====== Setting Up Group Deductions ======

===== Overview =====

Group Deductions let you charge a fee to multiple consignor accounts at once in a single operation. Instead of opening each account and manually posting a deduction, you define the fee once, set filters to target the right accounts, preview who will be charged, and process  Liberty handles the rest.

**Common uses:**

  * **Annual consignment fee.** Charge all active consignors a yearly membership or participation fee.

  * **Monthly storage fee.** Charge accounts whose items have been sitting in the store past a set time.

  * **Inactivity fee.** Charge consignors who have not brought in new items within a defined period.

  * **Cleaning or handling fee.** Charge a flat fee to a specific group identified by a filter code.

**How it works at a high level:**

  - You create a //Saved Group Deduction//, a named template that stores the fee amount, transaction type, and filters that define which accounts qualify.
  - When you are ready to charge accounts, you open Apply Group Deductions, load your saved template, review the preview list, and click Process.
  - The deduction posts to each qualifying account's Transactions tab and reduces their payable balance at payout time.

Note: Group Deductions are for batches of accounts. To deduct from a single account, use **Activities > Accounts > Credit/Debit Account** instead.

===== Before You Begin =====

Before creating a Group Deduction, confirm the following are already in place:

  * **Transaction Types**: the deduction requires a Transaction Type to determine how it posts (payable vs. non-payable) and which GL account it maps to. Set these up at **Setup > Maintain > Transaction Types** if not already done.

  * **Filter Codes** (optional): if you want to charge only a specific subset of consignors, assign Filter Codes to those accounts first. Set up Filter Codes at **Setup > Maintain > Filter Codes**.

  * **Fee Frequencies** (optional): if you want to target accounts by billing cycle, set these up at **Setup > Maintain > Fee Frequencies**.

===== Creating a Saved Group Deduction =====

A Saved Group Deduction is a reusable template. You create it once and load it each time you need to charge accounts.

==== Open Apply Group Deductions ====

From the Liberty Inventory Module menu bar, select **Activities > Accounting > Apply Group Deductions**.

{{:docimages:group_deductions_01_menu.png|Activities menu showing the path to Apply Group Deductions}}

==== Open the Saved Deductions List ====

The Apply Group Deductions dialog opens. Click the **...** button to the right of the **Load Saved Deduction** dropdown.

{{:docimages:group_deductions_02_apply_dialog.png|The Apply Group Deductions dialog with the ... button highlighted}}

The **Saved Group Deductions** list appears. Click **Add** to create a new template.

{{:docimages:group_deductions_03_saved_list_add.png|Saved Group Deductions list with the Add button highlighted}}

==== Fill In the Deduction Details ====

The **Saved Group Deduction** form opens. Fill in the following fields:

{{:docimages:group_deductions_04_detail_form.png|Saved Group Deduction form with numbered callouts for each field}}

  * **Name (1).** A descriptive internal name for this template. This name appears in the Load Saved Deduction dropdown. Example: ''Annual Consignment Fee''.

  * **Transaction Type (2).** Select the transaction type from the dropdown. This controls whether the deduction is payable (reduces what you owe the consignor at payout) or non-payable (affects account balance only), and which GL account it maps to for QuickBooks export.

  * **Description (3).** The text that appears in the consignor's Transactions tab when the fee is charged. Keep it clear and professional. Example: ''Annual consignment fee''.

  * **Amount (4).** The dollar amount to deduct. Enter a positive number — Liberty applies it as a deduction automatically.

  * **Filters (5).** Narrow which accounts get charged. Leave all filters blank to charge every active account. See the **Understanding Filters** section below for a full explanation of each filter.

Click **OK (6)** to save the template.

===== Understanding Filters =====

Filters are the most misunderstood part of Group Deductions. Each filter narrows the pool of accounts that will be charged. You can use one filter, several, or none. Accounts must match **all** active filters to be included.

^ Filter ^ What It Does ^ Example ^
^ Account # | Restricts the deduction to accounts within a numeric range. Enter the starting account in **From** and ending account in **Through**. Leave blank to include all accounts. | From: 1 / Through: 500 charges only accounts 1–500. |
^ Last Item Entry | Charges only accounts whose most recent item entry matches the condition. Select **Today** to target accounts with items entered today. Select **Past** and set a number and unit (Days, Weeks, Months, Years) to target accounts inactive for at least that long. | Past / 6 / Months charges accounts that have not had a new item in 6 or more months. |
^ Last Deduction | Charges only accounts whose last Group Deduction was at the specified time. This is the key filter for preventing double-charges. Set it to **Past** with a period slightly shorter than your billing cycle. | Past / 11 / Months ensures an annual fee is never charged twice within 11 months. |
^ Account Created | Charges only accounts created within the specified time. Useful for first-year fees. | Past / 1 / Years charges only accounts created within the past year. |
^ Filter Codes | Charges only accounts with the selected filter code. Click **...**, move desired codes to the right panel, and click OK. | Use to charge only consignors tagged with a specific code. |
^ Fee Frequency | Charges only accounts assigned a specific fee frequency. | Use to charge only accounts set to "Monthly" frequency. |

Note: Filters are optional. If you leave all filters blank, the deduction applies to every active account in the system. Always run **Preview Deductions** before clicking Process.

===== Managing Saved Deductions =====

After saving, your template appears in the Saved Group Deductions list.

{{:docimages:group_deductions_05_saved_list_edit.png|Saved Group Deductions list with the Edit button highlighted}}

  * **Edit.** Modify the name, amount, transaction type, description, or filters.

  * **Delete.** Remove a template. A template that has already been used cannot be deleted: Liberty preserves it for the transaction history.

  * **OK.** Close the list and return to the Apply Group Deductions dialog.

