The Australian Federal Police is moving further ahead with its goal to implement an end to end Purchasing and Payment Solution, issuing a tender for automated invoice processing.

The AFP processed 75,000 invoices in the 2008/2009 financial year.

The tender calls for "a Software Scanning Package, including installation and maintenance, capable of scanning, attaching and workflowing of Accounts Payable Invoices and Credit Memos. The Software must operate securely and harmoniously within the SAP ERP6.0, SAP SRM 7.0 and AFP ICT environment."

The AFP's Purchase to Pay Initiative was established in July 2009 with the goal of developing an end to end Purchasing and Payment Solution.

The AFP wants to automate Procurement and Accounts Payable transactions including the ability to attach, authorise and view resultant Accounts Payable Invoices and Credit Memos within SAP ERP 6.0/SAP SRM 7.0.

It intends to operate a centralised accounts payable process, where all of invoices are entered into SAP centrally within a Shared Services Centre (SSC) in Canberra. As well as paper invoices, electronic invoices (that have in-house developed upload facilities) are also managed by the SSC.

According to the tender documents "The expected benefits of the project include greater transparency of purchasing, improved Accounts Payable processing compliance, business process redesign, audit trail of transactions and scanning and attaching images of invoices and credit
memos to the SAP transactions."

There are approximately 6000 AFP employees who utilise SAP ECC06, SAP Manager Self Service or SAP Employee Self Service.