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Overview

Article groups

Article groups are very important. They determine how to separate the sale and purchase in your reports. They also set the VAT codes used in articles.

Start by making a plan about what you sell. This will help you know what article groups you need.

Article groups can be created over time. However, we recommend starting by creating the article groups you know you will need. It will make it easier to create articles and keep track of them.

 

Naming article groups

Remember, article groups can be used in both sales and purchases. So, choose a name that works in both contexts. E.g. avoid naming a group "Bicycle sale"; just use "Bicycle".

Typical names of article groups, could be:

  • "Work" or "hours"
  • "VAT free" (without a VAT code)
  • Product catories
  • "Environment"
  • "Freight"

It is not necessary to have article groups for import or export. If you have a "bicycle" group, VAT will automatically be determined based on the sales/purchase order and the partners address (e.g. regarding EU VAT). 

 

Article groups are important for your ledger journal

Article groups are visible in your fiscal's ledger, under "Sale", "Costs" and "Stock". This helps Xena to automatically keep track of your revenue and stock.

 

How to create article groups

You can create article groups all the places you can use/search for a group. 

Otherwise, go to Settings > Article settings > Article groups.

 

Article group overview

In the details view of an article group, you can clearly see what accounts and VAT codes are related. You can also view statistics on sales and purchase for the group.

 

Bookkeeping account for an article group

Xena know how to bookkeep; you don't need to setup anything. However, to make sure your auditor can follow the cashflow on the reports, account numbers are needed.

The account number fields available on article groups can be filled out whenever you are ready - even long after you have started using the groups. If you are not sure what account numbers to use, just leave them until you make the final balance report.

 

Bookkeeping directly from an article group

Article groups are listed in the ledger journal, e.g. under sales and purchase.

This makes great sense and makes it easy to bookkeep purchases and sales on the same "category". 

 

Example

Let's say you sell bicycles amongst other things. You of cause create an article group called "bicycles". All the difference types of bicycles you sell are attached to this group. Now you can see all your revenue from bicycles. 

By using the same article group to register bicycles you purchase, you have an easy overview of earnings on this category. In the ledger, you can see the balance of selling and buying bicycles.

If you are using our stock management, everything will be connected. When buying goods, your stock count increases; when selling bicycles, your stock count is updated.

 

Article group details

On every article group, you can view details about the connected articles, earnings and expenses.

 

Articles can't be moved between groups

To avoid messing up the history in the fiscal, you can't move an article from one article group to another. Therefore, it is very important to setup your article groups correctly, before you start selling goods.

You can, however, merge two article groups.

Updated