---
title: "Master Data on Documents"
slug: "master-data-on-documents"
description: "Streamline your sales and purchase documents with Master Data on Documents, ensuring rich product specifications flow seamlessly without manual input."
status: "update"
updated: 2026-05-21T08:06:06Z
published: 2026-05-22T11:54:22Z
canonical: "docs.abakion.com/master-data-on-documents"
stale: true
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.abakion.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Master Data on Documents

## Feature Overview

Master Data on Documents controls how specifications, descriptions, images, and file attachments from master data records flow to sales and purchase documents. When a sales quote, order, or invoice is created, the app can automatically include the relevant specifications from the item (or customer, vendor, or item tracking record) directly on the document — so that printed quotes and orders contain rich product information without any manual copy-paste.

The feature is built around **Document Templates**. A template defines which Information Codes should appear on a specific document type, in what order, and with which formatting and transfer options. Templates are linked to document types (such as Sales Line or Purchase Line) through the **Master Data on Document Setup**, which maps each template to the specific document type it should apply to.

Each template has a **Type** (Header, Line, Footer, or Item Tracking) and a **Master Data Table** that determines the source of the data — typically Item for line templates and Customer or Vendor for header/footer templates. Item Tracking templates source data from Lot No. Information, Serial No. Information, or Package No. Information records.

**Files and images** flow alongside specifications. When a File-type Information Code is included in the template content, the file attachment — including the binary blob — is copied to the document record and travels with the document through the posting flow. This means product images, data sheets, and other files attached as specifications are available on the printed document.

**Posting behaviour** is controlled by the **Action when posting** field on each template (or content line). This determines whether MDI document data is copied to posted documents — and which posted document types receive it.

**Transfer behaviour** controls downstream document propagation. Three boolean fields control whether MDI data travels from a Sales Order line to related documents: to a Production Order or Assembly Order (**Transfer to Prod. Order Line**), to a Purchase Order header when a Special Order or Drop Shipment is created (**Transfer to Purchase Line**), and to a Warehouse Shipment when it is created from the order (**Transfer to Warehouse Document**).

**Key Facts**

| Area | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| Where to set up | Master Data on Doc. Template list; Master Data on Document Setup |
| Template types | Header, Line, Footer, Item Tracking — one template per role within a document |
| Master Data sources | Item (27), Customer (18), Vendor (23), Lot No. Information, Serial No. Information, Package No. Information |
| Files flow | File attachments (images, PDFs, etc.) on File-type Information Codes are copied to document records and posted documents |
| Add Long Description | Adds the item's Long Description field to document output — Item templates only |
| Add Long Report Description | Adds the merged Report Description to document output |
| Action when posting | Controls whether data flows from open order to posted documents — and which posted document types receive it |
| Transfer to Prod. Order / Assembly | Copies MDI data from Sales Order line to Production Order line or Assembly Order |
| Transfer to Purchase Line | Copies MDI data from Sales Order line to Purchase Order header (Special Order / Drop Shipment) |
| Transfer to Warehouse Document | Copies MDI data from order to Warehouse Shipment when created |
| Item Tracking | Lot, Serial, and Package tracking specifications can flow to documents via Item Tracking type templates |
| Integration points | Information Codes, Information Values, Extended Texts, Merge Descriptions, Specifications on Pages, Document Customizer (optional) |

---

## Document Flow

The table below shows which documents MDI data can flow **from** and **to**, and what controls each flow.

| From | To | Controlled by |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sales Order (header) | Sales Quote, Sales Invoice, Sales Shipment, posted documents | Template linked via Master Data on Document Setup |
| Sales Order (line) | Sales Invoice Line | Action when posting = *Transfer Invoice* or *Transfer Invoice and Shipment or Receipt* |
| Sales Order (line) | Sales Shipment Line | Action when posting = *Transfer Shipment or Receipt only* or *Transfer Invoice and Shipment or Receipt* |
| Sales Order (line) | Production Order Line | Transfer to Prod. Order Line = enabled |
| Sales Order (line) | Assembly Order | Transfer to Prod. Order Line = enabled |
| Sales Order (line) | Purchase Order Header | Transfer to Purchase Line = enabled (Special Order / Drop Shipment) |
| Sales Order (line) | Warehouse Shipment | Transfer to Warehouse Document = enabled |
| Purchase Order (header) | Purchase Receipt, Purchase Invoice, posted documents | Template linked via Master Data on Document Setup |
| Purchase Order (line) | Purchase Invoice Line | Action when posting = *Transfer Invoice* or *Transfer Invoice and Shipment or Receipt* |
| Purchase Order (line) | Purchase Receipt Line | Action when posting = *Transfer Shipment or Receipt only* or *Transfer Invoice and Shipment or Receipt* |
| Item (Master Data Table = 27) | Any Sales or Purchase Line document | Via Line template with content lines for the relevant Information Codes |
| Customer (Master Data Table = 18) | Sales Header or Footer | Via Header/Footer template |
| Vendor (Master Data Table = 23) | Purchase Header or Footer | Via Header/Footer template |
| Lot / Serial / Package No. Information | Document (Item Tracking type) | Via Item Tracking template; data sourced from tracking record specifications |
| Production Order | Next production status (Planned → Firm Planned → Released → Finished) | Automatic — MDI data follows the production order status change |

