TopSoft’s “SmartCapture” automates the capture of invoice data and loads this into Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise accounts payable from multiple sources:-  emailed PDFs, softcopy files and scanned hardcopies. Deep integration with PeopleSoft via ODBC links enables the validation of vendor ABNs, purchase orders and bank accounts, and for the direct export of data and images to the PeopleSoft voucher build and audit tables.

 

The pay TV company is moving towards a completely paperless environment in which all invoices are captured as email attachments, softcopy forms, or scanned images.  Where SmartCapture and PeopleSoft agree on the critical fields in each invoice, records will proceed directly to matching and payment without human intervention – full “lights-out” processing.

 

The company’s plan is that 80% of invoices should include an approved Purchase Order number.  Currently 98% of invoices already have an ABN and most also have a bank account number.  This makes it possible for SmartCapture and PeopleSoft to perform rigorous validation using only a small set of fields as the main drivers.  Where a Purchase Order has been raised as required by the company’s procurement policy and has been receipted by the buyer in PeopleSoft, this means that PeopleSoft already “knows” what should be on the invoice.

 

Suppliers will be encouraged to invoice by email (PDF or any other common format) directly to designated mailboxes.  This approach will benefit suppliers as email PDFs are increasingly the default method preferred universally by billing systems, without the need for printing or postage.  The company’s automated system will then ensure a quick turnaround and on-time payment.

 

The TopSoft solution polls Microsoft Exchange mailboxes for invoices which arrive as email attachments, and also network folders for softcopy files or scanned images.

 

The Accounts Payable team is equipped with desktop scanners, model Canon Image Formula DR-3010C, which combine a compact form factor with high speed (30 ppm) and duplex capability. SmartCapture uses pre-delivered flexible templates and rules for Australian and overseas invoices to provide intelligent extraction of data from the invoices.

 

This includes extraction of the following fields from the invoice images:  PO Number, Vendor ABN, “Tax Invoice”, Bank Account, Vendor Name, Business Unit Name, Invoice No, Invoice Date, Due Date, Invoice Gross Amount, and GST Amount.

 

SmartCapture provides the ability to pre-validate against external information such as ERP systems.  Three main table views in PeopleSoft are utilised:

* active vendors with Vendor ID, Vendor Name, Vendor Location, Address Sequence, ABN, Currency, Address, Email and Banking details;

* outstanding Purchase Orders with PO ID, Receipt Status, Vendor ID, ABN, Business Unit.; and

* Buyers by division with their names and email addresses.

 

The use of bi-directional ODBC links means that the two systems converse in real time throughout the business day.  This eliminates potential issues with timing differences or flat file interfaces.

 

SmartCapture Error Correction users see live information from both the invoices from OCR and also from the PeopleSoft database.  For example, where the Bank Account on the invoice differs from the vendor bank account in PeopleSoft, the user receives a warning message and will see both values side by side.  The user cannot export the invoice to PeopleSoft until the discrepancy has been satisfactorily resolved.

 

With the implementation of scanning, the Accounts Payable team has moved away from data entry to become knowledge workers who oversee the information flow and resolve any exceptions:

•  scanning of hardcopy invoices (which are gradually decreasing in volume)

• SmartCapture verification (i.e. fix any scanning errors or rejected invoices)

• PeopleSoft voucher build process errors (e.g. identify the relevant PO Lines where this could not be done automatically by the voucher build process).

 

The use of this technology makes the process more visual and much faster.  Job satisfaction is enhanced.  It has also enabled staff to achieve further efficiencies by working with buyers and suppliers to migrate to the new business processes.

 

Everyone in the business is able to view invoices via the “Invoice Image link” on the PeopleSoft voucher screen from the moment the invoice is received, and irrespective of geographic location – no more hardcopies “lost” in the internal mail, or phone calls to Accounts Payable regarding the whereabouts of an invoice.

 

Pay cycle approvers and accounting staff can also view invoices via the invoice image link.

Both the scanning application and PeopleSoft will filter out any duplicate invoices, so the risk of paying an invoice twice is reduced.

 

Ten AP automation objectives

•  Capture invoice data electronically from all sources:-  email, softcopy forms and scanned hardcopies – no more paper;

•  Encourage suppliers to invoice via email PDF with a PO number and bank details;

•  Optical Character Recognition of invoice data;

•  Rigorous realtime validation and correction;

• Validate Australian invoices on:  ABN, PO number, bank details;

• Validate Overseas invoices on:  PO number, bank details, vendor name;

• Provide ”Forward to Buyer” and “Return to Supplier” icons which users can click to generate system emails with the invoice image attached;

• Export invoice data and invoice image files to ERP voucher staging tables;

• Leverage ERP functionality such as voucher build, matching against PO / Receipts, GST check, invoice balance check, payment processing; and

• Populate audit history tables within ERP for reporting with standard tools.