How To Get Started with Parrot

Step 1: Check Contract setup

Default settings for Parrot can be changed on the Contract Setup page.

  1. Choose the search icon (ALT+Q), enter Contract Setup, and then choose the related link.
  2. Hover over a field to read a short description, it is not mandatory to make any changes.
Tip
Field - Contract Nos

We recommend that you select a number series in the Contract Nos. field. The selected number series for contracts is preferably set up with automatic assignment of new numbers, which is set by selecting the Default Nos. check box on the No. Series page.

Field - Contract Item Nos

Specify the number series you want to use for new contract items. You can configure automatic assignment of new numbers on the No. Series page.

Field - Rounding Method

Add a rounding method if you work with contract unique prices and want to be able to control how the price of the contract lines should be rounded.

Field - Get Posting Date From

It is possible to use the working date in Business Central as the Posting Date on invoices and orders created by Parrot. As it is possible to change the Work Date in Business Central by editing My Settings you can choose which date you want when creating orders and invoices. However, it is the Next Posting Date on the contract that controls the starting date of the accrual (if a Deferral Code is set on the contract line).

Field - Update Addresses from Customer

We recommend that the Update Addresses from Customer is enabled, so that the addresses on the contracts will be updated automatically when the addresses are changed on the linked sell-to or bill-to customer of the contracts.

Fields - Default Customer Price Group and Default Customer Disc. Group

We recommend that you use the price and discount list in Dynamics 365 Business Central for your contract items as it enables you to use all the standard functionality regarding prices including the price worksheet for changing prices. If you want to use a specific price and discount group for new contracts you can select it in the Default Customer Price Group and Default Customer Disc. Group fields which will enable you to use different prices and discounts for contracts than when you create orders or invoices manually. You can change the customer price and discount group on individual contracts.

Field - Hide Total Amount on Contract

Enable this setting if total amount of the contract should be hidden on the contract page. If performance is perceived as poor in the contract page, you can try to hide this field.

Field - Default Contract Line Type

Specify a default value for the Type field on the first line of the new contract. You can change the value on the line afterwards.

Field - Advanced Mode

By activating Advanced Mode it is possible to control when and how often each line on a contract should be included when the Create document/planning lines action is selected. If advanced mode is enabled, the fields "Next Posting Date", "Invoicing Interval", "Starting Date", "Ending Date" is edited on the contract lines, otherwise the fields are edited on the contract header.

Field - Contract Dimensions for Projects

Activate this configuration if you want the dimensions in the contract to take precedence over the dimensions in a project when invoicing a project.

Field - Default Contract Unique Price

Choose whether contract unique prices should be handled on the Contract Detail Lines or on the Contract Lines. We recommend to select Contract Lines. The Contract Detail Lines FastTab on the Contract card will be hidden if Contract Lines is selected. It is possible to change this setting on individual contracts. Contract Detail Lines only needs to be selected if the price consists of several lines.

Field - Add Extended Texts to Document

In standard Business Central it is possible to extend the description for items, comments, general ledger accounts, and resources by adding extra lines as extended text. These texts can also be inserted automatically on documents. In order for these settings to also apply to documents created in Parrot, this setting needs to be active. Read more about extended texts on Microsoft Learn.

Field - Use Description from connected product

Enable this setting to retrieve the description directly from the items, general ledger accounts, and resources to the created documents. If this setting is disabled, the description is always retrieved from the Contract Lines.

Field - Update Calculated Amounts

Activate this if the calculated amounts for contract lines should be automatically updated upon contract release, document/planning line creation, and during posting. If this option is not enabled, updating the calculated amounts can be done manually using the Update Calculated Amounts on Contracts report or via a job queue.

Field - Hide Blocked Lines

Select the default behavior for whether blocked contract lines are shown or hidden on a contract.

Field - Default Invoice Text Code

Enter a code for the default invoice text to be used. It is possible to configure invoice texts with both dynamic and fixed placeholders. It is possible to create multiple codes for different contracts if needed. This code can be easily set either on the Contract Setup page or directly on the Contract.

Field - Ending Date Warning Interval

Configure a warning if a Contract Line reaches its end date within a specified interval. The No. field on the Contract page turns red if a contract line is within the range for the warning.

Step 2: Create Contract Items

The lines of a contract are linked through a contract item to either a general ledger account, an item, or a resource.

Note

The linked general ledger account, item or resource of the contract item will be entered on the orders, invoices and project planning lines created by the contract. The contract item is only serving as the link on the contract lines and the contracts transactions.

  1. Choose the search icon (ALT+Q), enter Contract Items, and then choose the related link.
  2. Select New.
  3. Proceed to fill the fields as necessary. Hover over a field to read a short description.
Note

All mandatory fields on the contract item are displayed with a red asterisk.

