Dealing with the Loss of the One Voucher Functionality in D365 for Finance and Operations

Posted on: March 15, 2019 | By: Jarrod Kraemer | Microsoft Dynamics AX/365

Authored by: Rosey McAdams

As many of you may or may not have heard Microsoft will soon be discontinuing a functionality called One Voucher.  This functionality that was available without restriction in prior versions of Microsoft Dynamics 365 and AX has, as of the March 2019 release, been turned into a General Ledger parameter that is turned off by default.  While using the one voucher functionality is discouraged by Microsoft, as it will eventually be removed entirely, there is nothing to prevent companies from turning this parameter on and utilizing this functionality until it is eventually retired.  No need to mourn the loss of this functionality, later in this blog we will look at some simple work arounds to help your company deal with the changes ahead.

What is the One Voucher functionality?

First, let’s understand exactly what the One Voucher functionality controls.  The One Voucher functionality is a functionality that can be turned on or off, through General Ledger Parameters field Allow multiple transactions within one voucher, in versions of D365 after the March 2018 release.  Per the description provided from hovering over the Allow multiple transactions within one voucher field, one would select this parameter to: allow multiple vendor, customer, fixed asset, bank or project transactions to be entered within a single voucher.  This means that if this parameter is selected you can, for example, enter GL transactions with the main account as a Vendor and the offset account as a Customer.  If this parameter is not selected you would not be allowed to enter a main account as a vendor and the offset account as a customer, the offset account must ALWAYS be a ledger account. 

Now let’s look at some common scenarios where we would want to use multiple vendor, customer, fixed asset, bank or projects in a single voucher:

  • Paying vendor invoice(s) by moving the balance to a customer through a vendor payment journal with a customer as the offset
  • Moving a customer balance amount to a vendor by using the customer reimbursement functionality or through a customer payment journal with the vendor as the offset
  • Moving one vendor balance to another vendor
  • Moving a bank balance from one bank account to another
  • Moving a project balance to another project

Why is Microsoft getting rid of this functionality?

The scenarios above just scratch the surface of the many different circumstances in which your company may find the One Voucher functionality useful, and because there were never any restrictions on using this functionality before there was no reason not to. So, why all of the sudden is Microsoft getting rid of this seemingly highly useful functionality? According to Microsoft the one voucher functionality causes a slew of issues including: issues during settlement, tax calculation, reconciliation of a subledger to the general ledger, financial reporting, and more.

Microsoft has issued statements warning customers against using this functionality as it will be turned off eventually, although this date is not yet known.  Microsoft is intent on finding solutions to the functionality gaps that it will be creating by removing the One Voucher functionality prior to removing the functionality altogether.  However, if you do have a scenario that requires the One Voucher functionality and would rather be safe than sorry at the time the functionality is turned off we do have a helpful work around that you can begin to use today. 

Suggested Workaround

To get around the use of one voucher to carry out any of the transactions described above it is necessary that we utilize an intermediate GL account for the amount to go in and out of to facilitate our subledger to subledger transaction without using just one voucher.  So, in our example with the vendor as the main account and the customer as the offset account, instead we would use the vendor as the main account and ledger as the offset account on the first line, and on the second line use the customer as the main account and the same ledger account as the offset.  This way, the same value will go in and out of the ledger account we select and will end washing each other out.  In theory, if this account is only used for this type of ins and outs, this account balance will always be zero.  Let’s look at an example transaction and the suggested work around in practice. 

Instead of doing this:

…do this:

Hopefully this blog has given you some useful information about the One Voucher functionality and if nothing else has opened your eyes to the eventual discontinuation of the functionality.  For additional information please feel free to reach out to us at info@loganconsulting.com or (312) 345-8817.

All the best!
Logan Consulting
www.loganconsulting.com



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