Code bill item lines
Required user role: AP processor
Required permission: Process Bills
- Non-PO backed bill item lines can be coded when the bill is in either Pending review or Pending AP action status. For PO-backed bills, item lines are coded on the Coding page after matching — see Review PO matching.
- If your company uses NetSuite, SAP Business One, or Microsoft Business Central and item lines are enabled, you can code bills using item lines instead of expense lines. Item lines are supported on both PO-backed and non-PO backed bills.
- For SAP Business One and Business Central non-PO bills, this requires the AP setting Enable item lines for non-PO bills (Administration → Bills → Additional AP settings), and the ERP's item catalog must first be synced into Tipalti using the Items record type in the integration's Sync preferences.
- For SAP B1 payers, Tipalti syncs the Warehouse object from SAP B1 as a custom field. Select a warehouse when coding an item line — the value flows back to SAP B1 on bills and vendor credits, and is also available on synced PO lines.
When to use item lines
- Use Item when the invoice references a specific item in your ERP's item catalog, or when item-level tracking is needed — for example, physical goods or inventory.
- Use Expense when the invoice is a general charge and does not map to an ERP item.
- Item lines are available for both PO-backed and non-PO backed bills. For PO-backed bills, expense account requirements by line type are covered in Review PO matching.
What is an item line?
A bill line can be either an:
- Expense (default)
- Item
An item line links the bill line to an item synced from your ERP's item catalog (NetSuite, SAP Business One, or Business Central). When you choose Item, you can select an item from the synced list, and the units and unit price may fill in automatically.
A bill can include both expense and item lines.
How to code item lines
The steps below cover non-PO backed bills. For PO-backed bills, code item lines on the Coding page during PO matching review — see Review PO matching.
1. Open the bill
Open a non-PO bill from the Bill list that is in Pending review or Pending AP action, then scroll to Bill lines.
2. Change the line type to item
On the relevant line, open the Type dropdown and select Item.
- Type is required.
- You cannot change the type after approval.
3. Select the item
In the Item field, choose the correct item from the synced catalog.
If the list is empty, this message may display No items available for this payer entity as the items don't apply to the entity you're working in.
You cannot submit the bill if an item line has no item selected.
4. Check the units, unit price, and net amount
- Units: If it is blank, it may fill in from the item. If it differs, a mismatch warning appears, and you can choose to update it.
- Unit price: If it is blank, it may be filled in from the item. If it differs from the item, a mismatch warning appears, and you can choose to update it.
- Net amount: Each item line net amount must be positive. Vendor credits are allowed, but item lines still must be positive.
5. Expense account
For item lines, Expense account is not editable. Your ERP (NetSuite, SAP Business One, or Business Central) always uses the expense account defined on the item record — you cannot override it in Tipalti.
6. Submit the bill
Before submitting, confirm:
- Each item line has an item selected.
- Each item line amount is positive.
- Any validation errors in the banner are resolved.
Limitations
- You cannot submit a bill with a negative item line.
- You cannot set a line to Item using CSV or API.
- Lot-numbered and serialized items are not supported.
- Changes made to an item in your ERP (such as unit price or unit of measure) only apply to new bills. Existing bills are not updated.
Common questions
Why can't I select an item?
This usually happens when items have not synced, or the item is not available for your entity. If the list is empty, contact your administrator to confirm item lines are enabled and items are syncing.
Why can't I submit?
Check that every item line has an item selected and that each item line amount is positive. Then check if you completed all the required fields.
Why did the units or unit price change after I selected an item?
Units and Unit price can be filled in from the ERP item. If your entry differs from the item, you may see a mismatch warning with an option to update.
Why is there a sync error when sending the bill to my ERP?
Common causes include using an item that is not in the synced item list, an item that is inactive in your ERP, or an item that is not available for your entity.
Check Sync monitoring with NetSuite, Sync monitoring for Microsoft Business Central, or your integration's sync monitoring screen for the error message, then confirm if the item is active and available in your ERP.