Electronic Workflow Management (iApprove) User Guide

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iApprove

Electronic Workflow Management

iIDEAS EWM is a workflow application that provides a comprehensive capability to approve vendor invoices and manage the approval process. EWM is designed to work in tandem with the IFS IDEAS Accounts Payable solution. Invoices are initially registered in IFW AP, images and other electronic documents are attached, and approval routing is selected. EWM automatically notifies approvers via email alerts and provides a browser-based capability to review, comment, approve or reject invoices. 

• See also: iIDEAS Administration and the IFS IDEAS Accounts Payable manual.

Invoice Search

Invoice Search provides the capability to view accounts payable transactions, the associated invoice detail, and any related attachments. You may limit views by time period, currency, vendor or approver.

Completing the Invoice Search Form

To obtain the Invoice Search report, complete the form as described below and click the GO button adjacent to Display Invoices.

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• Company – Enter a company code or select a company from the drop-down list. To obtain a report for all entities, select the All Entities checkbox.

• Currency – Enter a currency code or select a currency from the drop-down list. To obtain a report for all currencies, select the All currencies checkbox.

• Date Range – Enter a Start and End date in the format mmddyyyy.

• Vendor – To limit the report to a selected vendor, enter a vendor code or select a value the drop-down list.

  • To do this, click the magnifying glass icon, highlight thedesiredvalue and click OK.

• Approver – To limit the report to a selected approver, enter an approver code or select a value the drop-down list. 

  • To do this click the magnifying glass icon, highlight the desiredvalue and click OK.

• Report Area – The elements of the default database will be displayed. You may filter the report by selecting a value the drop-down list for one or more of the displayed elements. 

  • To do this click the magnifying glass icon, highlight the desired value and click OK.

• Sort By – To sort the report by vendor, chose the Sort by Vendor option. The Sort by Date option is the default.

Using the Invoice Search Results Pane

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Invoice Search - Reviewing Vendor Information

You can see information related to a vendor by clicking the vendor’s name in the Unapproved Invoices page. The page below will be shown.

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Invoice Search - Viewing Invoice History for a Selected Vendor

By clicking the View Invoice History for this Vendor link, a complete history of the invoices for this vendor will be displayed.

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Invoice Search - Viewing Invoice Detail

By clicking the Invoice link on either the Vendor History or the Unapproved Invoices pages, detail of the invoice will be presented in a separate window.

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Invoice Search - Viewing Attachments

The Invoice Detail page provides a list of attachments related to the invoice. The attachment may be displayed by clicking the attachment link.  The item will be displayed using the program associated with the file type of the attachment.

Note: To associate a file extension with a file type: 

1. Open Folder Options in the Control Panel.

2. Click the File Types tab.

3. Highlight the File Type extension, and click the Change button.

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Reviewing Vendor Information

You can see information related to a vendor by clicking the vendor’s name in the Unapproved Invoices page. The page below will be displayed.

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Viewing Invoice History for a Selected Vendor

By clicking the View Invoice History for this Vendor link, a complete history of the invoices for this vendor will be displayed.

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Viewing Invoice Detail

By clicking the Invoice link on either the Vendor History or the Unapproved Invoices pages, detail of the invoice will be presented in a separate window.

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Viewing Attachments

The Invoice Detail page provides a list of attachments related to the invoice. The attachment may be displayed by clicking the attachment link.  The item will be displayed using the program associated with the file type of the attachment.

Note: To associate a file extension with a file type.

1. Open Folder Options in the Control Panel.

2. Click the File Types tab.

3. Highlight the File Type extension, and then click the Change button.

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Approving Invoices

To approve an invoice, first select the invoice to be approved from the Unapproved Invoices page by clicking the invoice reference in the Invoice column (see below).

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Clicking the Invoice Reference will display the Invoice Detail page as shown below.  To access the Approval form, click the Approval (traffic light) icon.

Invoice Detail Page

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Invoice Approval Traffic Light Icon Page

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Completing the Approval Form

Complete the Approval form by entering information as described below.

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• Approved Check Box – If you wish to approve the invoice, select this checkbox.

• PIN – Depending on your installation parameters, you may be required to enter a Personal Identification Number. If so, enter the number here.

• Rejected Check Box – If you wish to reject the invoice, select this checkbox.

• Reason – If you reject an invoice, select the reason the invoice is being rejected from the drop-down list.

• Comment – You may enter a comment about this invoice in this box. There may already be information in this box. If so, insert your comments at the end. Subsequent reviews will see these comments.

• Message – You may enter a message for the Treasury or Account Payable function in this box. Such messages would likely have to do with the payment processing or rejection resolution.

• Charge To Element Fields – Depending on your installation parameters, you may see one or more textboxes at the bottom of the page. In the screen above these boxes are labeled: Cost and AFE. These boxes are made available to indicate where the invoice should be charged for accounting purposes: to a CostCenter or AFE for example. You may be required to enter information into these boxes depending on your installation parameters (See iApprove Coding Parameters). To enter information into the Charge To Element fields, enter or select a valid value from the drop-down list.