Pharmacy Bill Number Configuration

Overview

The HMIS system provides flexible bill number generation for pharmacy operations. You can configure how bill numbers are formatted for different types of pharmacy bills, including Purchase Orders, GRNs, Transfers, Sales, and other transactions.

Bill numbers can be configured to include:

• Department codes (e.g., ICU, OPD, WARD)
• Institution codes (e.g., MPH, GH, DH)
• Year (e.g., 25)
• Prefixes (e.g., POR, GRN, TI)
• Sequential numbers (e.g., 000001)

When to Use

Configure bill numbers when you need:

• Unique identification across multiple departments or institutions
• Year-based numbering that resets annually
• Department-specific numbering
• Institution-wide numbering
• Custom prefixes

How to Access Configuration

Step 1: Access System Configuration

1. Log in as a system administrator
2. Navigate to Admin → Manage Institutions → Preferances → Configuration Options
3. Look for configuration options starting with "Bill Number Generation Strategy"

Step 2: Find Bill Number Options

The configuration options are organized by:

• Bill Number Generation Strategy - Controls the format
• Bill Number Suffix - Sets the prefix for each bill type

Bill Number Format Options

Option 1: Traditional Format (Default)

Format: 000001/2025

• Can vary for each bill type
• Some have a Simple sequential number with the year
• Some have department or institution codes with serial numbers
• Backwards compatibility is preserved if no configuration is changed

When to Use: For single-department institutions or when simplicity is preferred

Option 2: Department + Institution Format

Format: POR/RHP/MP/25/000001

• POR = Bill type prefix (Purchase Order Request)
• MP = Department code
• RHP = Institution code
• 25 = Year (2025)
• 000001 = Sequential number

Configuration Key: Bill Number Generation Strategy for Pharmacy [BILL_TYPE] - Prefix + Department Code + Institution Code + Year + Yearly Number

When to Use: For multi-department institutions needing detailed tracking

Option 3: Institution-Wide Format

Format: POR/RHP/25/000001

• POR = Bill type prefix
• RHP = Institution code
• 25 = Year (2025)
• 000001 = Sequential number (counts all bills institution-wide)

Configuration Key: Bill Number Generation Strategy for Pharmacy [BILL_TYPE] - Prefix + Institution Code + Year + Yearly Number

When to Use: For institution-wide numbering without department separation

Bill Types and Default Prefixes

Bill Type	Default Prefix	Description
Purchase Order Request	POR	Purchase requests from departments
Purchase Order Approval	POA	Approved purchase orders
Cancelled Purchase Order	C-POR	Cancelled purchase requests
GRN (Goods Received Note)	GRN	Items received from suppliers
Cancelled GRN	C-GRN	Cancelled goods receipts
GRN Return	GRNR	Items returned to suppliers
Direct Purchase	DP	Direct pharmacy purchases
Cancelled Direct Purchase	C-DP	Cancelled direct purchases
Transfer Issue	TI	Items transferred between departments
Direct Issue	DTI	Direct issues to patients/departments
Sale Pre Bill	SPB	Pre-bills for pharmacy sales
Sale Cashier Pre Bill	SCPB	Cashier pre-bills
Sale Bill	SB	Final sale bills
Sale Return	SR	Returned sale items
Sale Return Pre Bill	SRP	Pre-bills for returns
Sale Cancelled	SC	Cancelled sales
Direct Purchase Refund	DPR	Refunds for direct purchases
Issue Cancelled	C-DIS	Cancelled issue bills
Transfer Receive	TR	Items received from transfers
Disposal Issue	DIS	Items disposed/discarded
Transfer Request	PHTRQ	Transfer requests between departments

Configuration Examples

Example 1: Enable Department + Institution Format for Purchase Orders

1. Access Configuration: Admin → System Configuration → Application Configuration
2. Find Option: Bill Number Generation Strategy for Pharmacy Purchase Order Request - Prefix + Department Code + Institution Code + Year + Yearly Number
3. Set Value: true
4. Result: Purchase order numbers will be formatted as POR/ICU/MPH/25/000001

