Purchase to Pay: Process Summary
Identify Need for Goods/Services
- Ensure the need is genuine.
- Identify the need for pre-purchase authorisation (e.g. equipment over £100k).
Identify Potential Suppliers
- Investigate availability internally (within the University) via Internal trade.
- Consider existing external suppliers – those with University Preferred Supplier agreements offer highly discounted rates.
- If there is a genuine need for a new supplier, complete the Prospective Supplier Registration Form in Oracle Financials.
Purchasing Equipment over £100k
- Refer to the Purchasing Team.
- Identify the costs to ensure the full financial impact is understood.
- Complete business case.
- Seek appropriate purchase approval.
- Seek project expenditure approval (where relevant).
Check Correct Payment Route
Additional process steps may be required where:
- Supplier is an individual.
- Payment will be non-sterling.
Tenders and Quotations
- Depending on the purchase value, initiate tenders or request quotations as required.
Establish Purchasing Route
Identify the appropriate purchasing route/channel – depending on the value, method of payment required and purchasing channels used within your department:
- R12 Marketplace Users – select items via the online store or raise a purchase requisition and issue a purchase order, unless the purchase is on the R12 List of PO Exceptions to Purchase Order Requisitioning
(78kb) - Using a departmental credit card.
Receive or reject Goods/Services
- On receipt, check that the goods/service are as required and log and/or receipt on Oracle
- Unacceptable goods must be segregated and rejected
Manage Invoices for Payment
- Check Invoices (and Credit Notes) on receipt to ensure they are correct
- Ensure that Invoices/ Credit Notes are processed on Oracle as soon as possible (locally or centrally)
- Liaise with the supplier over incorrect Invoices
- File original Invoices
Open POs and Invoices on Hold
- Invoices on hold and open purchase orders must be managed on a regular basis