounts Payable perfectly matches their Accounts Receivable, preventing imbalances in the consolidated financial statements.
Bill To Address
Bill To Address: Legal billing information for tax compliance.
  • Bill To Address: Captures the legal billing name and statutory Tax ID. This defines the Legal Debtor, ensuring the debt is attributed to the correct legal entity and that tax records are compliant with regional regulations.
Ship To Address
Ship To Address: Physical delivery destination for inventory valuation.
  • Ship To Address: Captures the physical delivery destination. This follows the principle of Substance Over Form. While the “Bill To” establishes the legal liability, the “Ship To” identifies where the physical risk and rewards of ownership (Inventory) are transferred, which impacts Inventory Valuation and Tax Jurisdiction.
  • Intercompany Sub-Tab: A live monitor for sync status. This ensures Data Integrity by confirming that the document remains electronically linked to the originating branch’s records, guaranteeing that any updates are reflected on both sides of the transaction.

Deep Dive: Lines Tab

Purchase Debit Note Lines Tab
Lines Tab: Specify the economic substance and cost allocation of the charge.
Concept: Selecting the Economic Substance. This is where you select “What” you are being charged for. Each line defines a specific commitment of value and where that cost should be allocated.

  • Item Code & Name: These identify the specific goods or services being charged. In accounting, this ensures Measurement & Recognition accuracy—linking the expenditure to the correct inventory category or expense account.
  • Quantity & Unit Price: These fields define the Basis of Valuation. The system uses these to calculate the total transaction value. Accurate entry is critical for ensuring that the legal debt recorded matches the physical quantity of goods or services received.
  • SST/GST/VAT: The tax configuration applied to the line. This ensures Tax Ledger Separation, automatically calculating the tax liability or claimable amount to be posted to the government’s respective tax accounts.
  • Unit Discount: Records deductions directly at the line level. This ensures that the net expenditure recognized in your P&L is accurate and follows the principle of Accrual-Basis Accounting (recording the expense net of trade discounts).
  • Department (Segment, Profit Center, Project): These are “tags” for Responsibility Accounting. By assigning a cost center or project code here, you ensure that the expense is segmentally reported, allowing management to track the performance and budget consumption of specific departments or initiatives.
  • Landed Costing (Moving/Weighted Average): Found in the costing sub-tab, these fields track the total cost of acquisition. Following IAS 2 (Inventories), these costs are capitalized, ensuring that the inventory on your balance sheet is valued correctly, including all costs required to bring the goods to their current location.

Deep Dive: Payment Tab

This tab manages how the liability is settled or funded.

  • Settlement Method: Defines the portal of payment (e.g., Cash, Card, or Points). This determines the Cash Flow Impact. In accounting terms, selecting “Cash” indicates an immediate reduction in liquidity, while “Card” or deferred methods might impact different liability accounts.
  • Points (Gold/Silver/Rebate): A specialized settlement type for internal loyalty or reward schemes. This manages Deferred Revenue & Loyalty Liability impacts within the branch network.
  • Payment Amount & Date: The specific value and timing of the settlement. This is vital for Bank/Cash Reconciliation, ensuring that the system’s ledger matches your physical bank statements or cash-on-hand.

Deep Dive: Department Hdr Tab

Concept: Organizational Responsibility. While the Lines Tab lets you split costs between teams, the Department Hdr assigns the entire document to a high-level Business Unit. This ensures the debit note appears on the correct department’s Profit & Loss statement during financial consolidation.

  • Segment & G/L Dimension: Defines the highest level of Segmented Reporting. This ensures that the debit note is recognized in the correct business unit’s financial statements during consolidation.
  • Profit Centre & Project: These act as the final destinations for Budget Allocation. By tagging the document header here, you ensure that the charge hits the correct internal budget, supporting Responsibility Accounting and departmental cost tracking.

Deep Dive: Contra Tab

This tab facilitates the “Right of Offset” (IAS 32), allowing you to net debts without physical cash transfer.

  • Document Linkage: Connects this Purchase Debit Note directly to an outstanding Sales Invoice or Credit Note from the same branch.
  • Contra Amount: The specific value being “netted off.” This ensures Settlement Accuracy, reducing the outstanding balance on both sides of the intercompany ledger simultaneously.
  • Transaction Date: The date the offset is legally recognized, ensuring that your Aging Reports and Working Capital calculations are updated in the correct reporting period.

