Configuring StretchBooks Settings and Numbering

Why settings matter

StretchBooks Settings define the defaults every new document inherits — currency, payment terms, tax, and numbering. Getting them right once means invoices, estimates, and bills come out correct without extra clicks.

Opening Settings

Go to the Settings area of StretchBooks. You'll see the fields below. Change what you need and Save; changes apply to documents you create afterward (they don't rewrite past documents).

The fields

• Base currency — the default currency for new customers, vendors, and documents. Defaults to CAD. Use a three-letter code (for example CAD, USD, EUR).
• Default timezone — the timezone used to interpret dates.
• Fiscal year start month — the month your financial year begins (1–12). Reports default their date ranges around this.
• Invoice prefix and Estimate prefix — the text in front of each number, for example INV- and EST-.
• Next invoice number and Next estimate number — the running counters. The next document you create takes the current value and the counter advances by one.
• Default payment terms (days) — how far out a due date is set from the document date when you don't enter one. Defaults to 14.
• Default tax code — the tax code applied to new lines that don't specify one. Leave it blank to require a tax choice per line.
• Accounting mode — an operational posture (foundation, operational, or customer_ready) that reflects how far along your books setup is.

How numbering works

Each invoice number is simply your invoice prefix plus the next invoice number. When you create an invoice, StretchBooks assigns the current counter and advances it by one, so numbers are sequential and never reused. Estimates work the same way with the estimate prefix and counter.

Example: with prefix INV- and next number 1042, your next invoice is INV-1042, and the counter moves to 1043.

Step-by-step: set up numbering and terms

1. Open Settings.
2. Set Invoice prefix to INV- and Next invoice number to the value you want to start from (for example 1000).
3. Set Estimate prefix to EST- and a starting estimate number.
4. Set Default payment terms to your standard, for example 14 or 30.
5. Set Base currency (for example CAD).
6. Optionally set a Default tax code (for example gst-5).
7. Save.

Worked example

Northlight Coaching wants invoices to read NL-2001, NL-2002, and so on, with net-30 terms and GST applied automatically.

1. Invoice prefix: NL-, Next invoice number: 2001.
2. Default payment terms: 30.
3. Default tax code: gst-5.
4. Save. The next invoice is NL-2001, due 30 days out, with GST 5% pre-selected on new lines.

Tips

• Pick prefixes before you send your first document — changing them later doesn't renumber existing documents, so your history can look inconsistent.
• Only move Next invoice number upward. Setting it below numbers you've already used risks duplicate numbers.
• A default tax code saves the most clicks if the bulk of your work uses one rate; leave it blank if your lines vary a lot.
• Set the fiscal year start month to match how you file so report periods line up.

Troubleshooting

My new invoice used the wrong currency. New documents inherit the base currency at creation time unless you override it. Update the base currency in Settings, or set the currency directly on the customer or document.

Due dates aren't what I expect. If you don't enter a due date, StretchBooks adds your default payment terms (days) to the document date. Change the default in Settings or set the due date manually.

A number was skipped. Counters advance on creation; if a document was created and later voided, its number is still consumed. That's expected and keeps numbering unambiguous.