Showing landed costs on printed documents (separate or merged)

What This Does

By default, when you print a purchase order or cash purchase that includes landed cost charges, those charges may be shown in a separate section or merged into the unit price of each item. This article explains the options available and how to configure them through print templates.

Before You Start

• You must have permission to manage print templates.
• Understand the difference between separate display (landed costs shown as additional lines) and merged display (landed costs added to the item's unit price).
• Be familiar with navigating to Settings → Print Templates.

Default Behavior

By default:

• Landed costs are often shown separately on the printed document, allowing the recipient to see the itemized breakdown of freight, customs, and other charges.
• The item unit prices remain unchanged; the charges appear below the item table.
• This gives visibility into the true cost of goods while keeping the invoice structure clear.

Customization Options

Option 1: Separate Display (Recommended for Most Cases)

What it shows: Inventory items with their original purchase prices, followed by a section titled "Landed Costs" or "Additional Charges" listing each charge (freight, customs, etc.) with its amount.

Advantages:

• Clear transparency: recipients can see what each charge is
• Easier to audit: costs are clearly traced
• Suitable for internal records and vendor communication

How to configure: In most cases, this is the default. If you need to ensure this behavior, work with your print template. The template should include a section after the items table that lists landed cost charges.

Option 2: Merged Display (Merged into Item Unit Price)

What it shows: Each inventory item appears with an adjusted unit price that already includes its allocated share of landed costs.

Advantages:

• Simpler appearance: fewer lines on the printed document
• Shows the "true all-in cost" of each item upfront
• Useful if you want the document to reflect landed-cost-adjusted pricing for internal costing

Disadvantages:

• Less transparent: the recipient cannot see the breakdown
• Harder to reconcile: if questions arise, you must refer back to separate records

How to configure: Your print template must be configured to inject the allocated landed cost into the item line's unit price. This typically requires:

1. A custom print template that calculates each item's allocated landed cost
2. Logic to add the allocated cost to the item's base unit price
3. Ensure the template recalculates totals correctly

If you need merged display, consult your administrator or print template designer.

How to Change Print Template Settings

1. Navigate to Settings → Print Templates.
   Open in Usystems

2. Find the print template used for purchase orders or cash purchases (look for templates with names like "Purchase Order", "Cash Purchase", or similar).

3. Click Edit on the template you wish to modify.

4. Look for a section or setting related to Landed Costs or Additional Charges:

   • Some templates may have a toggle: "Show landed costs separately" or "Merge landed costs into item price"
   • If you see such a toggle, choose your preference.

5. If the template has no such setting, you may need to:

   • Contact your administrator to request a custom template
   • Use the template builder (if available) to add a landed costs section
   • Or work with your IT team to create a custom print template

6. Save the template changes.

7. Test by printing or previewing a purchase document with landed costs to confirm the new appearance.

Tips & Common Mistakes

• Check which template is in use: Different document types (purchase orders vs. cash purchases) may use different print templates. Ensure you are editing the correct one.
• Test before rolling out: Always preview or print a sample document before applying changes to production use.
• Communicate with users: If you change how landed costs appear, let your users know so they understand the new format.
• Keep records consistent: If you choose merged display, ensure that internal records and reports still show the breakdown of landed costs for accounting and audit purposes.
• Consider your audience: If the document is shared with external vendors or partners, a separate display is often clearer and avoids confusion.

Printing and Sharing

Once you have configured your print template:

1. Open the purchase document (Purchase Order or Cash Purchase).

2. Click Print or Preview (depending on your system's interface).

3. The document will render using your configured print template and the selected display option (separate or merged).

4. You can then print to paper, save as PDF, or share electronically with your vendor or team.