---

## Getting Started

1. Open **Master Data on Doc. Template** from the Master Data Information menu.
2. Review the existing templates. Standard templates for **SALES LINE**, **SALES HEADER**, **PURCHASE LINE**, **PURCHASE HEADER**, and **PRODUCTION** are created automatically during default setup.
3. Open the **SALES LINE** template and choose **Master Data on Document Content** to see the existing content lines.
4. Add a new content line for an Information Code you want to include on sales documents:
  - Set **Information Code** to the code you want to include.
  - Set **Order** to control where this code appears in the document output (lower numbers appear first).
  - Enable **Add Master Data Text** to include the specification value.
  - Enable **Add Extended Text** if you also want the extended text to flow.
  - Set **Action when posting** to control whether and how this line flows to posted documents.
  - Enable **Transfer to Prod. Order Line**, **Transfer to Purchase Line**, or **Transfer to Warehouse Document** if the data should propagate to downstream documents.
5. Open **Master Data on Document Setup** and ensure the template is linked to the correct document type and number range.
6. Create a test sales quote for an item that has specifications configured. Print or preview the document to verify the specifications appear correctly.

---

## Related Features

Master Data on Documents depends on **Information Codes** for the content definition — only codes added to a document template will flow to documents. **Extended Texts** can be included on documents alongside the short description when configured in the template content. **Merge Descriptions** provides the Report Description field that can be included in document output via the **Add Long Report Description** flag on the template. **Specifications on Pages** shares the same underlying data — when a specification is added or modified on a document line via an embedded field, it is stored in the same Master Data on Documents data used for printing. **Document Customizer** (a separate Abakion app) controls the precise layout and formatting of the content on the printed page.

---

## User Stories

****US-01: Include a specification on printed sales quotes****

**As a** Sales Manager **I want to** include the Material and Certification specifications on printed sales quotes **So that** customers receive full product specification details without the sales team having to write them manually

**Setup:**

1. Open the **SALES LINE** document template and choose **Master Data on Document Content**.
2. Add a line for `MATERIAL`: set Order = `10`, enable **Add Master Data Text**.
3. Add a line for `CERTIFICATION`: set Order = `20`, enable **Add Master Data Text**.
4. Save. Print a test quote for an item with these specifications set and verify the output.

****US-02: Include extended text on sales documents alongside the specification value****

**As a** Sales Manager **I want to** include the extended marketing text for the Material code on sales quotes in addition to the short value **So that** customers receive a full product description, not just the attribute code

**Setup:**

1. Open the **SALES LINE** template content and find the `MATERIAL` line.
2. Enable **Add Extended Text** on that line.
3. Ensure the relevant Information Values have Extended Text configured.
4. Print a test quote to verify that both the specification value and the extended text appear.

****US-03: Include the merged Report Description on a document****

**As a** Sales Manager **I want to** include the Report Description — a combined description built from multiple specifications — on sales orders **So that** the document shows a single, professionally formatted product description rather than individual attribute lines

**Setup:**

1. Ensure the relevant Information Codes have **Report Description** configured in their Merge Descriptions settings.
2. Open the **SALES LINE** template and enable **Add Long Report Description** on the template.
3. Print a test order and verify that the merged description appears on the document.

****US-04: Include the item's Long Description on a document****

**As a** Sales Manager **I want to** include the item's Long Description on sales orders **So that** the order contains the full formatted product description from the item card

**Setup:**

1. Open the **SALES LINE** template (Master Data Table must be Item — table 27).
2. Enable **Add Long Description** on the template.
3. Save. The Long Description from the item's **SCB Long Description** field will be added to the document output.

