In Sage Intacct, Workflows defines how transactions are created and process in Order Entry, Purchasing and Inventory modules. Workflow controls how transactions flow through system and their accounting posting.
- In Order Entry, Purchasing and Inventory modules; different transactions available to users are determined using a workflow. For example; transactions such as sales order, purchase invoice, inventory receipt are different transactions enabled using workflows.
- Using workflow transactions are processed from one step to another. For example; using a workflow you create sales order and then it can be processed or converted to another type i.e.; sales invoice.
- With workflow; you can define if a transaction can affect general ledger posting. For example; when sales invoice is posted it needs to post sales entries affecting cost of goods sold and inventory accounts.
Workflows are of two types i.e.; Standard or Advanced. Standard workflows are default workflows added by system when you first configure Order Entry, Purchasing or Inventory. Whereas if you need to add additional transactions you need to enable Advanced workflows.
A standard workflow are already configured and ready to use. The workflow defined by system comprises of all transactions. So if you look at standard workflows in Order Entry you will notice transaction such as sales order, sales invoice etc. The life cycles are already defined that is a sales quote is converted to sales order and sales invoice is created from sales order.
In case if there are any additional business requirements; users can switch to advanced workflow. The option can be enabled for Order Entry, Purchasing and Inventory modules.
With advanced workflow; you can create additional transaction as per need, define transaction flow, inventory effect and general ledger posting.
Couple of important things to note about advanced workflow
- Once you switch advanced workflow you can’t returned back to standard workflow.
- Turning on the advanced workflow in any one of the module; it is automatically enabled for other modules. So lets say; you enable the advanced workflow option in Order Entry configuration the advanced workflow will be enabled for Purchasing and Inventory module.