Considerations

Base currencies

You must define the domestic, or base, currency for every site and entity that you create. This is specified in the Domestic Currency field on the Multi-Currency Parameters form.

The domestic currency code must be specified before you start defining other data at the site or entity.

When a site in one country executes a transaction with a customer or vendor in another (foreign) country using a currency other than the domestic currency, one currency is converted into another to settle the transaction. This conversion from one currency to another creates gains and losses depending on the currency exchange rate specified at the site. Some forms and reports show amounts in the site’s domestic currency, while others display amounts in the customer/vendor’s currency but can be translated to the domestic currency with the click of a button.

Customers and vendors can be set up to support transactions in currencies other than their defined "default" currency. Totals are still in the default base currency. For more information, see the online help topics about multiple currencies for customers or vendors.

All sites reporting to the same entity must use the same domestic currency as the entity.

Time zones

A time zone must be specified for each site when the site is created. The time zone for the site is independent of the time zone for the server. Multiple sites running on one server can have different time zones. The time zone for each site should be appropriate for the users of that site.

When transactions are replicated between sites, the transactions are stored in _all tables and use the date and time the transaction occurred at the creating site.

The only exceptions to this are dates stored in the currate_mst and curr_uk_mst tables. Those dates will shift to show the date and time at the local site. This allows currency rates to be current for the date and time at the local site.

(on-premises only) SQL Server name or local node name

When you create databases, you must specify the SQL Server Name where the database will reside. If you use SQL Clustering, you specify the SQL instance of the local node in the SQL Server Name field.

Corporate financial entries and manual adjustments

If you have an entity, you must have at least one site under the entity in order to enter transactions - since no transactions may be entered at the entity.

Even if you have other sites under an entity, you might want to have a separate site used for entering corporate journal entries that do not apply to a specific site. For example, operational expenses for a private jet should be allocated equally to the ILL and CA sites, but the expenses should not appear in either the ILL or CA consolidated financials.

Manufacturing plants

How many manufacturing plants do you have? Generally each of those will require a site. Or consider whether the different plants could be handled through multi-warehouse features. See Multi-site vs. multi-warehouse.

Balance sheets

If different areas of the company require unique balance sheets, each area must be in a separate site.