Default Receivable / Payable Account
EnigmaERP normally tracks all customer balances in a shared receivable control account and all supplier balances in a shared payable control account. The party on each invoice and payment provides the customer-level or supplier-level detail, so the Chart of Accounts does not need a separate ledger account for every party.
At Nova Industries, invoices for Northstar Retail, Bluewave Systems, and Cedar Commerce can all post to Debtors - NI. The Accounts Receivable report still shows what each customer owes, while the General Ledger keeps one reconcilable control balance.
Use a party-specific receivable or payable account only when there is a real accounting reason, such as a different currency, company, legal classification, or reporting requirement. Creating one account per customer or supplier usually makes the Chart of Accounts longer without improving party-level reporting.
How the default accounts work#
The Company record supplies the normal receivable and payable accounts. EnigmaERP uses them when a Customer or Supplier does not define a more specific account.
| Transaction | Control account | Party detail |
|---|---|---|
| Sales Invoice | Default Receivable Account | Customer |
| Purchase Invoice | Default Payable Account | Supplier |
| Payment Entry | The receivable or payable account used by the linked invoice | Customer or Supplier |
When an invoice is submitted, the account balance and the party balance are updated together. This is why the Accounts Receivable and Payable reports can show party-wise outstanding amounts even when many parties share one ledger account.
Configure the company defaults#
- Open the Company record.
- Go to the Accounts tab.
- Set Default Receivable Account to a ledger account whose account type is Receivable.
- Set Default Payable Account to a ledger account whose account type is Payable.
- Save the Company.
The accounts must belong to the same company and must not be group accounts. Create or review them in the Chart of Accounts.
Assign a different account to one party#
A party-specific account overrides the Company default for that Customer or Supplier.
- Open the Customer or Supplier.
- Open the Accounting section.
- Add a row for the Company and select the required receivable or payable account.
- Save the party.
Use this option selectively. For example, Nova Industries may use a USD receivable account for domestic customers and an EUR receivable account for a European customer because the account currency must match the transaction workflow. It should not create separate accounts merely to see customer-wise balances.
Which account does EnigmaERP select?#
EnigmaERP first checks whether the party has an account for the selected Company. If it does, that account is used. Otherwise, EnigmaERP uses the Company default. A value deliberately selected on the transaction can provide a more specific choice when the document permits it.
Before submitting an invoice, confirm the receivable or payable account when the party uses a special currency or reporting treatment. After submission, review the resulting posting through View Ledger or the General Ledger report.
Troubleshooting#
The required account is not available#
Confirm that it belongs to the transaction Company, is a ledger account, is enabled, and has the correct Receivable or Payable account type. Also check the account currency.
An invoice selects an unexpected account#
Review the Accounting section of the Customer or Supplier. A party-specific row takes precedence over the Company default. Remove or correct the row if it is no longer required.
Party balances do not agree with the control account#
Compare the Accounts Receivable or Accounts Payable report with the General Ledger using the same Company and posting date. Check opening entries, Journal Entries with a party, cancellations, and reconciliation before posting an adjustment.
Frequently asked questions#
Do I need a separate receivable account for every customer?#
Use the Customer dimension in invoices, payments, the Payment Ledger, and receivable reports to see customer-level balances. A shared control account is the normal setup.
Can multiple companies share the same receivable account?#
Ledger accounts belong to one Company. Configure receivable and payable defaults separately for every Company.
Can a customer use more than one receivable account?#
It can have company-specific accounts, and different account currencies may require separate accounting arrangements. Keep the design limited to genuine accounting needs so reconciliation remains clear.