Updating issue requests is a warehouse function that additionally issues goods for delivery notes for which, at the moment of their creation, there was insufficient stock on hand. This article describes what an issue request is, when to run the function, what impact it has on accounting, and what to do if it fails.
The default state of Flexi is to not create issue requests (if there is insufficient stock on hand, creating an issue ends with an error).
You can enable the generation of issue requests in the company settings under Settings -> Goods.
What is an issue request
An issue request is an issue note item that has not been issued from stock. It is created when an issue note is generated at a time when there is not enough stock on hand (e.g., due to invoicing).
You can distinguish it from a standard issue by a positive value in the Requested Qty column and a zero value in the Quantity column.
The accounting value of issue requests is 0 until they are updated. You can also identify them by this 0 value, though this may not always be a reliable indicator.
On the stock card, the quantity of issue requests is reflected in the Requested Qty column.
If multiple requests arise, they are settled from oldest to newest. Received goods will therefore always cover the oldest unresolved request first.
When to run the update
If you sell into negative stock, i.e. you issue invoices for goods you don't currently have in stock, it's best to run the update with every stock receipt. This continuously reconciles the stock level and prevents requests from accumulating.
Additionally, check the status of requests before the end of the accounting period:
Open the stock cards.
The Requested Qty column shows how many issue requests have been generated. The Stock Level Incl. Requests column shows how many of them cannot be satisfied given the current stock level.
Create a receipt for at least the exact number of missing units.
Run the Issue Request Update. The goal is for the stock level as of December 31 to be 0 or higher.
🚨 If you perform initialization of the following period with unresolved requests, you will see an incorrect stock level, and the goods from the invoice that generated the request will never be issued from stock. Requests from one accounting period cannot be satisfied by a receipt in the following period.
You can find the function directly on stock cards, receipts/issue notes, or the list of warehouses.
Example: creation and settlement of a request
Let's demonstrate the creation of a request and its subsequent settlement via the update using a simple example.
On the stock card, we have a quantity of 0 and need to invoice while automatically generating an issue note. Flexi also warns us of the stock shortage when saving the invoice item.
After saving the invoice, which automatically created the issue note (and thus also the issue request), we can go back to the stock card.
Here we can see a value of 1 in the Requested Qty column and a value of -1 in the Stock Level Incl. Requests column. The unit price of the request is 0.
We now reach the stage where the goods arrive in stock - we create a receipt for 1 unit.
After saving it, we can observe a positive value on the stock card in both the Stock Level column and the Requested Qty column.
However, in our case, the desired state is 0 in both columns (in reality, the stock level is indeed 0).
So we run the issue request update.
Once it completes, the stock card will show the following values.
Accounting impact of the update
Updating issue requests is not an accounting-neutral operation. While a request is pending, its accounting value is 0. Only through the update does it become an actual issue with a price, which is then reflected in the accounting.
The size of the impact depends on what preceded the update.
You receive the goods and immediately settle the requests with them
If you receive 5 units into stock and use them to settle 5 requests, the receipt and issue will cancel each other out in value, resulting in a zero net impact on accounting.
If you account for inventory using Method A, entries corresponding to these movements will be added to the accounting. The balance won't change, but you will see them in reports, which may not always be desirable. With Method B, no entries will be added, unless you subsequently adjust the one-time year-end entry.
You already have the goods in stock and are only settling the requests
Here the impact is clear-cut. The value of inventory drops by the value of the issued goods, all at once, at the moment of the update.
⚠️ If you have already closed the period and filed the closing statements, the update may change balances on certain accounts. Before running it, consult your accountant or tax advisor. Flexi will perform the operation, but it will not decide for you whether it is permissible in that period.
Unsettled requests from past periods
If issue requests are not being satisfied in the current period and you are certain you have enough units in stock to cover them, this means you have unresolved requests from past periods. These must be settled in the period in which they arose.
Switch back one period and open the stock cards.
Add the Requested Qty column and sort by value, highest first.
Work backward through all periods this way, until the Requested Qty column shows zero for the item in question. This period is the last one without a request; from the following period onward, you need to gradually settle them using receipts and updates.
Then, starting from this period, perform an initialization to the following period so that the reconciled stock information carries forward.
Repeat this process until all requests in all periods have been satisfied.
🚨 If you have already closed periods and filed the closing statements, this procedure may affect balances on certain accounts in your accounting. Consult your accountant or tax advisor before performing it.
What to watch out for
Stock recalculation does not resolve issue requests
If an unsettled request is pending on a stock card, stock recalculation will not remove it. Recalculation works with prices; only this function settles requests.
The update reports a locked document
The update makes changes to documents in the period in which the request arose. If a document is locked, the function will fail. You have three options:
Unlock the document, run the update, and refile the closing statement as a correction if needed. This is the standard approach.
Have an advanced parameter set up that, once activated, causes locked documents to be ignored during the update (i.e., they won't be included in the update). Installation of the parameter costs CZK 2,250 excl. VAT and can be arranged via customer support.
Stop using the price list item and replace it with a new one on which no request arose. This is a last-resort option for exceptional cases: the old request will remain permanently unsettled and will still appear on the stock card, but the new record won't be affected by it.
💡 Which approach is worthwhile depends on how many documents the correction affects. For a handful of items, it's usually simpler to replace the item than to file corrective closing statements. This is an accounting decision, not a technical one.
Relationship to stock-taking
Stock-taking does take requests into account (it increases the calculated stock levels by the issue requests). However, for smoother stock-taking, we recommend settling issue requests before performing it.
Requests do not carry over to the next period
All requests should be settled before initializing the following accounting period. ABRA Flexi cannot satisfy issue requests from a previous accounting period using a receipt in the following one.
Reservation priority
A reservation takes priority over an issue request.
FAQ
Why did the accounting balances change after the update?
Because the update turns a zero-value request into an actual issue with a price. If you already had the goods in stock beforehand, the value of inventory will decrease by the value of the issued goods. This is described in detail in the Accounting impact of the update section.
In what order are requests settled?
From oldest to newest. You cannot choose which request should be covered first.
Does stock recalculation settle requests?
No. Stock recalculation only works with prices. Only the issue request update settles requests.
Can I run the update in a locked period?
No, as long as the document is locked, the function will fail. Solutions are described in the The update reports a locked document section.
Can I cover last year's request with this year's receipt?
No. Requests must be settled in the period in which they arose, and the result carried forward to subsequent periods through initialization.
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