Using Line Item Notes

Line item notes allow you to attach text notes to individual items on an invoice. Each note can serve as an internal reminder visible only to staff, or it can be marked to print on the customer's invoice for customer-facing communication. This article explains how the notes system works, how to add and edit notes, what the grid indicators mean, and common use cases.

What Are Line Item Notes?

A line item note is a free-text annotation attached to a specific item on an invoice. Unlike the invoice-level memo field (which applies to the entire invoice), line item notes are tied to individual products or services. Each line item can have exactly one note, which consists of two parts:

1. Note Text — The content of the note itself, which can be any free-form text describing special instructions, customization details, or internal reminders.
2. Print on Invoice — A boolean flag that controls whether the note text appears on the printed invoice. When enabled, the note is printed directly below the item's line on the customer-facing invoice printout.

This two-part design lets staff use notes for internal communication (by leaving Print on Invoice unchecked) or for customer-facing communication (by checking Print on Invoice), all from the same interface.

The Notes Column in the Grid

The invoice item grid includes a Notes column that displays a clickable indicator for each line item. The indicator changes based on whether a note exists:

The indicators are displayed as clickable text in the grid cell. When you see [+], the item has no note and clicking it opens a blank note editor. When you see [N], the item has a note and clicking it opens the editor pre-populated with the existing note text and Print on Invoice setting.

Tooltip Preview

For items that have a note ([N] indicator), hovering the mouse over the Notes cell displays a tooltip containing the full text of the note. This provides a quick way to preview note contents without opening the editor. Items without a note show "Add note" as the tooltip text.

Adding a Note

To add a note to a line item:

1. Click the [+] icon in the Notes column for the item you want to annotate.
2. The FrmLineItemNote dialog opens. The dialog header displays the item name so you can confirm you are editing the correct item.
3. Type your note in the text field. The field accepts multi-line text of any length.
4. Check or uncheck "Print on Invoice" depending on whether you want this note to appear on the customer's printed invoice.
5. Click Save to attach the note to the line item.

After saving, the Notes column indicator changes from [+] to [N], and the tooltip updates to show the note text.

Editing an Existing Note

To edit a note that already exists:

1. Click the [N] icon in the Notes column for the item.
2. The FrmLineItemNote dialog opens with the current note text pre-populated in the text field and the Print on Invoice checkbox set to its current value.
3. Modify the text or change the Print on Invoice setting as needed.
4. Click Save to update the note.

The dialog always opens with the existing values, so you can review the current note before making changes.

Clearing a Note

There are two ways to clear (remove) a note from a line item:

Using the Clear Button

The FrmLineItemNote dialog includes a Clear button. Clicking Clear empties the text field and unchecks the Print on Invoice checkbox. You must then click Save to apply the cleared state. After saving with an empty note, the Notes column indicator reverts from [N] back to [+].

Manually Deleting the Text

Alternatively, you can open the note editor, select all text in the note field, delete it, and click Save. The result is the same — the note is removed and the indicator returns to [+].

In both cases, the note is fully removed from the line item. There is no separate delete action; an empty note is treated as no note.

The Print on Invoice Option

The Print on Invoice checkbox in the note editor controls whether the note text appears on printed invoices:

• Checked: The note text is printed on the customer-facing invoice directly below the line item it is attached to. This is useful for communicating special instructions, customization details, warranty information, or any other item-specific information the customer should see on their copy.
• Unchecked: The note exists only within the AccuArk application and is visible to staff viewing the invoice on screen. It does not appear on any printed output. This is useful for internal reminders, handling instructions, or notes meant only for the fulfillment team.

The Print on Invoice setting is stored per note and can be changed at any time by editing the note.

Common Use Cases

Line item notes are versatile and can be used for many purposes:

Special Instructions (Print on Invoice: Checked)

• "Engrave initials: J.S.M. on back panel" — Custom engraving instructions for a personalized product
• "Gift wrap in blue paper with silver ribbon" — Packaging instructions for a gift order
• "Cut to 48 inches, customer will pick up Saturday" — Custom sizing for a building material order

Customization Details (Print on Invoice: Checked)

• "Color: Midnight Blue, Size: XL, Monogram: Yes" — Product customization specifications
• "Install facing north wall, 6 feet from corner" — Installation placement instructions

Internal Reminders (Print on Invoice: Unchecked)

• "Customer requested we hold this item until Thursday" — Fulfillment timing note
• "Check serial number before shipping — customer had issue with last unit" — Quality control reminder
• "Price matched to competitor, manager approved" — Pricing decision documentation

Handling Notes (Print on Invoice: Unchecked)

• "Fragile — double-box for shipping" — Warehouse handling instruction
• "Stored in cold room B, shelf 3" — Location guidance for the picking team
• "Hazmat item — include SDS in shipment" — Compliance reminder

Automatic Note Prompts

Some inventory items are configured with a Prompt Note flag in their item record. When a prompt-note item is added to an invoice, AccuArk automatically displays the item's notes field (from the inventory record) in a pop-up message. This is separate from line item notes — it is a one-time informational prompt that alerts the cashier about important item information at the time of sale, such as age verification requirements, warranty terms, or handling precautions. The prompt note does not create a line item note; it simply displays information.

Related Articles

• Adding and Managing Line Items (Article 135) — How to add items to invoices and work with the item grid
• Stock Availability and Need-to-Order (Article 136) — How the Available and Need to Order columns provide real-time stock visibility
• Invoice Printing & Work Orders — How printed invoices render line item notes when Print on Invoice is enabled
• Work Orders for Field Teams — How work order printouts include line item notes for field team reference