Deep Dive: ARAP Tab

Purchase Debit Note ARAP Tab
ARAP Tab: Real-time reconciliation of charges, offsets, and balances.
Concept: Reconciliation Dashboard. ARAP (Accounts Receivable / Accounts Payable) is a real-time monitor of the document’s financial equation:

Gross Charges (Lines) - Offsets (Contra) - Cash Payments = Outstanding Balance.

  • Product & Services: The gross liability recognized from the line items.
  • Settlement & Contra: Tracks the total reductions in liability from payments or offsets.
  • Outstanding Balance: The remaining net liability. This ensures that the Accounting Equation (A = L + E) is maintained for this specific document and that your AP sub-ledger remains in balance with the General Ledger.

Deep Dive: Trace Document Tab

Purchase Debit Note Trace Document Tab
Trace Document: Visual map of intercompany links and GL entries.
Concept: Double-Entry Transparency. This tab allows you to lookup exactly how the system updated your financial records. It “traces” the digital record into the actual General Ledger (GL) notebooks of the branch.

  • Journal Txn: Displays the entries in the General Ledger, ensuring that every debit has an offsetting credit.
  • Cashbook & Tax Txn: Shows the impact on your cash position and tax liability, verifying that Tax Reporting and Cash Controls are functioning as intended.
  • Inventory Txn: Tracks the movement and valuation changes in your stock, providing an audit trail for Stock Valuation and physical inventory control.

Deep Dive: E-Invoice Tab

E-Invoice tab showing the submission status of this Purchase Debit Note to the government tax portal
E-Invoice tab — tracks the submission status of this document to government tax portals (e.g., LHDN), including the assigned UUID and digital signature.

Concept: Statutory Digital Records. The E-Invoice tab manages the legal submission of this adjustment to government tax portals (like LHDN). It ensures your debit note is an officially recognized tax document, complete with the required UUID and digital signatures.

  • E-Invoice Tab: Manages the legal “digital record” status of the document. This is vital for Statutory Compliance in jurisdictions requiring electronic tax reporting, ensuring the document is officially recognized by the government portal.

Deep Dive: Attachments Tab

Attachments tab listing supporting files uploaded against this Purchase Debit Note - PDFs, images, and supplier correspondence
Attachments tab — upload supporting evidence such as PDFs, images, or supplier correspondence. Each attached file becomes part of the document's audit trail.

Concept: Audit-Ready Evidence. The Attachments tab is unrelated to E-Invoicing — it is your branch’s digital evidence locker for this document. Use it to attach the source paperwork that justifies why this debit note exists.

  • Attachments Tab: Stores digital “proof of delivery,” supplier invoices, or email correspondence. This satisfies the “Audit Trail” requirement, providing the physical evidence needed to support the digital record during year-end audits.

Deep Dive: Export Tab

Concept: Data Portability. The Export tab is unrelated to E-Invoicing and Attachments — it generates a printable PDF of this Purchase Debit Note using one of the configured Printable Format templates.

  • Export Tab: Allows you to extract data for external audit or analysis. This facilitates Data Portability, ensuring that your financial records are accessible for reporting outside the ERP system.

File Imports

The File Import page lets you create many Purchase Debit Notes in one shot by uploading a CSV file. It is the fastest way to handle month-end batches where you would otherwise key in dozens of small adjustments by hand.

The end-to-end flow

File Import upload screen showing the Sample Format for Purchase Debit Note download link, the Delimiter selector, and the file drag-and-drop area
File Import — Upload screen. Click Sample Format for Purchase Debit Note to download the CSV template, choose your Delimiter, then drop the completed CSV file into the upload area.
  1. Open File Import from the sidebar.
  2. Click Sample Format for Purchase Debit Note to download a CSV template containing every column the importer accepts (see the column reference below).
  3. Fill in the template using the column order from the sample. Save the file as CSV.
  4. On the Upload screen, choose your file’s Delimiter (Comma, Semicolon, Pipe, etc.) so the importer parses your columns correctly.
  5. Drag the file into the upload area (or click to browse). Click ADD to process it.
  6. Open the new import record from the Listing and switch to the Checking tab to see what the importer parsed and which rows failed validation.
  7. Fix any error rows (either in the source CSV and re-upload, or by editing rows directly if your workflow allows it). Once the Checking tab is clean, the rows are ready to be imported into the database with their Posting Status set from the CSV (default: DRAFT).

