Maximo Open Forum

Dear all Maximo SME,

#EverythingMaximo
#HSE/OilandGas

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Calvin Jong
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Hi Calvin,

we recently build invoicing process in Maximo. We achieved single button click to approve invoices through workflow.

We built a workflow and called a auto script which performed the following task:

1. Ran custom validation and stored the error on a validation error field for users to review and correct.
2. Auto approve invoices which have all the required data and can be approved as per Maximo invoice change status to approve. We called change status method and caught exception into the validation error field for users to review.
3. We ran an escalation process to initiate workflow for invoices waiting for user's input. This is necessary for invoices which are waiting for receipts to be created by another team.

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Biplab Choudhury
BPD Zenith Australia
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Hi Calvin,

Firstly, I don't like hearing the words "one-button" click.  Mainly because I've already used a button to create the invoice, so which button and when do you need to press it?

Building on what Biplap has said we need to think a bit more about the "review" and "approve" portions.

Review

What are you reviewing?  The person creating the invoice is simply taking the data from the invoice and matching it to lines on the PO or they are matching the receipts.  Maybe they add an extra line to capture things like freight or customs charges.  Then submit for approval.  If there is no 3-way match, then it doesn't get approved.  At its core, there must be enough receipts (not yet invoiced) equal to the value of the invoiced line.

So, what's to review?  It should be nothing as everything was perfect on the PO.  Well, what if the total quantity exceeded the ordered quantity?  What about the invoice cost exceeds the cost of the PO?  Is the unit cost the same as on the PO?  Is the GL set correctly?  I'm sure there is more, but it will depend on your business rules.

Approval

There are several simple rules:

1. Is it within your delegated authority?
2. Does the line referencing a PO have sufficient receipts?
3. Do have the authority to approve?
4. Is tolerance exceeded?

If you use the scenario of only referencing the PO lines rather than receipts, the person doing the data entry won't know if there is sufficient quantity and frankly shouldn't care as all their doing is submitting for approval.  What does that mean?  Well, it won't approve until there is sufficient receipts.

If you use the scenario of only referencing receipts, then the person has to put aside the invoice if there is no matching receipt.  They then have to come back, say the next day then the next, until there is a matching receipt.  Massive delays, paper hanging around, frustration, having to call the PO requestor, etc...

So, in this case, I do support the one-button click and that click is the submitting of an invoice for approval via Workflow and putting the validation into WF.  For this to work, you need to use the scenario of matching the PO lines.  If no match or it does not pass validation, then it's thrown back WF either for someone to fix the error or until such time as there are sufficient receipts.  I would ensure that the PO status is changed to WAPPR until it is approved.

I would also build a separate escalation to monitor how long the invoice has been in the wash cycle and to notify both the PO requestor and the invoice creator.

The solution does indeed require some code, a Workflow, and an escalation.

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Craig Kokay
Principal Consultant
COSOL

email: craig.kokay@cosol.global
#IBMChampion
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Hello Calvin,
A customer contacted us to refer to your post. Have you ever heard of ScanNmax? It's an application in Maximo, created by our company, which enables invoice creation using optical character recognition and assisted by artificial intelligence. You save a minimum of 60% of invoice management time, and if you maximize the workflow, even more.
We have customer references who use it for 10,000 invoices a year and even one customer for 150,000 invoices a year, multilingual, multisite and multi-organization. People don't want to use Maximo without ScanNmax once it's implemented. The ROI is always less than 12 months. ScanNmax also lets you manage receptions from tablets and even permits or skills such as fleet management licenses.
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require any further information, see attached pdf.
Best regards,
Jean-Francois Desilets, TriNmax Inc.

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Jean-Francois Dislets
TriNmax
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