🔗 Transport Cost Matching

Introduction

The Transport Cost Matching module lets you match purchase invoices from shipping agents to previously created transport costs. This way you see how much transport actually cost at the level of individual order lines.

The module is available in the following areas:

  • Purchase Invoice (action Match Transport Cost)

How It Works

Step 1: Starting the Matching Wizard

  1. Open a Purchase Invoice from a shipping agent.
  2. Click the Match Transport Cost action in the N24TC | Transport Cost group.
  3. The system checks whether the vendor on the invoice has a linked shipping agent (Vendor No. field on the shipping agent card):
    • If the vendor has one shipping agent — it is selected automatically
    • If the vendor has multiple shipping agents — a selection window opens
  4. The system verifies that the shipping agent has a Transport Cost Type and Transport Cost Type No. assigned
  5. The matching wizard opens with the invoice data

Step 2: Matching Wizard

The Match Transport Costs wizard shows:

Invoice information:

  • Purchase Invoice No., Vendor No., Vendor Name
  • Shipping Agent, Invoice Amount, Currency Code
  • Date From / Date To — date range for filtering costs (default ±7 days from the posting date)
  • Allocation Method — default method from setup

Transport cost and allocation tree view:

The wizard displays transport costs in a tree view. The first level shows transport costs (with status Estimated or Confirmed), and the second level shows allocations to lines (items from linked sales documents).

For each line you see:

  • Item No. and Description
  • Quantity and Weight
  • Allocation %
  • Amount (LCY) — allocated amount (editable for allocation lines)
  • Cost per Unit

Step 3: Allocation Methods

Method Description
Manual You manually enter amounts for each line
By Weight The system distributes the amount proportionally to item weights
By Quantity The system distributes the amount proportionally to item quantities
Tip

If you use the By Weight method, make sure items have their weight filled in. Items with weight 0 are highlighted with a warning color.

Step 4: Matching

After reviewing allocations, click Match. The system:

  1. Saves allocations for each line
  2. Updates the transport cost status
  3. Records matching data — date, user, and purchase invoice no.

How to Enable

The module does not require separate activation — the Match Transport Cost action is available on purchase invoices immediately after installing N24 Transport Costs and configuring shipping agents (see First Configuration).

Examples and Scenarios

Scenario: Matching a shipping agent invoice to two sales orders

Need: A company ships goods via two sales orders using the same shipping agent. A few days later, it receives a single consolidated purchase invoice from the shipping agent for 500 PLN. It wants to distribute the transport cost across individual lines proportionally by quantity.

Configuration:

  1. On the shipping agent card, assigned Vendor No. matching the vendor from the purchase invoice and Transport Cost Type = Charge (Item) with the appropriate number.
  2. From Sales Order SO-001 (10 pcs of item A, 20 pcs of item B), a transport cost was created — Estimated Cost: 200 PLN.
  3. From Sales Order SO-002 (30 pcs of item A), a transport cost was created — Estimated Cost: 300 PLN.
  4. Both orders were shipped — transport cost statuses automatically changed to Estimated.

Matching:

  1. Open the Purchase Invoice from the shipping agent for 500 PLN.

  2. Click Match Transport Cost — the wizard automatically recognizes the shipping agent by vendor.

  3. In the wizard, both transport costs are visible in the tree view:

    Line Quantity Allocation (%) Amount (PLN) Cost per Unit
    TC-1: Transport Cost for SO-001 166.67
      Item A 10 16.67% 83.33 8.33
      Item B 20 33.33% 166.67 8.33
    TC-2: Transport Cost for SO-002 333.33
      Item A 30 50.00% 333.33 11.11

  4. Selected method: By Quantity — the system distributed 500 PLN proportionally to the total quantity of 60 pcs (10 + 20 + 30).

  5. Click Match — the system saves allocations and changes transport cost statuses.

Result: Both transport costs have status Allocated with the purchase invoice assigned. On each cost card you see Total Cost, Variance Amount, and Variance % compared to the estimated cost.

Tip

If you want to distribute the amount by weight instead of quantity, change the Allocation Method to By Weight in the matching wizard. Make sure items have their Gross Weight filled in on the item card.