CSV format reference

The CSV that the Sample Format button downloads has two sets of columns — one set repeats on every line (header-level data) and one set is per line item. The full list:

Header columns (transaction-level — same value repeated on every line of the same document):

  • Document identity: Branch Code, Location Code, Settlement/Item Code, Purchase Agent, Transaction Number, Transaction Date, Validity Days
  • Reference and terms: Header Ref No, Credit Terms, Credit Limit, Header Description, Header Remarks, Currency, Tracking ID
  • Entity / Bill To: Entity Code, Billing Name, Billing Email, Billing Phone, Billing Address Lines 1–5, Billing Country, Billing State, Billing City, Billing Postcode
  • Ship To: Shipping Name, Shipping Email, Shipping Phone, Shipping Address Lines 1–5, Shipping Country, Shipping State, Shipping City, Shipping Postcode
  • E-Invoice: Supplier TIN, Entity ID Type, Entity ID Number, SST Number, E-Invoice Name, Email, Phone, Address Lines, Country, State, City, Postcode, Submission Type, Billing Frequency, Period Start, Period End
  • Cost-centre tagging: Segment Code, GL Dimension, Profit Centre, Project Code, Entity Branch, GL Code
  • Settlement: STL Amount, STL Remarks

Line-item columns (one row per item per document):

  • Item Ref No, Txn Type, Quantity, UOM
  • Amount Including Tax, Unit Price Including Tax
  • Tax GST Code, Tax GST %, Tax WHT Code, Tax WHT %
  • Item Batch Number, Item Bin Number, Item Tracking ID, Item Serial Number
  • Posting Status (use DRAFT for a normal import; you can set FINAL here if your workflow allows direct posting)
Every column has a paired validation error column in the Checking tab grid (e.g. “Branch Validation Error”, “Amount Validation Error”, “Posting Status Error”). When a cell fails validation, the error message lands in that column.

The Checking tab

File Import Checking tab grid showing one imported row per CSV row, with error rows highlighted in red and a Validation Error column on the left
File Import — Checking tab. Each CSV row becomes a grid row. Rows with validation errors are highlighted red with a warning icon; click the filter icon on the **Validation Error** column to see error rows only.

After you upload, open the import record from the Listing and click the Checking tab. You’ll see one row per CSV row, with every column the importer parsed plus a Validation Error column on the far left.

What you seeWhat it means
Row displayed normallyThe row passed all validations and is ready to be imported.
Row highlighted red with a ⚠ icon and text in the Validation Error columnThe row has one or more validation errors. The error column tells you which fields failed.

To narrow the view to error rows only, click the filter icon on the Validation Error column header and uncheck “(Blanks)” — the grid will hide every row that has no error, leaving just the ones you need to fix. (The reviewer’s note about “Error / All tabs” refers to this column filter — there isn’t a separate sub-tab, the same grid switches between Error-only and All views via the column filter.)

Common validation errors you’ll see:

  • Branch / Location / Entity / Item code not found — the code in the CSV doesn’t exist in your masters. Fix the code or create the master record first.
  • Amount Including Tax / Unit Price Including Tax invalid — the cell is blank, non-numeric, or negative.
  • Posting Status Error — the value in the Posting Status column isn’t one of DRAFT, FINAL, VOID, DISCARDED.
  • Tax code not found — the GST or WHT code doesn’t exist in the Tax master.

The Main tab (file metadata)

The import record also has a Main tab showing the file’s metadata — File Name, Size, Format, Process Status, Status, and any top-level Error Message returned by the importer. Use it to confirm the file was received and to see at-a-glance whether processing succeeded.

Permission Required: The File Import menu is only visible if the SHOW_FILE_IMPORT_MENU client-side permission is granted, or if the HIDE_FILE_IMPORT_MENU setting is not enabled. Contact your administrator if you cannot see this menu.