> **Note:** **Add Long Description** is only available when the template's Master Data Table is set to Item (27). The field is automatically cleared and cannot be enabled for Customer, Vendor, or tracking record templates.

****US-05: Include a product image or file attachment on a document****

**As a** Sales Manager **I want to** include the product image attached to a File-type specification on printed sales orders **So that** customers see a product photo on their order confirmation

**Setup:**

1. Ensure a File-type Information Code (e.g. `PROD-IMAGE`) has images attached to the relevant items via the Image Handling feature.
2. Open the **SALES LINE** template content and add a line for `PROD-IMAGE`: enable **Add Master Data Text**.
3. Save. When the document is generated, the file attachment is copied to the document record and is available for printing.

> **Note:** Files — including binary blobs — are physically copied to the Master Data on Documents record. They follow the same posting flow as text specifications, controlled by **Action when posting**.

****US-06: Transfer specifications from a sales order to the corresponding purchase order****

**As a** Purchasing Agent **I want to** ensure that when a sales order is created with specific material and grade requirements, those specifications are automatically transferred to the linked purchase order **So that** suppliers receive the correct technical requirements without the purchasing team re-entering them

**Setup:**

1. Open the **SALES LINE** template content and find the relevant specification code lines.
2. Enable **Transfer to Purchase Line** on each specification that should flow to purchase documents.
3. Save. When a Special Order or Drop Shipment purchase order is created from a sales order, the specifications transfer automatically to the Purchase Order header.

****US-07: Transfer specifications from a sales order line to a production order****

**As a** Production Planner **I want to** ensure that customer-specific specifications from a sales order line are transferred to the resulting production order **So that** production staff can see the exact configuration required for a specific customer's order

**Setup:**

1. Open the **SALES LINE** template content and find the relevant specification code.
2. Enable **Transfer to Prod. Order Line** on that line.
3. Save. When a production order is created from a sales order, the specification transfers to the production order line. The same flag also transfers to Assembly Orders when applicable.

****US-08: Transfer specifications from an order to a warehouse shipment****

**As a** Warehouse Manager **I want to** ensure that item handling specifications are transferred to the Warehouse Shipment when it is created from a sales order **So that** warehouse staff can see special handling requirements directly on the picking document

**Setup:**

1. Open the **SALES LINE** template content and find the handling specification code.
2. Enable **Transfer to Warehouse Document** on that line.
3. Enable **Print on Inventory Document** on the same line to also include it on printed warehouse documents.
4. Save.

****US-09: Control which posted documents receive specification data****

**As a** IT Manager **I want to** configure the sales line template so that specifications flow to both posted invoices and posted shipments **So that** the full specification history is preserved on both document types after posting

**Setup:**

1. Open the **SALES LINE** template content and find the relevant content lines.
2. Set **Action when posting** to *Transfer Invoice and Shipment or Receipt* on each line.
3. Save. When the sales order is posted, MDI data is copied to both the Sales Invoice and the Sales Shipment.

> **Note:** The **Action when posting** options are: blank (data is not transferred to posted documents), *Transfer Invoice only*, *Transfer Shipment or Receipt only*, and *Transfer Invoice and Shipment or Receipt*. The default is blank — you must explicitly configure this field for data to appear on posted documents.

****US-10: Suppress a specification on posted documents but show it on open documents****

**As a** Sales Manager **I want to** show technical specifications on open sales quotes for negotiation purposes, but suppress them on posted invoices **So that** our invoices remain clean and concise while our quotes contain full technical detail

**Setup:**

1. Open the document template content line for the relevant specification.
2. Enable **Dont print on posted documents**.
3. Leave **Dont print on open documents** disabled.
4. Save. The specification will appear on quotes and orders but not on posted invoices.

****US-11: Add item tracking specifications (Lot/Serial/Package) to documents****

**As a** Quality Manager **I want to** include specifications stored on Lot No. Information records on sales documents **So that** the lot's quality control attributes are visible on the delivery documents sent to customers

**Setup:**

1. Create a new template with Type = *Item Tracking* and Master Data Table = *Lot No. Information* (6505).
2. Open the template's **Master Data on Document Content** and add lines for the relevant Information Codes configured on Lot No. Information records.
3. Enable **Add Master Data Text** and configure **Action when posting** as required.
4. Link the template to the relevant document type via **Master Data on Document Setup**.

