Payment Request

Payment Request  

The Payment Request option is used for payments that require a tight turnaround time and do not have a related invoice, but instead may contain other supporting documentation. Some examples include tax payments, rebate checks, postage, international payments, wire transfers, charitable contributions, entertainment, gifts, etc. 

**Caution should be used regarding the Payment Request process, not allowing it to be used too often and being careful not to bypass the standard Accounts Payable invoice process and its related controls—purchase orders, approval process, delegation of authority, etc. 

 

Payment Request Security

In order for users to access the "Payment Request" Option, they will need to be granted the “Payment Request” security group.

Click here for more information on Setting Security Groups

 

Add Payment Request

To add a Payment Request, a user logs into DataServ and selects the 'Add Payment Request' button located on the Dashboard to the right of the search bar.

This opens the Payment Request data entry screen.

The user creates the Request by selecting the Entity, Location, Vendor Name, Vendor Number, Invoice Number, Invoice Date, Due Date, Invoice Amount, Delivery Method, and Reason for Payment Request. Fields marked with an asterisk are required. You also have a box to enter any necessary Special Instructions. 

Once complete, click the 'Proceed to Coding' button in the lower left corner of the Payment Request data screen. 

This will then take you to the Payment Request Form in the Document Viewer screen

Review/Edit a Payment Request

Here, you can go over the Payment Request and make any necessary edits if you need to.

It is also here that you can enter in the necessary gl coding and distribution amount for the Payment Request.

Click here for more information on Coding an Invoice 

 

Save Payment Request

If you need to save a Payment Request and return to it later, you can click  the 'Save and Close' button in the upper right corner of the Document Viewer to save and close it. 

The Payment Request will be listed in the' My Payment Request Not Submitted' published search and will show a 'New' status. 

 

Adding Attachments

You can add additional pages/backup to the Payment Request by using the Add/Delete Pages

Submit Request for Approval

Once all info is entered, you can click 'Submit' from the blue workflow button in the upper left corner of the document view to send your request for approval.

A confirmation box will appear where you can enter any notes and then select 'Confirm'.

Once a Payment Request is submitted, it can be monitored in the 'My Payment Requests Pending Approval' published search.

The request will then act like an invoice, flowing through your Delegation of Authority (DOA)/hierarchy before being passed back to your ERP like a vouched invoice.

 

Delete Payment Request

You do have the option to delete a Payment Request if it is no longer needed or entered in error by clicking 'Delete' from the blue workflow button in the upper left corner of the Document Viewer.

A confirmation box will appear, and you can then select 'Confirm'

The Payment Request is now deleted.

 

Payment Request Approval

Payment Requests will be routed for approval based on the manager listed on the requestor's user management record. Subsequent approvals will follow the Approval Matrix until the $ amount for approval has been met.

 

Approving Payment Requests

Payment Requests sent to you for approval will show in the 'My Payment Requests Pending Approval' published search. 

 

Click on the document to select and open it in the Document Viewer.

After reviewing the Payment Request, to Approve it, select 'Approve'  from the blue workflow button in the upper left corner of the Document Viewer.

A confirmation box will appear where you can enter any notes and then select 'Confirm'.

Once you have confirmed the Payment Request, it will be removed from your 'My Payment Requests Pending Approval' and proceed to the next step in the process.

 

Reject Payment Requests

After reviewing the Payment Request, you can choose to reject it by selecting 'Reject' from the blue workflow button in the upper left corner of the Document Viewer. Rejected payment Requests will be marked with the status 'Duplicate/Void' and will not move forward in the process, nor can they be edited. 

A confirmation box will appear. You will need to select a Reject Reason from the drop-down menu. You can also enter any necessary notes and click 'Confirm' once you are done.

Once you have confirmed the Payment Request, it will leave your 'My Payment Request Pending Approval' and be moved to a 'Duplicate/Void' status, and no further processing will occur.

Standard Reject Reasons

• Did Not Order
• Duplicate
• Use Normal Invoice Process
• Other

Return to AP

After reviewing the Payment Request, you can choose 'Return to AP' from the blue workflow button in the upper left corner of the Document Viewer for any necessary corrections, such as updates to the Payment Request or the need to reroute. 

A confirmation box will appear in which you will need to select 'Return to AP' Reason from the drop-down. You can go ahead and enter any necessary notes by clicking 'Confirm' once you are done.

Standard Return to AP Reasons:

• Data Correction
• Questions to AP
• Reroute
• Wrong Approver

Once you have confirmed, it will leave your “My Payment Requests Pending Approval" and be moved to a 'Return to AP' status, which will be reviewed by the AP Department for further action.

 

Return to Requestor

After reviewing the Payment Request, you can choose to 'Return to Requestor' from the blue workflow button in the upper left corner of the Document Viewer for any necessary corrections or clarifications by the requestor prior to approval, such as more supporting documentation or a change in vendor.

You can enter any notes to the requestor stating what info is required and then click the 'Confirm' once you are done. 

Once you have confirmed, it will leave your 'My Payment Requests Pending Approval' and will be routed back to the requestor with a status of 'Returned.' The Payment Request will then show in their 'My Payment Request Exceptions' published search.

 

Process After Full Approval

Once a Payment Request is fully approved, it will update to the status ‘Pending Data Transfer'. At that point, the nightly extract process will pick it up, marking it as ‘Complete’ and making it available for upload to your ERP.

For more information, click on DataServ/ERP Integration

 

Can the payment request be modified?

Requestor

• The assigned requestor can modify a payment request
  • In status of ‘New’
  • In status of ‘Returned’

Approver

• Can not modify indexed data on payment request
• May be able to modify coding if they have access

AP Edit

• Can modify in any status except Complete, Paid, or Duplicate/Void

Can payment requests be seen in the Vendor Portal?

When viewing a payment request as a Vendor Portal user, you will see the Payment request form and any attached pages.

Vendor Portal users can view documents they have access to but cannot edit or delete them.

By default, the following payment request fields are not visible:

• 'Reason for Payment Request'
• 'Special Instructions'

Vendor Portal users can only see payment requests for vendors they have access to. 

Can you print payment requests?

You can choose to export or print to a PDF a payment request.

It will look something like this. 

 

 

If viewing Payment Request in the multi-document view, the document viewer will default to show the 'Discussion' tab for each request. If the user navigates to the 'Details' tab then each subsequent document will default to the 'Details' tab. 

 

If you are interested in Payment Request functionality, please reach out to your Client Success Account Manager (CSAM) for more information.