Quick Guide/Business setup

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Business setup

Installing a Localization Pack

Depending on your country, a localization pack might be available to adapt Openbravo to the local business practices of your geography.

A localization pack at least contains the local language translation, the Chart of Accounts (COA), the taxes, etc.

Bulbgraph.png   Note: You must be logged in as System Administrator.

Go to General Setup || Application || Module Management

  • Move to the "Add Modules" tab and search for your preferred localization pack. A good way for searching is using the name of your country.
    • Once you have found the localization pack, click "Install Now" and follow the instructions.
  • You will automatically be redirected to the "Installed Modules" tab.
    • Click "Rebuild Now", follow the instructions and wait for the rebuild to complete.
  • Once the rebuild process has been successfully completed, you will be invited to "Restart the servlet container now".
    • Ensure that the radio button is checked, click Continue and wait for the servlet to restart.
  • You will be automatically redirected back to the login window.

If a localization pack is not available for your region, you can still use Openbravo but it might come with additional configuration effort.

At the very least you need a Chart of Accounts. If your desired localization pack does not exist or it does not provide a Chart of Accounts, you can install the Generic Chart of Accounts module that provides you with a sample Chart of Accounts in english language. To install the Generic Chart of Accounts module, follow the same steps as mentioned above but search for "Generic Chart of Accounts" instead of a specific localization pack.

Setting up Client(s) and Organization(s)

Initial Client Setup

Introduction

A Client in Openbravo is the top-most level of configuration and data within your OB3 system. This means that certain configuration data, including Users (and their access rights), customers, vendors (suppliers), inventory (stock items), and other master data can be managed within that Client and therefore is available to all Organizations within that Client.

At its simplest, you can manage everything at this single top level by creating a Client that has the same name as your company.

This configuration is also useful if you plan to offer Openbravo as a multi-tenanted hosted solution: you simply create a separate Client for each company you are hosting.

Each Client can host multiple Organizations that can be used to model your enterprise. Each Organization can manage its own master data and accounting configuration and you will need at least one Organization within your Client. The Client itself is not used for accounting purposes, but it can be used to host information that is then available to all Organizations within that client.

Different clients can not share information.

For a full description of the role of the Client in OB3 please refer to the Client article of the User Guide.

Setup

Bulbgraph.png   Note: You must be logged in as System Administrator.

The Initial Client Setup process allows to create a Client in Openbravo.
As already mentioned it is possible to create as many Clients as required.

Go to General Setup || Client || Initial Client Setup

  • Complete the form:
    • Client: Enter the name of the Client you wish to create, for example "My Test Client". We will use this Client to host an example of an Organization that we will create and configure during the Initial Organization Setup below.
    • Client Username: Enter the user name of the Administrator for this Client, for example "Test Admin"
    • Password: Enter a password for the above user, for example "openbravo" (please choose your own).
    • Confirm Password: Re-enter the same password.
    • Currency: Select the currency of the Client, for example "USD" (US Dollar).
    • Include accounting: Leave this unchecked for now. We will include accounting for each Organization we create for this Client. This will be done during the Initial Organization Setup below.
  • In the "Reference Data" section make sure that the following two items are selected:
    • "Standard document types for orders, invoices, etc. and settings - Core - English (USA)" - This is necessary for creating transactions documents such us Purchase Orders, Sales Invoices, etc, therefore it is selected by default.
    • "Document types and default algorithm for bank statement auto matching - Advanced Payables" - This is similar to the above, but for specific financial flows such us Payment In/Out, Financial Accounts, etc.
      This one is not selected by default.
  • Click on the "OK" button and wait for the process to complete. Once it is completed you can close this tab.

For a full description of this setup process please refer to the Initial Client Setup article of the User Guide.

Initial Organization Setup

Introduction

The Organization is the second highest level of configuration and data.

Each Organization belongs to one single Client, while each Client can have multiple Organizations (so there is a one-to-many relationship between Client and Organization). Organizations can also be structured with a parent-child relationship (again, one-to-many), providing multiple configuration options when modelling your enterprise.

There is a lot of flexibility in how you configure Organizations within each Client (i.e., enabling what information Organizations share and what they can and can not do). For example, you may want to share master data such as customers, vendors, and inventory across multiple Organizations within each Client, but for each Organization to have its own Chart of Accounts. This configuration may be useful when configuring a group of companies that have a common set of customers, vendors, and inventory.

For evaluation purposes it is also useful to have more than one Organization in a Client, each sharing master data from the Client, but configured independently for accounting and process management. This configuration means that you can test different setups in different Organizations (within the same Client) without having to create a new Client for each Organization. This is the structure that we will create in the following steps. We will create a Client and add an Organization to it; you can then add as many additional Organizations as you need for evaluation.

For a full description of the role of an Organization in OB3 please refer to the Initial Organization Setup and the Organization articles of the User Guide.

Setup

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to General Setup || Enterprise Model || Initial Organization Setup

  • Complete the form. Please feel free to create your own example, but we also provide example content below:
    • Organization: Enter the name of the organization, for example Oat Biscuit Company
    • Organization Username: Enter a user name for the Organization, for example Oat Super User
    • Password: Enter a password for this user. This is not mandatory.
    • Confirm Password: Confirm the password entered for this user. This is not mandatory.
    • Organization type: Select Legal with accounting.
      There are four default Organization types available for modelling your enterprise:
      • Organization: when you create a Client, the system automatically creates a "master" Organization (called "*").
        In most cases only the master organization has an Organization type of Organization underneath.
        The reason why, is that this Organization type allows the creation and configuration of master data such as Products, Business Partners and even the Chart of Accounts to be shared among the child Organizations which belong to it.
        The master Organization is not a legal entity and transactions are not allowed within it.
      • Legal with accounting: used to define an independent legal accounting entity that needs its own accounting transactions and its own Chart of Accounts.
      • Legal without accounting: used to define an independent legal entity that does not require accounting functionality. For instance, this type is used for a parent Organization that hosts two child Organizations that are Legal with accounting. The accounts of the parent are created by consolidation of the accounts of the two child Organizations.
      • Generic: an Organization which is not a legal entity but where transactions are allowed. For example, a profit center or division within a legal entity.
    • Parent Organization: Select "*". The asterisk represents the client level master Organization.
    • Location/Address: Click on the address icon and enter an address.
  • In the Accounting section:
    • Include accounting: Ensure this is checked
    • Currency: Select USD
  • In the Reference Data section:
    • Select the reference data you wish to install. For a "Legal with Accounting" Organization it is required to install a Chart of Accounts. These will have been made available by the localization pack you installed earlier or by the Generic Chart of Accounts module.
  • In the Accounting Dimensions section:
    • Check Business Partner and Product. You can choose others if you wish.
  • Click on the "OK button" and wait for the process to complete. Once it has completed you can close this tab.

For a full description of this setup process please refer to the Initial Organization Setup article of the User Guide

Creating a Fiscal Calendar and Periods

A legal entity with accounting Organization requires a Fiscal Calendar because the accounting entries of the Organization need to be posted to the ledger in a given accounting period which besides needs to be opened.

In other words, in Openbravo every journal entry posted to the ledger needs to refer to an accounting date within a given accounting period and year, and therefore a Fiscal Calendar.

