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 (SAP B1), 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 B1 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.
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 B1, 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 expense, item, and (for Business Central) landed cost lines.
Code landed cost lines (Business Central)
Available for: Microsoft Business Central (BC) payers using AP and PO matching for inventory-related purchases.
Landed cost is the full cost of moving goods from a vendor to your warehouse — for example, freight or shipping charges billed separately from the goods themselves. Landed cost is supported on both PO-backed and non-PO backed (third-party vendor) bills.
Mark the bill line as Landed cost and choose a landed cost category (synced from BC Item Charges). Then select the item lines it applies to and allocate the cost across them. For a third-party vendor bill — for example, when a freight or shipping vendor bills you separately from the goods vendor — select the related receipts before allocating. Allocation is required for every landed cost line, whether it applies to a PO-backed bill or a standalone third-party vendor bill.
You specify the allocation across the selected item lines in Tipalti, and Tipalti applies that same allocation when the bill syncs to BC — the allocation method configured in BC doesn't apply.
When the bill syncs, Tipalti posts the landed cost to BC as part of the PO or as a purchase invoice, including the Item Charge Assignment.
- Landed cost is available for Business Central payers only.
- Landed cost can only apply to item lines — the PO must contain item lines.
- Landed cost lines can't be applied to EPD, prepayment, or negative 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.
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.
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 B1, 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.