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AP Process

Once my ARIBA invoice says Reconciled, how long does it take for the Payments tab to show the information?

When Invoice Reconciliation has started in ARIBA (an IR is available on the Reconciliation tab), the Payments tab will show up as well.

  • On the day the invoice status changes from Reconciling to Reconciled, the Approved Amount of the invoice will show on the Payments tab.
  • The following day, more payment information will begin showing up in the ARIBA Payments tab, like the Doc Seq Invoice No. (DSI number) and Invoice Status, followed by the Scheduled Pay Date and the Check Number, and finally with the Check Date, which is the date the payment is issued.
    • Funds availability for ePayables is indicated by receipt of the Remittance Advice document the supplier will receive when funds are available on the card.
    • Funds availability for ACH payments is based on the supplier's bank's posting procedures.
  • The Check Clear Date will show when the information is available, and also depends on processing by the supplier and payment type (paper checks may take 30 days or more to update).

Note: This is the best-case scenario, assuming there are no errors (such as a closed budget number) that would prevent the payment from being processed.

What does "Scheduled" mean on the Payments tab information?

See guidance on the ARIBA Payment Loop webpage: https://finance.uw.edu/ps/how-to-pay/payment-status-terms-timelines-delays

How do I find out the payment status of an invoice or reimbursement?

See guidance on our website: https://finance.uw.edu/ps/how-to-pay/payment-status-terms-timelines-delays

Please note that wire payment details are not included with the Payment Loop feature.

Approval

Who is put on the approval graph for orders place through Ariba?

Non-Catalog Orders and BPOs use the same approval process as eProcurement catalog orders. When you assign a budget number to an item, then the Approvers and Watchers will be added based on the eProcurement ASTRA roles that are in effect for the budgets/organizations involved. 

Ariba

Will the supplier automatically send me an order confirmation for a manual Non-Catalog order?

No. If you wish to receive confirmation from the supplier that they received the order, then add a comment when creating the Non-Catalog requisition and state that you wish to receive confirmation. Include your contact information for where the confirmation should be sent and mark the comment as Visible to Supplier. This step does NOT apply to Non-Catalog orders for Ariba-Enabled suppliers. When an Ariba-Enabled supplier confirms order receipt on the Ariba Network, an email is sent to the preparer. You do not need to request a confirmation. 

Can I use ARIBA to order from foreign suppliers?

Yes, BPO and Non-Catalog Ordering allow users to place orders with foreign suppliers.

Can I use ARIBA BPO to order M&E items?

Yes, you can use ARIBA BPO for M&E orders

How do I look for my BPOs in ARIBA?
Search for Contracts, and enter the BPO reference number (BPOxxx) in the Contract ID field.
 
For Contract Requests (BPOs that have not yet been approved), search for Contract Requests and enter the CR reference number. in the Contract Request ID field.
What is an "Exception Item?"

Most Exception Items may now be ordered through ARIBA. For more information, see the Exception Item list.

Where do I enter tax and freight on a CR?

Approximated tax and freight are included in the Tolerances field.  Make sure to account for tax and freight when calculating the Maximum Amount you want to spend with a supplier.

When I tried to submit my Contract Request (CR), I received an error mesage that I said, "You have encountered a 'Limit Type Conflict' error." How do I fix the error and submit my CR successfully?

To ensure successful submission of a new or revised Contract Request (CR) when you encounter the "Limit Type Conflict" error message, please follow the instructions below.

Error Message:

You have encountered a 'Limit Type Conflict' while submitting your Contract Request.  Please contact Procurement Customer Service for assistance.

Solution:

  1. Go to the CR's Pricing Terms section.
  2. Edit the first line item listed under Materials and Services.
  3. Under the Limits section, in the Set Item Limits dropdown menu, choose the limit type you do not want submitted:
    1. Choose Quantity, if your current choice is set to Amount.
    2.  Choose Amount, if your current choice is set to Quantity.
  4. In the Maximum Quantity or Maximum Amount field, enter 0 (zero).
  5. At the lower right-hand corner of the page, click OK.  You will receive an error message.
  6. Return to the Limits section.
  7. In the Set Item Limits dropdown menu, choose the limit type you want submitted.  Or:
    1. Choose Amount, if you chose Quantity in step 3.
    2. Choose Quantity, if you chose Amount in step 3.
  8. In the Maximum Quantity or Maximum Amount field, type the amount or quantity you'd originally entered.
  9. Click OK.
  10. Repeat steps 1 – 9, if you have multiple line items.
  11. Return to the CR's Summary section.
  12. On the upper right-hand corner of the Summary section, click the Submit button.
I am creating a Subaward BPO. Why isn't ARIBA letting me change the line item's account code from 03-62 to something else?

For all OSP BPOs, the default codes cannot be anything other than 03-62 (subcontract).

I need help with a subaward Blanket Purchase Order (BPO).

Please visit the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) webpage about outgoing subawards, which contains guidance on initiating subaward BPOs. 

Can I submit a Non-PO over the Direct Buy Limit?

Non-PO Invoices are subject to the direct buy limit with exceptions including utilities and membership/subscriptions.

How do I split budgets by dollar amount instead of percentage in ARIBA?

Once you click on Split Accounting, a new page will appear allowing you to add a second budget. To the right of the Add Items tab, you’ll see a drop down menu that says "Split By:" where you can choose percentage, amount or quantity.