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to Financial Management || Accounting || Setup || Fiscal Calendar

  • Click "Create one" and complete the name, for example "Oats Calendar".
Bulbgraph.png   Note: The system automatically proposes the organization as "*". Accepting this default means that this calendar will be maintained at Client level and will therefore be available to all other Organizations you create within this Client. Changing the Organization to your new Organization, i.e., selecting Oat Biscuit Company, will mean that this calendar will only be available to that Organization.
  • Move to "Year" sub-tab and enter the current year. For example, enter "2012". Same applies while creating the next years "2013", "2014", etc.
  • Click on the "Create Periods" button
  • Select the "Create Adjustment Period" checkbox. This action creates an additional period which can be used to post accounting adjustments to the ledger through the posting of "G/L Journals".
    • This process creates 13 records in the "Period" sub-tab, 12 "Standard" periods from Jan-12 to Dec-12 and an "Adjustment" period dated at "31-Dec-2012"

For a full description of this item please refer to the Fiscal Calendar article of the User Guide

Setting the Organization as "Ready"

The process of creating an Organization is finished once it is set as "Ready", since Openbravo requires to perform a set of checks which validate that the Organization has been properly and correctly created.
For instance:

  • Openbravo checks that a Legal with accounting Organization has a Fiscal Calendar assigned to it in order to ensure an accurate accounting practice.

Before an Organization is set as "Ready" it can be drag-and-dropped within the enterprise tree.

The process of setting an Organization as "Ready" performs also a set of checking which validate that the Organization's tree structure has been properly created, otherwise it will display an error message.
For instance:

  • Openbravo checks that there is not more than one independent legal entity within a tree branch as that is the way to assure accurate financial reports are consolidated at legal entity level.

Once an Organization is set as ready it can not be drag-and-dropped within the enterprise tree.

This configuration step is needed anyway before the Organization can be used for transactions in windows and processes such as "Accounting", "Procurement", "Sales", etc.

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.


Go to General Setup || Enterprise || Organization

  • Select the newly created Organization
    • Allow control period: Ensure this is checked
    • Calendar: Select the newly created calendar
    • Verify there is a "General Ledger" at "General Ledger" field
    • Click on the "Set as Ready" button.
  • The "Set as Ready" process gives you the opportunity to Cascade the process down through subordinate Organizations. As we currently don't have Organizations to cascade to, at this point we can ignore this option.

It is important to remark that Openbravo automatically displays a defaulted Organization's "General Ledger" configuration, if...

  • a "Localization Pack" (containing a Chart of Accounts module)
  • or the "Generic Chart of Accounts" module

is installed and then selected for the Organization while running the Initial Organization Setup process.

As shown in the image above, the "Oat Biscuit Company" Organization is already linked to a General Ledger configuration named "Oat Biscuit Company US/A/US Dollar".
That means that this legal entity with accounting needs to record or to post the financial transactions to the ledger, in our example in USD currency and through the accounts of the generic Chart of Accounts.

Openbravo allows to customize the way that the financial transactions are posted to the ledger, meaning to change the default general ledger configuration as explained in the General Ledger configuration maintenance article below.

For a full description of this item please refer to the Organization article of the User Guide

"Open Period" Control

Journal entries and any other transaction can be posted to the ledger in a given accounting period, but only if that accounting period is opened.

This step shows how to open the accounting periods of a year.

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to Financial Management || Accounting || Setup || Open/Close Period Control

The "Open/Close Period Control" window shows the periods previously created filtered:

  • Click on the Funnel Icon to remove the filters and to display all the periods.
    • Realize that there are thirteen records for the Year 2012, one per period, and all of them are in "All Never Opened" status.
  • Select all the records and click on the "Open Close" button.
  • Select the Action: "Open Period" and click "OK".
  • As you can see the "Status" column has changed to "All Opened" status.
It is possible to check that the all the document categories are opened for these periods:
  • Click on any period, for example Jan-12
  • In the Documents Tab, all the document categories are displayed, and their status is "Open".
It is also possible to check that all the periods are now opened by going to the General Setup || Enterprise || Organization window.
  • Select the newly created 0rganization and move to the "Period Control" tab.
  • All "Standard" periods are opened for all document categories.
In the Open/Close Period Control Window, realize that the "Adjustment" period is opened just for the G/L Journal document category:
  • Click on 13th Period - 12 and realize that in the Documents Tab, only the Document Category GL Journal is in Open Status


For a full description of this item please refer to the Open/Close Period Control article of the User Guide

Setup Users and Roles

Create Users

A User is an entity which can log into Openbravo whenever it has a password and at least one Role assigned to it.

Each person accessing Openbravo should have a User assigned to it.

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to General Setup || Security || User

  • Click New and complete the form with the following information:
    • Select Organization as "*". This means that this User will be defined "at Client level" and will therefore be available to receive rights to other Organizations you create within this Client. Changing the Organization to your new Organization, i.e., selecting "Oat Biscuit Company", will mean that this user will only be available to have rights that Organization.
    • Enter Name as "Rolly Oats", or use your own name.
    • Enter Username as "Rolly Oats", or use your own name.
    • Enter First Name as "Rolly"
    • Enter Last Name as "Oats"
    • Enter Password as "openbravo" (or use your own password).
  • Move to the "User Roles" tab.
  • Click "Create One" and select the "My Test Client Admin" Role that is available.
Bulbgraph.png   Note: The "My Test Client Admin" Role was created in the initial client setup process. It has access rights to all windows.

For a full description of this item please refer to the User article of the User Guide

Creating Roles

A Role is the connection between the Users and the access rights to Organizations, windows, processes and forms in Openbravo.

Access rights are first configured at Role level and then assigned to the Users.

The Finance staff needs to have access to accounting related windows and processes while the warehouse staff needs to have access to warehouse management related windows and processes.

Let's configure a Sales Role for instance.

Go to General Setup || Security || Role

  • Click New and complete the form with the following information:
    • Select Organization as "*". This means that this Role will be defined "at Client level" and will therefore set rights to other Organizations you create within this Client. Changing the Organization to your new Organization, i.e., selecting "Oat Biscuit Company", will mean that this role will only set rights into that Organization.
    • Enter Name as "Sales Admin"
    • Select User Level as "Client+Organization", meaning this user can access both the Client and the Organization.
    • Ensure the the "Manual" check-box is checked. This controls if all existing privileges are automatically assigned to this Role, or if they are manually assigned on a "per needs" basis. Manually assigning priviliges to a Role, and thus limiting them, is highly recommended.
  • Click the "Grant Access" button and complete the form with the following information:
    • Select Module as "Sales Management"
    • Select Access as "All".
  • The Sales_Admin Role now has access to all processes, windows, and reports related to Sales Management.

Go to the Org Access tab and click Create one, then:

  • Add the * Organization and your new Organization Oat Biscuit Company. Now the Sales Admin role has access to those specific Organizations.

Go to the User Assignment tab.

  • Click "Create one"' and select "Rolly Oats". Now Rolly has access to the Sales Admin Role which grants access to the Sales Management application area and to the Organization * and to the organization Oat Biscuit Company.

For a full description of this item please refer to the Role article of the User Guide

Setting up Accounting

Accounting is the process of recording, tracking and summarizing financial data taken from an Organization's accounting records.
The financial data is published in the form of annual (or more frequent) financial statements such as the income statement, for decision makers such as stockholders, suppliers, banks, employees, etc.

