Correcting errors and reconciling data

Many events are recorded in BrewOS that affect stock, invoicing and reports to the authorities. Errors can still happen: a wrong quantity, a wrong customer, a wrong warehouse or a missing entry. The most important thing is to correct the error so that the chain of events stays understandable.

This guide helps you choose the right way to correct.

First: find out at what stage the error is

Before correcting, check:

• Is the event still at the draft stage, or has it already been locked, picked, delivered, invoiced or reported?
• Does the error affect the stock balance, an invoice, the customer's details, a production batch or the tax account?
• Has the error already moved to an external system, such as ProCountor, Netvisor or Maventa?
• Is the event shown in the event log, where you can check who made the change and when?

The further the event has progressed, the more carefully it should be corrected.

Shipment errors

If the shipment is still in progress, correct the products, quantities and prices directly on the shipment.

The rows of a locked shipment cannot be edited. If the shipment is awaiting picking, return it for editing with Return for editing (in the ⋯ menu, More actions) and correct the rows. If the shipment has already been picked and is awaiting delivery, you can redo the picking with the Cancel and pick again button, for example if the products were picked from the wrong warehouse or batch. A shipment that has not yet been delivered can also be cancelled completely with Cancel.

If the shipment has already been marked as delivered, always check the effects:

• The stock balance has changed.
• Events have been created on the tax account.
• The shipment may already have been invoiced or moved to the invoicing system.

In that case the clearest way is often to make a correcting event, for example a customer return, a credit in the invoicing system or a separate stock correction. This way both the original event and the correction remain visible.

If a delivered shipment is cancelled completely (Cancel in the ⋯ menu and a confirmation), BrewOS returns the products to stock, deletes the shipment's tax events and returns the BrewOS licence litres consumed by the shipment. The litres are returned to the BrewOS licence from which they were taken: if it has already expired, the returned litres can no longer be used. Cancelling also removes the shipment's quantities from the BrewOS reports of periods already reported, but a report already filed must be corrected separately.

If a shipment has been marked as invoiced by mistake, remove the mark with Undo invoicing. It removes only the mark: an invoice draft or invoice already created stays as it is.

Packaging errors

If packaging has been recorded incorrectly, it can be cancelled on the production batch's Packaging tab with the row's delete button as long as no other events have been recorded on the packaged batch's stock balance (for example shipments or transfers). Otherwise the button is not shown, and the balance is corrected with a stock correction. Cancelling makes a correction entry in stock and returns the BrewOS licence litres consumed by the packaging on the same terms as when cancelling a shipment.

Packings are production entries in the small brewery ledger. If you cancel a packing or record one afterwards on an earlier day, the small brewery reduction tier of later batches may change. Then check To correct on the Reports > Small brewery and beverage packaging tax relief page (see Excise duty returns).

Stock balance errors

If the physical stock and the BrewOS balance do not match, first find out the reason:

• is a shipment or packaging missing?
• was the picking done from the wrong warehouse or the wrong batch?
• have products been broken, lost, expired or used for another purpose?
• was the opening stock recorded too large or too small?

Once the reason is known, primarily use an event that describes the actual situation. If it is a stock count difference, make a stock count or a stock correction and write in the explanation why the correction is made.

If too many products were originally recorded in stock, remove the excess on the warehouse's Removals tab with the code KVK (Correction of a booking error). Such a removal is not reported on the excise duty return. A removal for unexplained consumption (8§7mom) can be changed into a correction of a booking error within two months. See Warehouses.

Invoicing errors

If the invoice has not yet been sent, correct the shipment or the invoice before sending.

If the invoice has already been sent to the customer or moved to external accounting, the way to correct depends on the accounting practices. Often the right way is to:

• make a credit note for the incorrect invoice,
• create a new corrected invoice, or
• record a separate payment or credit, if it concerns a payment.

BrewOS cannot always change an invoice that has already moved to an external system. So also check the correction in the invoicing system you use.

Tax account and authority report errors

Reports to the authorities are compiled from the tax account events and the stock entries. Primarily correct the error at the source (shipment, product, stock entry), because that also corrects future reports. A single tax event can be corrected on its own page, and the page suggests fixes for issues. See Reporting.

If the period's report has already been filed, the correction does not change it:

• Correct an excise duty return sent to VeroAPI by sending a replacement return for the period. See Excise duty returns.
• Correct a Valvira report sent through Allu by creating and sending a new report for the period, which replaces the earlier one. See Valvira reports.
• Correct a report filed directly in OmaVero or Allu there.

Customer and product data errors

Customer and product data can usually be corrected directly on their own pages. Be careful, however, if the information has already appeared on documents or reports:

• The Business ID affects identifying the customer relationship.
• The delivery location's details are shown on the shipping documents.
• The product's EAN code and tax details can affect reporting. A changed Valvira product number is also updated on the tax events of the months whose delivery report has not yet been sent.
• Prices affect new shipments, but not necessarily old shipments that have already been locked.

If the correction changes how the past is interpreted, write a note about the event or make sure that the change is shown in the event log.

Reconciliation practices

A good reconciliation rhythm reduces errors:

• Reconcile the finished goods stock at least at the turn of each month.
• Check that delivered but uninvoiced shipments are handled regularly.
• Check open accounts receivable and record payments on time.
• Go through the reports to the authorities before sending them.
• Always use explanations when you make an exceptional correction.

The goal of a correction is not only to get the figure right, but also to leave an understandable trail of why the figure changed.

See also Stock count, Shipments, Invoicing, Payments, Reporting and Event log.