# Invoice numbering and number series

> Define the format of invoice, credit note, quote, customer, item and other numbers, with date tokens, padding and yearly reset, and decide whether numbers may be typed by hand.

Source: /help/en/settings/invoice-numbering

Every document kind has its own number series. Alya Books allocates the next number when you save, so numbers are unique and gap-free even when two people work at the same time.

## Steps

1. Go to **Settings → Outgoing invoices** and find the **Document Numbering** card. Owners and admins can edit.
2. Each row is one series: Tax invoice, Credit note, Debit note, Proforma, Quote, Order confirmation, Payment reminder, **Customer number** (default `C-{n}`) and **Item number** (default `IT-{n}`). The customer and item series feed the wand buttons next to **Customer number** on a contact and **Item number** on an item.
3. Edit the **Template**. Use `{n}` for the running number and `{YYYY}`, `{YY}`, `{MM}`, `{DD}` for the date, for example `INV-{YYYY}-{n}`. A template must contain `{n}`, and two series cannot share the same template.
4. Set **Padding** (1 to 10): the number of digits `{n}` is filled to. With padding 5 the first number is `INV-2026-00001`.
5. **Last used** is the counter behind `{n}`. Leave it, or raise it to continue from your previous system.
6. Switch **Reset yearly** on if the count should restart at 1 in January.
7. Check the **Next number** preview and click **Save Numbering**.

## Manual numbers

Below the series, the **Numbers, terms and editing** card has the switch **Allow manual document numbers**. It is off by default.

- **Off**: invoices, credit and debit notes, proformas, quotes and other documents always take the next number from their series, in order. The number field in the editor is read-only (shaded), and a new document always gets the next number when you save it.
- **On**: members who can edit invoices may type a different number. The series then jumps to that value, so the sequence continues after it.
- Either way, CSV and connector imports and the API keep supplying their own numbers, and customer numbers on contacts can still be typed.

## Good to know

- The editor shows the next number of the series as a preview; the number is fixed when you save.
- Saving a number that already exists is refused.
- If the next number is somehow taken, the series skips ahead automatically.
- Numbers imported from Zoho Books or Tally keep their original values; the series continues after the highest imported number.
- Converting a proforma, quote or order confirmation to a tax invoice allocates a number from the tax invoice series at that moment: for a proforma, when you click **Create draft invoice** (the number shown in the dialog is a preview).
- The FTA requires a unique sequential number per tax invoice; keep one live series and avoid changing the template mid-year.
- Integrations can read the next number and verify a number through the API; see docs.alyabooks.ai.

## Related

- [Document designs and text presets](/help/en/settings/designs-and-text-presets)
- [Custom fields and templates](/help/en/settings/custom-fields)