How do I change the PCA codes for my ARIBA Purchase Orders?

If you need to change your budget number, budget distribution, or PCA codes on a current ARIBA Catalog or Non-Catalog order, you can do so by filling out the Change/Close Order Request form.  If you need to change information on a current Blanket Purchase Order, visit the Changing or Closing Blanket Purchase Orders (BPO) page for instructions.

I cannot select or find my preferred supplier. Where can I get help?

If you cannot select or find your preferred supplier, please visit the ARIBA Buying Portal. There are links to common questions and requests in its Help section.

How do I receive against a BPO?

Visit the Receiving section of the Blanket Purchase Orders page, for guidance.

To learn more about the Receiving functionality in ARIBA, visit the receiving page.

 

How do I set up a default budget number or default delivery address in ARIBA?

For visual instructions and guidance, please visit the Changing Preferences in ARIBA eLearning on our Independent Study section. 

 

  1. Select Preferences from the command bar.
  2. Select Change your profile from the options provided.
  3. Click on the link for Step 2 Account/Ship in the left panel.
  4. To set a default Budget Number, click the down arrow to the right of the Budget Number field and select “Search for more…”.
  5. Enter the Budget Number (with no dashes) in the search field and click Search. (Alternatively, you can click the down arrow on the field to select Name if you prefer to search by the name of the budget.)
  6. Click the Select button to choose the default Budget Number.
  7. To set a default Ship To, click the down arrow to the right of the Ship To field and select “Search for more…”.
  8. Enter part of the address (e.g., street name or address number) into the search field and click Search.
  9. Click the Select button for the address you wish to set as your default shipping location.
  10. Click Next.
  11. Type in an option internal comment.
  12. Click Next.
  13. Click Next.
  14. Click Submit to submit the change. Note: There is no approval required for this change.
Can I search for invoices that have been rejected?

To search for rejected invoices:

  1. Click Search in the blue command bar.
  2. Select Invoice from the drop-down.
  3. Ensure the Status field is visible in the Search Filter window. If it is not, click the Search Options link in the upper right-hand corner, and select Status.
  4. Click on the drop-down arrow for the Status field and select Rejected.
  5. Optionally, you can add other search filters such as Supplier and Invoice Date.
  6. Click Search.
  7. Rejected invoices meeting the Search filter criteria should appear in the Search Results.
What do I do if I am locked out of ARIBA?

Occasionally users will attempt to log into ARIBA too many times with incorrect information. When this happens, you will see the screenshot below, which includes the message "Maximum login attempts exceeded. Account for user [UWNetID] has been disabled. Contact your administrator for assistance."

To have your account unlocked:

  1. Take a screenshot of the lockout page
  2. In an email, attach the screenshot and request for your account to be unlocked.  Include your Name and UW NetID
  3. Subject Line of the email must be:  ARIBA Lockout
  4. Send the email to: PCSHelp@uw.edu

How do I change my email notification preferences for ARIBA?

For visual instructions and guidance, please visit the Changing Preferences in Ariba eLearning on our Independent Study section. 

 

To set-up frequency of email notifications:

  1. Login to ARIBA
  2. Select Preferences from the command bar.
  3. Select Change email notification preferences from the options provided.
  4. Click on the drop down arrow to the right of the Edit preferences for: field and select the document type.
  5. Under Notification method, you can choose the method based upon being an approver or watcher. Select the option you prefer. You have a choice of Send email immediately or Send email summary. Your choice specifies whether to receive each request as it is generated or receive all requests at once in a daily bath email, respectively.
  6. Under Notification frequency, set the following:

 

7.   When you are finished making your selections, make sure to click Save to save your changes

How can I tell if my invoice reject request for a BPO has been processed?

You will see a status of Rejected on the Invoices Tab of the BPO. If the status of the Invoice is Reconciled, that means that the invoice has been released for payment.

To determine the status of the BPO Invoice for invoices paid or rejected prior to the 9r2 deployment:

  1. Navigate to the invoice detail by clicking on the Invoice ID
  2. Click on the Reconciliation Tab of the invoice to see if the status is Rejected or Paying.
What do I do if I created a duplicate receipt?

If you submitted a duplicate receipt in ARIBA that you do not want to keep, you can submit a new receipt to reverse it.

First, have the Approver approve the receipt submitted in error.

Second, you will create another receipt-

  • If you created the first receipt by amount, create the second receipt as a negative amount
  • If you created the first receipt by quantity, create the second receipt as a negative quantity

Have this receipt approved as well. Doing so will zero out the amount of the first receipt submitted in error.

Questions? Contact PCS Help at pcshelp@uw.edu or 206-543-4500.

What is the process to cancel an ARIBA purchase order (PO)?

To cancel an ARIBA purchase order, the preparer who placed the order must contact the supplier. Best practice is to add a Comment to the EI purchase order stating the order is canceled, detailing to whom you spoke, and any other pertinent information.

After canceling the order with the supplier, you must close the purchase order (PO) and remove the open balance from the budget.  To close Catalog and Non-Catalog POs, use the Change/Close Order Request Form.  For Blanket Purchase Orders (BPO), visit the Closing or Changing Blanket Purchase Orders page and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to close a BPO.