E-Invoice Overview and FAQ
What is e-invoicing?
Invoice data is received electronically, and a paper copy of an invoice will no longer exist. For Market Place vendors that participate, the invoice data will be submitted electronically through the Market Place. Departments will mark goods received in the Market Place. If the price equals the order amount a payment will be made to the vendor.
What will change?
- Departments will no longer enter an invoice for vendors participating in e-invoices.
- Departments will need to enter receiving in Market Place.
- All Market Place Orders will require a GL code (both credit card and PO orders).
- Credit Card Orders will not be impacted.
Electronic Invoices and Payments
If vendors participate in the UT Market Place (MP), are they REQUIRED to also participate in electronic invoicing?
Not at this time. We would like to have electronic invoicing for all catalog vendors that are willing and capable of working with e-invoicing. We intend to work with vendors that have the most transactions initially and then work through the rest of our vendors until we have enabled all vendors that are capable and willing to participate. For future catalog enablement we will try to bring those vendors live with e-invoicing if they can participate.
How will we know which vendors in the UT Market Place are participating in electronic invoicing?
We intend to flag those vendors that are participating as e-invoice vendors. At present, we list a PO number under the catalog for all Market Place vendors. We will take away the PO number and label those vendors e-invoice.
How will non-catalog payments be made to vendors participating in e-invoicing?
Vendors that participate in e-invoicing will send all of their invoices through the Market Place. If the order isn’t placed through the Market Place, this payment will fail and the System Accounts Payable office will be required to research the matter. Departments will not be able to pay invoices for those vendors. This is to prevent duplicate payments.
Is electronic invoicing only for catalog items placed in ESM or is it for non-catalog items too?
Electronic invoicing is for catalog vendors that participate in e-invoice only at this time. However, e-quotes will also be e-invoiced for Market Place vendors that have the capability to provide e-quotes. Dell, Grainger, Fisher and others routinely offer e-quotes in some circumstances. The e-quote is placed in their catalog and you place the order in your shopping cart, just like a regular order from the vendor.
If an order is placed outside of the ESM system(i.e. by phone/fax/email) with a Market Place vendor (participating in electronic invoicing), will the invoice continue to be handled by the departments in the traditional manner?
No, Accounts Payable will process those invoices as departments will not have the capability to process invoices with those vendors. For questions on orders placed outside of the Market Place, contact Accounts Payable at einvoices@tennessee.edu.
Once an order is submitted, can a department change the cost center?
No. To change the cost center, departments must handle via transfer voucher.
How are credits and other adjustments handled?
Credits and other adjustments will be handled by Accounts Payable.
Could I wait to enter receiving until all items are received, or a problem is resolved?
Departments will be able to partially receive items in the Market Place, as the department physically receives the items. If the items are defective, departments do not have to mark the items as received. Payment does not process until a department marks items as received, unless an override is performed at the discretion of Accounts Payable.
How will the receiving process work and who, specifically, will do it?
Receiving may be performed by any user that has checkout and/or approval privileges in the Market Place. Users that transfer carts only (shoppers) will not be able to process receiving. However, checkout privileges may be requested for shoppers if departments decide that they prefer some of those users to receive orders. The buyer that places the order could do the receiving but does not have to do so. Individual departments may designate receiving duties within their department as they see fit.
When will the invoice transaction appear in department ledgers?
Once the items are received by the department, the payment will be made according to payment terms and will appear on your ledger. An attachment of the invoice data will be created simultaneously when the e-invoice is fed to IRIS. Most vendors will submit and invoice shortly after shipping items.
Partial shipments and receiving? Will we have to receive the entire order or can the Market Place accept partial receiving? Can multiple partials for a single order be processed?
Receiving may be handled as an entire order or partial. Multiple partials may be processed for a single order.
Will all employees in my department have access to the Market Place transactions?
All users that have checkout or approval privileges may see any order and enter receiving for it.
If the order placed is received as a partial shipment, how does one receive a partial shipment in Market Place?
Any payment would be only for the line items and/or quantities received. Departments would only enter quantities and items actually received.
What if I accidentally enter receiving for someone else’s order?
Adjustments may be made to adjust the receipt.
What if the order contains an asset?
For transactions coded as an asset, the e-invoice will initially fail and Accounts Payable will finalize. However, departments will need to create an asset number and communicate the number to Accounts Payable via email (einvoices@tennessee.edu).
Will training be offered?
Training is offered monthly as part of the “Introduction to Market Place” course. Users may register via K@TE at kate.tennessee.edu.