Adding and Managing Line Items
Line items are the core of every invoice in AccuArk. Each line item represents a product or service that the customer is purchasing. This article covers how to search for and add items, how the item grid is structured, how to edit and remove items, how discounts and taxes are applied, and how to read the financial summary panel at the bottom of the invoice.
Searching for Items
AccuArk provides several ways to find and add items to an invoice:
Search by Name, SKU, or Barcode
The search bar at the top of the invoice form accepts free-text searches. As you type, AccuArk searches across the item name, SKU, and barcode fields simultaneously. Matching items appear in a dropdown list below the search bar. Click an item to add it to the invoice with a default quantity of one.
If you have a barcode scanner connected, scanning an item's barcode automatically enters the barcode value into the search field. When a scan produces an exact barcode match, the item is added to the invoice immediately without requiring you to select from a list. If the scanned item is already on the invoice, its quantity is incremented by one instead of adding a duplicate line.
Search by ID Only
For businesses that prefer to search by internal item ID, AccuArk offers a search-by-ID mode. When this mode is enabled, the search bar matches only against the item's numeric ID, which is useful in warehouse or wholesale environments where staff reference items by number.
Item Filtering
The search results filter to show only items that are active (status = 1) and that either have stock available or have the Allow Orders Exceeding Stock flag enabled. This prevents staff from accidentally adding discontinued or fully depleted items that cannot be fulfilled.
The Item Grid
Once items are added to the invoice, they appear in the items grid. The grid displays the following columns for each line item:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Line # | Sequential line number, automatically assigned and updated as items are added or removed |
| Image | Thumbnail preview of the item's product image, if one is configured |
| Item Name | The display name of the product or service |
| Quantity | The number of units being purchased — editable by clicking the cell |
| Price | The unit price of the item — editable if the item's Allow Price Change flag is enabled |
| Discount | Any per-item discount applied, including promotional discounts |
| Tax | The calculated tax amount for this line item based on the item's tax type and the location's tax rates |
| Subtotal | The line total: (Quantity x Price) - Discount + Tax |
| Available | Real-time stock available at the current location (permission-gated; see Article 136) |
| Need to Order | Shortfall quantity if ordered quantity exceeds available stock (permission-gated; see Article 136) |
| Notes | Click the icon to add or edit a per-line-item note (see Article 137) |
| Delete | An "X" button to remove the item from the invoice |
Several additional hidden columns store internal data such as the item ID, item type, tax type, discount pricing ID, track stock flag, and refund reference ID. These columns are not visible to the user but are used by the system for calculations and data persistence.
Editing Quantities and Prices
To change the quantity of an item, click the Quantity cell in the grid and type the new value. AccuArk recalculates the line item's discount, tax, and subtotal immediately. The availability and need-to-order columns also update in real time to reflect the new quantity.
Prices can be edited only if the item has the Allow Price Change flag enabled in its inventory record. When price editing is allowed, click the Price cell and enter the new unit price. The system recalculates the line totals automatically. Items without the Allow Price Change flag display the price as read-only.
Removing Items
To remove an item from the invoice, click the "X" button in the Delete column for that row. AccuArk subtracts the item's totals (subtotal, discount, and tax) from the invoice totals and removes the row from the grid. Line numbers are automatically renumbered so they remain sequential with no gaps.
Product Items vs Service Items
AccuArk distinguishes between two item types on invoices:
- Product items are physical goods tracked in inventory. When an invoice containing product items is completed and its order status triggers inventory deduction, AccuArk creates stock transactions to reduce the quantity on hand at the selling location.
- Service items represent labor, fees, consulting hours, or other non-physical charges. Service items skip inventory tracking entirely — no stock transactions are created regardless of the invoice's order status. Service items still participate in pricing, discounting, and tax calculations like any other line item.
The item type is set in the inventory item record and cannot be changed on the invoice itself.
Discounts
AccuArk supports multiple layers of discounting on an invoice:
Promotional Discounts
If the Marketing & Promotions module is configured with active promotions, the promotion engine evaluates the invoice every time items are added, removed, or modified. Qualifying promotions are applied automatically — the cashier does not need to apply them manually. Promotional discounts appear as a separate total in the financial summary.
Coupon Codes
Customers can present coupon codes that are entered on the invoice. When a valid coupon code is applied, the linked promotion is activated and the coupon discount appears in the financial summary. Each coupon has its own usage limits and expiration rules.
Per-Item Discounts
Individual items may have discount pricing configured in their inventory record (via a discount pricing schedule). These discounts are applied automatically at the line item level and appear in the Discount column of the grid.
Invoice-Level Discounts
A flat discount can be applied to the entire invoice. This invoice-level discount reduces the total independently of any per-item discounts or promotional discounts.
Shipping Charges
Shipping charges can be added to the invoice for delivery orders. The shipping amount is entered separately from line items and appears as its own line in the financial summary. Shipping charges are added to the invoice total after the subtotal and before the final balance calculation.
Tax Calculation
Tax is calculated per line item based on two factors:
- Item Tax Type — Each inventory item has a tax type assigned (e.g., taxable, non-taxable, or a specific tax category). This determines which tax rates apply to the item.
- Location Tax Rates — Each business location has its own set of tax rates configured. When the invoice's location is set or changed, AccuArk loads the applicable tax rates for that location.
The system multiplies each item's taxable amount by the matching tax rate(s) to compute the per-item tax. The sum of all per-item taxes is displayed as the total tax in the financial summary. AccuArk also supports tax-included pricing, where the entered price already includes tax and the system back-calculates the tax component.
The Financial Summary
The financial summary panel at the bottom of the invoice displays the following totals:
| Label | Description |
|---|---|
| Items Subtotal | Sum of all line item totals (Quantity x Price) before discounts and tax |
| Discount | Total of all per-item discounts and invoice-level discounts combined |
| Tax | Sum of all per-item tax amounts based on item tax types and location tax rates |
| Shipping | Shipping charges for the invoice, if any |
| Invoice Total | The final total: Items Subtotal - Discount + Tax + Shipping |
| Total Payments | Sum of all payments recorded against this invoice |
| Total Due | The remaining balance: Invoice Total - Total Payments |
| Items Returns | Total value of any returned (refunded) line items on the invoice |
| Refunds | Total refund amounts issued back to the customer |
The financial summary updates in real time as items are added, removed, or modified. The group box header shows the invoice number and customer name for quick reference.
Related Articles
- Stock Availability and Need-to-Order (Article 136) — How the Available and Need to Order columns work
- Using Line Item Notes (Article 137) — Adding per-item notes to invoice line items
- Order Status Workflow — How invoice statuses control inventory deduction and fulfillment
- Payment Recording & Refunds — Recording payments and processing refunds on invoices