Invoice processing system

• US 20020116334A1
• Filed: 02/22/2001
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bennett, Suzanne M., Boone, Kevin A., Fox, Vincent P., Fekler, Lisa C., Mazzatti, Anthony T., Lenzo, Gerard J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,509,288 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A system and method for processing payment requests submitted in various formats. The system comprises an imaging system for recording paper invoices in a human readable format; a web payment request system for receiving invoice information via a graphical user interface and for generating an electronic invoice; an approval routing system for electronically routing approval requests; and an accounts payable preprocessing system that provides real-time auditing of the electronic invoice to the web payment request system while invoice information is being received.

Claims

1. An invoice processing system, comprising:

an imaging system for storing a paper invoice in a human readable format;

a web payment request system for inputting invoice details and saving the invoice details as an electronic invoice; and

an accounts payable system for processing the electronic invoice, wherein the accounts payable system includes a preprocessor that feeds back audit information to the web payment request system as the invoice details are being inputted.

2. The invoice processing system of claim 1, wherein the imaging system includes a mechanism for saving the electronic invoice in the human readable format.

3. The invoice processing system of claim 1, wherein the web payment request system can view the electronic invoice in the human readable format.

4. The invoice processing system of claim 1, wherein the web payment request system includes:

a system for notifying a party associated with a non-purchase order invoice that additional invoice details are required; and

a system for allowing the party to enter additional invoice details.

5. The invoice processing system of claim 4, wherein the system for notifying provides an electronic document link for entering the additional details.

6. The invoice processing system of claim 1, further comprising an approval system for obtaining an approval before the accounts payable system will process the electronic invoice, wherein the approval system uses email communications to obtain the approval.

7. The invoice processing system of claim 6, wherein the approval system causes the accounts payable system to block a posting of the electronic invoice until the approval is obtained.

8. The invoice processing system of claim 7, wherein the approval system causes the accounts payable system to unblock the posting of the electronic invoice when the approval is obtained.

9. The invoice processing system of claim 1, wherein the accounts payable system can further receive and process non-web based electronic invoices.

10. The invoice processing system of claim 1, wherein the accounts payable system can further receive and batch process electronic invoices.

11. The invoice processing system of claim 1, wherein the accounts payable system further includes a system for documenting all posted and blocked invoices.

13. The invoice processing system of claim 12, further comprising means for storing each of the non-purchase order paper invoice, purchase order paper invoice, on-line non-purchase order invoice, and on-line purchase order invoice in a human readable format.

14. The invoice processing system of claim 12, further comprising means for auditing the on-line non-purchase order invoice and the on-line purchase order invoice in real-time as each is entered into the invoice processing system.

15. The invoice processing system of claim 12, further comprising means for notifying a party associated with the non-purchase order paper invoice or the on-line non-purchase order invoice that additional invoice details are required.

16. The invoice processing system of claim 15, further comprising means for electronically accepting the additional invoice details.

17. The invoice processing system of claim 12, wherein the means for automatically routing approval requests causes processing of the electronic invoices to be blocked until an approval is obtained.

19. The program product of claim 18, wherein the imaging system can record electronic invoices received by the web payment request system in a human readable format.

20. The program product of claim 19, wherein the web payment request system can display invoices in a human readable format.

21. The program product of claim 18, wherein the accounting preprocessing system interfaces with an accounts payable system that can process the electronic invoice.

22. The program product of claim 21, wherein the approval routing system includes a system for causing the accounts payable system to block the processing of the electronic invoice until an approval is obtained.

12. An invoice processing system, comprising:

means for accepting a non-purchase order paper invoice;

means for accepting a purchase order paper invoice;

means for accepting an on-line non-purchase order invoice;

means for accepting an on-line purchase order invoice;

means for converting each of the non-purchase order paper invoice, purchase order paper invoice, on-line non-purchase order invoice, and on-line purchase order invoice into electronic invoices; and

means for automatically routing approval requests for the electronic invoices.

18. A program product stored on a recordable medium for processing invoices, that when executed, comprises:

an imaging system for recording paper invoices in a human readable format;

a web payment request system for receiving invoice information via a graphical user interface and for generating an electronic invoice;

an approval routing system for electronically routing approval requests; and

an accounts payable preprocessing system that provides real-time auditing of the electronic invoice to the web payment request system while invoice information is being received.