Purchase orders where outstanding not equal to amount less invoiced

From time to time a purchase order will show an outstanding amount that does not equal the difference between the original PO amount and the expense (invoiced) amount.  See Figure 1 below for an example where we have a PO for $5,650.00, with expenses against it for the entire amount of the order and yet an outstanding balance of $2,260.00.

This is possible because when invoicing against a purchase order, it is possible to add lines to the invoice that will not decommit the purchase order.  In Figure 2, when invoicing against the PO, an invoice was entered for the entire amount of the PO; however, in the line that appeared in the grid by default from the PO, only $3,390.00 was entered.  The other $2,260.00 needed to go to a different G/L account, so Add G/L Distribution was used to create a new line where the required account could be keyed.  However: these lines will not decommit the purchase order – they will only issue expense transactions.  (Notice the leftmost column of the grid: the original line(s) from the purchase order will always show as PO meaning that the entry will expense and decommit; the line(s) created by the Add G/L Distribution option will show as GL meaning that they will not decommit the order.   

Considerations:

1. If the order is to be closed when the invoice is saved, this will not be an issue since all remaining commitments are relieved when an order is closed.
2. If the order will not be closed and sending the order back to Purchasing for modification is not feasible, the following steps may be taken to ensure that the appropriate amount is decommitted while still expensing the appropriate accounts:

1. In the default (PO line(s)), enter the entire amount of the invoice so that the decommitment will take place appropriately.  
2. Click the Add G/L Distribution option and reverse out any expense amount in excess of what was intended for the account.
3. Click Add G/L Distribution again and expense the appropriate account(s).

(Steps 2. and 3. are essentially journalizing the amounts from the PO account to the desired expense account
 after the decommitting entry is made.)  

Figure 1:

Figure 2: