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

# Carrier bill prefixes FAQ

> Why carrier bills synced from Alvys to your accounting system now start with T- or S-, what each prefix means, and how to find a prefixed bill.

<Note>
  📋 **Module:** Accounting > Carrier Settlements
</Note>

<Tip>
  💡 This page is about the bill numbers your accounting system receives. For how to approve trips and generate carrier statements, see [Carrier Settlements](/en/help/accounting-settlements/carrier-settlements).
</Tip>

## Overview

Carrier bills that Alvys syncs to your accounting system now carry a short prefix on their reference number (the bill number you see in QuickBooks, NetSuite, or Business Central). The prefix tells you what the bill was created from:

| Bill created from | Reference in your accounting system | Example |
| - | - | - |
| A statement for a single trip | `T-` followed by the trip number | `T-1002963` |
| A statement that combines one or more trips | `S-` followed by the statement number | `S-48211` |

This applies to carrier bills created through Carrier Settlements and through the carrier invoice upload flow. If you don't sync carrier bills from Alvys to an accounting system, nothing changes for you.

## FAQs

### Why the prefix exists

**Q: Why did a T- or S- start showing up on my carrier bills?**

**A:** Alvys adds the prefix automatically when it creates a carrier bill in your accounting system. It tells you whether the bill came from a single trip (`T-`) or from a carrier statement (`S-`), and it keeps Alvys bills from sharing a number with any other bill in your accounting system.

**Q: Why does a bill need a prefix at all?**

**A:** Alvys numbers trips and carrier statements separately, and both counts keep going up. Sooner or later a trip number and a statement number land on the same value. On top of that, your team may enter bills by hand in your accounting system using a load or trip number.

Without a prefix, two different bills can end up with the same reference number. When that happens, your accounting system can reject the second bill, or it can match a payment or update to the wrong bill. The prefix keeps every bill Alvys sends unique, so a carrier is never billed twice and a bill is never overwritten by another one.

**Q: My bills only ever used trip numbers. Does the prefix still matter for me?**

**A:** Yes. Carrier Settlements can bill several trips on one statement, and that bill uses the statement number. A statement number can match a trip number you've already billed. The prefix also separates bills Alvys creates from bills your team enters directly in your accounting system, so the sync never mistakes one for the other.

### What changed and what didn't

**Q: Is this the Reference Number Prefix setting in my accounting integration?**

**A:** No. The **Reference Number Prefix** setting in your integration settings is separate, and turning it off doesn't remove `T-` or `S-`. Alvys adds `T-` and `S-` to carrier bills automatically.

**Q: Does this change my customer invoices?**

**A:** No. Customer invoices are not affected. Only carrier bills get the `T-` or `S-` prefix.

**Q: Will bills I already synced be renamed?**

**A:** No. Bills that are already in your accounting system keep their original reference numbers. The prefix only appears on bills created after the change.

**Q: When do I get T- and when do I get S-?**

**A:** It depends on how the statement was generated:

* **`T-`** — when you generate an individual statement for a single trip. The reference is the trip number, so it lines up with the trip in Alvys.
* **`S-`** — when you generate a combined carrier statement, which can hold one or more trips. The reference is the statement number shown in **Accounting > Carrier Settlements > Statements**.

Supplemental statements use the statement number, so they sync with `S-` too.

**Q: How do I choose between per-trip and combined statements?**

**A:** Use the **Generate statements by trip** setting, under **Preferences** in your Carrier Settlements settings.

* **Off (default):** Carrier statements include all the trips you select, and their bills use the statement number.
* **On:** Alvys can generate an individual statement for each trip, and those bills sync with `T-` and the trip number. Combined statements still sync with `S-`.

Turn this on if your team is used to finding carrier bills by trip number.

### Finding a bill

**Q: How do I find a carrier bill in my accounting system now?**

**A:** Search for the reference number with its prefix:

* For a single-trip bill, search for `T-` and the trip number (for example, `T-1002963`).
* For a statement bill, open **Accounting > Carrier Settlements > Statements** in Alvys, find the statement that includes the trip, and search your accounting system for `S-` and that statement number.

### Getting help

**Q: Who do I contact if the prefix causes a problem in my accounting workflow?**

**A:** Reach out to [support@alvys.com](mailto:support@alvys.com) and tell us which accounting system you use and how the prefix affects your process.

## Related articles

* [Carrier Settlements](/en/help/accounting-settlements/carrier-settlements)
* [How to export and modify transactions in NetSuite](/en/help/integrations/how-to-export-and-modify-transactions-in-netsuite)
* [How to connect and configure QuickBooks Online in Alvys](/en/help/integrations/how-to-connect-and-configure-quickbooks-online-in-alvys)