As of June 30, 2026, invoices and credit memos will no longer load into Banner Document Management (BDM) for processing in Banner. All purchase order (PO) documents will be processed in iBuy.
The Digital Mailroom (DMR) will scan and load invoices and credit memos into iBuy within 2-3 business days of receipt. The current processing date is posted daily on the Payables Processing Status page. iBuy documents will route through established iBuy invoice workflow. If a PO or invoice issue is identified, the invoice will route to a University Payables (UPAY) approval queue for review, and UPAY will contact the unit via an iBuy Comment for further assistance. All approved iBuy invoices and credit memos will export to Banner for payment issuance.
Review the iBuy Invoice FAQs for more information.
iBuy Invoice FAQs
The job aid, How to Find an Invoice in iBuy, provides detailed information about purchase order invoices and credit memos in iBuy. The following are some of the most frequently asked questions, with answers, about iBuy/Digital Mailroom invoicing. Please note: the word “invoice” is being used below, but all questions apply to both invoices and credit memos.
Q: What is the difference between upaycs@uillinois.edu and upayvendorinvoices@uillinois.edu?
A: The email address upaycs@uillinois.edu should be used to contact UPAY Customer Service for general information or questions. The email address upayvendorinvoices@uillinois.edu is for initial or original invoice submission ONLY and will not receive any customer service.
Q: What is the Digital Mailroom?
A: The Digital Mailroom (DMR) receives all invoices emailed to upayvendorinvoices@uillinois.edu, and scans and loads them into iBuy. The DMR is operated by Docufree (third party vendor) in cooperation with Jaggaer (iBuy vendor).
Q: My invoice is attached to the iBuy requisition. Why hasn’t it been paid?
A: Invoices must be emailed to upayvendorinvoices@uillinois.edu to load correctly into iBuy via the DMR for processing and payment.
Q: I submitted the invoice and received an automated confirmation email, but it is not showing up in iBuy. When will it appear there? Should I send it again?
A: The invoice should load into iBuy within 2-3 business days of receipt. Please check after this time, and if you are unable to locate the invoice in iBuy, please contact UPAY Customer Service for assistance. Do not resubmit the document, as it will be returned as a duplicate invoice submission. But do review the document to make sure the information is correct. Processing delays will occur if the document:
- Is not balanced – unit price x quantity do not equal line total
- Is referencing the wrong vendor name or vendor ID
- Is in a foreign language or foreign currency
Follow the guidelines detailed in Information for Vendors, or for foreign documents/ payments, review Special Payment Requests.
Q: Why are my invoice submission emails being returned?
A: The invoice submitter (vendor or unit) will receive an automated email, “Document Submission Returned…” if the document:
- Has already been submitted, using the same supplier invoice number
- Has a total amount due of $0, or does not have a current amount due
- Does not reference a valid PO number, or references 2 or more PO numbers
- Does not reference a unit price or quantity
- Is a statement, correspondence, or junk mail
- Is unclear or unreadable
- Is missing pages
Follow the Submitting Invoices guidelines for successful invoice submission and to avoid returned documents.
Q: The vendor sent the wrong invoice. How do I get the new one to you?
A: A corrected or revised invoice can be added to the original iBuy invoice, using the Comments or Attachments tab to upload the invoice.
Q: How do I add a comment?
A: Using the Comments tab on the invoice, select the New Comment icon (plus sign +). Or you can select the Reply To icon (return arrow) to respond to a previously posted comment. Make sure to select/add recipients to receive your comment via an email.
Q: When do I leave a comment on an invoice? Who should be tagged as email recipient?
A: Use the Comments function to contact a user (the email recipient) within the University when action is needed regarding the PO or invoice. The Comments can also be used to add notes regarding the invoice, creating a clear transaction history or audit trail.
Q: My invoice has been in Payables for a long time. Why hasn’t it moved?
A: Most likely, the invoice has routed to a specific Payables queue for review and processing – as indicated in the “What’s next?” section of the Invoice Summary. The Payables team will contact the PO requestor via an iBuy Comment if further information or assistance is needed by the unit. The unit can also use the Comments function to contact the Payables approver assigned to the invoice.
Q: The invoice shows Completed in the Summary column on the right. Why hasn’t it been paid yet?
A: Payment is issued in accordance with the PO payment terms. For example, the University’s standard payment terms are Net 30, which means the payment due date is thirty (30) days after the vendor invoice date. Once payment has issued, the information can be found in Banner FOIDOCH or Banner FAIVNDH, or in the Payment Information section of the iBuy invoice.
Q: The invoice is in Payable status, but I don’t see it in Banner.
A: Check the History tab on the invoice to see if the “invoice failed” to export to Banner. Most likely, the invoice has routed to the iBuy export error queue because:
- The PO encumbrance balance is insufficient
- The PO is closed or cancelled
- The invoice due date doesn’t align with the PO accounting date
- The invoice is a duplicate of a Banner/BDM invoice
The Payables team will review the invoice and contact the PO requestor via an iBuy Comment if further action is needed by the unit.
Payment is issued in accordance with the terms of the PO. Payment methods include ACH/direct deposit, wire transfer, ePayables (virtual credit card payments), and paper check. Once issued, payment information is available in Banner FOIDOCH or Banner FAIVNDH, and payment information will populate in iBuy in the Payment Information section of the invoice or credit memo.
UPAY priority is to process complete and accurate invoices, submitted with the required information. You can find a list of what information should be on an invoice under “Submitting Invoices” on the Information for Vendors page. If a unit or vendor submits an invoice for payment and that invoice does not appear in iBuy, it may have been returned to the sender, or it may have routed to the iBuy DMR Exception queue for further review. UPAY researches the DMR Exception queue daily and will return invoices to the DMR for reprocessing if they have the required information. Review the iBuy Invoice FAQs for more information, or contact UPAY Customer Service for assistance.
There are instances where invoices may be In Process due to lack of necessary information or if they do not match their corresponding PO. The most common reasons for invoices to be In Process are over-tolerance (funds not available on the PO), incorrect vendor ID or remittance address, a closed PO, or missing vendor invoice number. UPAY will contact the unit via an iBuy Comment with an explanation and possible further steps for resolution.