FAQs: Searching Invoices

The Keyword search type behaves quite differently for bibliographic search indexes (author, title, and more) and search indexes that are acquisitions-related (invoice ID, order ID, check number, and more).

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Keyword search of bibliographic search indexes supports Boolean operators, field qualifiers, and other search strategies. See the Keyword Search topic for details.

The information in the Keyword Search topic does not apply to the Keyword search choice when the call number and item ID are selected, nor when acquisitions related indexes, such as invoice ID, order ID, check number, and so on, are selected.

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Keyword search of acquisitions-related indexes (invoice ID, order ID, check number, and more) uses implied right truncation. Using this search type, you can type the first few characters of the search string, and a list of records that match your search string, left to right, will be returned in a hit list. The search hit list is limited to records that are a partial match for your search string. Often, if only one record is retrieved, you will skip the hit list and go directly to the retrieved record. If there is no match for the search string you typed, a “Record not found” message will display.

Browse search also uses implied right truncation. Using the Browse search type, you can type the first few characters of the search string, and a list of records that match your search string, left to right, will be returned in a hit list. The hit list is not limited to records that are a partial match for your search string. You can browse forward and backward in the list, and see records that are unrelated to your original search string. A Browse search always returns a hit list; you never skip the hit list and go directly to a record. While browsing, a hit list will display even when there is no match for the search string you typed.

Exact search requires that your search string be an exact match for a value in the database. Only records that are exact matches for the search string are returned. When the search is successful, the retrieved record typically displays. There is rarely a hit list. When there is no match in the database for your search string, usually a “Record not found” message will display.

When is it useful to use the Exact search type?

It is best to use the Exact search type when you are searching an exceptionally short search string. Perhaps you have an invoice with the invoice ID A122, and you also have many invoices where the first characters of the invoice ID are A122. Keyword search will retrieve all partial matches, such as A122, A1223, and A122-A. Exact search will retrieve only the record that is an exact match.

Can we add additional indexes to the invoice search?

No. The acquisitions-related indexes in the invoice search are fixed. A SirsiDynix Symphony administrator can only add bibliographic indexes to invoice and order searches.

Can I search by ISBN or ISSN?

Yes, you can search for an ISBN or ISSN in the bibliographic database. To search an ISBN or ISSN, click the Keyword radio button, select the General index from the list, and in the Search For field, type the ISBN or ISSN you want to locate. You may want to limit your search to the MARC21 tag that contains the ISBN or ISSN by enclosing the tag in a left brace and right brace, { and }.

For example, in the Search For field, you might type the following.

9780385732932 {020}

The number inside the left and right braces indicates the tag number for ISBN in MARC21.

Alternately, if the SirsiDynix Symphony administrator has configured the ISBN/ISSN search, the ISBN and/or ISSN indexes may appear in the search index. If so, do not include the MARC21 tag number enclosed in left and right braces in the search string.

In either case, when your search retrieves only one bibliographic record, a window listing the orderlines associated with the retrieved bibliographic record will display. You must select each orderline to view the invoice lines associated with each order.

When your search retrieves multiple bibliographic records, you must select the desired record from a hit list before the list of orderlines and invoice lines displays.

My search retrieved a specific invoice line. I want to see the whole invoice. What do I do?

Click Cancel to close the invoice line window. The entire invoice will display.

There are a lot of different indexes and options for limiting search results. How do I decide on a search strategy?

Use the most specific information you have available in your search string. An invoice ID search is typically faster than an order ID search. An order ID search is typically faster than other search types. Circumstances will dictate whether a bibliographic search or a path through a vendor search (vendor ID, vendor name, or customer number) will be faster.

The following are some search strategies, listed in the order that is generally most efficient.

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If your goal is to retrieve a specific line on an invoice, and you know the invoice ID and line number, click a search type radio button, type the invoice ID in the Search For field, select the invoice ID index from the list, and type the line number (or other line designation such as SHIPPING) in the Invoice Line field. Click Search. The invoice and line you entered should be retrieved. If you don’t find the record you are looking for, verify that you typed the invoice ID correctly, and/or try browsing the invoice ID.

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If your goal is to retrieve all the lines on an invoice, and you know the invoice ID, click a search type radio button, type the invoice ID in the Search For field, and select the invoice ID index from the list. Click Search. The record you searched should be retrieved. If you don’t find the record you are looking for, verify that you typed the invoice ID correctly, and/or try browsing the invoice ID.

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If you are looking for an invoice line and you know the order ID associated with the invoice line, click a search type radio button, type the order ID in the Search For field, and select the order ID index from the list. If you know the orderline number, type it in the Orderline field. Click Search.