Accounting also allows a company to analyze the financial performance of the business over a period of time (usually one year) and even compare it to the financial performance of a previous period.

As already mentioned there are four default Organization types available for modelling your enterprise however only one of them allows the execution of a whole financial accounting cycle.
That organization type is the "Legal with Accounting" Organization type

Above Organization type allows accounting transactions to be posted to the ledger and besides permits the "Control Period" feature.

The "Control Period" feature is an Openbravo accounting key feature which allows to:

  • assign a "Fiscal Calendar" to the Organization as already described in the Set the Organization as Ready article of this document.
    For additional information please review the Fiscal Calendar article of the User Guide.
  • open and close the accounting periods of a year as already described in the "Open Period" Control article of this document.
  • as well as the execution of the closing of the accounting year in order to get the final financial statements such as the Balance Sheet and the Income Statement.
    For additional information please review the Close Year article of the User Guide.

Financial accounting in Openbravo requires a basic accounting configuration which at the very least requires:

  • a Chart of Accounts or "Account Tree" in Openbravo terminology:
A Chart of Accounts is a list of all the accounts used in an Organization's general ledger, accounts such as balance sheet accounts (assets, liabilities and owner's equity) and income statement accounts (revenues, expenses, gains and losses).
Openbravo captures the Chart of Accounts of an Organization as an Account Tree because the financial reports such as the Balance Sheet and the Income Statement are produced based upon the Account Tree structure.
Some countries such as Spain or France require that a specific Chart of Accounts is being used in the statutory books, in those cases Openbravo provides a localization pack which includes the Statutory Chart of Accounts, while others allow each company to define the Chart of Accounts that suits their practices best.
For additional information please review the Account Tree article of the User Guide.
  • and a General Ledger configuration.
As already mentioned, legal entities need to post their financial transactions to the ledger.
Openbravo allows to configure the way those financial transactions are going to be posted to the ledger, for instance the currency and the Chart of Accounts to use while posting a financial transaction to the ledger.
For additional information please review the General Ledger Configuration article of the User Guide.

As already mentioned, if your localization pack does not exist or it does not provide an statutory Chart of Accounts module, you can install the Generic Chart of Accounts module that provides a standard list of accounts named in English. It is recommended to start from a sample Chart of Accounts like the generic one and evolve it for the Organization's needs rather than starting from scratch.

It is important to remark that the installation of a Chart of Accounts module also results in using of a default general ledger configuration, which can obviously be customized later on according to your Organization's needs.

For a full description of this item please refer to the Period End Close to Financial Report Configuration article of the User Guide.

Chart of Accounts (CoA) maintenance

The Chart of Accounts maintenance may differ, depending on if there is a localization pack for your country or not:

  • if there is a localization pack for your country which includes the statutory Chart of Accounts: Openbravo will be in charge of maintaining it by making the changes required by law.
    However it is very common to add new sub-accounts as described in the Adding new CoA elements article below.
  • if there is no localization pack for your country it is recommended to start from a sample Chart of accounts like the Generic CoA and customize it for the Organization's needs.
    Evolving a sample Chart of Accounts imply:
    • the creation of missing CoA elements
    • the modification of existing CoA elements according to the Organization's needs
    • and even the removal of existing CoA elements if they do not meet the Organization's needs.

Chart of Accounts review

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to Financial Management || Accounting || Setup || Account Tree

Select the Organization "Oat Biscuit Company" to review the Chart of Accounts installed for the Organization.
Let's assume that the Generic Chart of Accounts was installed.

Click on the "Element Value" tab and then on the "Tree" icon File:Tree icon.png. For additional information about this item please review the tree structure article of the User Guide.

Openbravo opens a window which shows the Chart of Accounts structured in a given number of tree branches. As shown in the image below each financial statement is an account tree branch:

400px

It is well known that each account but temporary or suspense accounts need to be included in a financial statement.
That is the reason why Openbravo captures the Chart of Accounts of an Organization as an Account Tree:
"Asset", "Liability" and "Owner's Equity" account types need to be included in the Balance Sheet
while "Expense" and "Revenue" account types need to be included in the Profit & Loss.

The element values "B-Balance Sheet" and "P&L - Profit and Loss" are set at "Heading" element level within the account tree, as they are the top element levels which have other elements underneath.

Let's now display the element B-Balance Sheet:

400px

As shown in the image above this element contains three additional "Heading" elements:

  • 1000 - Assets
  • 2010 - Liabilities
  • and 3000 - Equity

Each "Heading" element above contains several "Breakdown" elements, as for instance "Liabilities" heading can be split into "Current Liabilities" and "Long Term liabilities" breakdowns.

400px

Moreover "Current Liabilities" breakdown is split into several "Accounts", for instance: "Accounts Payables", "Tax Payables" and "Other current Liabilities" among others.

Finally the account "Accounts Payable" is split into one "Sub-Account" element level which is the sub-account "2115 - Accounts Payables". This account is a "Liability" account type.

Sub-accounts are placed at the lowest level of the account tree. In fact the ledger entries or accounting transactions can be posted to the ledger through the "Sub-Accounts".
In other words element levels such as "Heading", "Breakdown" and "Account" do not allow posting but help to represent the account tree structure.

Adding new CoA elements

It is possible to add new Chart of Accounts elements by creating new records in the "Element Value" tab of a given Chart of Accounts or Account Tree.

If a localization pack is installed it might be necessary to create new Subaccounts, as only the overall structure of the Chart of Accounts is provided by default according to the in-country rules and laws.

If the Generic Chart of Accounts is installed it might not be enough just to create Subaccount elements but any element type.

Go to Financial Management || Accounting || Setup || Account Tree

Example 1 - localization pack installed:

Let's take for instance the Spanish Chart of Accounts.
It is very common to create as many Purchase VAT accounts as Purchase VAT rates.
Current VAT rates are 21%, 10% and 4%. That would imply the creation of the three Subaccounts listed below:

  • 47221 - Purchase VAT (21%)
  • 47210 - Purchase VAT (10%)
  • 47204 - Purchase VAT (4%)

Openbravo helps to do so as it considers the rule explained below:

  • Openbravo first considers the elements in an alphanumerical order as a sorted list
  • then finds the position in that sorted list where the new element would need to be positioned
  • and after that looks at the element that precedes it:
    • if that element is a summary one and the current one is not, the element will be added as a child of that node
    • otherwise the element will be added as a sibling of that node.

The way to create those new Subaccounts is:

  • select the account tree to modify
  • search for the Subaccount element "4720" in order to see its configuration. The way to do that is by entering the value "4720" in the field "Search Key"
  • create a new record in the grid view
  • enter the value 47221 in the field "Search key"
  • enter the name "Hacienda Pública IVA soportado (21%)" in the field "Name"
  • select the value "Subaccount" in the field "Element Level"
  • select the value "Asset" in the field "Account Type"
  • select the value "Algebraic" in the field "Show Value Condition"
  • save the record

As the Subaccount 47221 is not a summary account, it is automatically placed as a child element of the element "4720 - Hacienda Pública IVA Soportado" (element that precedes it).

Launch the account tree by clicking on the "Tree" icon and realize that the new Subaccount is placed under the element Subaccount "4720 - Hacienda Pública IVA Soportado".