===== Applying a Group Deduction =====

==== Load Your Saved Deduction ====

Go to **Activities > Accounting > Apply Group Deductions**. In the **Load Saved Deduction** dropdown, select your template. All fields automatically populate.

{{:docimages:group_deductions_06_apply_dialog_full.png|Apply Group Deductions dialog with a saved deduction loaded}}

You can adjust any filter here without permanently changing the saved template.

==== Preview Before Processing ====

Click **Preview Deductions**. Never skip this step.

{{:docimages:group_deductions_07_preview_button.png|Apply Group Deductions dialog with Preview Deductions button highlighted}}

The preview results show every account that will be charged along with the deduction amount.

{{:docimages:group_deductions_08_preview_results.png|Preview results list showing account numbers, names, and deduction amounts with record count at the bottom}}

  * **Review the list.** Scroll through and verify the accounts look correct.

  * **Check the record count.** The number at the bottom shows how many accounts will be charged. If it is much higher or lower than expected, click **Back** and adjust your filters.

  * **Print a record.** Click **Print** to produce a paper list before processing. Strongly recommended for your records.

  * **Go back if needed.** Click **Back** to return to the filter screen and make adjustments.

==== Process the Deduction ====

When the preview looks correct, click **Process**. Liberty posts the deduction to every account shown immediately. There is no confirmation prompt and no automatic undo.

Warning: Processing is immediate and permanent. If you process in error, you must manually credit each affected account through **Activities > Accounts > Credit/Debit Account**. Always verify the preview first.

===== What the Consignor Sees =====

After processing, each charged account shows the deduction in its **Transactions** tab. The entry displays the **Description** you entered and the deduction amount as a negative value. This reduces the consignor's payable balance, which is reflected at payout time.

===== Preventing Accidental Double-Charges =====

The most common mistake with Group Deductions is running the same fee more than once against the same accounts. The fix is the **Last Deduction** filter.

For a fee charged once per year:

  * Set **Last Deduction** to **Past / 11 / Months**.

  * This tells Liberty: only include accounts that have NOT had a Group Deduction within the past 11 months.

  * Any account charged within the last 11 months is automatically excluded from the preview.

For a fee charged once per month:

  * Set **Last Deduction** to **Past / 3 / Weeks**.

Always run Preview and check the record count against your expectations before processing. If you charged 42 accounts last year and the preview shows 300, something is wrong with the filters.

===== Worked Example: Annual Consignment Fee =====

This example charges a $30.00 annual fee to all active accounts while preventing any account from being charged twice in the same year.

**Saved Group Deduction settings:**

^ Field ^ Value ^
^ Name | Annual Consignment Fee |
^ Transaction Type | Deduction (your store's payable deduction type) |
^ Description | Annual consignment fee |
^ Amount | $30.00 |
^ Account # | (blank: all accounts) |
^ Last Item Entry | (blank: no restriction) |
^ Last Deduction | Past / 11 / Months |
^ Account Created | (blank: no restriction) |
^ Filter Codes | (blank: all accounts) |
^ Fee Frequency | (blank: no restriction) |

**What happens:** When you load this template and click Preview, Liberty includes only accounts that have not had a group deduction in the past 11 months. Anyone charged within the last 11 months is automatically skipped.

**Recommended workflow:**

  - Run in the same month each year for consistent timing.
  - Click Preview and confirm the record count looks right.
  - Click Print to save a paper copy for your records.
  - Click Process.
  - File the printed list with your year-end accounting records.

===== Frequently Asked Questions =====

=== Can I undo a Group Deduction after processing? ===

No: there is no automatic reversal. If you process in error, you must manually credit each affected account by opening the account and using **Activities > Credit/Debit Account** to post a positive transaction for the deduction amount. This is why the Preview step is critical.

=== What is the difference between Transaction Type and Description? ===

The **Transaction Type** is the accounting classification. It controls whether the deduction is payable or non-payable and which GL account it maps to for QuickBooks export. The **Description** is the label that appears in the consignor's Transactions tab. Consignors see the Description; your bookkeeper cares about the Transaction Type.

=== What happens if I leave all filters blank? ===

Every active account in the system will be charged. This is rarely the intention. Always use at least the Last Deduction filter, and always run Preview before processing.

=== Can I charge different amounts to different groups? ===

Not in a single run. Create two separate saved deductions, one for each group, with different amounts and different Filter Codes to separate them. Run each template separately.

=== What does the Last Deduction filter actually track? ===

It tracks when a Group Deduction was last processed against each account. Manual credits or debits posted directly to an account do not affect this date. Only a processed Group Deduction run updates it.

=== Can I use Group Deductions to charge just one account? ===

Yes: enter the same account number in both the **From** and **Through** fields of the Account # filter. However, for a single account it is faster to go directly to the account and use **Activities > Credit/Debit Account**.
==== Next Article In Section ====

Click the following link to move to the next article in this section: \\ [[:setup:optionalsetupsteps:general:spellchecking|Spell Checking for Item Descriptions]]

==== Related Topics ====

[[setup:optionalsetupsteps:general:setupgroupdeductions]]
[[setup:maintainmenu:transactionstypes]]
[[setup:optionalsetupsteps:general:defaultweightcat]]
[[setup:optionalsetupsteps:general:definecustomnames]]
[[setup:optionalsetupsteps:general:definefiltercodes]]
[[setup:optionalsetupsteps:general:gensetupfeefrequiences]]
[[setup:optionalsetupsteps:general:setupaccountlayout]]
[[setup:optionalsetupsteps:general:setupexpiregroups]]
[[setup:optionalsetupsteps:general:setuplocations]]
[[setup:optionalsetupsteps:general:setupstoresections]]
[[setup:optionalsetupsteps:general:spellchecking]]