DTAX – Correcting the Year or Bill Number on a Mistaken Entry

Symptoms

• A tax bill was entered using the wrong Tax Year.
• The user attempts to delete the bill and re-enter it with the same bill number.
• The system displays a message indicating that the bill number already exists or cannot be reused.

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Cause

Each bill number in DTAX is permanently linked to its original year and record ID.
Once a bill number has been created and stored, even if it is later deleted, the system still recognizes that number as used for that tax year.

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Resolution

1. Verify the mistake:
   • Confirm with the clerk which year the bill should have been entered under.
2. Create the bill under the correct year:
   • Re-enter the information using the proper tax year.
   • Use a new bill number (not the one that was deleted).
3. Optional – Add a note for recordkeeping:
   • In the comment or note field, reference the original (incorrect) bill number for historical accuracy.
4. Do not attempt to reuse the deleted number.
   • Reusing numbers may cause conflicts in reports, balance sheets, or state data exchanges.

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Notes

• This behavior is by design to maintain data integrity between bill years.
• If an incorrect bill number prevents new entry and you are unsure of the next available sequence, check the highest existing bill number for that tax year before continuing.
• If you believe a genuine duplicate was created and needs removal, contact Software Management Support for review before making manual database changes.

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