In INDY reporting, "effective types" refer to the actual classification of an item or transaction at the moment it was sold, based on how it was configured at the time of sale — not necessarily how it is currently configured in the back office.
🔍 Why “Effective Types” Matter
Item and category settings can change over time — for example:
A soda might move from “Drink” to “Combo” category
A voucher’s behavior or classification might be updated
A membership ticket might get reclassified as standard later
Effective types lock in how the item behaved at the moment of sale, ensuring accurate reporting even if:
Categories or item classes have been updated
Tax rules were different at the time
Bundles, tickets, or discounts were applied differently
✅ What They're Used For
Accurate revenue reporting: Ensures totals for concessions, tickets, or promos are based on the classification at the time of sale
Auditing: Lets finance teams trace back exact behavior and categorization
Legacy compatibility: Supports cinemas that frequently restructure their item hierarchy
You can change the effective type of any report table by right clicking > select Edit Table > navigate to the Data tab and edit the Effective Type in the drop down.
List of Effective Types overview
🎟️ STANDARD REPORTING TYPES
1. Sales Basis
What it means:
What was sold in the date range — doesn’t matter when the event is or whether it’s been used or even paid for.
Cinema example:
A customer books tickets today for a film next week.
A customer buys a gift card but hasn’t used it yet.
🟢 It counts because it was sold today.
2. Cash Basis
What it means:
What was sold and used today — customer bought it and went to the show today.
Cinema example:
A customer walks in at 5 PM, buys a 5:30 PM ticket, sees the film.
Another buys popcorn and eats it right then.
🟢 Only same-day sales and usage count.
🔁 Used with “Maturing” and “Future” to cover all sales types.
3. Accrual
What it means:
What was used today, even if sold in the past or future.
This tells you when your revenue is earned (the actual service happened).
Cinema example:
A customer bought a ticket last week for tonight’s screening = ✅
A customer booked popcorn delivery for today = ✅
📌 If the showtime or food delivery happened today, it counts.
❌ If a ticket was sold today for next week, it doesn’t count yet.
4. Attendance
What it means:
Who actually attended today’s screenings, regardless of when it was sold or voided.
This is a full picture of bums-on-seats.
Cinema example:
A customer shows up today with a prepaid ticket from a month ago = ✅
A no-show ticket is voided tomorrow = ❌ updated in tomorrow’s data.
📌 This is the most accurate but can change if sales/voids happen later.
🧾 ACCRUAL DETAIL TYPES
These break down revenue into three categories: Now, Becoming Now, and Not Yet
1. Current Sales
What it means:
Sales placed and used today — same as Cash Basis.
Cinema example:
Walk-in customer buys a 7 PM ticket for today and uses it = ✅
2. Maturing Sales
What it means:
Items that are used today, but were sold earlier.
These were Future Sales before, now they’re happening.
Cinema example:
Jane bought a Saturday ticket on Tuesday. It’s now Saturday = ✅ Maturing
3. Future Sales
What it means:
Items sold today but used later.
Cinema example:
Someone books a ticket today for next Friday’s screening = ✅ Future
🟢 Today = cash received
🔴 But not yet “earned” revenue
💳 ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE TYPES
Used when you allow customers (like corporate clients or tabs) to pay later.
1. Current Payments
What it means:
Items paid and placed today. Normal cash/card purchases.
Cinema example:
Standard ticket purchase at POS with debit card = ✅
2. Unpaid Placements
What it means:
Things placed today but not paid yet. Usually tabs or invoices.
Cinema example:
Local school books a private screening today, invoice to be paid later = ✅
🧾 This enters your Accounts Receivable.
3. Pay Past Placements
What it means:
Things sold in the past that got paid today.
Cinema example:
School from last month pays their invoice today = ✅
💰 Leaves your Accounts Receivable.
4. Accounts Receivable (as of end of range)
What it means:
All unpaid orders at the end of the date range. It’s a snapshot.
Cinema example:
Any invoice or tab that still hasn’t been paid by end of day = ✅
📌 This grows or shrinks as tabs are opened or paid off.
🧠 Summary: When to Use What
You want to know... | Use this |
What was sold today | Sales Basis |
What was earned today | Accrual |
Who actually attended | Attendance |
What was sold + used today | Cash Basis / Current Sales |
What just became relevant today from prior sales | Maturing Sales |
What’s been sold for future | Future Sales |
What’s been paid today | Current Payments |
What’s been sold today but unpaid | Unpaid Placements |
What’s just been paid from past | Pay Past Placements |
What’s still unpaid as of now | Accounts Receivable |
List of Effective Types in detail
Standard (most used):
Sales Basis
Sales Basis is a view into what was sold in the date range, independent of when (or if) it was paid and independent of when it is effective (i.e. what the showing date is).
Cash Basis
Current Sales is useful for accrual accounting. This is a view into things that are both Effective and Placed during the date range. These are people who came and bought a ticket today and used it today. For many cinemas, this makes up the vast majority of their sales. This is used in conjunction with Maturing and Future Sales to reconcile against all sales for the day.
Accrual
Accrual is a view into things that are effective during the date range, i.e. the ticket is for a showing in the date range, or food due in the date range. This view is designed for determining when revenue is earned. This value is independent of when the order was placed (e.g. current, past, future) and when the order way paid (and even if it was paid). This value includes all voids and sales effective in the date range placed before or during the date range. Voids and sales that happen after the effective date are not included in this value.
Attendance
Attendance is a view into things that are effective during the date range, i.e. the ticket is for a showing in the date range, or food due in the date range. This value is independent of when the order was placed (e.g. current, past, future) and when the order way paid (and even if it was paid). All voids and sales, even ones after the date range, impact this value. This makes this value strictly more accurate, but also means it can change with future actions.
Accrual
Current Sales
Current Sales is useful for accrual accounting. This is a view into things that are both Effective and Placed during the date range. These are people who came and bought a ticket today and used it today. For many cinemas, this makes up the vast majority of their sales. This is used in conjunction with Maturing and Future Sales to reconcile against all sales for the day.
Maturing Sales
The Maturing Sales Effective Type is useful for accrual accounting. This is a view into things that are Effective in the date range and were placed in the past. These are people who came and bought a ticket for a future date. Maturing sales are things that were classified as Future Sales for a prior period.
Future Sales
Future Sales is useful for accrual accounting. This is a view into things that were placed in the date range and are effective in future. These are people who came and bought a ticket for a future date. Future sales are things that will be classified as Maturing Sales for a future period.
Accounts Receivable
Current Payments
Current Payments is view into things that are paid and placed during the date range. This is the normal scenario for non-accounts receivable orders. When this is not the case, the order is a part of the accounts receivable.
Unpaid Placements
Unpaid Placements is view into things that are placed during the date range but not paid. These are either Tab or Invoice orders. These are order that entered Accounts
Receivable in the date range.
Pay Past Placements
Pay Past Placements is view into things that are placed in the past and paid during the date range. These are either Tab or Invoice orders. These are order that leave Accounts Receivable in the date range.
Accounts Receivable
Accounts Receivable is all unpaid items as of the end of the date range. This is cumulative over all time. Whereas Unpaid Placements and Paid Past Placements represent the change in Accounts Receivable for the date range, Accounts Receivable is the total amount of unpaid items as of the end of the range. The start date does not impact this value, only the end date does.