FAQ: Discounts & Taxes on Cash Purchases
Quick answers to common questions about discounts, taxes, and pricing on cash purchases.
Q: Can I apply both a line discount and a document discount on the same purchase?
A: Yes. Line discounts are applied first to individual items, then the document-level discount is applied to the remaining subtotal. For example, a 10% line discount on an item reduces that item's price, and then a 5% document discount applies to the entire purchase total. The order of calculation matters — it is not the same as a single 15% discount.
Q: What is the difference between a percentage discount and an amount discount?
A: A percentage discount is calculated as a percentage of the line or document subtotal (e.g., 10% off). An amount discount is a fixed monetary reduction (e.g., 500 AFN off). Use whichever is clearer for your deal. The system accepts both and recalculates totals automatically.
Q: Can I remove a tax after I've added it?
A: Yes. On the line or document tax field, click to open the dropdown and select No Tax or leave the field blank. The tax is immediately removed and totals recalculate. If you need to change the tax rate rather than remove it entirely, select a different rate from the dropdown.
Q: How do taxes interact with discounts? Which is calculated first?
A: Discounts are applied first (reducing the subtotal), and then taxes are calculated on the discounted amount. For example, if an item costs 1,000 AFN, you apply a 10% discount (saving 100 AFN), and then a 5% tax is calculated on the remaining 900 AFN (not the original 1,000). This is standard practice in most jurisdictions.
Q: What if the supplier's invoice has a tax rate different from what Usystems suggests?
A: Always use the tax rate shown on the supplier's invoice. If Usystems suggests a different rate, your admin may need to update the tax configuration. Contact your administrator to confirm the correct rate for that supplier or product type, or manually override the suggested rate with the correct one.
Q: Can I use a discount template if my supplier doesn't match one of the pre-defined templates?
A: Discount templates are created by your admin for common discount scenarios (e.g., "Wholesale 10%", "Loyalty Discount"). If your supplier does not match an existing template, you can apply the discount manually by entering the percentage or amount directly in the discount field. Your admin can also create a new template if the discount is used frequently.
Q: If I enter a negative discount, what happens?
A: A negative discount is treated as a surcharge (price increase). For example, entering −5% raises the purchase total by 5%. Use negative discounts carefully; they are typically used only when a supplier adds a charge, not as a standard discount.
Q: Does the system round tax amounts, or are they calculated to the cent?
A: This depends on your system configuration and tax rules. Most systems round to the nearest monetary unit (e.g., the nearest AFN). If you need precise control over rounding, consult your admin or refer to your local tax regulations.
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