How are ad hoc charges processed?

Ad hoc charges are downloaded from the bank's website into a comma separated value (CSV) file. You can download new charges as often as needed. Benefits of ad hoc processing include:

  • Your company's accounts payable department makes one payment for all ad hoc charges to the bank

  • Merchants receive payment from the bank in just a few days

  • Buyers have the freedom to make purchases from any vendor that accepts credit cards (including local retailers)

You run a batch program to import bank charges in the CSV file. The program you run is called P-Card Charge Import (PD570).

When you run PD570, the program generates a report sorted by P-Card number listing the bank charges that were interfaced successfully. Also, the program creates an exception report, listing bank charges that were not interfaced. Lawson recommends running PD570 in Report Only mode first. That way, errors can be verified with the bank, the bank updates their information, and you re-run the program in Update mode when you are ready.

PD570 also has a database processing option and a charge import maintenance program (PD57). Use PD57.2 to add and maintain distributions. Use PD57.3 to review errors encountered during the PD570 import process.

Some of the reasons why bank charges may appear on the exception report are invalid card number and invalid Accounts Payable company for the card.

The CSV file from which PD570 imports charges is located in the:

  • $LAWDIR/ productline /work/PD570CSV directory (for UNIX)

  • %LAWDIR%\ productline \work\PD570CSV directory (for Windows)

  • LAWDIR/ productline /work/PD570CSV directory (for IBMi)

Ad hoc charge processing involves these steps:

  • Importing the charges into Lawson by running PD570

  • Adding and maintaining distributions using D57.2. Reviewing errors encountered during the PD570 import process using PD57.3.

  • Releasing the charges and creating an invoice by running P-Card Invoice and Release (PD130) - one invoice is created for the whole statement

  • Approving the charges by using P-Card Charge Approval (PD20.1) - charges can be approved or disputed. Comments may be added by clicking the Details (Dtls) button.

  • After approval, the administrator closes or rejects the charges (if rejected, the cardholder can make changes and re-approve the charge)

  • Processing the invoice through the Accounts Payable application as usual (the AP invoice distribution is added to the original invoice when the charge is approved)

  • Sending the payment directly to the bank

The statement name is used in the CSV file as a label for a group of charges to be paid together. The invoice name is the name of the Accounts Payable invoice to be created by running PD130.

If an imported charge contains a purchase order number, PD130 does not include it in the invoice it creates. PO-based charges are already processed and paid by the Accounts Payable application. P-Card Invoice and Release (PD130) does, however, release PO charges for approval and for later reporting.