How To: Create a New Sales Order for a Service
Table Of Contents
If you sell services rather than physical products, such as garden design, cleaning services or sharps collection, you can create a non-stock controlled stock item and use it on sales orders.
This approach allows you to:
- Create quotations, sales orders and invoices for services.
- Record service revenue separately within your accounts.
- Charge by quantity, such as hours worked, or as a fixed fee.
- Include service items alongside standard stock-controlled products on the same order.
Step 1: Create the Service Stock Item
Before you can add a service to a sales order, you must create a stock item to represent it.
You may wish to create separate stock items for each service you offer.
Create the Stock Record
- Open a Stock screen (show me how).
- Press Ctrl+N to create a new stock item.
- Enter the required stock item details:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Stock Code (Required) | Enter a unique reference code for the service. |
| Description | Enter a description of the service. |
| Stock Type (Required) | Select the appropriate Level 2 Stock Type. |
| Sell Price | Enter the standard charge for the service. This could be an hourly rate or a fixed amount. |
Note: Khaos Control automatically removes any spaces from the beginning or end of the Stock Code when the record is saved.
Configure the Options Tab
Open the [ Stock | Detail | Options ] tab and set the following options:
| Option | Setting |
|---|---|
| Stock Controlled | Untick |
| Automatic Quality Check | Leave ticked |
| Free Text Descriptions | Tick |
| Non-physical Item | Tick |
| COS Excluded Item | Tick only if you intend to purchase the service through the purchasing process. See Stock Detail Options: COS Excluded for more information. |
| Exclude Delivery Labels | Tick |
Configure the Accounting Tab
Open the [ Stock | Detail | Accounting ] tab.
Base Tax Rate
Select the appropriate tax rate for the service.
This enables Khaos Control to calculate VAT correctly when the item is sold or purchased.
Sales Nominal
Assign a sales nominal account to the stock item.
Creating a dedicated sales nominal allows service income to be reported separately from product sales.
For guidance, see How To: Create a Sales Nominal Account for a Stock Item.
Save the Stock Item
Once all settings have been entered:
- Press Ctrl+S, or
- Click Save.
The service item is now ready to be used on sales orders.
Step 2: Create the Sales Order
Once the service stock item has been created, you can add it to a sales order.
Create a New Sales Order
- Open a Sales Order screen (show me how).
- Press Ctrl+N to create a new sales order.
- Use the available filters to locate and select the required customer.
Add the Service Item
- Press F3 to add a new order line.
- Use the search filters to locate the service stock item you created.
- Double-click the stock item to add it to the order.
Tip: If you know the stock code, you can use Quick Stock Entry for faster entry.
Adjust the Service Details
After adding the item:
- Update the Qty field as required.
- For hourly services, this may represent the number of hours worked.
- For fixed-fee services, this may remain as a quantity of one.
- Amend the description if required to provide more detail about the service delivered.
Examples:
- Garden Design - 4 Hours
- November Sharps Collection
- Site Survey Visit
- Annual Equipment Inspection
Add Additional Items
Repeat the process until all required items have been added to the order.
You can mix service items and stock-controlled products on the same sales order if required.
Enter Payment Details
- Open the [ Sales Orders | Payment ] tab.
- Enter the required payment information.
For more information, see:
- How To: Enter Payment Details on a Sales Order
- How To: Quick Set Payment Types
- How To: Enter a BACS Payment in a Sales Order
Save the Sales Order
- Press Ctrl+S, or
- Click Save.
The sales order is now ready to be processed through the Sales Invoice Manager.
Additional Information
- Non-stock controlled service items do not affect stock levels.
- Free text descriptions allow service-specific details to be entered on each order.
- Assigning a dedicated sales nominal can make financial reporting more accurate and easier to analyse.
- Service items can be used on quotations, sales orders, invoices and recurring business processes in the same way as standard stock items.