> **Note:** Item Tracking templates source data from the Lot, Serial, or Package No. Information record that corresponds to the item tracking line on the document. The same approach applies for Serial No. Information (6504) and Package No. Information (6515) by creating separate templates with the respective Master Data Table.

****US-12: Configure a Purchase Header template to show vendor qualifications****

**As a** Purchasing Agent **I want to** include vendor qualification specifications from the Vendor record on purchase order headers **So that** printed purchase orders show the vendor's certification and compliance status

**Setup:**

1. Open the **PURCHASE HEADER** template (Master Data Table = Vendor, table 23).
2. Choose **Master Data on Document Content** and add lines for the relevant Information Codes (e.g. `CERTIFICATION`, `PAYMENT-AGREEMENT`).
3. Enable **Add Master Data Text** per line.
4. Save. Purchase orders will include the vendor's specification values in the header area.

****US-13: Link the document template to specific document types****

**As a** IT Manager **I want to** ensure the SALES LINE template is active for Sales Orders and Sales Quotes, but not for Sales Credit Memos **So that** specification content appears only on the appropriate document types

**Setup:**

1. Search for **Master Data on Document Setup** and open the page.
2. Ensure template links exist for:
  - **Type** = *Sales*, **Document Type** = *Quote*, **Master Data Doc Template** = `SALES ORDER`.
  - **Type** = *Sales*, **Document Type** = *Order*, **Master Data Doc Template** = `SALES ORDER`.
3. Remove or leave absent any link for Document Type = *Credit Memo* if you do not want specifications there.
4. Repeat for Purchase documents using the **PURCHASE ORDER** template.

---

## Field Reference

**Master Data on Doc. Template fields:**

| Field | Where to find it | What it does | Default |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Template Code | Template list | Unique identifier for this template | — |
| Template Name | Template list | Display name | — |
| Type | Template list | Role of this template within a document: *Header*, *Line*, *Footer*, or *Item Tracking* | — |
| Master Data Table | Template list | The source table whose specifications are used. Item (27), Customer (18), Vendor (23), Lot No. Information (6505), Serial No. Information (6504), Package No. Information (6515) | — |
| Add Long Report Description | Template list | Includes the merged Report Description (from Merge Descriptions) in document output | Disabled |
| Add Long Description | Template list | Includes the item's SCB Long Description field in document output. Only available when Master Data Table = Item (27) | Disabled |
| Action when posting | Template list | Default posting transfer behaviour for all content lines: blank (no transfer), *Transfer Invoice only*, *Transfer Shipment or Receipt only*, or *Transfer Invoice and Shipment or Receipt* | Blank |
| Transfer to Prod. Order Line | Template list | Default setting for all content lines — copies MDI data from Sales Order line to Production Order line or Assembly Order | Disabled |
| Transfer to Purchase Line | Template list | Default setting for all content lines — copies MDI data from Sales Order line to Purchase Order header on Special Order or Drop Shipment | Disabled |
| Transfer to Warehouse Document | Template list | Default setting for all content lines — copies MDI data from order to Warehouse Shipment when created | Disabled |
| Dont print on open documents | Template list | Suppresses output on unposted documents | Disabled |
| Dont print on posted documents | Template list | Suppresses output on posted documents | Disabled |
| Print on Inventory Document | Template list | Includes output on warehouse/inventory documents such as picks | Disabled |

**Master Data on Document Content fields (per Information Code line):**

| Field | Where to find it | What it does | Default |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Information Code | Content page | The specification code to include on documents | — |
| Order | Content page | Display sequence on the document (lower = appears first) | — |
| Add Master Data Text | Content page | Includes the specification value (short description) and any associated file attachment | Disabled |
| Add Extended Text | Content page | Includes the extended text for this code | Disabled |
| Action when posting | Content page | Per-line override of the posting transfer setting from the template header | Blank |
| Transfer to Prod. Order Line | Content page | Per-line override — copies this line to Production Order or Assembly Order | Disabled |
| Transfer to Purchase Line | Content page | Per-line override — copies this line to Purchase Order header | Disabled |
| Transfer to Warehouse Document | Content page | Per-line override — copies this line to Warehouse Shipment | Disabled |
| Dont print on open documents | Content page | Suppresses this line on unposted documents | Disabled |
| Dont print on posted documents | Content page | Suppresses this line on posted documents | Disabled |
| Print on Inventory Document | Content page | Includes this line on warehouse/inventory documents | Disabled |