Currency and conversion-rate problems

Symptom

When creating or saving a purchase order in a foreign currency, you see errors or unexpected behavior such as:

• "Currency not supported" or "Invalid currency"
• Exchange rate not found or not calculated correctly
• Price appears in the wrong currency
• "Exchange account not configured" error

What this means

Usystems needs to know:

1. Which currency you are purchasing in (vs. your base business currency)
2. The exchange rate to convert between the two currencies
3. Which account to use for exchange gains/losses

If any of these are missing or incorrect, the system cannot complete the purchase order.

Likely causes and fixes

1. Currency is not enabled in your business settings

The currency you want to use may not be set up in your Usystems organization.

Fix:

1. Go to Settings → Currencies Open in Usystems
2. Look for a list of active currencies. If your currency is not listed, create or enable it:
   • Enter the currency code (e.g., USD, EUR, AED, PKR).
   • Set a name if prompted.
3. Save the setting.
4. Return to your purchase order and refresh the page; the currency should now be available.

2. Exchange rate is missing or outdated

Your system does not have an up-to-date exchange rate between your base currency and the purchase currency.

Fix:

1. Go to Settings → Exchange Rates or Accounting → Exchange Rates Open in Usystems
2. Find the rate pair you need (e.g., AFN ↔ USD).
3. If missing, create a new rate:
   • From Currency: (your base, e.g., AFN)
   • To Currency: (the purchase currency, e.g., USD)
   • Rate: (the conversion factor, e.g., 1 USD = 68 AFN, so enter 68)
   • Effective Date: (the date this rate applies)
4. Save the rate.
5. Return to your purchase order; the system should now calculate amounts correctly.

Note: If you update rates frequently, ask your administrator to set up automatic daily rate updates if your system supports it.

3. Vendor's default currency does not match

The vendor is set to one currency, but you are trying to purchase in a different currency.

Fix:

1. Go to Contacts → Vendors Open in Usystems
2. Open the vendor used in your purchase order.
3. Look for a Default Currency field. You have two options:
   • Option A: Change the vendor's default currency to match your purchase (if all purchases from this vendor are in that currency).
   • Option B: Leave the vendor's default currency and specify the purchase currency on the individual purchase order line.
4. Save and return to the purchase order.

4. Exchange account not configured

When you use a foreign currency, the system needs an account to record gains or losses from exchange-rate movements.

Fix:

1. Go to Settings Open in Usystems
2. Look for Accounting Defaults or Exchange Settings.
3. Ensure an Exchange Gain/Loss Account or Revaluation Account is assigned:
   • This is typically a profit/loss account (e.g., "Foreign Exchange Gain" or "Foreign Exchange Loss").
   • If not set, go to Accounting → Chart of Accounts Open in Usystems and create these accounts, then return to settings to assign them.
4. Save the setting.
5. Try creating the purchase order again.

5. Rounding or precision error in the rate

You entered an exchange rate with too few decimal places, causing small rounding errors that add up.

Fix:

1. Go to Settings → Exchange Rates Open in Usystems
2. Find the rate you entered.
3. Check the rate value. Exchange rates typically need 4–6 decimal places for accuracy:
   • Example: 1 USD = 68.5423 AFN (not just 68 or 68.54).
4. Update the rate with more decimal precision if needed.
5. Recalculate your purchase order totals.

Tips to avoid currency problems

• Set up all currencies and rates before creating purchase orders in those currencies.
• Keep exchange rates current. Update them weekly or daily depending on market volatility.
• Use consistent currency coding. Match the codes in your system (USD, EUR) to international standards.
• Document exchange rates by date. If rates vary, store the effective date so you can trace back if needed.

When to contact support

If you have configured currencies and rates correctly, but still see errors:

• Note which currencies are involved (e.g., "Purchasing USD but base is AFN").
• Record the exchange rate you entered.
• Take a screenshot of the error.
• Contact your system administrator or Usystems support with these details.

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