This article explains the reference number rules for business documents in Qoyod: the maximum length of 50 characters, the characters you can use, what happens if you leave the field empty, and examples of numbers that are accepted and numbers that are rejected.
What is a reference number, and when do you need these rules?
The reference number is the number shown on the document, and it is used in reports, journal entries and accounting follow-up. Qoyod’s accounting software lets you enter a reference number of up to 50 characters on business documents, including sales invoices, credit and debit notes, purchase invoices, purchase orders and quotations. You need these rules in these cases:
- Using a long internal numbering scheme that combines a branch code, a year or a transaction type in one number.
- Bringing documents into Qoyod from another system through the API while keeping the same number in both systems.
- Finding out why a reference number you entered was rejected when creating or editing a document.
See the release announcement for what changed.
The path in Qoyod
Settings › General Settings › Settings of the document you need
Steps
- Open Settings, then General Settings, then the settings tab for the document type you are working on, such as the sales invoice settings tab.
- Make sure the editable option for that type’s numbering is turned on, so you can type the reference number yourself, then save.
- Create the document, or open it for editing.
- Type a reference number no longer than 50 characters, following the rules in the next section.
- Save the document. If you leave the reference number empty, Qoyod generates one automatically.
Fields
The reference number field accepts a value when it meets all of these rules:
- Length: 50 characters at most, up from 25.
- Characters: letters and digits, and you can also use the hyphen (-) and the underscore (_).
- Last character: the reference number ends with a digit.
- No duplicates: the reference number is not repeated within the same document type.
Special cases
Examples of accepted numbers
- INV-2026-000123: letters, digits and hyphens, ending with a digit.
- RYD_BRANCH-SALES-2026-10-000045: a long number that combines the branch, year and month, and stays under 50 characters.
Examples of rejected numbers
- INV-2026-A: ends with a letter, not a digit.
- INV/2026/123: contains a slash (/), which is not one of the allowed characters.
- A number already used on another sales invoice: a duplicate within the same document type.
Creating documents through the API
The same limit and the same rules apply when documents are created or edited through the API, so an operation is not rejected because of a reference number that is 50 characters or shorter.
Notes
- To set the sales invoice prefix and the number its sequence starts from, see configuring sales invoice reference number sequences.
- To set quotation numbering, see how to configure the quote number sequence.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum length of a reference number in Qoyod?
50 characters, up from 25.
Which documents does the new limit cover?
Business documents, including sales invoices, credit and debit notes, purchase invoices, purchase orders and quotations.
Which characters can a reference number contain?
Letters and digits, plus the hyphen (-) and the underscore (_), and the reference number must end with a digit.
Does the same limit apply through the API?
Yes. The limit applies the same way whenever a document is created or edited, inside Qoyod or through the API.
What happens if I do not enter a reference number?
Qoyod generates the reference number automatically, as usual.