Example 2 - Generic Chart of Accounts installed:

As already mentioned the Generic Chart of Accounts is a sample Chart of Accounts which can evolve according to the Organization's needs.
Therefore once installed, it could be required to create new CoA elements of any type depending on the Organization's needs.

In general the proper way to create new elements is:

  • first display the Chart of Account tree by using the "Tree" icon File:Tree icon.png. This action helps to review the tree and realize what is missing.
  • search for an element of the same type to the one to be created by using any of the filters of the "Element Value" tab. For instance:
    • search for a "Heading" element level if it is needed to create a new "Heading" element.
    • search for a "Breakdown" element level if it is needed to create a new "Breakdown" element to split a heading element.
    • search for an "Expense" account type element if it is needed to create a new "Expense" element (account or subaccount)
    • search for an "Asset" account type element if it is needed to create a new "Asset" element (account or subaccount)
    • search for a particular account or subaccount number (i.e 4720) if it is required to create a new account or subaccount of that type.
  • and then create the new element by taking into account the configuration of the sample element.

As already explained Openbravo helps to position new created elements as it considers the elements in an alphanumerical order as a sorted list.

Modifying existing Chart of Accounts elements

It is possible to modify the CoA's name and its elements in the "Account Tree" window.

If a localization pack is installed it could not be required to modify any element but the name of the chart of accounts.

If the Generic Chart of Accounts is installed it could be required to change the name of the Chart of Accounts as well as any Chart of Accounts elements according to the Organization's needs.

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to Financial Management || Accounting || Setup || Account Tree

Openbravo names the Chart of Accounts as "Organization Name + Account Tree" (i.e: Oat Biscuit Company Account Tree") every time that a Chart of Accounts is automatically created as a consequence of the installation of a Chart of Accounts module.

The CoA's name given by Openbravo can be easily changed by changing the "Name" and the "Description" fields of the Account Tree

By default, Openbravo names and configures each CoA's element each time that a CoA is automatically created as a consequence of the installation of a Chart of Accounts module.

Chart of accounts elements can be easily changed as required in the Element Value tab of the "Account Tree" window. The way to do that is:

  • launch the account tree
  • review it and think about what needs to be changed
  • find the element to change by using the filter options
  • edit the element by editing the record in the grid for instance
  • and change the element as required
It is important to remark that if the search key of an element is changed, that this change could imply that the element is repositioned within the tree depending on the precedent element as already explained.

Removing existing CoA elements

It is possible to remove chart of accounts elements in the "Account Tree" window.

If a localization pack is installed it could not be required to remove any element as the chart of account elements provided will be the ones required by the in country practices and laws.

If the generic chart of accounts is installed it could be required to remove any chart of accounts elements according to the organization's needs.

Go to Financial Management || Accounting || Setup || Account Tree

By default, Openbravo names and configures each chart of accounts element each time that a chart of accounts is automatically created as a consequence of the installation of a Chart of Accounts module.

Chart of accounts elements can be easily changed as required in the Element Value tab of the "Account Tree" window. The way to do that is:

  • launch the account tree
  • review it and realize about what needs to be removed
  • find the element to remove by using the filter options
  • select the element record
  • and remove it by using the "Delete" action button Delete Icon.png
It is important to remark that a chart of accounts element can only be removed in case it is not associated with other existing elements. That means that it is not possible to remove a heading, breakdown or account element having other elements underneath.


General Ledger configuration maintenance

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to Financial Management || Accounting || Setup || General Ledger Configuration

Select the Organization Oat Biscuit Company to review its defaulted general ledger configuration assuming that the Generic Chart of Accounts was installed.

As already explained, if a Chart of Accounts module is installed, not only a CoA is assigned to the Organization but also a general ledger configuration.
Both, the CoA and the general ledger configuration, are linked to each other as one of the accounting rules of the general ledger configuration is the CoA to use while posting transactions to the ledger.

At the same time it is required to review and customize the Chart of Accounts to the Organization's needs, it is also recommended to review and customize the general ledger configuration to the Organization's needs. For instance:

  • It is possible to either allow or forbid negative posting.
    • if negative posting is not allowed a credit invoice posting reverses a debit invoice posting. That means that what was posted in the debit will now be posted in the credit.
    • if negative posting is allowed a credit invoice posting does not reverse a debit invoice posting. That means that what was posted in the debit will now be posted in the debit but negatively.
      For additional information please review the Allow Negative section of General Ledger Configuration article of the User Guide.
  • It is also possible to add additional accounting dimensions such as "Project", "Campaign" or " Sales Region" in order to record that kind of information while posting transactions to the ledger.
    For additional information please review the Dimensions article of the User Guide.
  • It is also possible to set tables as "active" so that the transaction related to these tables can be posted to the ledger. For instance if the "MaterialMgmtShipmentInOut" table is set to "active", that would imply that both Goods Receipt and Goods Shipment can be post to the ledger.
    For additional information please review the Active Tables article of the User Guide.
  • And finally it is possible to review and adjust the default accounts as required to be used while posting certain type of transactions or the default accounts to propagate to other accounting tabs such as the Product Accounting tab.
    For additional information please review the General Accounts article of the User Guide, as well as the Defaults article of the User Guide.

Taxes maintenance

If you have installed a localization pack you may find that the taxes setup is already provided as a dataset.

A tax dataset can include:

  • tax categories as a way to group similar tax rates
  • business partner tax categories as a way of sharing a group of taxes among several business partners of the same type
  • tax rates to use in the purchase/sales orders and invoices.

After installation, the tax dataset is available for selection during the Initial Client Setup, the Initial Organization Setup processes and in the Enterprise Module Management window.

It is important to remark that:

  • If a localization pack includes the in-country taxes setup, the only configuration left to do could be:

On the other hand, if you have not installed a localization pack or if you have installed a localization pack that does not contain the taxes setup, additional configuration effort is required. That is:

  • the creation of the tax rates, the tax categories and the business partner tax categories as explained below.
  • same way as above once created the tax categories need to be linked to the corresponding products/services and the business partner tax categories need to be linked to the corresponding business partners.

Taxes Setup

This example shows how to set up a simple Sales VAT of 21% and a simple Purchase VAT of 21%, both of them belonging to the same tax category.

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to Financial Management || Accounting || Setup || Tax Category

  • Click New and complete the form with the following information:
    • Select Organization as *. This means that this tax category will be defined "at Client level" and will therefore be available to all other organizations you create within this client.
      Changing the Organization to your new Organization, i.e., selecting Oat Biscuit Company, will mean that this tax category will only be available to that Organization.
    • Enter Name as US State Sales Tax
  • Finally, assign this tax category to the corresponding products as applicable.

For a full description of this item please refer to the Tax Category article of the User Guide.

Go to Financial Management || Accounting || Setup || Business Partner Tax Category

  • Click New and complete the form with the following information:
    • Select Organization as *. This means that this business partner tax category will be defined "at Client level" and will therefore be available to all other organizations you create within this client.
      Changing the organization to your new organization, i.e., selecting Oat Biscuit Company, will mean that this tax category will only be available to that organization.
    • Enter Name' as Exempt
  • Finally, assign this business partner tax category to the corresponding business partners as applicable.

