invoice serial numbers

Question

invoice serial numbers

Someone surely has a way to implement this, a unique number for each new invoice based on the last unique consecutive invoice number.

I have a sheet I want to use as a master invoice called 'Invoice master'. One field will hold the invoice number. I expect I will just copy and paste the master to make a new invoice then change the number by hand.

To go Insert>Sheet only gives me a new blank table, not a replica of the master sheet. Copy and paste the master gives a new invoice conveniently named 'Invoice master -1'. You can do this any number of times to create incrementally numbered copies of the master but all with the same serial number in the invoice number field.

Has anyone figured out a way to link a field or formula to reference a value on another sheet, or table in the same Numbers 'document'?

If I stored the value in a separate table, could the consequent new invoices reference that rather than the previous invoice value?

G4 15" powerbook, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Nov 23, 2007 6:14 PM

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Answer 1

jaxjason

Level 5

5,073 points

Nov 26, 2007 7:20 PM in response to J Douglas Rogers

linking to another table on another sheet is easy to do, just search on here, I know I saw a post recently with that topic.

Getting a new inserted sheet to automatically number itself, no.
Getting a newly inserted table to automatically insert a formula that knows where to link to on another table, maybe. try making a new template (look in the numbers manual on the install cd). Let me know if you get it to work like that.

jason

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Answer 2

KOENIG Yvan

Level 8

41,845 points

Nov 27, 2007 10:08 AM in response to jaxjason

Hello

If you may wait a little, I'm working on an AppleScript to do that.
It will rely on a short text file stored in the Numbers document, in its "Contents:Resource" subfolder.
When called, the script will read the value stored in the text file, increment it by one, store the new value in the text file and in the clipboard.
So you will just have to paste where you want.

I'm just waiting for a short routine helping me to format correctly the pathname of the document which at this time I grab thru an URL in the UNIX format:
"file://localhost/Volumes/AluIce250 4_vide/autour%20d'iWork'08/documentsNumbers/numSemaine.numbers/"

when it must be

"AluIce250 4vide:autour d'iWork'08:documents_Numbers:numSemaine.numbers:"

If all works well I will have it to-morrow.

Yvan KOENIG (from FRANCE mardi 27 novembre 2007 19:08:39)

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Answer 3

WWJD

Level 6

15,830 points

Nov 27, 2007 1:08 PM in response to J Douglas Rogers

Any reason not to use a table with the serial numbers stored, then use < MAX(range)+1 > for new invoice numbers? You will have to copy the equation to values before creating a new invoice number.

Regards,

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Answer 4

Nov 27, 2007 7:07 PM in response to J Douglas Rogers

Actually there is a way to make a new sheet auto number itself and increment.

Turn on Page Numbers in the Inspector for the Sheet. Click in the cell, and use the menu command Insert/Page Number.

Copy and paste the sheet and the new sheet has the incremented number. It is only a single digit. I can't seem to format the cell or page number into ### for instance, or include this auto page number in a formula in that cell.

If I could get the page number to format to ### I could just arrange another cell with the suffix number, which in this case would be the year, and I can get that from =YEAR(NOW())

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Answer 5

jaxjason

Level 5

5,073 points

Nov 27, 2007 7:11 PM in response to J Douglas Rogers

But doesn't that only insert the page number into the table? not automatically create a sheet called "Invoice Number 3489" automatically in the left hand column.

Jason

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Answer 6

Nov 27, 2007 7:31 PM in response to jaxjason

Yes, it does only create an incremented number in the cell and does not rename the sheet in the column. That would be nice, but it seems to be something you need to do by hand.

BTW, if you set the page count to start at say 100, then you get the ### format.

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Answer 7

Nov 27, 2007 7:41 PM in response to jaxjason

Oh, by the by... The first sheet has page numbers set to start at 100. When you make the second invoice sheet, change the format to Increment from previous, then copy and paste from the second sheet for your third, from the third for the fourth and so on. This will place them consecutively down the column.

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Answer 8

KOENIG Yvan

Level 8

41,845 points

Nov 28, 2007 3:31 AM in response to J Douglas Rogers

Hello

I don't know if the "Increment for previous" works for you, it doesn't for me.
So, I named the first sheet "Facture 2007" which I keep empty.
When I want to create a new bill, I copy the icon of "Facture 2007" and paste so I get "Facture 2007-1"
The next one is "Facture 2007-2"
and so on.

Yvan KOENIG (from FRANCE mercredi 28 novembre 2007 12:31:16)

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Answer 9

KOENIG Yvan

Level 8

41,845 points

Nov 28, 2007 7:35 AM in response to KOENIG Yvan

Hello

At last I am able to make the "autonum" trick to work.

Just an odd detail.
The auto-numbering of pages starts with 1 so,

Invoice 2007 is #1
Invoice 2007-1 is #2
Invoice 2007-2 is #3

I tried to use the page number in a formula but Numbers send an error message (can't use a page number in a formula).

Yvan KOENIG (from FRANCE mercredi 28 novembre 2007 16:35:44)

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