Which entry type (bilagstype) should an integration use?
Short answer
There is no single standard entry type (bilagstype) that fits all customers.
Entry types (bilagstyper) are created and configured in the customer’s system. They are tied to the customer’s chart of accounts and accounting routines. The customer or the customer’s accountant must therefore decide which entry type to use for a given financial event.
API support can help with:
- which endpoint to use
- which field contains the entry type ID
- how to retrieve the available entry types
- why the API rejects a given entry type
API support cannot decide which accounts the customer should post to, or which entry type is correct from an accounting perspective.
What is an entry type (bilagstype)?
An entry type (bilagstype), technically called EntryDefinition, is a template for how an entry should be processed in Core.
An entry type can specify, among other things:
- name and description
- debit account
- credit account
- VAT treatment
- functional type
- which assignment and case types it can be used for
- whether it can be used for the buyer’s or the seller’s costs
- how the entry is presented in the settlement statement
The functional type of an entry type can also control other functionality in Core. It is therefore not always sufficient to pick an entry type that simply has a name that looks right.
Example
Two entry types (bilagstyper) can both be named “Marketing”, but:
- use different accounts
- have different VAT treatment
- apply to different brokerage firms
- be available for different assignment types
- have different functional classifications
The integration must use the specific entry type ID that has been approved for the customer and the purpose.
How are entry types (bilagstyper) and the chart of accounts related?
The entry type (bilagstype) points to accounts in the customer’s chart of accounts. There is usually at least one debit and one credit transaction.
The chart of accounts specifies, among other things:
- account number
- account name
- account type
- VAT codes
- whether the account is active or deleted
An entry type may be invalid or unsuitable if its accounts:
- lack the correct account type
- are deleted or deactivated
- have incorrect VAT setup
- do not fit the financial event in question
Changes to the chart of accounts can therefore affect existing entry types and integrations.
Where is the entry type (bilagstype) configured in Core?
A user with the required access can find the setup under:
Brokerage firm → Information → Entry types (Meglerforetaket → Informasjon → Bilagstyper)
This view shows, among other things:
- name
- description
- type
- debit account
- credit account
- VAT
- available assignment and case types
Creating or changing accounts and entry types normally requires the permission:
Finance administrator (Økonomi-administrator)
The entry type can then be linked to a cost or an automatic accounting rule in the customer’s cost setup.
How does the integrator find the right entry type (bilagstype)?
Recommended process
- Describe the financial event precisely. Example: order fee, marketing cost, disbursement, commission or reminder fee.
- Clarify whether the integration should create:
- a cost
- an entry draft (bilagskladd)
- a posted entry (bokført bilag)
- Ask the customer or their accountant which entry type to use.
- Retrieve the entry type from the customer’s own API.
- Verify accounts, VAT, availability and that the entry type is active.
- Test in the customer’s test environment before going live.
Entry type IDs must not be copied from another customer or hardcoded as a shared value for all customers.