Using Negative Line Items
Users can create negative net value line items on orders to offset revenue in a given period. To create a negative line item, you need the User Permission ‘Discount Over 100%’.
With the permission, when you create an order, you can add your line items like normal. In the add item popup, you can change the Net field to be a negative value, or you can use the discount fields to set a discount greater than 100%. You can set a negative net value on every type of product when you have the permission.
Note
When there is an item with a negative net value on an order, you cannot use the ‘Discount Order’ bulk action.
Continue through the order creation and approval process.
Note
Installment billing does not work with negative net line items. On orders where a line item has a negative net, you will not be able to create an installment schedule.
The net value for the items will show up as negative anywhere the net is displayed, including the products tab on the order creation process, and when an order is fully approved.
Any items with a negative net value will automatically be marked as externally invoiced. When the order is approved, the items will show a Negative Net (External) message rather than an invoice icon on the company’s orders tab.
There are a few other items that need to be considered when discounting items over 100%.
No tickets will be created for items with a negative net value.
Only new items can have a negative net. For example, if you add a service ad to the order, you can set a negative net on the item. But when editing an existing line item on the order, it cannot be changed to have a negative net.
If you use our Google Ad Manager integration, GAM line items with a negative net value will not be pushed to GAM.
The permission to discount orders over 100% only applies to the net value of the items. You cannot set a negative gross value.
Commissions are not applicable for negative items.
Negative net items will not have inventory held for them. When creating negative net slot products, once a negative net is entered, you will no longer see the ad size, or position/channel filters and options on the add line item popup. Instead, you will just be required to choose a date for the slot. For print and digital ads, when a negative net line item is created, it will not book any inventory, even if it would have otherwise met the criteria.
Adding Negative Line Items to Fully Approved Orders
When adding a negative net line item to a fully approved order, rather than an incomplete or pending order, all the previous restrictions apply, such as needing permission to add the item, not using installment billing on the order, etc. There is an additional option, however, to create a credit memo when creating the line item.
In the add line-item popup, when a negative net value is set, you will see a checkbox to ‘Create Credit Memo.’ By default, the system will not create a credit memo for the item.
Note
You need the user permission ‘Credit Memos & Special Invoices’ to see this option.
When checked, after saving the line item, the Create Credit Memo popup will be displayed, with the company name and value fields pre-populated based on the line-item amount.
In the popup, you will see the field ‘For Negative Net Line Item,’ with the line item you just created automatically selected.
You can choose to create the credit memo for future use, or you can apply it directly to an invoice by selecting an open invoice for the company in the Invoice # field.
Note
If you choose a master invoice, you will need to select the master invoice, then choose one of the regular invoices that make up the master invoice for the credit memo to be applied to.
If you change your mind and no longer want to create a credit memo for the item, you can always click the cancel button in the popup before the credit memo is created.
The credit memos that are created will show the associated order number and line-item information, so you can easily track what the credit memo was created for.
If the line-item value is edited prior to the credit memo being applied to an invoice, the credit memo value will also be updated to reflect the change. The value will not change if the credit memo has been applied as a payment.
Additionally, if you have the permission to create negative net line items, when creating a credit memo, in the popup you will see the ‘For Negative Net Line Item’ field. This allows you to choose from any negative net line items for the company that have not been associated with a credit memo.