AP Peeve

[HorrorFrogPrincess]

So I'm 2 months into my stint as an AP Manager, and the BIGGEST peeve that just keeps happening:

Vendors don't send an invoice, or send it to just the producer who does not forward it to me, then everyone starts yelling at me for not getting it paid.

So sorry, clowns. I can't actually pay people I don't even know we owe them.

/rant

[Deserted]

Send out a message to everybody in the company that matters explaining the part about forwarding invoices to you. Many people who haven't worked in any sort of accounting seem to think it works via magic or ESP. (If you don't have the authority, go up the chain until you find someone who does.)

As for vendors who don't invoice... IMO, it's their problem. If they want to get paid, they'll invoice.

[Berys]

Yeah, doubt that is going to change much. I've worked at an ordering desk for about the past year and even though I send my CC information with every order there are still times that they complain about not getting paid yet.

I can only guess that some people just like to make things difficult.

[Raveni]

Yeah, my vendors find out real quick that they don't get paid unless they send their invoices to ME. Full stop.

[TawnyMyst]

We have a situation going on at work right now where a local equipment rental company keeps sending us nasty notes about late rental fees not being paid. My boss keeps forwarding them to head office with a note to the company involved. The problem - the person who rented the equipment retired two and a half years ago and wasn't even in our department. The company won't pay the bill as it's not addressed to the right person or area, the rental company won't correct their bills and is threatening legal action and my boss, who has been in charge less than 3 months, is caught in the middle.

[Deserted]

In my not-so-humble opinion, the rental company is in the right, assuming it's a legit bill. They probably are sending it exactly as they were originally told to, likely by the person who is now retired. Not paying a bill just because it's not addressed to the right people is bogus. No offense, but I will laugh heartily at your company's expense if it does indeed go to court.

[Gizmo]

We had that with one company when I did 3rd part collections (business to business) -

"Its billed to the wrong company. Even if you re address to us it we won't pay it. That company ceased trading 3 years ago...."

Right, so why do I have a purchase order from you 2 months ago with the old company name on it? And a current staff members signature accepting goods/responsibility?

Yeah.... they paid.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Yeah, my vendors find out real quick that they don't get paid unless they send their invoices to ME. Full stop.

Our system at the Litter Box works pretty much like this:

Invoices are entered (or scanned in by handheld) each day when the delivery arrives. Each night at midnight, the previous days' invoices are automatically transmitted to Corporate office for payment.

Some vendors still require a copy of the DSD ticket to turn into their office. Cool. Our printer prints two copies automatically - one for me, one for them.

So if they want to get paid, the product has to be put into the computer and finalized FIRST. Even our beer and wine deliveries are set up for EFT (Electronic Fund Transfer) so I do not have to write out checks and hunt down a manager for a signature (or scribble a signature when I can't find a manager.)

Love the system - all I gotta do is scan it in, or print up a copy of the EDI (Electronically Downloaded Invoice - those are usually for bulk soft drinks/beer/frozen and ice cream deliveries) count it all off, enter the total from the driver's paperwork into the system, hit a button and it's DONE.

You want it checked in at my store? Find ME. On weekends, you get to bug the MOD 'cause I'm going to have my 2 days off.

[Cia]

We've had electricals call us for service for an end-user and they don't want us billing them, noooo we're supposed to bill the end-user. sc/Yeah that works really well./sc We've had to tell the electricals that the business calling in for service is the one who's getting billed and if they don't like that then guess what, have the end-user call us.

Even more fun is when the end-user does call us and we bill them they then want us to send the bill to the electricals because they're the ones who caused the problem/destroyed the material. -Le sigh- Three frickin' years to get paid on an invoice. Three. Fricken'. Years! The bitching, moaning and blaming was epic.

[Gerrinson]

Hate to say it, but I've been in AP for nearly a decade now and we still have that problem, almost every single month.

Random coworker: "Oh, did you pay that bill for <vendor>?"

Me: "Uh...the last invoice I see in the system was from 2012, so yes?"

Random coworker: "No, they were here last month and now the bill is due. I have it on my desk, but you haven't paid it yet?"

Me:

I did submit a request to obtain a psychic upgrade so I can foresee these problems, but it was deemed too expensive for the company to pay for it.

[Chromatix]

I have it on my desk, but you haven't paid it yet?

If it's on *your* desk, then as far as I'm concerned it doesn't exist. If it's on *my* desk, it gets paid. Got it?

[Cia]

If it's on *your* desk, then as far as I'm concerned it doesn't exist. If it's on *my* desk, it gets paid. Got it?

Correct. And if the original is placed in the job file instead given to me the invoice won't get paid either.