Procure-to-Pay

The University's Procure-to-Pay process is the suite of web-based applications that support University-wide need to purchase and pay for required products and services. The BEN Buys purchasing system along with the Penn Marketplace, Penn's private supplier exchange, is the University's primary buying method. Most product and service requirements are to be satisfied using a University purchase order. Purchase orders can only be created for and issued to those suppliers that have been added to the supplier database by Purchasing Services.

The MasterCard Purchasing Card is a secondary buying method that compliments BEN Buys. The Purchasing Card is to be used for low dollar transactions (<$1,000) with non-contract and non-marketplace suppliers.

Within the BEN Pays system, payment terms are established for each supplier. Supplier purchase order invoices processed by Accounts Payable will reflect those terms and the payment due date will automatically be calculated by the system. Accounts Payable does not designate a payment date as this is entirely system driven. For example, a supplier invoice dated July 1, 2006 is received by Accounts Payable on July 9 and is entered into BEN Financials on July 10. Since our standard payment terms are "Net 30", the system will automatically calculated a payment due date of August 4, 2006. Checks are printed and usually mailed out the same day.

All supplier invoices are be sent electronically, mailed or faxed to the University's Accounts Payable department. All invoices are then image enabled and are automatically matched to the purchase order, and then encumbrances can be automatically relieved. Invoices are available via the Internet to the requisitioner, purchaser and/or buyer to view, process or reconcile any disputes. In the case where the invoice can not be matched within tolerance to the purchase order and processed, the end user is sent an electronic email alert and is able to view the invoice, (again via the Internet) and instruct Accounts Payable or post an action regarding the invoice. This automatic routing and processing of the invoice is enabled via the 170 Systems MarkView software which uses a workflow action to route and queue the invoice for appropriate processing.