Invoice processing system

• US 7,509,288 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2001
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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., Lenzo, Gerard J., Mazzatti, Anthony T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kramer; James A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Borlinghaus; Jason M
• Application Number:
  US09/792,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20020116334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,952 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35- 43
• 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 scanning and storing a paper invoice in a human readable format, wherein the paper invoice can comprise a purchase order (PO) invoice or a non-purchase order (non-PO) invoice, wherein the imaging system comprises operational capabilities that include barcode scanning, document routing and work queue processing, comment insertion, security, faxing, labeling, archiving historical data and reporting;

a data entry queue for receiving the scanned paper invoice from the imaging system;

a web payment request system for receiving invoice details including the scanned paper invoice from the data entry queue and for generating an electronic invoice, the web payment request system further comprising;

a system for determining if the scanned paper invoice is a PO invoice or a non-PO invoice;

a system for determining if additional invoice details are required, if the scanned paper invoice is determined to be a non-PO invoice;

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

a system for allowing the party to enter the additional invoice details for the non-PO invoice; and

an accounts payable system for processing the electronic invoice, wherein the accounts payable system includes a preprocessor for auditing the electronic invoice in real-time and for notifying the web payment request system if a problem exists as the invoice details are being inputted, wherein the preprocessor comprises operational capabilities that include edit checking of the electronic invoice against real-time, supplier communication relating to the electronic invoice, receiving the electronic invoice in different data formats, posting the electronic invoice, lifting blocks on the electronic invoice, reporting of the electronic invoice and real-time communication with the accounts payable system.

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 system for notifying provides an electronic document link for entering the additional invoice details.

5. The invoice processing system of claim 1, further comprising an approval system for obtaining an approval from a third party before the accounts payable system will process the electronic invoice, wherein the approval system uses email communications to route an approval request to the third party and to obtain the approval from the third party, wherein the approval system comprises operational capabilities that include parallel approval processing of the electronic invoice, reminder processing of the electronic invoice, escalation processing of the electronic invoice and status inquires.

6. The invoice processing system of claim 5, wherein the approval system causes the accounts payable system to block a posting of the electronic invoice until the approval is obtained.

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

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

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

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

12. The invoice processing system of claim 1, wherein the imaging system can record electronic invoices received by the web payment request system in a human readable format.

13. The invoice processing system of claim 12, wherein the web payment request system can display invoices in a human readable format.

14. The invoice processing system of claim 1, wherein the accounts payable accounting preprocessing system interfaces with an accounts payable system that can process the electronic invoice.

15. The invoice processing system The program product of claim 14, 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.

11. An invoice processing system comprising:

an imaging system for recording paper invoices in a human readable format, wherein the paper invoices can comprise a purchase order (PO) invoice or a non-purchase order (non-PO) invoice, wherein the imaging system comprises operational capabilities that include barcode scanning, document routing and work queue processing, comment insertion, security, faxing, labeling, archiving historical data and reporting;

a web payment request system including a data entry queue for receiving invoice information via a graphical user interface and for generating an electronic invoice, the web payment request system further comprising;

a system for determining if the scanned paper invoice is a PO invoice or a non-PO invoice;

a system for determining if additional invoice details are required, if the scanned paper invoice is determined to be a non-PO invoice;

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

a system for allowing the party to enter the additional invoice details for the non-PO invoice;

an approval routing system for electronically routing approval requests, wherein the approval routing system comprises operational capabilities that include parallel approval processing of the electronic invoice, reminder processing of the electronic invoice, escalation processing of the electronic invoice and status inquires; 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, wherein the accounts payable preprocessing system comprises operational capabilities that include edit checking of the electronic invoice against real-time, supplier communication relating to the electronic invoice, receiving the electronic invoice in different data formats, posting the electronic invoice, lifting blocks on the electronic invoice, and reporting of the electronic invoice.