Tip
Field - Type

We recommend that you select the type of contract item that best matches what you sell, how you follow up, and if you want to use the price and discount list in Dynamics 365 Business Central. Items are good to use when you both buy and sell it while resources are mainly used for consumption.

Field - Description

The linked general ledger account, item or resource of the contract item will be entered on the orders, invoices and project planning lines created by the contract, but it is the description of the contract item that will be displayed.

Field - Auto. Acc. Group (only in Sweden)

You can assign an automatic account group to a contract item. It can be very useful when you want to automatically reserve a part of the billable amount for a discount or commission on a general ledger account, without affecting the invoice amount or displaying it on the invoice.

Field - Deferral Code

You can assign a deferral code to a contract item to automatically accrue the billable amount over multiple periods. This can be very useful when the invoice period for a contract is more than one month.

Field - Contract Unique Price

We recommend that you use the price and discount list in Dynamics 365 Business Central for your contract items as it enables you to use all the standard functionality regarding prices including the price worksheet for changing prices. However, in some cases the price must be managed on individual contracts and therefore it is possible to manage the prices manually on the Contract Detail Lines or the Contract Lines depending on what is selected in the Contract Unique Price field on the Contract Header.

Step 3: Create Contracts

The lines of a contract are linked through a contract item to either a general ledger account, an item, or a resource. You can also select if you want to use the price and discount list in Dynamics 365 Business Central or if you want to add the prices for each contract line (on the contract detail lines).

  1. Choose the search icon (ALT+Q), enter Contracts, and then choose the related link.
  2. Select New.
  3. Proceed to fill the fields as necessary. Hover over a field to read a short description.
  4. Select the Release action when the contracts is complete.
Note

All mandatory fields on the contract are displayed with a red asterisk.

Tip
Field - Create

Controls what the contract will create when using the Create Document/Planning Lines action. For example, select order to ship goods, or select invoice directly. Project planning lines are used when you want to invoice the customer via a project with the Project Create Sales Invoice action. When using both Parrot and StoryPoint it is possible to charge both variable and fixed charges on the same sales invoice, which is illustrated in this workflow.

Field - Next Posting Date

Indicates the starting date of the next invoicing period for the contract. Depending on what is set in the Get Posting Date From field on the Contract Setup page, it will either be this date or the working date that is used as the Posting date on sales invoices and orders, however, the next posting date is always set as the starting date of the accrual (if a deferral code is set on the contract line).

Manage Addresses on Contracts

When setting up a contract, Sell-to Address, Bill-to Address and Ship-to Address will be filled from the customer, but it is also possible to update the contract with contract specific addresses.

  1. Choose the search icon (ALT+Q), enter Contracts, and then choose the related link.
  2. Select the Contract you want to update the addresses on and select the Edit action.
  3. Update the address fields of your choice on the Addresses FastTab.
Tip

Set Update Addresses from Customer on the Addresses FastTab to yes if you want addresses on the Contract to be updated automatically when the Sell-to customer, Bill-to Customer or Ship-to customer is updated. If set to no the addresses will not be updated if the address on the Sell-to customer, Bill-to Customer or Ship-to customer is updated.

Note

It is possible to update addresses from the customer manually by using the Update Addresses action in the Contract list.

Manage Contract Categories

When setting up a contract it is possible to mark contracts with different Contract Categories to use for filtering.

  1. Choose the search icon (ALT+Q), enter Contract Categories, and then choose the related link.
  2. Create a Contract Category.
    1. Select New.
    2. Enter a Code and Description for the Contract Category.
  3. Choose the search icon (ALT+Q), enter Contracts, and then choose the related link.
  4. Select the Contract you want to add a Contract Category to and select the Edit action.
  5. Select a value in the Contract Category field.
Tip

You can use contract categories to filter the contracts when using the Create Document/Planning lines - Batch action.

Manage Customer Price Groups on Contracts

When setting up a contract it is possible to add a Customer Price Group to manage prices.

Note

When creating a contract, either the specified Customer Price Group of the linked bill-to customer or the default Customer price Group on the Contract Setup page will be inserted, depending on the set up on the Contract Setup page.

  1. Choose the search icon (ALT+Q), enter Contracts, and then choose the related link.
  2. Select the contract you want to add a Contract Price Group on and select the Edit action.
  3. Select a value in the Customer Price Group field.
Tip

You can use customer price groups to manage prices for more than one contract by adding the same Customer Price Group to multiple contracts and then update the prices in the contract price group instead of on each contract manually. It is possible to set a default customer price group in the Contract Setup page.

Manage Customer Discount Groups on Contracts

When setting up a contract it is possible to add a Customer Disc. Group to manage discounts.

