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Introduction:
The document provides the overview of invoice approval process cycle in OpenText
VIM for both PO and Non-PO invoices along with important configuration steps
involved. It also covers linkage of process types and chart of authority in invoice
approval process along with their configurations.
Invoice Approval Process:
OpenText VIM provides the facility to approve the invoices before they are created in
SAP. The approval system is easily configurable and highly customized with
provision of multi-level approval. Approval process is available for both PO and NonPO based invoices. Non-PO invoices support multilevel approval. PO invoices have
only one step approval but can be customized for multilevel approval. Approval can
be delayed by sending the invoice to AP Processor first. Approval process ends when
the invoice is approved and posted or deleted or rejected.
Important roles involved in invoice approval process:
1. Coder: Person responsible for entering accounting data.
2. Requester: Person who has requested the goods or services.
3. Approver: Person responsible for approving the invoices.
4. AP Processor: Member of Accounts Payables team responsible for dealing with
invoices.
NOTE: Above mentioned roles are the basic roles involved in the IAP however one
can create additional roles.
BLOCKRSN 9 is for PO based invoice and V is for Non-PO based invoice. Start
Approval Immediately starts the workflow immediately without delay.
Configure Process type: A process type needs to be created for approval when
approval is required at DP processing stage. Process type can be defined using
transaction /n/opt/vim_8cx1. Below are the important fields:
Initial Actor Function: If no initial actor is available then it is picked from the
function module specified here.
Is Exception: If this check box is selected then process type will be not be
relevant for automatic document processing.
Auto Start: If this check box is not checked then Initial Actor manually starts
the workflow else it is automatically started.
Task ID
Binding Function
Mail Config ID
Logical System: Enter the name of the system where the external workflow is
supposed to run.
Driving the Approval Flow for DP Invoices: The process starts when invoice
gets the process type for approval or Submit for Approval button is clicked.
For Non-PO invoices the initial approver is usually entered in the indexing
screen in the Email ID field. For PO invoices the approver is the requisitioner.
Driving the Approval Flow for Parked Invoices: The process starts when
document is parked or Submit for Approval button is clicked.
Defining the Expense Type: For few expenses (Marketing Expense, Office
Supply, Communication, Utility, etc.) a different path might be required and
for this expense types are configured which allows defining different approval
limits for different expense types. Expense type can be created by going to
/n/opt/spro and then to LiveLink VIM Configuration > Non PO Processing
> Invoice Approval Process > Setup Approval Chain > Expense Types
> Maintain Expense Types. Create the expense type, provide description and
indicate if approval is required for the expense type.
Defining Approval Access Rights: Some of the access rights are: Approve,
Coding, Coding_Display, Coding_Delegation, Override, Look_ahead and
Configuration
Configuring the Certify Message: When approver approves the invoice then a
message is displayed. This can be configured at /n/OPT/SPRO transaction and
follow LiveLink VIM -Configuration > Non PO Processing > Invoice Approval
Process > Technical General > Invoice Approval Configuration. Maintain the
text id here that needs to be shown post approval.
Configuring General Ledger Fields and Search Help for Web Screen Fields:
This can be done at LiveLink VIM Configuration > Non PO Processing
> Invoice Approval Process > Financial Processing > Online Coding > GL
Titles.
Figure 6: General Ledger Fields and Search Help for Web Screen Fields
Chart of Authority:
Chart of Authority (COA) is required to setup the approval hierarchy for Non-PO invoices. In case of PO
invoices
baseline
implementation
determines
the
requester as the first approver and is the only approver unless a customization is done for PO approver.
In COA one can configure the approval hierarchy, the approval limit and coder for the invoice approval
process. T-code to access the COA is /n/opt/vim_7cx1. There are three views available in COA.
User Details View: It contains the general details for all the users like user id, users manager id, if user
is allowed for bulk approval or not, department of user, email address, telephone number, default
coder etc. If the requirement is to allow the approval to go first to the approver and then to the
manager then maintain the manager for the user in this view without manually entering the user in
COA Details View. The data for the user is automatically populated in COA Details View.
COA Details View: In this view the data for approval are maintained like approval amount up to
which approver can approve, currency for which approver is allowed to process approval,
company code and cost center for which approver is authorized etc. Thus it basically controls the
approver limit and scope of approval.
This is where coders are maintained for the requester. Thus due to this
configuration the system knows from where to pick the coder for a particular requester. If the
Default check box is ticked then it means that user is always a coder.