How To Create a New Number Series in Dynamics 365 Business Central

This blog will cover the set up for No. Series in Dynamics 365 Business Central including the number series used for EFT, Sales & Purchase Transactions, General Journal etc.

Number series is used for numbering any Master Records and data transactions. No. Series can be used for a particular Master Record or transaction, and Business Central will automatically increment it the next time we create a new journal entry or record. It is a great tool available to all Business Central users to create their own specific number series to use in their batches.

Table of contents

• How to Create a New No. Series
• How to Assign a No. Series for a Particular Batch
• How to Set Up No. Series for EFT
• Difference Between EFT and Regular No. Series
• How to Change a No. Series for Any Master Record

How to Create a New No. Series

Step 1: In Business Central, search “No. Series” and open the link.

Step 2: When the No. Series window opens, we will be able to see all the No. Series that are currently set up in our Business Central environment.

Click “New” in the top menu bar and a new No. Series line will populate.

Step 3: You can then specify the new code and description. Click “Starting No.” to open a window where we can specify our new number series.

In the edit window, we can create our own number series. The number series can be created in any format required by the user. I have used the example of “NW0001 – NW9999.”

Pro Tip: In the edit window we can create different lines to set up different number series for the same code. Then, by using the column “Starting Date”, we can specify when a particular number series should start.

Step 4: Navigate back to the main No. Series window.

Here we can turn off the “Default No. Series” option so that Business Central will automatically use the specified number series and it will keep getting incremented depending on the transactions.

Pro Tip: If you want to specify the number series manually instead of Business Central doing it automatically, turn on the “Manual No. Series” option. This is helpful when you are creating new customers and you do not want Business Central automatically assigning a No. Series.

How to Assign a No. Series for a Batch

Note that these same instructions will apply to General Journal, Payment Journal, Cash Receipt Journal, Fixed Asset, G/L Journal, etc.

Step 1: Open General Journal (or your selected journal) and click “Edit List” in the top menu bar.

Step 2: In the Edit List function, specify the newly created number series for Default Batch. Click on the drop down in the “No. Series” column and select the No. Series which you want to use for your batch.

Once you’ve selected your No. Series, click on “Edit List” again to exit this view.

The new No. Series will now show up for our “Default Batch.” Note that these same changes can be applied to any window which has the Batch Function.

Pro Tip: The No. Series of a particular batch can also be changed when the batch is opened. To do this, click on the ellipses next to the Batch Name.

If we want to write our own number series instead of Business Central specifying it for us, then instead of selecting a No. Series for a batch; keep the column empty. That is, delete any No. Series which is showing in that batch. In the images below, I have deleted the “No. Series” for “Default Batch” and I can now specify my own number series.

You can see that in the “Default Batch” the No. Series has been deleted.

Now when you enter your batch, you can specify your new Document Number.

How to Set Up a No. Series for EFT Transactions

Begin by opening your bank account card. Specify the number series for EFT (for that bank account card). In this example I have used the format “EFT-0001,” but the users can specify other formats as well.

If EFT No. Series must be used for other bank account cards, follow these same steps in the other bank account card.

Difference Between EFT and Regular No. Series

Unlike regular number series, EFT number series must be assigned the No. Series in the bank account card instead of the batch.

Let’s say we must make an EFT transaction in “Payment Journal” in a particular batch.

The highlighted batch already has a No. Series selected. You can open this batch and enter the EFT transaction.

The EFT No. Series is not showing up but rather the number series that was set up for the batch is showing. Once we export our remittance advice, Business Central will automatically show the EFT number series instead of the regular one.

This means that for our regular payments (check, manual) our batch number series is used. While, only for EFT transactions, the number series specified in the bank account card is used.

Note that the EFT No. Series only starts showing up when we download the “Remittance Advice.”

How to Change a No. Series for Any Master Record

In this example I will show you how to set up a default No. Series for Sales Transaction and Customers (Sales Order, Sales Invoice, Sales Credit Memo etc.). This process will be similar for Sales, Purchase, Fixed Asset, Items, Customers, Vendors etc.

Begin by searching “Sales & Receivables Setup.” Under the “Number Series” heading, we can specify different No. Series for all sales related transactions, including specifying the Customer No. Series.

You can use these different windows to specify the number series. For example, Purchase Transactions and Vendors requires you to search “Purchases & Payables Setup.” To specify the number series for Fixed Assets, search “Fixed Asset Setup” and for Items search “Inventory Setup.”

For advice and support tailored to your specific needs in Business Central, please contact us.