Automating Your Supplier Invoice Entry

Outcome

Supplier invoices can be entered smoothly only using the steps required for that particular kind of invoice.

Use this to speed up your supplier invoice processing.

Before you start

You must have a clear picture of the company’s different types of invoice entry and the company routines.

Purpose

The purpose is to tailor and automate the supplier invoice entry as far as possible, minimizing the number of keys and panels to use for the entry. In the most slimmed flow, you only work in one panel instead of five.

When

Apply the workflows defined whenever you enter an invoice in ‘Supplier Invoice. Record’ (APS100).

How

The workflow is to the greatest extent controlled by the detail record under FAM function AP10 that you select as a template to use for the entry in (APS100/B). Each record serves as a template for the entry. By defining separate detail records for each type of invoice entry in ‘FAM Function. Open Detail’ (CRS406), you make sure that only the relevant information is displayed during the entry.

The detail record contains many values, most of them having a certain impact on your workflow. In this document we mention the most important alternatives.

However, you can also change the workflow during the invoice entry.

Slimming the Workflow

You can design your entry flows in several ways:

Control which information is relevant and should be displayed
Simplify the posting of invoices and taxes
Apply templates for quick posting of recurring costs
Quickly switch between entry of approved and not approved invoices
Select workflow for the matching to purchase order
Send messages automatically to responsible user when processing invoices.

The model illustrates how the workflow can be designed, focusing on which information should be displayed and templates applied:

Control Which Information Is Relevant and Should be Displayed

In the basic flow, separate panels are displayed with information related to the supplier. These panels are:
- The F panel: Values such as currency and payment terms are retrieved from ‘Supplier. Define Purchase & Financial’ (CRS624)
- The G panel: Cash discount details, such as dates and percentages, are presented based on the cash discount terms selected for the supplier in (CRS624).
Normally you just accept these values by pressing Enter without any changes. You can decide to automatically accept the values and not display these two panels at all. Just note that if you select not to display the F panel, you cannot use the detail record for entering an invoice for recurring payments or use the accounting supplementation function for the basic credit transaction.
Simplify the Posting of Invoices and Taxes

Many invoices are quite unproblematic and do not require any complex processing. You just want to enter them and post them as fast as possible. Therefore, you can select to post the invoices automatically without displaying a separate coding panel, (APS100/J).
- For unapproved invoices you control this by selecting a clearing account code for the FAM function
- For invoices that should not be matched to a purchase order during the entry, you can enter the accounting identities to use for the debit transaction in a separate accounting string already in (APS100/E). (This accounting string does not affect transactions for taxes and records entered by using an invoice accounting template.)
To avoid having to post VAT manually, you can choose to have the VAT automatically calculated and posted – you do not have to enter the VAT manually. This is controlled by the FAM function as well.
Apply Templates for Quick Posting of Recurring Costs

Invoices from the same company can be rather standardized: They can include the same types of costs, perhaps even amounts, usually posted to the same accounts.

For unproblematic invoices you can predefine such recurring types of costs and how they should be posted in an invoice accounting template. If you connect the template to the supplier or the FAM function, the costs are then displayed in (APS100/H), where you enter the appropriate amounts. They are then automatically posted.

If these recurring costs are more complex, the invoice accounting template may not be sufficient for your needs. Instead you can use a standard voucher with predefined invoice records for posting such costs quickly. You select the standard voucher to use on the coding panel.
Quickly switch between entry of approved and not approved invoices

When entering invoices you will discover that some invoices should actually be entered as approved instead of not approved, or vice versa. Perhaps you also find that this also applies to invoices that you have already entered during the same session.

By pressing a function key in (APS100/E) you can change the status of an invoice from approved to unapproved and vice versa on the E panel without having to exit and select another FAM function detail record. You can also do this retroactively.
Select Workflow for the Matching to Purchase Order

If you wish to match an invoice to purchase order and goods receipt, you can choose among eight workflows, from completely manual to completely automatic.

You enter which flow to use in (APS100/E). Read more in Matching Supplier Invoices to Purchase Orders.
Send Messages Automatically to Responsible User when Processing Invoices

If several administrators are involved in processing invoices you can facilitate the communication between these persons by activating so-called application messages. These messages inform the person responsible for authorizing an invoice that an incident referring to the invoice has occurred in M3, for example that an invoice has been entered that needs to be authorized. The messages are activated in ‘Settings – Application Messages. Open’ (CRS424). Once activated they are created and displayed for the authorizer in ‘Application Message. Open’ (CRS420) every time the incident in question occurs.