Configuration & Settings

Fine-tune the applet behavior to match your organizational processes. Access all settings from the Settings menu in the sidebar. These application-wide options are controlled by admins and affect all users.

Application Settings (Settings > Application Settings)

Control field visibility and validation:

  • Make specific fields mandatory or optional
  • Hide unused fields to simplify the creation form
  • Configure which tabs are visible or hidden in the document interface
  • Control button visibility (Final, Void, Discard, Save)

Default Selection (Settings > Default Selection)

Set system-wide defaults:

  • Default currency for new documents
  • Running number format and sequence (e.g., IPDN-2024-00100)
  • Default document date behavior

Printable Format Settings (Settings > Printable Format Settings)

Customize PDF exports:

  • Company logo and branding
  • Header/footer text
  • Which fields to display on printed output
  • Page size and orientation

Email Template (Settings > Email Template)

Create and manage the email templates that populate the SEND EMAIL dropdown on the Listing. Templates here are applet-local — a template you create in this applet does not appear in any other applet’s SEND EMAIL list, and the Email Template listing in other applets will look empty unless someone has set up templates there separately.

Email Template settings screen showing the list of templates that are available in this applet's SEND EMAIL dropdown, with options to create, edit, or activate templates
Settings → Email Template — the applet-local template list that feeds the SEND EMAIL dropdown. Templates created here only apply to Purchase Debit Note (Internal); other applets keep their own lists.

How to create a new template

Open Settings → Email Template

FieldWhat it controlsHow to fill it in
Printable FormatWhich Printable Format PDF gets attached to every email that uses this template.Pick from the dropdown — the entries come from Settings → Printable Format Settings. If the dropdown is empty, set up at least one Printable Format first.
Template CodeTwo things at once: (a) the label that shows in the SEND EMAIL dropdown on the Listing, and (b) the subject line of the email. So whatever you type here is what the recipient sees as the email subject.Use a short, descriptive code such as Debit Note Notice or Monthly Charge Reminder.
TemplateThe body of the email. A 10-row textarea with a character counter.Write the body text the recipient will read. Plain text — keep it self-contained, no merge tags or HTML substitutions.

The template is saved and immediately becomes available in the SEND EMAIL dropdown the next time the Listing is loaded.

Tips and gotchas

  • The Template Code doubles as the email subject. Don’t put internal codes like EMAIL_TPL_01 here — the customer or supplier will see exactly that as the subject line.
  • The Printable Format is mandatory for the email to send a usable PDF — pick one before you save, or the SEND EMAIL action will fail with a missing-format error.
  • A template you create here will not appear in Sales Debit Note, Sales Invoice, or any other applet. Each applet’s SEND EMAIL pulls from its own list.
  • If a template you expect to see is missing from the SEND EMAIL dropdown, check that it has status ACTIVE on this listing.

Branch Settings (Settings > Branch Settings)

Branch Settings screen showing the listing of branches and the per-branch configuration panel with operational defaults, allowed employees, item categories, pricing scheme, and printable format
Settings → Branch Settings — pick a branch from the list on the left to edit that branch's operational defaults on the right.

Branch Settings lets an admin configure how the Purchase Debit Note applet behaves per branch. Pick a branch from the listing on the left and a settings panel opens on the right. The values you set apply only to that branch — different branches can run different defaults.

Branch-level fields

The main Branch Details form covers the read-only identifiers of the branch (Branch Name, Branch Code, Company) plus the per-branch operational defaults you can change:

FieldWhat it does
Sales Agent (Employee selector)The default sales agent attached to documents created at this branch — saves having to pick one on every Purchase Debit Note.
Rounding Five Cent (checkbox) + Rounding ItemEnables five-cent rounding for this branch and lets you pick the item code that absorbs the rounding adjustment. Useful where regulators no longer mint one-cent coins.
Group Discount ItemThe item used to represent a header-level discount on documents from this branch.

Click SAVE to apply, or RESET to revert unsaved changes.

