What is the Invoice Messaging Process?

The people who are involved in the invoice messaging process include: an accounts payable clerk or approver and a buyer or authority code. The following describes the invoice messaging process that involves these people.

• An accounts payable clerk/approver adds and releases invoices, and tries to reconcile/approve unmatched invoices. When tolerances are exceeded, a message is generated for the buyer/authority code. The accounts payable clerk or approver also takes action on any messages that are disapproved by the buyer or authority code.

• A buyer/authority code (a person assigned to an authority code) reviews the messages and takes action to close messages.

There are two times during the invoice process when invoice messages can be created:

• At invoice entry time when an invoice is added, invoice details are compared to purchase order details. A PO cost message is created if PO cost tolerances are exceeded.

• At reconciliation time when an invoice match is attempted, invoice details are compared to PO/receipt details. Reconciliation messages are created if reconciliation tolerances are exceeded.