Dimensions let you tag vouchers and invoices with extra information – for example department, project, or a custom category – so you can filter and report across the accounts.
Which dimension types are available?
Catacloud has four types of dimensions:
Department – built-in dimension type. Set up under Administration → Departments.
Project – add-on module. Active projects are available as dimensions when the project module is enabled.
Product – products from the product register can be used as a dimension on vouchers and invoices.
Custom dimensions – you create the dimension names and values yourself. Set up under Administration → Module settings → Accounting → the Custom dimensions tab.
All four types can be applied to vouchers and invoices, both at the top level and per line.
Setting up custom dimensions
Go to Administration → Module settings → Accounting → the Custom dimensions tab.
Click Add dimension and give it a name (e.g. "Team fund" or "Funding source").
Add values (sub-dimensions) within the new dimension – for example "J33", "J15", "A-team".
Save. The dimension is now available on vouchers and invoices.
Tip: You can organise values hierarchically with parent and child categories. Remember to select the correct sub-dimension – selecting only the top level is not enough.
Dimensions on customer invoices
Dimension fields are not visible by default. To enable them:
Open or create a customer invoice.
Enable the More options toggle in the top right of the form.
Two dimension fields now appear:
Dimension (top level) – a field at invoice level, just below the other invoice details. A value selected here is automatically copied down to all product lines.
Select dimension (per product line) – a separate field under each individual product line, where you can override the top-level dimension for that specific line.
Select the desired dimension value in one or both fields.
Tip: Use the top-level dimension when the entire invoice belongs to the same department or project. Use the per-line dimension when different lines should be coded to different departments or projects.
Dimensions on supplier invoices and manual vouchers
Supplier invoices and manual vouchers do not have a top-level dimension field that applies to all lines. Here, dimensions are set per posting line:
Open or create a supplier invoice or a manual voucher.
Enable the More options toggle in the top right of the form.
A Select dimension field now appears below each posting line.
Click the field on the relevant line and select the desired dimension value from the list.
If the voucher has multiple posting lines, you must set the dimension on each line separately.
Required dimension per account
You can configure a specific dimension as required at the posting level – meaning the system forces the user to select a dimension value every time they post to a specific account. This is useful for cost accounts where you always want to ensure that e.g. department or project is recorded.
You can also set a default dimension per account, so that a specific value is automatically suggested when posting to that account – but can still be overridden.
Both settings are configured on the individual account in the chart of accounts. See Creating or editing an account in the chart of accounts for instructions.
Who can add and change dimensions?
Access to add and change dimensions is controlled by user permissions. A user must have permission to edit dimensions in order to select or change values on vouchers. Access is set under Administration → Users → [username] → Permissions.
Note: access to add dimensions is not the same as access to the project module. If a user needs to use projects as a dimension, they must have access to both.
Reporting on dimensions
Once dimensions have been applied to vouchers, you can filter reports on them. Go to e.g. Accounting → Reports and use the dimension/department filter field to narrow the report to one department, one project, or one custom dimension.
Can I change a dimension after posting?
Dimensions cannot be changed after a voucher has been posted. If you selected the wrong dimension, the voucher must be reversed and re-posted with the correct dimension. This restriction applies to all posted transactions, not just dimensions.
When should you contact us?
Can't find the dimension field? Check that the More options toggle is enabled, and that the user has the correct permissions (see "Who can add and change dimensions?").
A dimension you set up is missing? Try refreshing the page (Ctrl+Shift+R / Cmd+Shift+R).
Other questions about setting up or reporting on dimensions? Contact us in the chat and include the client name and which dimension type it concerns.