The quick answer
On Results → Columns, set Amount to Sum and Name to Group. Keep the invoice criteria unchanged, preview the customer totals, then save and reopen the definition to confirm the summary settings.
The screenshots use sample data and fictional person and operating-company names.
Before you start
This example uses September Invoice Review with Main Line true, Type Invoice, September 2026 dates, and individual invoice Amount at least $2,000. It covers one USD subsidiary and currency with no one-to-many joins. These totals include qualifying paid and open invoices; they are not an outstanding receivables balance.
01. Inspect the invoice detail
Open the existing search from Reports → Saved Searches. Keep its Criteria unchanged. On Results → Columns, Date, Name, Status, and Amount start with blank Summary Type values. Preview four invoices: Alder Retail has $2,500.00 and $4,500.00; Birch Supply has $3,200.00 and $2,800.00.
02. Set Amount to Sum
Choose Return to Criteria, then Results → Columns. Edit the Amount row, select Sum in Summary Type, and click OK to commit the row. Preview again. With no grouping field, the result is a single $13,000.00 amount.
03. Group the sum by customer
Click Return to Criteria, then open Results → Columns again. Edit Name, choose Group, and click OK. Keep Amount as Sum and leave Date and Status unchanged. A grouping field divides the amount by customer; adding more grouping fields would divide it further.
04. Compare the customer totals
Preview the result. Alder Retail totals $7,000.00 and Birch Supply totals $6,000.00. Together they reconcile to the $13,000.00 aggregate. Columns with blank Summary Type remain in the definition but do not appear as ordinary detail columns in this summary result.
05. Save and reopen the search
Return to Criteria and click Save. Reopen September Invoice Review for editing from the saved-search list. Confirm Name remains Group and Amount remains Sum, then preview the same two totals. Saving the search preserves the definition without changing invoices.
Check the result
- The source invoice criteria stayed unchanged.
- Name uses Group and Amount uses Sum.
- The reopened saved search returns $7,000.00 + $6,000.00 = $13,000.00.
Common questions
Why did detail columns disappear after adding a summary type?
A summary search displays summarized results rather than ordinary invoice rows. Columns with blank Summary Type can remain in the definition, but they are not shown as detail columns.
How do I total qualifying invoices by customer?
Keep the existing standard criteria unchanged, set Amount to Sum, and set Name to Group on the Results columns. The search then totals qualifying invoice amounts for each customer. Results depend on currency, subsidiary, date range, permissions, and joins.
What is the difference between Sum and Group?
Sum adds the qualifying values in a field, while Group creates a separate result row for each underlying value. Therefore, Amount = Sum alone produces one aggregate; adding Name = Group divides that aggregate by customer.
Does a summary search change invoice data, and how can I verify the totals?
No. Previewing or saving a saved-search definition does not modify invoices. To verify results, compare the grouped customer totals with the prior grand total within the same currency and criteria scope. Here, $7,000 plus $6,000 equals $13,000.