There are several different steps that can be taken to make the invoices automatically go as far as possible in the flow.
Coding suggestions with Flow templates
The most powerful way to automate is Coding suggestions with Flow templates and this is set up in three steps.
1. Create Coding suggestions
Coding suggestions are used by the system to automatically code invoices based on different combinations of the invoice company, vendor and reference. You can then attach a Flow template to the Coding suggestion that tells you who should have the invoice (read more about this below). An invoice that has a Coding suggestion can be automatically forwarded to the correct person without first having to be processed in the queue New Invoice Review.
There are three ways to create Coding suggestions:
- Activate the UseFrequentAllocationProposal parameter, then the system collects information on postings and when an invoice with the same combination of company, vendor and reference is coded in the same way several times, this posting will automatically be submitted as a proposal for the next invoice with the same combination that is imported.
- Go to Business Rules - Coding suggestions in the Administration Tool.
- Use the Process Analysis feature found in the black menu column of the invoice application. When that icon is marked with a star, the system has found postings that are suitable as Coding suggestions. Note! this is only avaliable in the old interface.
References
When there is a reference on the invoice, the user associated with it will automatically be proposed as a recipient in the step Review. Linking references to users can be done under Business rules-Invoice references-Reference register or directly on the Forward form in the invoice application. When an invoice is sent from New Invoice Review, there is a check box on the Forward form, to match the invoice reference with the recipient selected on the form.
2. Create Flow Templates
A flow template is used to tell the system which path the invoice should take, ie who should reveiw and/or approve the invoice. A flow template is most powerful when linked to an Coding suggestion, but can also be linked to the invoice on the Forward form in New Invoice Review in the invoice application.
Flow templates on coding suggestions are used in the following order:
- Vendor + Reference
- Vendor
- Reference
- Vendor category
- Company
This means that if there is a coding suggestion that matches the Vendor + Reference of the invoice and that has a flow template, that template will be used. If the matching coding suggestion does not have a flow template, the system will use the coding but go through the steps to find a flow template. This means that if all invoices in the company are to be sent in the same flow, the flow template can be added to a coding suggestion for the company and the coding can be specified per vendor. Read more about flow templates in the chapter Flow templates.
3. Turn off New Invoice Review
When you see that the Coding suggestions and flow templates are working as intended, the last step is to turn off New Invoice Review via the UseIncReg parameter. This means that the system will send the invoices as far into the system as possible based on the information described above. The queue New Invoice Review will still be avaliable but only the invoices that need manual handling will end up here.
Other ways to automate
Agreement invoices
Invoices that follow a certain agreement, such as rent, can be automated so that they go directly to payment without having to be processed. Read more about how to set this up in the chapter Agreement invoices.
User-based coding
On the user form under Organisation-Users it is possible to specify dimension values linked to users. Invoices coded with these values will have the connected user proposed as the recipient on the Forward form. If invoices are posted via Coding suggestions, they are sent directly to that user. Read more about how to set this up in the article Add new user.
System Review
It is possible to allow invoices coded via Coding suggestions to be automatically reviewed and sent directly to approval. This is controlled via the parameter AutoInspectInvoices and requires that UseIncReg is turned off as above.