Vendor Invoice Payment Process
Looking for invoice submission instructions?
Instructions for how vendors can submit purchase order invoices are available on the Information for Vendors page.
Processing
Banner/BDM
Purchase order (PO) invoices and credit memos are scanned and loaded into Banner Document Management (BDM) for processing by the Invoice Processing Center. Due to the daily volume received (approximately 1,300 documents per day), this process could take up to 5 business days. Invoices are reviewed by University Payables (UPAY) and processed by receipt/load date, oldest to newest, in accordance with the terms of the PO. The current BDM processing date is posted daily on the Payables Processing Status page.
Units can search the invoices and credit memos in BDM by vendor invoice number, PO number, or invoice amount. Once a UPAY team member has started processing an invoice or credit memo in Banner, the unit can view the document in Banner FOIDOCH as well.
Transition to iBuy
Starting May 15, 2025, select non-catalog invoices will be available exclusively in iBuy. Current invoice submission and processing will be moved from Banner/BDM to iBuy in phases, with the goal of all non-catalog invoices loaded and processed in iBuy. Documentation for invoices previously processed in Banner/BDM will remain in BDM for review.
iBuy
The Digital Mailroom will scan and load invoices and credit memos into iBuy within 48 hours of receipt. iBuy documents will route through established iBuy invoice workflow. If a PO or invoice issue is identified, the invoice will route to a 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.
Payment
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.
Unpaid/Rejected Invoices
UPAY priority is to process complete and accurate invoices in the open queue. If a unit or vendor submits an invoice for payment and that invoice does not appear in Banner, current technology does not allow units to be notified when an invoice is rejected.
However, units can search in BDM by the vendor's invoice number, invoice date and/or the invoice amount. If the vendor invoice has rejected, the Banner Invoice Number ('I' number in BDM) will be INVREJCT.
Invoices scanned and loaded into BDM may be rejected for various reasons:
- Duplicate vendor invoice number
- Duplicate invoice submittal
- PO number is inaccurate or incomplete
- PO is closed or cancelled
If a unit finds that an invoice has been rejected, they should:
- Review the invoice to determine the missing or incorrect information (you can find a list of what information should be on an invoice under "Submitting Invoices" on the Information for Vendors page)
- The most common reasons why invoices are rejected include:
- duplicate vendor invoice number
- purchase order is closed
- highlighted information, red ink or red text (which often cannot be read by scanning equipment)
- Email obfsupay@uillinois.edu with the correct information and the invoice will be processed according to the PO terms.
For access to BDM, please contact your Unit Security Contact (USC).
For additional information about BDM, please review the job aids, Banner Document Management (BDM) Basics.
Invoices on Hold or in Process
There are instances where invoices may be put on hold due to lack of necessary information or if they do not match their corresponding PO. The most common reasons for invoices to be put on hold are tolerance issues or vendor ID or remittance address issues. For BDM invoices, an automated email will be sent to the unit (see below). For iBuy invoices, the unit will receive an email based on an iBuy Comment on the iBuy invoice.
Automated and Manual Email Codes
UPAY sends automated emails for the majority of BDM invoice holds. Those emails are driven by the hold code entered in the UREF1 field in BDM, and are sent to the PO requestor, unit financial manager, and the appropriate Purchasing office.
Automated Email Codes
- D-DUPSHIP: This invoice appears to be a duplicate shipment
- D-ITMADD: This invoice contains a line item(s) which does not appear on the purchase order.
- D-OVR50K: University Payables must have a unit email approval for all invoices over $50,000 on a standing order
- D-OVRTOL: The invoice amount exceeds the amount remaining on the PO.
- For Banner regular orders and iBuy standing orders, the invoice will be processed for payment unless an invoice line exceeds the corresponding PO line by either 10% or $150 when the lower threshold of the two is exceeded. Banner standing orders are subject to the same thresholds but are evaluated on the PO total.
- D-PRICE: This invoice contains a line item(s) which does not match the price(s) listed on the purchase order
- D-SUB: This invoice contains a line item(s) which appears to be a substitutions(s) for a commodity listed on the purchase order
- D-UOM: This invoice contains a line item(s) which appear to be of a different unit of measure than that listed on the purchase order
- D-WRGPO: The purchase order referenced on invoice is assigned to another vendor
- P-WRGVID: This purchase order references an incorrect vendor ID
- D-OVRBID: This is a Bid Order and requires buyer approval
- P-FRTNA: FOB terms on the purchase order do not allow payment of freight charges
- D-NONCONF: Invoice, order, shipping, service date occurs before the purchase order transaction date
- D-IBUYFR: Invoiced freight amount exceeds the iBuy PO amount
- D-EXPST: Expired state funds
- U-WIRE: A wire transfer payment may be required
There are instances where UPAY must provide more specific information to the originating unit, and manual emails are constructed and sent. Units are encouraged to respond to these emails rather than beginning a new email string so that UPAY can identify these responses and efficiently forward to the appropriate group for processing.
Manual Email Codes
- D-POCAN: The purchase order has been cancelled
- D-POCL: The purchase order is closed
- P-INCPO: The purchase order is incomplete
- P-NEWFYPO: The purchase order referenced on the invoice is expired. Please provide a current valid PO number.
- D-CREDIT: Hold for credit or to determine the validity of credit
- D-VIF: New vendor information form is needed
- D-DPTREQ: Invoice placed on hold per department request
- U-APISSUE: Invoice has an issue that needs to be handled by UPAY
- U-EFFROLL: PO needs to roll to next fiscal year before payment can be made
- U-P&D Address on invoice needs to be added to vendor record
- D-BOT: Increase of PO needs approval by the Board of Trustees