Sage 200 - The MovementBalance table explained

In a very basic example, if there are no other stock movements in the system for a stock item, the cost for a stock item receipt has been confirmed and the same stock had been consumed then there should be no entries in the MovementBalance table.

However, in the real-world things aren’t always going to be that straightforward.

There are three main movement types, two of these are movements in, Confirmed (Type 0) and Not Confirmed (Type 1) and then there are Shortfalls (Type 2) which relate to the consumption of Not Confirmed stock. Out of these MovementBalanceTypes only a Shortfall would have a StockLevelIssued which is greater than zero.

When confirmed stock is consumed the system simply reduces the OpeningStockLevel of the relevant MovementBalance table entry, when the stock is fully consumed the Confirmed line will be removed.

When Not Confirmed stock is consumed the system creates a related Shortfall entry for each movement out, these are markers to signify that the cost has not been confirmed. Each Shortfall is linked to other tables that need to be updated when the cost has been confirmed.  The Not Confirmed entry would not be amended in any way until the cost has been confirmed, at which point it would be removed, any related shortfalls would be dealt with, and any remaining stock would be accounted for on a new Confirmed stock entry.    

If the stock item in question is not using actual costing the MovementBalance table works as a queue on a warehouse basis. Confirming a cost (i.e. invoicing a purchase order or closing a Works order) satisfies the oldest Not Confirmed entries and any related shortfalls in a particular warehouse – this is not necessarily the same stock that was brought in by the original receipt. To give a basic example of this you receive 2 purchase orders for the same item (with prices updated at invoice recorded) into the same warehouse, all the stock is then sold - if you were to invoice the second of these orders the system would deal with the oldest Not Confirmed entry and its related shortfalls first.

The following articles and help pages may assist depending upon the reason you are scrutinising the MovmentBalance table: 

Sage 200 - What do the Movement Types within Stock History relate to?

Stock Valuation Help Files 

Sage 200 - The Stock Valuation Report Explained

Sage 200 - Sales Order / Invoice Profitability in Sage 200

Sage 200 - Reasons why stock values may not reconcile to nominal values (including Sage Manufacturing)