For a full description of this item please refer to the Business Partner Tax Category article of the User Guide.

Go to Financial Management || Accounting || Setup || Tax Rate

  • Click New and complete the form with the following example information:
    • Select Organization as *. This means that this tax rate will be defined "at Client level" and will therefore be available to all other Organizations you create within this client.
      Changing the Organization to your new Organization, i.e., selecting Oat Biscuit Company, will mean that this tax category will only be available to that Organization.
    • Name: Enter a name for this sales tax, for example NY Sales Tax 8.25%
    • Valid from Date: Enter a date from which this sales tax is to be effective, for example 01-07-2010
    • Tax Category: Select the tax category US State Sales Tax
    • Summary Level: Ensure this is not checked
    • Parent Tax Rate: Ensure this is empty
    • Rate: Enter a rate for this sales tax, for instance 8.25
    • Sales/Purchase Type: Select Sales Tax to ensure this tax is used just in sales cycles.
    • Country: Enter the name of the country for which this tax is being calculated, for example United States
    • Destination Country: Enter the name of the country into which goods are being sold in our example United States
    • Region and Destination Region: Enter the US State where this sales tax rate applies, in our example NY (New York).
  • Navigate to the Accounting tab and make sure that the corresponding ledger accounts for Tax Due and Tax Credit posting.
  • Click New and complete the form with the following example information:
    • Select Organization as *. This means that this tax rate will be defined "at Client level" and will therefore be available to all other Organizations you create within this client.
      Changing the Organization to your new Organization, i.e., selecting Oat Biscuit Company, will mean that this tax category will only be available to that Organization.
    • Name: Enter a name for this sales tax, for example NY Purchase Tax 0.00%
    • Valid from Date: Enter a date from which this sales tax is to be effective, for example 01-07-2010
    • Tax Category: Select the tax category US State Sales Tax
    • Summary Level: Ensure this is not checked
    • Parent Tax Rate: Ensure this is empty
    • Rate': Enter a rate for this sales tax, for instance 0.00
    • Sales/Purchase Type: Select Purchase Tax to ensure this tax is used just in sales cycles.
    • Country: Enter the name of the country for which this tax is being calculated, for example United States
    • Destination Country: Enter the name of the country into which goods are being sold in our example United States
    • Region and Destination Region: Enter the US State where this sales tax rate applies, in our example NY (New York).
    • Under the "More Information" group of fields select "Exempt" in the Business Partner Tax Category
  • Navigate to the Accounting tab and make sure that the corresponding ledger accounts for Tax Due and Tax Credit posting.

For a full description of this item please refer to the Tax Rate article of the User Guide.

Balance Sheet and P&L structure setup

The standard financial statements are the "Balance Sheet" and the "Income Statement" (Profit and Loss report):

  • A balance sheet report shows the financial situation of an Organization at a given point in time.
In Openbravo the balance sheet report is only created for Organizations that are legal entities with accounting since this report has to be balanced.
  • The income statement shows the Organization's financial performance over a period of time (usually one year).
In Openbravo the income statement is created for Organizations that are legal entities with accounting for official publication, but can also be created for generic Organizations for internal use.
Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to Financial Management || Accounting || Setup || Balance Sheet and P&L structure Setup .
Let's assume that the Generic Chart of Accounts was installed.

  • Click New and complete the form with the following information:
    • Select Organization as Oat Biscuit Company.
    • Select Oat Biscuit Company US/A/US Dollar as General Ledger
    • Enter "Balance Sheet" as Name
    • Select "Point in Time" as Report Type
    • Select the check-box "Balanced"
  • Move to the Grouping Category tab
    • Click Create One
    • Enter "Balance Sheet" as Name
    • Save
  • Move to the Node tab
    • Click Create One
    • Select "B - Balance Sheet" as Account Element
    • Enter "Balance Sheet" as Name
    • Save

Go back to "Balance Sheet and P&L StructureBold text" main tab.


  • Click New and complete the form with the following information:
    • Select Organization as Oat Biscuit Company.
    • Select Oat Biscuit Company US/A/US Dollar as General Ledger
    • Enter "Income Statement" as Name
    • Select "Periodic" as Report Type
  • Move to the Grouping Category tab
    • Click Create One
    • Enter "Income Statement" as Name
    • Save
  • Move to the Node tab
    • Click Create One
    • Select "P&L - Profit & Loss" as Account Element
    • Enter "Income Statement" (or "Profit & Loss Statement") as Name
    • Save

For a full description of this item please refer to the Balance Sheet and P&L structure setup article of the User Guide.

Accounting background process

The accounting server process is a background process that, if scheduled, searches and automatically posts documents such as invoices or G/L Journals.
By default, this process is scheduled at "System" level and execution intervals can be modified. This process can always be unscheduled if required.

Bulbgraph.png   Note: You must be logged in as System Administrator.

Go to General Setup || Application || Process Scheduling || Process Request

  • Double click on the Acct Sever Process and realize that the Process Status is "Scheduled"
  • Change the "Scheduling" options as required
  • or Click on the "Unschedule Process" button if you want to unschedule the accounting server process "at Client level". That action implies the manual posting of documents. See next section.

The accounting server process can be unscheduled at system level but scheduled for a given client.

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to General Setup || Application || Process Scheduling || Process Request

  • Click New and complete the form with the following information:
  • Enter "My Test Client" in the field Client.
  • Select Organization as "*". This means that this process will be scheduled/ unscheduled at Client level and will therefore be scheduled/unscheduled for other Organizations you create within this client. Changing the organization to your new Organization, i.e., selecting Oat Biscuit Company, will mean that this process will only be scheduled/unscheduled for that Organization
  • Select "Acct Server Process" in the field Process.
  • Select "Schedule" in the field Timing.
  • Enter a "Start Date", a "Start Time" and a given "Frequency".
  • Click on the Schedule Process button.

Finally, Openbravo enables you to disable specific documents (tables) for the accounting server process, meaning that those documents (tables) will be skipped during the process.

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to Financial Management || Accounting || Setup || General Ledger Configuration.

  • Select the Organization Oat Biscuit Company
  • Navigate to the "Active Table" tab
  • Select and edit the table/s you want to disable for the Acct Server Background process
  • Select the "Disable for Background" checkbox

For a full description of this item please refer to the Process Request article of the User Guide.

Costing background process

The costing server process is a background process that, if scheduled, searches and automatically calculates the cost of goods transactions such as goods receipts, goods shipments or goods movements.
This process is not scheduled at "System" level by default.

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to General Setup || Application || Process Scheduling || Process Request

  • Click New and complete the form with the following information:
  • Enter "My Test Client" in the field Client.
  • Select Organization as "*". This means that this process will be scheduled/ unscheduled "at Client level" and will therefore be scheduled/unscheduled for other Organizations you create within this Client. Changing the Organization to your new Organization, i.e., selecting Oat Biscuit Company, will mean that this process will only be scheduled/unscheduled for that Organization
  • Select "Costing Background Process" in the field Process.
  • Select "Run later" in the field Timing.
  • Enter a "Start Date" and a "Start Time"
  • Click on the Schedule Process button.


For a full description of this item please refer to the Process Request article of the User Guide.

Setup Payables & Receivables

Payables and Receivables Management addresses customer collections and supplier payments.

