What is an invoice?
An invoice must include at the very least:
- The name (and address) of the vendor.
- An invoice number (for tracking purposes) from the vendor.
- The date.
- A brief description of the products purchased or services performed, along with a price for each. This should not just refer to a quote/bid number (unless that is also included) and should not too vague, like a single word such as “work” or “stuff”.
- A total amount due.
Entering receipts and invoices into ResMan – overview
When entering an invoice into ResMan be sure to use the vendor invoice/receipt number. Please do not make up invoice numbers as they cannot be readily be tracked back to vendor invoices.
Then enter the following:
- Invoice date.
- Receipt date (often the same as the invoice date).
- Due date listed on the invoice, or if none is given use the invoice date + 30 days.
- Accounting date should generally be the same as the invoice date. However if the period has already been closed out enter the 1st day of the current month. [Note that this will then impact the current month’s spend so be sure to allow for that when monitoring your purchases for the current month. This is also why it benefits you to enter in your invoices in a timely manner, so that you don’t get “hit” with them in a later month.]
- Complete the rest of the ResMan invoice by entering line items from the invoice.
- Finally, be sure to attach a PDF version of the receipt under the Documents section of the invoice. If the invoice is received as an attachment to an email then the best way to do this is to save the attachment then upload it directly into ResMan. Do not print it off just to scan it.
Entering invoices received in e-mail
We have a short video available to show step-by-step how to save an invoice attached to an email, then upload that into ResMan. The good news is that there is no need to print off then scan the invoice, so this not only saves paper, toner but is significantly quicker and takes less of your time.
[This video is probably best viewed fullscreen.]
Some “tricky” invoices
By being consistent in our entry of invoice numbers it makes it easier to later find invoices in ResMan and helps avoid duplicate payments. Also do not make up invoice numbers – they cannot readily be tied back to anything in the vendors’ system.
Home Depot receipts
After the total line and card number, there is a line like:
AUTH CODE xxxxxx/yyyyyyy
Use the yyyyyyy value as the invoice number. Do not use the entire auth. code. Note that when yyyyyyy begins with one or more zeros, Home Depot internally drops those. So, 0013951 would just become 13951.
Staples receipts
On store receipts near the top and just underneath the store address there is a line that begins with “SALE”, like:
SALE aaaaaaa bb ccc ddddd
Use the ddddd value as the invoice number. This will match up with what Staples credit uses. Note that when ddddd begins with one or more zeros, Staples internally drops those. So, 08851 would just become 8851.
Also, do not use the Auth No. listed just after the card number.
Unifirst Invoices
The invoice number begins with 828 xxxxxx. When entering this into ResMan enter the entire number (excluding the space after the 828).