iDocuments AP User Guide - V6

First published on: 12/09/2024/4:33 pm

Introduction

Overview

iDocuments Purchasing includes a purchase-to-pay processing module for purchase orders, goods receipts, and AP invoices.  

This guide focuses on AP processing.

Logging in

iDocuments is accessible via a standard internet browser.

For V6, use the following URLs (adding the '2' to the current production URL):

• https://production2.idocuments.io or https://productionuk2.idocuments.io

Enter your email as the username and the password credentials provided, then click Sign in.

If MFA is enabled, an authentication code will also be required.

AP Invoice Process Overview

Step 1 – Purchase order creation and approval in the ERP or iDocuments

Step 2 – Goods receipts notes created in the ERP or iDocuments

Step 3 – Purchase invoice and credit notes processed in iDocuments

Example of SAP B1

Menu

An expandable menu option on the left will change the company and/or navigate through pages.

• Company – Top right dropdown list for choosing companies
• Recent – Recent pages the user has visited in the system
• Favourites – User-defined favourite pages in the system

• License information - License summary and other configuration options are available only to system administrators

Approvers will see a summary of documents requiring approval in their Pending Tasks. (Click the link to see the list, then drill down to review and approve.)

Dashboard

An expandable menu option on the left will change the company and/or navigate through pages:

• Advanced search – A powerful search to find documents in the system from unique identifiers
• Task summary – Graphical summary of all outstanding tasks plus integration failures
• Split of tasks by document type – All outstanding tasks awaiting action with clickable links to select as shortcuts
• Key performance indicator – KPI summaries
• System alerts – User-specific or general system alerts will appear in the top right
• Open transactions option defaults to current user transactions:
  • Multiple document types in one list
  • User-definable selections and filters

AP Purchase Invoice Functions

Understanding the purchase invoice options

1. Back to list – Closes the document. Note: This is critical to use. If you don't (e.g., if the tab is closed another way, such as a session timeout), the invoice can remain locked to the user.
2. Reset – Reverts changes when not automatically saved
3. Flag supplier for OCR training required – Forces training for the current supplier, so the next invoice requires training to correct issues
4. Trace – Emails the PO creator, changes the invoice to 'Queried' status, and adds a comment about the trace
5. Query: Changes the invoice to 'Queried' status, and adds a comment, including now for Rejected status.  This button is not available when PI is at status Approved.  This is also hidden now for cancelled.  Clear query: For queried status allows the document to be set back to its last status and add a comment.
6. Copy from base document – Lets you select a PO and GRN to retrieve the line details for matching to the invoice
7. Save – Lets you save the details at any point, as a draft, where 'submit' isn't required
8. Submit – Lets you save, sends the invoice for required approvals, then sends to the finance system
9. Chats – Lets you discuss the document internally, via system notifications, without having to send emails
10. Sharing – Allows you to email a PDF image with a message

Line buttons:

11. Add – Adds a line below so relevant details can be entered into the grid
12. Import – Used infrequently to upload lines as typically the OCR process or the GRN lines are used to populate lines
13. Copy – Copies one or more selected lines to replicate those details to save data re-entry
14. Delete – Deletes the selected line

Additional costs/discounts:

14. Discount – Can be entered at the line level but also available as an overall discount by selecting the value at the header

15. Additional expenses – The value can be clicked in the header or on the line to enter additional costs, such as freight information. Costs will show 'Document' or 'Line' in the summary section. You can edit and delete from the same options.

Warning messages:

16. Tolerance details – When there's a 3-way match (purchase order-receipt-invoice) and you've set up a tolerance, this displays the differences with the below example having no PO assigned.

Receiving AP invoices from suppliers

Supplier invoices are received via email. After OCR processing, it will appear as a pending task (as seen above).

Using this link will take you to the purchase invoices listing page.

The ‘purchase invoice scans’ link presents a list of scanned invoice images that are ready to code and match to a purchase order where needed.

The listing filter can be updated to reduce the number of results returned.

This includes some pre-defined status selections

Selecting any invoice document by double-clicking will show the captured data pre-populated in the Purchase Invoice screen.

The scanned invoice is shown on the right-hand side of the form but can be minimised using the button above the image.

Note: You can also have the image floating so it can be moved around the page.