In Openbravo every time a Purchase or Sales Order is booked or a Purchase or Sales Invoice is completed a Payment Plan is created for that Order / Invoice.
A payment plan contains the payment amount/s expected for the document and its fulfillment.

The following basic configuration is required before performing any payment cycle:

  • a Payment Method/s
Payment Methods represent means of payment employed by your organization or by a business partner such as "Cash", "Credit Card", "Bank Transfer" or "Check".
In Openbravo each payment transaction is linked to a payment method which defines how that payment is going to be managed within the payment cycle and besides how it is going to be accounted.
Moreover each payment method needs to be associated to a Financial Account so that payments can be registered in a bank or in a cashbook. See below.
  • and a Financial Account/s
In Openbravo a financial account represents an account at a financial institution such as a bank account, an electronic payment service as well as a cash or petty cash register.
Moreover each payment transaction needs to either be deposited in or withdrawn from a financial account.

The business partners (customers and suppliers) created in Openbravo needs to be configured to use above configured payment method/s and financial account/s.

The flow of events within a payment cycle in Openbravo are:

  1. Order: the sales order or purchase order is used in this process of payables and receivables management in the case of an advance payment
  2. Invoice: the purchase invoice generates a debt to a vendor and the sales invoice a debt-claim for a customer.
  3. Receipt or Payment: the registration of the transfer of money in or out before the transaction is confirmed in our bank account or cashbook.
  4. Financial Account update: the addition of the transaction in the Financial Account as a "Deposit" or as a "Withdrawal", related to the movement of the money in or out of our bank account or cashbook.
  5. Reconciliation: the confirmation of the movement of the money after receiving the bank statement or cash balance.

For a full description of this item please refer to the Payables and Receivables Management article of the User Guide.

Create Payment Methods

The payment method configured in this example is a very basic payment method as it implies that:

  • the funds are directly received in the Financial Account when a payment is received upon the completion of a sales invoice
  • the credits are funded straight out of the Financial Account when a payment is made upon the completion of a purchase invoice
  • the customer receivables and the vendor liabilities can be canceled in the ledger at the moment of recording the payment.

In other words, the payment method configured for the example implies:

  • not to wait until the payment transaction is confirmed in our bank account
  • not to reconcile the payment transaction with a bank statement or cash balance once received
  • and not to cancel customer receivables and vendor liabilities in the ledger after the payment is confirmed in our bank account or after it is reconcile with a bank statement.
Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to Financial management || Receivables & Payables || Setup || Payment Method

  • Click New and complete the form with the following information:
  • Select Organization as "*". This means that the payment method is defined "at Client level" and will therefore be available to other Organizations you create within this Client. Changing the Organization to your new Organization, i.e., selecting Oat Biscuit Company, will mean that the payment method is only available for the payments done in that Organization.
  • Enter Name as "Test Payment Method".
  • Double click to show Payment Method information in form view.

Within the section "Defaults Payment IN":

  • Ensure that the checkbox "Payment In Allowed" is checked
  • Ensure that the checkbox "Automatic Receipt" is checked
  • Ensure that the checkbox "Automatic Deposit" is checked
  • Select "Manual" as Execution Type
  • Select "Cleared Payment Account" in the field Upon Receipt Use
  • Ensure that the field "Upon Deposit Use" is left blank
  • Ensure that the field "Upon Clearing Use" is left blank

A payment method configured this way, allows to create:

an automatic receipt of a payment upon completion of a sales invoice.
an automatic deposit of that receipt in the financial account
and the posting of the payment to the ledger upon the time of receiving the payment

Within the section "Defaults Payment OUT":

  • Ensure that the checkbox "Payment Out Allowed" is checked
  • Ensure that the checkbox "Automatic Payment" is checked
  • Ensure that the checkbox "Automatic Withdrawn" is checked
  • Select "Manual" as Execution Type
  • Select "Cleared Payment Account" in the field Upon Payment Use
  • Ensure that the field "Upon Withdrawal Use" is left blank
  • Ensure that the field "Upon Clearing Use" is left blank

A payment method configured this way, allows to create

an automatic payment out upon the completion of a purchase invoice.
an automatic withdrawn of that payment in the financial account
and the posting of the payment to the ledger upon the time of making the payment

The payment method just configured needs to be linked to:

  • a Financial Account, see next section
  • and to the corresponding business partners

For a full description of this item please refer to the Payment Method article of the User Guide.

Create a Financial Account

Bank Account

The financial account configured for the example is a bank account in USD which has assigned the payment method created.

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to Financial management || Receivables & Payables || Transactions || Financial Account

  • Click the Toolbar icon New Form, that allows to create a new record in form view, and complete the form with the following information:
    • Select the Organization as "Oat Biscuit Company". This means that a financial account can be defined just for a given Organization within the Client.
    • Enter Name as My bank account
    • Select USD as Currency
    • Select Type as Bank. Selecting the type Bank means that the account can be enabled for automatic reconciliation.
  • Click the Location/Address button and complete the mandatory fields.
    • Enter an "Initial Balance" that is the current balance of your bank account
    • Enter a "Generic Account Nº" and/or the "IBAN" number of your account and the "SWIFT Code" of the bank.
    • Select the Country of the bank that implies the definition of a domestic bank account or a foreign bank account.
    • Select the "Bank Account Format" to use in reports and/or processes, for instance "Use Generic Account Nº"
  • Move to Payment Method tab. Click New and then select the Payment Method you created above, for example Test Payment Method. This associates the payment method you created to this particular Financial Account.
Bulbgraph.png   Note: Assigning a payment method is very important as without it you will not be able to create a payment transaction in the financial account

For a full description of this item please refer to the Financial Account article of the User Guide.

Cash Account

The financial account configured for the example is a cash account in USD which does not need to have any payment method assigned, as the cash payments will not be related to orders/invoices but to other transactions (expenses or incomes) related to G/L Items.

The creation of a "Cash" type account is very simple as requires just to:

  • Enter the "Name" of the cash account, for instance "Cash Account".
  • Select a "Currency" and the option "Cash" in the field "Type"
  • and enter the "Initial Balance" of the account, for instance 1.000,00

Setup Products

In Openbravo a product is an item of any type you might manage as part of the Organization's daily processes and activities.

There are four product types available:

  • Item. Materials that are placed into a production process, semi-finished or finished goods created through production or inventory held for resale.
  • Service. Provisions such as professional services, transportation and other items which do not correspond with material goods.
  • Resource. Legal, financial or natural resources used by the organization.
  • Expense. Travel expenses or any other kind of expenses of that type.

In Openbravo the products can be stocked or not, can be part of a production process or not and finally can be purchased and/or sold, therefore need to be part of a price list.

Products can also be configured to have a given set of attributes such as "color", "size" or "lot number".

Create a Price List Schema

Pricing is the method adopted by an Organization to set its selling prices. Organizations must constantly review pricing to maximize profit levels while keeping development strategies under control.

Normally, Organizations have to deal with a variety of products which might have different prices and discounts depending on the season and other pricing variables.

In Openbravo every product which is going to be purchased or sold needs to be part of a price list. Openbravo allows to create as many purchase or sales price list as needed.

Openbravo uses the price list schema as the way to create a new version of an existing price list by massively applying a set of commercial rules for instance a net unit price increase of 2%.
Moreover every time that a new price list is created it needs to be linked to a price list schema, therefore every time that a new Organization is created a default price list schema with no configuration is also created.

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to Master Data Management || Pricing || Price List Schema

  • Select the Organization (*)
  • Enter "Price List Schema" as Name
  • Save

For a full description of this item please review the Price List Schema article of the User Guide.

Create Price Lists

A price list contains the price of the products to be sold or purchased.

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to Master Data Management || Pricing || Price List.

  • Click New and complete the form with the following example data:
    • Select Organization as Oat Biscuit Company. This means that this price list is available only for the Organization Oat Biscuit Company.
    • Enter 2012 Sales Price List as "Name".
    • Ensure that Sales Price List is checked.
    • Enter USD if you want your price list to be in US Dollars.
  • Move to Price List Version tab.
  • Click New and complete the form with the following example data:
    • Enter a name for your price list (for instance 2012 Sales Price List).
    • Enter a date from which this price list is to be valid (for instance 01-01-2012).

Note that the "Product Price" tab allows to select already existing products to be part of the being created price list.

Follow the same steps as described above for the creation of Purchase Price List, but "Sales Price List" checkbox which should not be selected.

For a full description of this item please review the Price List article of the User Guide.

Create Product Categories

In Openbravo products of any type can be grouped into product categories with the aim of helping their management and analysis.

A food and beverage distributor selling food and beverages might want to split their product set on at least two product categories: food and beverage.
That configuration will allow to obtain for instance sales figures per each product category.

Product categories also allows to configure a given set of accounts to use while posting product related transactions of any type to the ledger.

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to Master Data Management || Product Setup || Product Category

  • Click New and complete the form with the following example data:
    • Select Organization as Oat Biscuit Company. This means that the product category is available only for the Organization.
    • Enter Beverages as "Search Key" and "Name"
  • Move to the "Accounting" tab and realize that most of the accounts are automatically populated as they are defined in the Defaults tab of the corresponding General Ledger configuration.
    Any of the accounts can be changed if required.

Note that the "Assigned Products" tab allows to select already existing products to be part of the being created product category.

For a full description of this item please review the Product Category article of the User Guide.

Create Products

Products can be manually created or can be massively imported if required.

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to Master Data Management || Product

  • Click New and complete the form with the following example data:
    • Select Organization as "Oat Biscuit Company". This means that the product is available only for the Organization Oat Biscuit Company.
    • Enter "Beverage A" as "Search Key" and "Name"
    • Select "Liter" in the field "UOM"
    • Select "Beverages" in the field "Product Category"
    • Select "US State Sales Tax" in the field "Tax Category"
    • Select "Item" in the field "Product Type".
    • Ensure that below check-box are all selected:
      • Purchase
      • Sale
      • Stocked
  • Move to the "Price" tab
    • Click New and select "2012 Sales Price List" in the field "Price List Version".
    • Enter a Unit Price. The unit price is the final price used in documents such as orders and invoices.
    • and enter a List Price. The list price is the price used as a reference in a given price list.
    • Click New and select "2012 Purchase Price List" in the field "Price List Version".
    • Enter a Unit Price. The unit price is the final price used in documents such as orders and invoices.
    • and enter a List Price. The list price is the price used as a reference in a given price list.
  • Move to the Accounting tab and realize that most of the accounts are automatically populated as they are defined in the accounting tab of the corresponding product category.
    Any of the accounts can be changed if required.
  • Move to the "Costing" tab and realize that there is no cost as the corresponding Initial Physical Inventory has not been booked yet.
    That steps is described later on within this document, in the section: "Initial" Physical Inventory.

For a full description of this item please review the Product article of the User Guide.

Setup Business Partner

In Openbravo a business partner is any third party an Organization has a business interest in or a business relationship with.

Create Business Partner Categories

There is not a predefined set of business partner types. Nowadays Organizations deal with a huge variety of third parties such as customers, suppliers, creditors, employees, banks, tax authorities, etc.
An organization's business partners can be grouped with the aim of helping their management and analysis.

A food and beverage distributor might want to split their business partners on at least two categories: customers and vendors. And even more customers categories might be split into "Domestic Customers" and "International Customers".
That configuration will allow for instance, to obtain sales figures per each customer category.

Business partner categories also allow to configure a given set of accounts to use while posting business partner related transactions of any type to the ledger.

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to Master Data Management || Business Partner Setup || Business Partner Category

  • Click New and complete the form with the following example data:
    • Select Organization as Oat Biscuit Company. This means that the business partner category is available only for the Organization Oat Biscuit Company.
    • Enter Customer (or Domestic Customer) as "Search Key" and "Name"
  • Move to the "Accounting" tab and realize that accounts such as the "Customer Receivable" account is automatically populated as it is defined in the Defaults tab of the corresponding General Ledger configuration. Any of the accounts can be changed if required.


  • Click New and complete the form with the following example data:
    • Select Organization as Oat Biscuit Company. This means that the business partner category is available only for the Organization Oat Biscuit Company.
    • Enter Vendor (or Domestic Vendor) as "Search Key" and "Name"
  • Move to the "Accounting" tab and realize that accounts such as the "Vendor Liability" account is automatically populated as it is defined in the Defaults tab of the corresponding General Ledger configuration. Any of the accounts can be changed if required.

For a full description of this item please review the Business Partner Category article of the User Guide.

Create a Payment Term

Most third parties related to an Organization may pay or be paid while making business.

A vendor or a customer may demand a deferred payment period of 30 days or may even demand to partially pay their debts or collects in two or more deferred periods

Payment terms generate a list of scheduled payment/s against an invoice, each payment/s will have a due date and a due or expected amount to be paid.

As an example, we will create a payment term that allows 30 days credit for the 50% of the amount due therefore the 50% amount left can be deferred up to 60 days.

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.
  • Click New and complete the form with the following example data:
    • Select Organization as Oat Biscuit Company. This means that the payment term is available only for the Organization.
    • Enter 50% 30d 50% 60d as "Search Key" and "Name"
    • Enter "60" in the field "Overdue Payment Days Rule"
  • Move to the "Lines" tab
  • Click New and complete the form with the following example data:
    • Enter "50.00" in the field "Percentage Due".
    • Enter "30" in the field "Overdue Payment Days Rule"

As an example, we will also create another payment term that allows a single deferred payment period of 60 days

  • Click New and complete the form with the following example data:
    • Select Organization as Oat Biscuit Company.
    • Enter 60d as "Search Key" and "Name"
    • Enter "60" in the field "Overdue Payment Days Rule"


For a full description of this item please review the Payment Term article of the User Guide.

Create Business Partners

Business partners can be manually created or can be massively imported if required.


Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to Master Data Management || Business Partner

  • Click New and complete the form with the following example data:
    • Select Organization as Oat Biscuit Company. This means that the business partner is available only for the Organization Oat Biscuit Company.
    • Enter "Customer A" as "Search Key" and "Name"
    • Enter "Customer A Commercial Name" in the field Commercial Name
    • Enter a valid "Tax ID" number
    • Enter "Customer A Fiscal Name" in the field Fiscal Name
    • Select "Customer" in the field "Business Partner Category"
  • If you want to configure the Business Partner as a Customer move to the Customer tab and complete below information:
    • Select "2012 Sales Price List" in the field "Price List". Remember that this sales price list is configured in USD, therefore that is the currency to be used while making transactions with this customer.
    • Select "Test Payment Method" in the field "Payment Method"
    • Select "50% 30 days 20% 60 days" in the field Payment Terms
    • Realize that "My bank account" is automatically populated in the field Financial Account.
    • Select "Immediate" in the field Invoice Terms
    • Enter a given Credit Line Limit for instance 50.000 (USD).
  • Move to the Customer Accounting tab and realize that most of the accounts are automatically populated as they are defined in the accounting tab of the business partner category. Any of the accounts can be changed if required.
  • Move to Location/address and provide an address for the Business Partner.
Bulbgraph.png   Note: Entering an address is very important as without it you will not be able to create a transaction
  • Click New and complete the form with the following example data:
    • Select Organization as Oat Biscuit Company. This means that the business partner is available only for the Organization Oat Biscuit Company.
    • Enter "Vendor A" as "Search Key" and "Name"
    • Enter "Vendor A Commercial Name" in the field Commercial Name
    • Enter a valid "Tax ID" number
    • Enter "Vendor A Fiscal Name" in the field Fiscal Name
    • Select "Vendor" in the field "Business Partner Category"
  • If you want to configure the Business Partner as a Vendor move to the Vendor/Creditor tab and complete below information by selecting the check-box "Vendor":
    • Select "Purchase Price List" in the field "Price List". Remember that this purchase price list is configured in USD, therefore that is the currency to be used while making transactions with this vendor.
    • Select "Test Payment Method" in the field "Payment Method"
    • Select "60 days" in the field Payment Terms
    • Realize that "My bank account" is automatically populated in the field Financial Account.
    • Select "Exempt" in the field "Tax Category".
  • Move to the Vendor Accounting tab and realize that most of the accounts are automatically populated as they are defined in the accounting tab of the business partner category. Any of the accounts can be changed if required.
  • Move to the Location/address tab and provide an address for the Business Partner.
Bulbgraph.png   Note: Entering an address is very important as without it you will not be able to create a transaction

For a full description of this item please review the Business Partner article of the User Guide.

Setup Warehouse

In Openbravo most of the warehouse movements are created automatically based on the transactions of the Sales and Procurement processes.

Above means that a warehouse needs to be specified every time that:

  • a Purchase Order
  • a Sales Order
  • a Goods Shipment
  • or a Goods Receipt

is created in Openbravo.

Operating a warehouse also involves several manual activities such as physical inventory, goods movements and inventory valuation:

  • "Physical Inventory" allows to initiate goods stock and count it whenever it is required
  • "Goods movements" allows to transfer goods among warehouses and storage bins
  • and "Inventory valuation" allows to calculate the cost of the goods transactions.

For a full description of this item please refer to the Warehouse Management article of the User Guide.

Create a Warehouse

A warehouse represents the physical location of the stock.
A warehouse can be divided into storage bins positions, each storage bin position is a combination of a "Row", a "Stack" and a "Level" among other variables.

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to Warehouse Management || Setup || Warehouse and Storage Bins

  • Click New and complete the form with the following example data:
    • Select Organization as "*". This means that the warehouse is available for any Organization you create within this Client.
    • Enter "Main Warehouse" as "Search Key" and "Name"
    • Click on the Location/Address icon and complete the information in the new window.
  • Move to the Storage Bin tab.
  • Click New and complete the form with the following information:
    • Search Key: Enter a search key, for example MW-1-1-1
    • Row (X): Enter a row, for example 1
    • Stack (Y): Enter a stack, for example 1
    • Level (Z): Enter a level, for example 1
    • Relative priority: Keep 50 as relative priority.

For a full description of this item please review the Warehouse and Storage Bins article of the User Guide.

Create the Physical Inventory

The very first time that a physical inventory is created that means an initialization of the stock.

Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to Warehouse Management || Transactions || Physical Inventory

  • Click New and complete the form with the following example data:
    • Select Organization as "Oat Biscuit Company". This means that the physical inventory is just related to that organization.
    • Enter "01-01-2012" as Movement Date
    • Enter "Initial Stock" in the field Name
    • Select "Main Warehouse" in the field Warehouse
  • Click the Create Inventory Count List button and complete the form with the following information:
    • Storage Bin: Select MW-1-1-1
    • Inventory Quantity: Enter the inventory quantity, for example 0
    • Press OK
  • Move to the Lines tab.
You will have one line with the product you created above.
  • Complete the Quantity Count by entering for instance "100" in the field Quantity Count
  • Enter the unit cost of the product in case it is desired to calculate the costs, for example 10,00.
    That cost can be the "initial" average cost of the product.
  • Move back to the Header and click the Process Inventory Count button.

If you go now go to the Warehouse Management || Analysis Tools || Stock Report and click the HTML Format button, you will see a report showing your new product with the stock you entered above.

Besides, if you go now to the "Product" window and select the tab "Transactions" for this product, you will see the "Inventory In" Movement.

For a full description of this item please review the Physical Inventory article of the User Guide.

Create and validate a Costing Rule

Openbravo allows to calculate the cost of the goods transactions.
For getting that working it is required to:

  • define a costing rule for the legal entities with accounting.
    A costing rule is the rule to be applied during cost calculation, therefore each costing rule requires:
    • an starting date from where it is going to be valid therefore the costs start being calculated
    • and a costing algorithm such as "Average" or "Standard"
  • and to validate the costing rule to start using it
Bulbgraph.png   Note: Log into My Test Client, which you created in the Initial Client Setup section above, using the Test Admin user name and the password you defined.

Go to: Warehouse Management || Setup || Costing Rules

  • Click New and complete the form with the following example data:
    • Select Organization as Oat Biscuit Company. This means that the costing rule is available for cost calculation for that legal entity
    • Select "Average Algorithm" as "Costing Algorithm"
    • Leave the check-box "Warehouse dimension" unchecked if it is not needed to calculate cost by warehouse
    • Leave the field "Starting Date" blank, that means that all the exiting material transactions are taking into account while calculating the cost, including the physical inventory ones above.
  • Click on the Validate Costing Rule button to process and validate the rule.

If you go now to the "Costing Rule" tab of the "Product" window, you will see that the costing rule created is shown as validated.

Moreover:

  • if you go to the "Costing" tab of the "Product" window, you will see the Physical Inventory transaction set as an "Average" Cost Type transaction, showing the cost and the quantity of the product.
  • if you go to the "Transactions" tab of the "Product" window, you will see physical inventory transaction is marked as "Is Cost Calculated" = Yes, once the costing background process has taken into account this transaction to calculate its cost.

Additionally, if the products of an Organization needs to be valuated at an "Standard" cost rather than at an "Average" cost, a Standard Costing Rule needs to be configured and assigned to the Organization.
Besides the standard cost of the products needs to be entered in the "Costing" tab of the products as described below:

  • Select the Organization as Oats Biscuit Company
  • Select the value "Standard" in the field "Cost Type".
  • Enter the standard cost in the field "Cost"
  • Enter a date range
  • Enter the quantity available of the product in the field "Quantity"
  • Finally, select the checkbox "Manual" and "Permanent" and enter the Warehouse if you want to calculate transaction costs besides by warehouse.
  • Save.

For a full description of this item please review the Costing Rules article of the User Guide.