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If your search is successful and it retrieves multiple orderlines or one orderline with multiple linked invoice lines, a window listing the lines on the order will appear. By selecting the correct orderline, you will see a list of the invoice lines linked to the orderline.

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If your search retrieves only one orderline and one invoice line, the intermediate window will be skipped, and you will go directly to the invoice line display.

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If you don’t find the record you are looking for, verify that you typed the order ID correctly and/or try browsing the order ID.

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If you are searching an invoice, and the most specific information you have comes from a bibliographic record, click the Keyword radio button, and type your search string in the Search For field. Select the most specific appropriate index available, and click Search.

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When your search retrieves only one bibliographic record, a listing of the orderlines associated with the retrieved bibliographic record will display. You must select each orderline to the view the invoice lines associated with each order.

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When your search retrieves multiple bibliographic records, you will have to select the desired record from a hit list before the list of orderlines and invoice lines displays.

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If you are searching for an invoice paid with a specific check number, and the check number was entered when the invoice was paid, you can perform a check number search. The typical result is a list of invoice lines paid with the check number.

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If you are searching for an invoice and you only know the vendor’s ID or name along with the time frame of when the invoice was created (this is optional), click a search type radio button, type the vendor’s ID or name in the Search For field, and select the vendor ID or vendor name index from the list. Also indicate the fiscal cycle that was current when the invoice was entered in SirsiDynix Symphony in the Created in Fiscal Cycle field. Click Search. This strategy is particularly useful when searching vendors with relatively few invoices in each fiscal cycle. If there are many invoices for the vendor in the fiscal cycle, and you know a title or ISBN, try a title or ISBN search instead.

What happens when I limit search results by the Created in Fiscal Cycle field?

Created in Fiscal Cycle is a field in the invoice record that indicates the fiscal cycle that was current in your organization when the invoice was created in SirsiDynix Symphony. You can limit the search results of invoice ID, vendor ID, and vendor name searches using the Created in Fiscal Cycle field.

How does Current invoice work?

Clicking the Current invoice hyperlink text behaves as though you searched the invoice ID and library displayed as the Current invoice record. A listing of all invoice lines will display.

How does Current title work?

Clicking the Current Title hyperlink text behaves as though you searched the title displayed as the Current title record. A window listing the orderlines associated with the retrieved bibliographic record will display. You must select each orderline to the view the invoice lines associated with each order.

What are the Warnings options?

The Warnings options are available only when you select Invoice Control Number or Invoice ID as the search index. These options determine whether warning messages will display if a selected invoice has invoice lines that fail validations for amount differences and quantity differences.

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Amount displays warning messages when the difference between the amount invoiced for an item and the discounted price of the item (from the orderline of the displayed invoice) exceeds the threshold set in the Session Settings wizard.

Note: Invoice lines that use the ADJUST link type are not validated for amount differences. Refer to the Session Settings Wizard: Acquisitions topic for more information.

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Quantity displays warning messages when the total quantity invoiced is greater than the quantity received on the orderline of the displayed invoice.

By default, the Amount and Quantity check boxes are selected according to how the Display Amount Warnings option and Display Quantity Warnings option are selected in the wizard properties of the wizard in which you are using the Invoice Search step. For example, if the Display Amount Warnings option is selected in the Display Invoice wizard properties, the Amount check box under Warnings will be selected in the Invoice Search step when you start the Display Invoice wizard. When the Invoice Search step displays, you can accept the default settings of the Amount and Quantity check boxes, or you can change the settings.

The Warnings options display in the Invoice Search step of the following wizards when you select Invoice Control Number or Invoice ID as the search index.

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Display Invoice wizard

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Modify Invoice wizard

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Add Invoice Lines wizard

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Pay Invoice wizard

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Reverse Payment of Invoice wizard

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Delete Invoice wizard

I selected the Amounts and/or Quantity check boxes on the Invoice Search step. Why are amount and quantity warnings not displaying in wizards that can validate invoice lines during an invoice lookup?

Certain settings in the Session Settings wizard must be configured for the warning messages to display. Even if you select the Display Amount Warnings wizard property, the Display Quantity Warnings wizard property, the Amount option or the Quantity option under Warnings on the Invoice Search step, the warning messages do not display unless the following settings are configured in the Session Settings wizard.

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The Warn When the Difference Between Invoice Amount and Order Amount Exceeds % and $ check box must be selected, and a percentage and/or monetary amount threshold must be specified in the Session Settings wizard to see amount warning messages.

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The Warn When the Invoice Quantity Exceeds the Received Quantity check box must be selected in the Session Settings wizard to see quantity warning messages.