Per-branch sub-panels

In addition to the main fields above, Branch Settings exposes several sub-sections that let admins lock down what this branch can do:

Sub-panelWhat it controls
Default Settlement MethodPre-selects which payment / settlement method is used by default on documents created at this branch (e.g. Cash, Bank Transfer).
EmployeeLimits which employees can transact under this branch — anyone not on the list cannot create or finalise documents for this branch.
Item Category FilterRestricts which item categories from the global Item Master are pickable on documents created at this branch — useful for keeping branch-specific catalogues clean.
Menu ListControls which menu items appear in the sidebar for users assigned to this branch — admins can hide unused applets per branch.
Pricing SchemePicks which pricing scheme(s) apply to this branch, used when the line item’s price needs to be derived from a scheme rather than typed manually.
Printable FormatSets the default Printable Format template used when printing documents from this branch (overrides the global default in Printable Format Settings).
Printable ImageLets you upload branch-specific logos or letterhead images that appear on printed documents from this branch.
Why per-branch? A multi-branch company often has different operational habits per location — different default agents, different pricing schemes, different allowed item categories, even different printed letterhead. Branch Settings is the single place an admin captures those differences without modifying any document forms.

Personalization

Personalization allows individual users to customize certain settings to fit their personal preferences, overriding the default application-wide configurations set by admins. For example, User A might set Branch A as their personal default location, while User B selects Branch B, tailoring the application to their individual role.

Personal Default Settings

Save your frequently used defaults to speed up document creation:

  • Default branch and currency
  • Default cost center and department
  • Preferred listing filters and sort order

Access via Personalization > Default Selection in the sidebar.


FAQ

Q: How does an Purchase Debit Note (Internal) get created?
A: In most cases, it is automatically generated when an internal supplier branch finalizes an Sales Debit Note (Internal) targeting your branch. However, you can also manually create one if needed.

Q: Does finalizing an Purchase Debit Note (Internal) affect the General Ledger?
A: Yes. When you click FINAL, GL entries are posted immediately — increasing your branch’s payable and recording the expense in the appropriate accounts.

Q: Can I edit a purchase debit note after finalizing it?
A: No. Once finalized, the document is locked because GL postings have been made. If you need to make corrections, void the document and create a new one.

Q: What if I need to void a finalized purchase debit note?
A: Click the VOID button on the edit screen (if you have permission). The system will post reversal GL entries and update the intercompany balances accordingly.

Q: Where can I see the originating Sales Debit Note (Internal) from the supplier branch?
A: Open your Purchase Debit Note (Internal) and check the Trace Document tab. It shows all linked upstream and downstream documents, including the originating Sales Debit Note.

Q: Can I use Contra to settle this debit note against other intercompany documents?
A: Yes. Use the Contra tab to offset this debit note against outstanding receivables or other intercompany balances, eliminating the need for actual cash transfers between branches.

Q: What is the difference between the “Save” and “Final” buttons?
A: Save updates the document in its current status (Draft) without posting to the GL. Final locks the document, posts GL entries, and makes it uneditable. Always verify all details before clicking Final.

Q: Why can’t I see the File Import menu?
A: The File Import feature requires the SHOW_FILE_IMPORT_MENU client-side permission. Contact your administrator to enable it.


Related Applets to Purchase Debit Note (Internal)

The Purchase Debit Note (Internal) Applet does not work in isolation; it operates within a broader system ecosystem.

Sales Debit Note (Internal) Applet

Purpose: Manages outgoing debit notes issued by your branch to charge other internal branches.

Relation to Purchase Debit Note:
These are mirror documents. When the supplier branch finalizes a Sales Debit Note (Internal), the system automatically generates the corresponding Purchase Debit Note (Internal) in your applet. Changes on one side (e.g., voiding) are reflected on the other.

Doc Item Maintenance Applet

Purpose: Manages the creation and editing of item codes used in various transactions.

Relation to Purchase Debit Note:
The items that appear in your purchase debit note line items must be pre-configured in Doc Item Maintenance. The item’s Type must be set to “Account Type” for non-inventory charges, linking it to a General Ledger (GL) code.

Chart of Account Applet

Purpose: The central applet for managing your organization’s financial accounts and GL codes.

Relation to Purchase Debit Note:
Before items can be used in debit notes, the underlying GL Codes must exist in the Chart of Account. The prerequisite workflow is:

  1. Create the GL Code in the Chart of Account Applet
  2. Create the Item & Link the GL Code in the Doc Item Maintenance Applet
  3. Use the Item in this Purchase Debit Note (Internal) Applet