Once the supplier field is populated, either by using the iDocuments invoice data capture application or by being manually selected by the user, the PO selection can be reviewed from the 'copy from base document' button to list that supplier's open purchase orders that have been fully approved and have a GRN.

For each PO number available, the GRN number, PO amount, and GRN amount will appear.

Once the PO is selected, the purchase order will be automatically pulled into the rapid entry form, with the header fields pulled into the header tab and the line field details pulled into the line tab.

The group the order was created from will also be pulled in (this will determine the approval workflow).

The rapid entry user will add data that hasn't been captured during the scanning and capture process.

Tick-box options are available for pro forma, pre-payment, and downpayment.

Copy Down

To allow data to be quickly replicated, some text fields on the lines have the ability to copy from the top row, so entry does not need to be duplicated.

Select the relevant button next to the cell to copy it down and overwrite all the other row data for that column.

If the purchase invoice matches the purchase order

If the PI matches the PO exactly, the user enters the gross value in the 'Gross' field and the 'Balance' field, which must display as “0” before submitting.

When purchase invoices match or are within tolerance, they'll be automatically approved, and the purchase order creator will receive an email alert.

Tolerance is controlled by two settings: Tolerance Percent and Tolerance Maximum Value. You can control these at the line level or header level.

Item-based documents will fail a tolerance check on quantity.

If the purchase invoice doesn't match the purchase order

The purchase order lines in the line tab of the rapid invoice form are editable to reconcile values such as quantity, price, or number of units.

If the increase in value is out of tolerance, it will trigger the PI approval process and the PI will be sent through the purchase invoice approval workflow before it can be approved or rejected.

If the purchase invoice part matches the purchase order

If an order is delivered in part or set up as a call-off order by editing the purchase order details to reflect the partial order, it may be part-receipted.

The user can keep the order for further invoices or close it.

If the order stays open, the remainder of the purchase order that hasn't been receipted will still be available for further matching against subsequent purchase invoices until the full value of the purchase order has been receipted.

If there is no purchase order

Video: How to Enter an Invoice Without a PO

Users will select a scan to edit or add the required invoice details, excluding the purchase order number. The purchase invoice may be routed for approval according to the rules set.

Tracing / Querying an invoice

If a purchase invoice is received without a purchase order number, and it's not clear which group it should be allocated to, you can use the Trace Invoice function to send a copy to select iDocuments users for confirmation of ownership.

The PI will appear on the purchase invoices list as 'Queried'.

Comments from the trace invoice screen and a list of users who received the trace inventory query will be recorded in the comments tab.

The query option is similar although it does not send any email and just allows the status to change and comments to be applied.

When moving back from queried status, using the ‘Clear query’ means that the last document status will be reinstated.

Tax rounding issues

The header amount can vary depending on how the supplier calculates the tax versus how iDocuments calculates the tax, so you'll need to correct rounding differences by altering the net or tax amounts from the line pane (editing the line amounts as required). 

For US/Canada entities, the tax is also managed within the tax jurisdictions, so refer to the tax jurisdiction user guide for further information.

Downpayment invoices

In iDocuments, if 'Downpayment Invoice' is selected, it will post as an AP downpayment invoice against predefined GL accounts for downpayment.

The predefined accounts are configured in iDocuments with a company setting.

Tax only invoices

If tax-only invoices are required, there is a tick box to allow no net value to be passed.   Note: for SAP, the unit price should also be entered to avoid a discount being entered and only post the tax amount.

Credit notes

Credit notes will be created using the rapid invoice entry form and follow the same approval process as purchase invoices.

When credit notes are selected, the invoice document can only copy invoice lines when pressing ‘Copy from base document’.

Purchasing Reports

Various standard reports are available which are accessible from the Purchasing Reports option, depending on the company settings, e.g. if not a GRN company, then GRN reports are not shown.

Also, standard KPI reports are available from the menu option but also a link on the homepage. 

The KPI reports also have:

• A predefined date range (which can be updated after running, with the filter) so they run immediately. 
• A graphical element for some, that is accessed after the report has been run, via the ‘Graph’ icon

Note: the reports are all on a single page, so layouts for columns etc. cannot be saved, as there are different columns per report.

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