Invoice Import
Invoice import is needed for institutions that track the invoice payment status within the financial.
Required configuration in Alma
- handle_invoice_payment parameter must be set to true (see Configuring Other Settings in the Alma Acquisitions Guide)
- Finance integration profile must be configured, with “Import Payment Confirmation” action (see Alma OLH)
Invoice import workflow
Alma handles the imported invoices according to the input received in the import file. An import file that is handled successfully is renamed <File name.xml>.handled.
Note that Alma attempts to identify an imported invoice using the unique identifier. If the unique identifier is not supplied in the import file, Alma identifies the invoice using the invoice number and vendor code combination. If multiple matches are found, an error is reported. Institutions that have the invoice_not_unique set to true (see Configuring Other Settings in the Alma Acquisitions Guide) must supply the unique identifier as part of the import file in order to avoid multiple matches.
The financial system can accept the invoice information and either pay it or reject it. The status of the invoice (Paid or Rejected) should be supplied in the payment_status field of the import XML file.
- Paid Invoice – An invoice that is expected and paid by the financial system is imported with the payment status Paid. Alma marks such invoices as paid, and then closes them. Payment information from the financial system (Voucher number, Voucher date, and Voucher amount) is stored in Alma for information purposes only.
- Rejected Invoice – An invoice that is not expected by the financial system is imported with the payment status Rejected. The payment_note field of the import XML file should include the reason for rejection. Alma places the invoice back in the Review task list with an alert that it was rejected by the financial system. The invoice is then handled by the library staff according to the rejection note and the institution’s policy.
This workflow is illustrated in the following diagram:
