Techniques for speeding up the Procurement Invoicing Process

Inbound Logistics | Batch Jobs | Vendor Payments | Vendor Relationship | Procurement Process

What is Procurement?

The process or the act of acquiring services or products for a company is known as procurement. Procurement is sometimes used to describe just the actual purchasing procedure while other times it is used to describe the whole process that precedes the purchase. Procurement also deals with invoicing process when it comes to purchase orders and vendor invoices.

On a broad scale, procurement is referred to as purchasing for a company. In procurement, supplier management is of utmost importance. Procurement has nothing to do with the actions of the vendor.

Procurement is almost always a step in the process of producing a company’s ultimate product. Because of this, it’s essential for every company to be able to operate smoothly. It is critical to the buyer’s company success to acquire the highest quality and most cost-effective products or services.

Procurement may seem as a straightforward procedure on the surface. But it is usually very competitive, and attention to every detail is essential. Procurement activities include:

• Selection of a Vendor
• The negotiation processes
• Strategic Pre-screening
• Seal of Approval
• Formal Agreement Negotiation
• Overall Capital Outlay

SUMMARY

A typical stage in the overall process of creating a company’s final product is procurement. Acquiring the best quality and most cost-effective goods or services is crucial to the buyer’s business success. The vendor’s activities have nothing to do with procurement. In order for this to happen, it is essential that all companies be able to function as smoothly as possible.

What is the procurement process?

The procurement process encompasses the actions companies must take to guarantee they can purchase necessary products and services and accomplish their goals. Procurement processes have a significant effect on how much a company may save because of their influence on the total cost of goods sold. It guarantees that company objectives are being fulfilled as long as companies do a frequent assessment of the procurement process. When things don’t go as planned, the procedure may be altered. Procurement has the goal of increasing productivity, and companies must maximize the value of their processes.

The procurement procedure varies per company. Businesses have various demands, and as a result, there will be a distinct procurement procedure in each one.

SUMMARY

In order to successfully buy the required goods and services, businesses have to go through a procurement process. As long as businesses do an evaluation of procurement process often, it ensures that corporate goals are met. If the process doesn’t proceed as intended, it may be modified. To be more productive, procurement is striving to raise productivity. Therefore, businesses must optimize their procedures.

Components of Procurement

Procurement has three elements:

1. Individuals

   In the event of a procurement purchase, the number of individuals engaged in the purchasing process relies on sales of the purchase order and manufacturing orders. Due to the modest size of the business, purchasing staff are scarce. Procurement requires dedicated teams for each step of the process.

   Additionally, for lower value goods, the number of approvals is fewer. For high-value or very essential acquisitions, a higher degree of authorization is required for buy requisitions.

2. Procedure

   In addition, for the procurement process to be successful, it should be properly planned and coordinated. Variations and delays may occur in purchasing and payment processes when there is a disorganized procurement department. By disclosing the many stages of the process, there can be no corruption or manipulation at any point.

3. Records and Paperwork

   Procedural and regular record keeping during the procurement process is critical. Despite being computerized, meticulous recording of all data at each step, coordinated and cross-referenced collection of all relevant documents, and rigorous analysis of all information at each step are vital for both buyers and sellers.

Purchasing vs Procurement

The whole process of recognizing a need inside the business, acquiring the required items, and keeping strong relationships with the suppliers is known as procurement. Procurement research finds probable suppliers when a requirement is verified.

The process of procurement includes the process of purchasing, although purchasing is a sub-function inside that process. In this situation, your job is limited to these four activities: obtaining the buy request, assessing RFQs, creating a purchase order, and getting the purchased products or services.

Sr.	KPIs for Procurement
	KPI	Description
1.	PO Accuracy	Low PO accuracy hikes up operating costs. Indicators to track: The ratio of product/service delivered outside the pre-defined service target % of erroneous delivery over the total number of purchase orders in a period of time.
2.	Compliance Rate	Understand if suppliers fulfill your requirements.
3.	Number of Suppliers	Track your level of dependency towards your suppliers.
4.	Purchase Order Cycle Time	Know who to address your urgent orders to.
5.	Supplier Quality Rating	Analyze the quality of your suppliers.
6.	Supplier Availability	Measure suppliers’ capacity to respond to demand.
7.	Cost of Purchase Order	Control the internal costs incurred by each purchase.

SUMMARY

Procurement is a business process where the recognition of a need, the acquisition of needed goods, and maintaining strong connections with suppliers is carried out. The only four actions that you’re required to do are: acquiring the purchase request, evaluating RFQs, generating a purchase order, and receiving the goods or services that have been bought.

What is a purchase order?

A purchase order (PO) is a document a buyer sends to a seller after ordering goods or services. POs outline what the order should contain, the date of delivery and price.

Some POs also include prerequisites that both the buyer and seller have agreed to before the purchase. These could be anything from receiving a certain quantity of good or items by airfreight to using an alternative payment method for ordering.

After the seller accepts the purchase order agreement, the document becomes a legally binding contract.

Buyers can also use standing purchase orders to facilitate recurring purchases. A standing PO allows them to order the same items or services many times over or within a certain time frame with the same PO number.

Alternatively, the ordering party can draw up a blanket purchase order to get multiple deliveries for a set price, over a set period. Blanket POs are typically used in B2B purchases and may include discounts or other incentives.

A basic PO usually includes the following information:

1. Date of purchase
2. PO number
3. Order description
4. Unit price
5. Delivery date
6. Buyer name and address of the buyer (shipping address)
7. Vendor name and address of the seller (billing address)
8. Terms and conditions
9. Signature of the issuer

Some business owners confuse purchase orders with purchase requisitions. However, there is a notable difference between the two documents.

Employees in large companies use purchase requisitions to place orders with the purchasing department. The purchasing department then sources the required goods from an outside vendor or merchant. This means that the order is processed internally by those in charge of procurement.

Requisition orders are common in larger companies with various departments but rarely used in small business.

SUMMARY

A purchase order (PO) is a document sent by a buyer purchasing goods or services once the purchase order has been issued. An order’s PO tells the customer what products they will get, the date of delivery, and the price. Upon certain buyers, additional requirements the seller and purchaser have previously agreed to be also part of the purchase order. When the seller has completed the document purchase order, the document has entered into a legally enforceable contract.

Why is a purchase order important?

There are numerous reasons for you to utilize POs for order placement no matter if you’re a little firm or a big corporation.

Make it clear what you anticipate: In the process of purchasing goods or services, a buy order informs the seller of your exact needs. This is done to ensure expectations are well defined from the outset.

Reduce requests for duplicate content

In the case of a significant rise in the order request volume, POs are useful in keeping track of who ordered what, from whom, and when. A purchase order is a need if you don’t want to make repeated requests, which may cause a company loss.

Prevent unexpected expenses from occurring

When you have a PO in hand, you may see whether or not you and a particular supplier have agreed on price. You may utilize the purchase order to explain the original cost if that provider increases the price.

Recognize problems with performance

Finding the source of your growth by tracking POs that provide value to your business can help you pinpoint orders that increase expenses without bringing anything to the table. Knowing these things puts you in a better position to make wise buying decisions.

Effectively manage inventories

Better inventory management is possible when you use software to track your purchase orders. Inventory visibility issues such as inventory stock outs are very common for companies. A buy order system may help you keep track of your inventory and notify you when it’s time to restock, making it easier for you to run your business efficiently and to manage your inventory levels.

Make better financial decisions

Pre-project order quantities and costs must be calculated before beginning a big project. This will help you to properly plan and budget for this kind of work.

SUMMARY

A purchase order is a need if you don’t want to constantly repeat your request, which may lead to financial loss for the business. Keeping track of who ordered what, from whom, and when is important for POs. When you buy software that includes inventory-tracking and restocking notification, you may monitor your inventory and be notified when it’s time to replenish.

What is the purchase order process?

Purchase order procedure is as follows:

Within the procurement process, the act of recognizing the demand for a product or service is just one component of a much larger process, which encompasses every aspect of procurement, from detecting a need to processing payments.

The first step is for the customer to establish a purchase request.

To initiate the buy order procedure, the purchaser must submit a purchase request, which is a document prepared by the purchaser and sent to the department in charge of finances. As you approach a point in the process where you’ve gotten permission to buy the items or services you desire, think of this as the step where you’re approved to make the transaction. It’s really just asking permission. If you’d want your request to be considered further, choose ‘Approve’, ‘Reject’, or ‘Flag’ from the list of options. With buy requisitions, you are requesting permission to purchase, while with purchase orders, you are telling the person who owns the item how to acquire it. This blog article goes into great depth on buy requisitions and purchase orders.

The second step involves the buyer issuing a purchase order to the seller.

The next step is for the vendor to accept, reject, or submit a PO for discussion.

Once the purchase order has been received, the vendor will carefully examine the purchase order and examine quantities, pricing, total amount payable, and terms and conditions. When the vendor has approved the purchase order (typically through email or via an e-procurement programme), they will have the products or services ready to be delivered. It will be returned to the purchaser for additional discussion if they do not have an item that is being bought or if there are other issues with the transaction.

Purchaser takes the next step and enters the purchase order on record.

In the buy order procedure, the last step is registering the purchase order. A wise practice in case of an audit is to file purchase orders.

Once the above procedures have been completed, the products or services are delivered and examined. Now that the transaction is complete, the vendor sends an invoice to the customer, and payment is completed.

SUMMARY

While recognizing demand is just one step in the procurement process, it is only one piece of a much broader process. In order for a client to request a purchase, the first step is for them to set up a buy request. Next, the buyer sends an order to the seller requesting the item. A purchase order is used to instruct someone on how to obtain an item, whereas a buy requisition tells someone who has the item and how to request it.

Why should you automate the purchase order process?

The purchase order process is an important one, but in the absence of an e-procurement system, it is undoubtedly manual and time consuming. Here’s why you should automate this process:

• All purchasing documents are centralized in one location, accessible from anywhere – Referencing purchase requisitions and POs is far less painful with an e-procurement solution. You can access any of the details you need, whenever you need them – in one place.
• Automated vendor catalogues make purchase requisitions easier – You can create purchase requests using a standardized purchase order template. There is no need to thumb through outdated paper vendor catalogue books for goods or services. Online catalogues make it easy to find the item you’re looking for at the right price from preferred suppliers while reducing manual data entry. You can also store items for greater savings and make purchasing more convenient.
• Approvals happen faster – Getting purchase requisitions approved is faster and easier with an automated system. You can send them directly to the person in charge of approving them through the system reducing bottlenecks. Setting up an approval workflow is as easy as clicking a button. Once that person is designated as the approver, they will instantly begin to receive automated approval requests, which trigger the creation of a purchase order. Approvals can be managed on the go – no more holding up orders.
• Purchase orders are easy to create and share – Like purchase requisitions, purchase orders are also easily managed through e-procurement software. You no longer have to worry about the format for purchase orders because it’s all pre-populated. On top of that, you can send them to vendors in any format.
• More visibility into spend – With e-procurement systems, you can manage the full Procure-to-Pay lifecycle and have access to insights and analytics that can help you manage business spend more effectively. Relevant team members see the impact of purchase requisitions before you approve them, and budgets are automatically updated once a purchase order is sent.
• See order status at a glance – Being able to see the status of all your orders in one place is a huge benefit to automating the purchase order process. You can easily see important moments in the PO process, like which purchase requisitions have been approved or rejected, and which purchase orders have been sent.
• Reduce invoice approval cycle times – The finance department can spend less time chasing confirmation. An invoice should be paid and streamline invoicing by matching against approved POs with full visibility on the audit trail. No need to trawl through a paper trail when purchase order management is digital!

SUMMARY

Without an e-procurement system, the purchase order procedure is definitely manual and time-consuming. By automating the whole process, the efficiency of the process improves significantly. To handle all of your buying information, you have a single site that is accessible from anywhere and that has the details you need available whenever you need them. You may have the entire Procure-to-Pay lifecycle under management, as well as analytics and insights that help you manage company expenditure more efficiently with e-procurement solutions. This relevant team member will receive a heads-up before you accept a purchase request, and the budget is adjusted immediately after an order is issued. One of the best things about automating the buy order process is the ability to see the status of all your orders in one location.

What is an invoice?

Invoices are used by the provider of products to record their provision and receive compensation.

If, for example, you are a cereal provider and you are given a PO for two hundred extra boxes of cereal from a local grocery shop, you may say, “Yes, we can accommodate that.” An invoice that specifies the quantity of items, the price per product, and the conditions of payment is included with your shipment.

An invoice contains the following information, regardless of whether your business provides products, services, or a combination of both:

• Invoice date
• Invoice number
• PO number
• Item or service descriptions
• Agreed unit price
• Terms of payment
• Discounts (if applicable)
• Taxes (if applicable)
• Total amount due
• Invoice due date
• Acceptable methods of payment
• Business name and contact of the seller and buyer
• Signature of the seller

SUMMARY

The process of providing goods and collecting payment is documented through invoices. A shipment invoice provides details about the cargo, including the number of goods, the price per product, and the terms of payment.

What is a purchase invoice?

Sales invoices are similar to purchase invoices in that they both describe the sale of goods or services.

The buyer presents the seller with a purchase order, and the order is verified and completed by the seller before a purchase invoice is generated. In contrast to a normal invoice, this invoice also includes an exact due date. That is, the buyer agrees to pay the seller once that day arrives.

SUMMARY

Invoices that show the sales of products or services are called sales invoices. This invoice also has an actual due date, rather than a regular one. When that day comes, the buyer promises to pay the seller. A purchase order is presented to the seller, who verifies and completes the transaction.

Purchase orders vs invoices

Invoices and purchase orders are both aspects of the same procedure. This is a customer request which outlines clearly what the client expects in return. The second kind is a transaction in which the products and services supplied by the seller are recorded, so that the money owed may be paid.

The purchase order is submitted to the supplier outlining the requirements precisely.

Purchase order (buyer): A list of products or services to be supplied, together with a total price that the buyer will have to pay.

The two papers are inextricably linked in a strong buying process. Finance teams and buying managers may use the original purchase order to determine if an invoice is justified and genuine. This means that they should be able to make an assessment swiftly on whether the products and services provided meet the requirements.

SUMMARY

Invoices are statements that spell out what the customer expects in exchange for the products or services they’ve purchased. Buyers and sellers must be able to swiftly determine whether the goods and services offered satisfy their needs.

Issuing purchase orders and invoices

When compared to invoices and purchase orders, understanding and using purchase orders and invoices is very simple. Even if you are utilizing an invoice template, producing many of these kinds of papers is tedious and error-prone.

It is also possible that manual records may become confused or even vanish, creating difficulties during a dispute or when an audit is conducted.

Luckily, digital PO and invoicing enable you to replace paper-based procedures with easier and more efficient options.

Everything like paper, envelopes, ink, and stamps will be unnecessary. If you’ll be sending numerous POs and invoices every day, you’ll save money by not having to create a photocopy of the document. An inexpensive, secure, and simple digital solution is the way to go.

SUMMARY

You may use digital PO and invoicing to replace paper-based processes with simpler and more efficient alternatives. Everything will be obsolete, including paper, envelopes, ink, and stamps. By not needing to make a photocopy of the document, you’ll save money. The best option is to use a digital solution that is low-cost, secure, and easy to use.

Purchase Order Invoice Posting: Dynamics 365 Functional Walkthrough

Scenario:

We will be using 00000250 Purchase order for the Vendor T_S to create a vendor invoice for it.

We will create a vendor invoice for this purchase order and then post it in order to confirm the purchases while making some changes in the quantity or the unit price of the item that will be received.

  Step 1

From the navigation pane head over to the Accounts payable then click on the Purchase orders menu then click on Purchase orders received but not invoiced sub menu.

  Step 2

Select the purchase order according to the scenario 00000250 that is for the vendor T_S

  Step 3

Click on Invoice Tab and then under Generate Tab Click on Invoice.

  Step 4

The vendor invoice form loads up and is shown below.

  Step 5

Now enter in the Invoice Number as D00001, Invoice Description as Demonstration Invoice, Invoice date as 9/15/2021 and in the lines enter the Unit price as 1200.

  Step 6

Once that is done click on Add lines and from the Item number dropdown select the item S0001.

  Step 7

Then at the top action pane click on Update Match Status.

Invoice matching is an important business management feature that ensures that your invoice is a reasonable, correct and acceptable value, it also reduces the user errors.

  Step 8

Then finally click on POST to finalize and confirm the purchase order.

  Step 9

It goes on and processes the purchases order and then show an Infolog in blue that shows that the purchase got posted successfully

As we see that the purchase order got posted successfully and it disappears from the Purchase orders received but not invoiced menu.

SUMMARY

We’ll create a vendor invoice for this purchase order and then post it to confirm the purchases while making some changes to the amount or unit price of the item we’ll get. All of the data should be plugged into the above-mentioned steps. Your purchase order will be successfully posted if you follow the above instructions.

Speeding up the procurement invoicing process in D365

Making good business decisions necessitates the use of accurate and up-to-date data. By integrating Microsoft Dynamics 365 for your company processes, you can maximize asset usage while also gaining useful operational and financial insights.

Pre-sales, quotation and rental contract generation, sales order, invoicing, inventory management, and equipment service are just a few of the business operations that D365 streamlines and speeds up. Our team of professionals created a clean, consistent, and familiar interface for Dynamics 365 based on Microsoft best practices, reducing the need for time-consuming retraining and accelerating user adoption. Granular information about customers, staff, and equipment can be quickly coupled with high-level data on collections, vendor purchasing, material usage, and other topics to produce customized answers to developing business-critical problems.

In addition, with such complicated business operations, D365 can help you speed up your invoicing process by providing the following benefits:

• Set separate rates and contract terms for third-party equipment.
• Pro-rate invoices at the end of the month, year, or contract, according to client billing cycles.
• Automate invoice changes for advance payments (set amount or percentage of total).
• Send invoice requests to the finance department for processing automatically.
• Get collections management reports on aging, outstanding, and due bills, among other things.
• Auto-generate payment request letters for delinquent accounts

SUMMARY

Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 helps you maximize asset usage and gain useful operational and financial insights. D365 can help you speed up your invoicing process by providing the following benefits: Automate invoice changes for advance payments (set amount or percentage of total). Automate collections management reports on aging, outstanding, and due bills. 

At Instructor Brandon | Dynatuners, we always seek innovative methods to improve your competitiveness and suit your Microsoft Dynamics 365 requirements. Our offerings are founded on defined procedures, industry experience, and product understanding. If you’re interested in consulting with our technical solutions experts on how we may help you to speed up the procurement invoicing process when there are thousands of purchase orders and vendor invoices with Dynamics 365, don’t hesitate to Contact Us.

[sc_fs_multi_faq headline-0=”h2″ question-0=”What is the procedure for approving invoices? ” answer-0=”Before payment is finalized, invoice approval is the process of evaluating and approving supplier invoices. The invoice approval procedure usually begins when the buyer gets by email, post, etc. After that, the invoice is classified into the appropriate category and sent to the appropriate stakeholder for approval. ” image-0=”” headline-1=”h2″ question-1=”What is the difference between purchase orders and invoices?” answer-1=”When a customer puts an order, a Purchase order is generated, and an invoice is generated once the order is completed. A buy order specifies the terms of the selling contract, whereas an invoice confirms the transaction. Purchase orders are used by buyers to track accounts payable, whereas invoices are used by sellers to manage accounts receivable in their accounting records. ” image-1=”” headline-2=”h2″ question-2=”Is it possible to legally cancel a purchase order? ” answer-2=”When a buyer negotiates and confirms a sales contract for shipment and provides a purchase order as a shipper. You have every right as the seller to accept the buyer’s request to cancel the confirmed transaction, but if you do, the order will be cancelled without recourse for the buyer. The contract has simply been cancelled. ” image-2=”” count=”3″ html=”true” css_class=””]