October 2025   ​|   ​Finance & Accounting   |   ERP

In Odoo, there are two central settings for invoice posting: the Control Policy for incoming invoices and the Invoice Policy for outgoing invoices. Both are defined per product and determine whether an invoice is created based on delivered quantities or ordered quantities.

• Delivered Quantities: The invoice can only be booked after delivery or receipt of goods.

• Ordered Quantities: The invoice can be booked at any time.

So when is which setting appropriate, and what should you pay attention to?

Challenges in a multi-company setup

Particularly in multi-company environments and international supply relationships, the period between invoicing and physical receipt of goods can vary considerably.

While delivery within Germany is usually unproblematic, the situation is different for shipments from China to Europe or the USA.

Our experience shows that the control policy for incoming invoices is usually set so that goods receipt is a prerequisite for posting. The invoice policy plays a lesser role for outgoing invoices, as companies control the delivery and invoicing process themselves.

Practical example: Goods from the Far East

A company orders goods from the Far East using the Incoterms “Ex Works” or “Free on Board.” The goods are transported by ship and take six weeks to arrive.

Two booking options

1) With transit warehouse

• Supplier sends delivery documents and invoice on January 25.

• Goods receipt is booked immediately (transfer of ownership has already taken place).

• Goods appear in inventory valuation but remain unavailable.

• Physical arrival in March triggers a warehouse transfer.

2) Without transit warehouse

• Goods receipt is only booked upon physical delivery.

• Incoming invoices must still be recorded beforehand.

• Risk of P&L distortion due to lack of inventory effect.

Attention: Not booking goods in transit is not an option. That would be incorrect from an accounting perspective.

Solution with ordered quantities & accrual bookings

The control policy = ordered quantities enables early posting of the incoming invoice (e.g., on January 25). This results in a corresponding posting in Continental Accounting:

The missing inventory entry can be simulated using the syscoon accrual app: Goods in transit to inventory change (accrual).

We recommend using a separate account, as standard BV accounts are only intended for automatic bookings.

Advantages in the intercompany area

• If the goods are shipped between two group companies, the receiving company can already post the incoming invoice without having to wait for the physical goods to arrive.

• The syscoon Accrual app ensures that the inventory increase at the end of the month is automatically posted and canceled the following day.
  
  

Extreme case: Delivery at the end of the month

• If goods are shipped and invoiced on January 31, the incoming and outgoing invoices must also be booked on January 31.

• Without accrual and with a control policy = delivered quantities, it must be ensured that the subsidiary books the goods receipt into a virtual warehouse on the same day.

• However, due to time differences, this is often not practical.
  
  

Conclusion

Companies with goods in transit or in a multi-company setup should specifically adapt the control policy.

• Delivered Quantities is suitable if the physical receipt of goods is a prerequisite for invoice booking.

• Ordered Quantities is ideal for international supply chains and intercompany bookings.

The right combination of control policy and demarcation prevents distortions in financial accounting and ensures more accurate inventory valuation.

The syscoon Accrual App is part of our Accounting Features + package. ​ Make a non-binding inquiry now!