BobcatBUY Invoice Approval
Description
This document is to guide PO owners through workflow rules within BobcatBUY, as well as provide information needed by Accounts Payable when an invoice is returned.
The University鈥檚 purchase order (PO) terms and conditions state that invoices should be sent electronically to accounts.payable@ohio.edu referencing the PO # in the subject line with name of Contractor and Invoice number. Because of this, PO owners (employee that submitted the requisition in BCB) are required to review/approve invoices submitted through BobcatBUY when certain workflow rules are met. An approver will have the option to approve the invoice, if they do not see any discrepancies, or return the invoice to Accounts Payable to fix or cancel.
Workflow Rules within BobcatBUY
There are two workflow rules set up in BobcatBUY which require department approval prior to the invoice flowing to Oracle for payment.
Invoice Amount >$500
Any invoices that are over $500 on any type of PO with any of the following object codes.
| Object Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 709330 | Rx Claims |
| 716000 | Software Maintenance |
| 717200 | Hardware Maintenance |
| 717300 | Equipment Repair |
| 717500 | Warranty Repair Parts |
| 717999 | Foundation Maintenance and Repairs Support |
| 718430 | Catering Services 鈥 External |
| 719130 | Training |
| 721010 | Consulting Services |
| 721020 | Accounting/Auditing Fees |
| 721510 | Online Learning Services- Undergraduate |
| 721515 | Online Learning Services- Graduate |
| 721530 | Online EDUC 鈥 Professional Services |
| 721540 | Curriculum Development |
| 721550 | Student Program Hosting Fees |
| 721560 | Guest Speakers and Presenters |
| 722020 | Officials/Referees |
| 722510 | External Employment Services |
| 723510 | Legal Expense |
| 723520 | Legal Settlements & Claims |
| 723530 | Patent & Copyright Legal Fees |
| 724010 | Medical Services and Fees |
| 724510 | Moving Services |
| 725010 | Architects/Engineers |
| 725030 | Professional Services |
| 725040 | Surveying Fees |
| 725045 | Real Estate Appraisals |
| 725050 | Real Estate Environmental Studies |
| 725060 | Asbestos Consultants |
| 725510 | Distribution Services |
| 725515 | Editorial Services |
| 726010 | Outside Security Services |
| 726500 | Subcontracts |
| 731030 | Elevator Repair & Services |
| 731060 | Facil Repair & Maint External |
| 731080 | Grounds Repair & Services |
| 731210 | Asbestos Abatement Contractors |
| 734300 | Recycling Services |
| 734410 | Cable TV Services |
| 734500 | Waste Collection/Removal |
Or
Purchase Order greater than $4,999
Any invoices that are on a non-catalog or catalog PO in which the PO total is over $4,999. All object codes are included within this rule.
Invoice Approver Options
When an invoice meets one of the rules in the section above, it will be sent to the PO owner (employee that submitted the requisition) to approve. Please note that the PO owner does not have to be an approver on the department鈥檚 accounts to approve invoice. When the invoice gets to the Department Approval step within workflow, the PO owner will have the option to approve, return invoice, or forward as explained below:
| Action | Action Description |
|---|---|
| Approve & Next | Approves the invoice and displays the next invoice in the approver鈥檚 queue |
| Approve | Approves the invoice and takes user back to the invoice that was approved |
| Return Invoice | Returns the invoice to Accounts Payable |
| Forward | Forwards the invoice to another invoice approver |
Returning An Invoice to Accounts Payable
An invoice approver may return an invoice to Accounts Payable for several reasons. When returning an invoice, the approver will get the following pop-up to provide a detailed reason for the return.
The approver should always provide a detailed response as to why they are choosing to return the invoice to Accounts Payable. As you can see from the screenshot, you can add 1000 characters, so please be specific. Below are some common reasons for returned invoices, and adequate responses as to why they are being returned.
| Reason for Returning | Example Detailed Response from Campus | AP Action |
|---|---|---|
| Accounts Payable has made a data entry error that needs fixed prior to approving | Attached invoice is for $112.45, but BCB invoice amount shows as $121.45. | AP will fix invoice and resubmit |
| Invoice was entered on the incorrect purchase order | Invoice should have been entered on PO 700759 which is for FY23, please enter invoice on correct PO. | AP will reject invoice and submit under correct PO |
| Department is returning all items (or has returned all items) because they are no longer needed | DO NOT PAY - All items on the invoice have been returned to the supplier and we will not be receiving any replacement items. PO can be closed. | AP will reject invoice on the department鈥檚 PO and deal with the invoice/credit on a central account. AP will also reach out to Procurement to close PO if no further invoices are expected. |
| An invoice is received for a service that was never performed. Note: Department needs to contact the supplier | DO NOT PAY 鈥 Returning invoice as the service was never performed. No further services are expected for this supplier. PO can be closed. | AP will reject the invoice and make note in BCB that the department stated service was not provided. AP will also reach out to Procurement to close PO. |
An invoice is received for a product/service for the incorrect rate
Note: Department needs to contact the supplier for modifications | DO NOT PAY 鈥 The rates within the invoice are incorrect. We are contacting the supplier for an updated invoice and will send to AP when received. | AP will hold the invoice in their returned invoice folder until an email is sent to accounts.payable@ohio.edu titled 鈥淩eturned Invoice on PO XXXXXX 鈥 pricing modifications made鈥 |
An invoice is received for multiple items, but one item is on backorder and the department no longer wants it
Note: Department is responsible for notifying supplier of cancellation | DO NOT PAY 鈥 Item listed on line 3 of the invoice is on an extreme back order and we have reached out to the supplier to cancel the order. | AP will work with department and vendor to receive an updated invoice. If the company prefers to process a credit, AP will re-enter invoice less item on backorder on department PO and comment that backorder item will not be sent. AP will enter the remainder on a central account for processing when credit arrives. |
| An invoice is received for items that have not yet been received by the University | DO NOT PAY 鈥 Still waiting on items to arrive. Will email Accounts Payable when they arrive. | AP will hold the invoice in their returned invoice folder until an email is sent to accounts.payable@ohio.edu titled 鈥淩eturned Invoice on PO XXXXXX 鈥 Items Received鈥 |
*Please Note: Returned invoices cannot be deleted from BobcatBUY. When an invoice approver returns an invoice that should not be paid, the invoice will still show up on the PO with a $0.00 amount.
Invoice Tips
Below are some tips for department employees when dealing with invoices:
- A department should work directly with the Director of Payments if there are any payment related issues with a supplier. Please email financecustomercare@ohio.edu and the ticket will be directed.
- A department should not work directly with a supplier on the application of a credit memo to future invoices, instead they should have all credit memos emailed to accounts.payable@ohio.edu to be entered into the Payables system for correct application.
- A department should not instruct the supplier to direct invoices to their attention prior to sending to Accounts Payable, instead their supplier should follow the University鈥檚 purchase order Terms and Conditions and email all invoices to accounts.payable@ohio.edu referencing the assigned purchase order number.
- A department should not commit to paying for a product or service without issuing a purchase order to the supplier, instead the department employee should receive a quote from the supplier and set up a requisition in BCB for commitment of payment.