Example 2: Enable Institution-Wide Format for GRN

1. Access Configuration: Admin → System Configuration → Application Configuration
2. Find Option: Bill Number Generation Strategy for Pharmacy GRN - Prefix + Institution Code + Year + Yearly Number
3. Set Value: true
4. Result: GRN numbers will be formatted as GRN/MPH/25/000001

Example 3: Change Bill Number Prefix

1. Access Configuration: Admin → System Configuration → Application Configuration
2. Find Option: Bill Number Suffix for Purchase Order Request
3. Change Value: From POR to PUR
4. Result: Purchase order numbers will use PUR instead of POR

Understanding Configuration Combinations

Scenario 1: Default Configuration (All Options Disabled)

• Department Bills: 000001/2025
• Institution Bills: 000001/2025
• Behavior: Uses traditional numbering format

Scenario 2: Department + Institution Format Enabled

• Configuration: Enable "Prefix + Department Code + Institution Code + Year + Yearly Number"
• Department Bills: POR/ICU/MPH/25/000001
• Institution Bills: POR/ICU/MPH/25/000001 (same as department)
• Behavior: Both use detailed format with department code

Scenario 3: Institution-Wide Format Enabled

• Configuration: Enable "Prefix + Institution Code + Year + Yearly Number"
• Department Bills: POR/MPH/25/000001
• Institution Bills: POR/MPH/25/000001 (same sequence)
• Behavior: Simplified format, numbers count institution-wide

Scenario 4: Both Department and Institution Strategies Enabled

• Department Bills: POR/MPH/25/000001 (counts department bills only)
• Institution Bills: POR/MPH/25/000015 (counts all bills institution-wide)
• Behavior: Different counting methods for department vs institution

Troubleshooting

Issue: Bill numbers not changing after configuration

Solution:

1. Verify configuration is saved properly
2. Restart the application if necessary
3. Check that you're configuring the correct bill type

Issue: Numbers are not sequential

Causes:

• Mixed configuration settings
• Different counting methods for department vs institution Solution: Choose consistent configuration strategy

Issue: Wrong prefix appearing

Solution:

1. Check "Bill Number Suffix" configuration for the specific bill type
2. Ensure the suffix field is not empty
3. Verify correct spelling of suffix

Issue: Numbers restarting unexpectedly

Cause: Year change or configuration change Solution: This is normal behavior for yearly numbering

FAQ

Q: Can I use different formats for different bill types?

A: Yes, each bill type can be configured independently with its own strategy and prefix.

Q: What happens to old bill numbers when I change the format?

A: Old bill numbers remain unchanged. Only new bills use the new format.

Q: Can I change the separator from "/" to something else?

A: No, the separator is fixed as "/" in the current system.

Q: Will changing the format affect reports?

A: No, reports will continue to work with all bill number formats.

Q: Can I disable the year reset?

A: No, yearly reset is automatic and cannot be disabled.

Q: What if I want longer or shorter sequential numbers?

A: The system automatically adjusts the number length (e.g., 000001, 000010, 000100).

Q: Can different departments use different prefixes for the same bill type?

A: No, prefixes are set per bill type institution-wide, not per department.

Advanced Configuration

Custom Institution Codes

Institution codes are derived from your institution setup in the system. To change them:

1. Navigate to Admin → Institution Management
2. Edit your institution
3. Update the institution code field

Custom Department Codes

Department codes are derived from your department setup:

1. Navigate to Admin → Department Management
2. Edit the department
3. Update the department code field

Monitoring Bill Number Usage

To monitor bill number patterns:

1. Use Reports → Bill Analysis
2. Filter by date range and bill type
3. Review bill number sequences for gaps or issues

Support

For configuration assistance:

• Contact your system administrator
• Check the system logs for error messages
• Review this guide for common solutions
• Consult with HMIS support team for complex configurations