  1. Choose the search icon (ALT+Q), enter Contracts, and then choose the related link.
  2. Select the contract you want to add a Contract Disc. Group on and select the Edit action.
  3. Select a value in the Customer Disc. Group field.
Tip

You can use customer disc. groups to manage discounts for more than one contract by adding the same Customer Disc. Group to multiple contracts and then update discounts in the contract discount group instead of on each contract manually. It is possible to set a default customer discount group in the Contract Setup page.

How To Use Dimensions on Contracts

When you create a contract and select a customer, the Dimensions on the linked Customers including Salesperson Code and Responsibility Center will be copied to the Contract Headers and to the Contract Lines. The Dimensions from the linked Items, Resources and G/L Accounts will be copied to the Contract Lines.

Note

The dimensions on the contract lines are used when you create Invoices and Orders but not Project planning lines. The project planning lines in Business Central does not support dimensions. The dimensions on the Project Task Lines are used when you create a project sales invoice (or credit memo).

Note
Dimensions of the Bill-to Customer

The default dimensions on the linked Bill-to Customer No. are copied to the contract, including Salesperson Code and its linked default dimensions.

Dimensions of the Sell-to Customer

The Responsibility Center on the Sell-to Customer No. including its default dimensions is copied to the contract.

Tip

You can use the Default Dimension Priorities page, to control which dimension values ​​are set.

Important

As the Dimensions will be copied to the contract when it's created, it is important to notice that if you change the Default Dimensions on a linked record of a contract, such as a customer, sales person, responsibility center, resource, item or a general ledger account, the contract will not be updated automatically.

Note

When the contract is Released, it is checked that the combination of dimensions that have been specified is approved according to the set up in the Dimension Combinations page.

Update Dimensions on Contracts

You can use the Update Dimensions action on the Contract Card and Contract List to refresh the copied dimensions.

Tip

Use the Update Dimensions action on the Contract List to refresh the copied dimensions for all the selected contracts in the list.

Warning

All dimensions that have been added manually on the contracts will be deleted when using the Update Dimensions action.

Important

The Sales Person Code and the Responsibility Center will not be updated, only its linked default dimensions, which can lead to inconsistency between the Code and the Dimension.

Walk-through of Creating Contracts

Note

The Walk-through of Creating Contracts contains steps for adding contract items and a price to the price list when creating contracts even if it is not the most common workflow. This is to make it possible to follow the steps without having set anything in Parrot.

How To Set Up a Contract with Unique Pricing

A Contract with Unique Pricing does not use the price or discount list in Dynamics 365 Business Central, prices are handled directly in the contract.

Note

When you link a contract item to a G/L Account, it will automatically be set to Contract Unique Price when you are using the current experience of the pricing feature in Business Central.

  1. Choose the search icon (ALT+Q), enter Contracts, and then choose the related link.
  2. Select New
  3. Fill the fields on the General FastTab as necessary.
  4. Proceed to the Contract Lines.
    1. Create a Contract Item.
      1. Select Contract Item in the Type field.
      2. Select New in the No. field, to add a new contract item.
      3. Enter a number and description for the contract item.
      4. Select G/L Account in the Type field and add a general ledger account in the No. field.
      5. Select the OK button.
    2. Enter a Quantity.
  5. Proceed to the Contract Detail Lines.
    1. Enter a Quantity and Unit Price on one or several lines.
  6. Select the Release action on the Contract.
  7. It is now possible to invoice the contract using the Create Documents or Project planning lines from Contract action.
Note

If you are using the new experience of the pricing feature in Business Central, it is possible to register prices for general ledger accounts.

How To Set Up a Contract with a Price List

Contracts that are linked to a price list in Business Central must be set up with Contract Items that are linked to either a resource or an item.

  1. Choose the search icon (ALT+Q), enter Contracts, and then choose the related link.
  2. Select New
  3. Fill the fields on the General FastTab as necessary.
  4. Proceed to the Contract Lines.
    1. Create a Contract Item.
      1. Select Contract Item in the Type field.
      2. Select New in the No. field, to add a new contract item.
      3. Enter a number and description for the contract item.
      4. Select Resource in the Type field and add a resource number, in the No. field.
      5. Select the OK button.
    2. Enter a Quantity.
    3. Select the Prices action.
      1. Enter a Unit Price
  5. Select the Release action on the Contract.
  6. It is now possible to invoice the contract using the Create Documents or Project planning lines from Contract action.
Note

If it is not possible to release the contract, read the error message and correct it.

Tip

Hover over a field to read a short description when you are not sure what the field is used for.

Note

When you choose to set up a contract to create Project Planning Lines, the Project No. and Project Task No. fields will be displayed automatically on the General FastTab. You can Personalize the Contract Lines to see and edit the project number and project task number per line.

See Also

Getting Started
User Guide
Workflows
Work with Dimensions on Microsoft Learn
Work with Responsibility Centers on Microsoft Learn
Create Sales Persons on Microsoft Learn