Basware Purchase-to-Pay 21.3 New Features


Contents

1 Introduction

This document contains descriptions of new features in Basware Purchase-to-Pay 21.3 and its maintenance releases.

2 Procurement

2.1 Export catalog content to a Super Content Loader Excel file

Module(s): Marketplace
Feature ID: ALUSTA-82074
Release: P2P 21.3
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

To help users who manage catalog items more easily create and update catalogs with the Super Content Loader, it is now possible to export existing item data into a Super Content Loader file. Then, it is quick and easy to make updates to the catalog items and re-upload the file using the Loader.

For buyer organizations: Export agent agreements

As an administrator, you can go to any agent agreement and export its contents to a Super Content Loader file. On the Manage agreements page, click the new icon in the Items section to export. The export may take a few minutes to complete.

Note that for now, you can still use the  icon to export the items to a CSV file, if you prefer. This legacy functionality will be removed in an upcoming release. 

For suppliers: Export price lists

As a supplier, you can open any price list and export its contents to a Super Content Loader file. On the Manage Price List page, click the  icon at the top of the page to export. The export may take a few minutes to complete.

Note that you can still use the  icon beside Delivery Items, Standard Items, and other content to export those items to a CSV file, if you prefer. This legacy functionality will be removed in an upcoming release. 

Product Manager best practice:

We recommend that all users export catalog content using the Super Content Loader file type. When exporting in this way, it is easy to manage all types of items from one file and use the Loader to import them again. 

To learn more about the Super Content Loader, read our knowledge base article here. 

2.2 Flexible Content Loader available for all administrator buyers and suppliers

Module(s): Marketplace
Feature ID: ALUSTA-82288
Release: P2P 21.3
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Previously, our new Flexible Content Loader has been available to buyer and supplier organizations by demand only. Now, the Loader is available by default for all users who manage catalog content in Product Manager. 

The legacy Content Loader is still available, but it is no longer being upgraded. To enjoy the best experience and all the latest innovations, we recommend using the Flexible Content Loader.

To learn how to use Loader, check out our user guides in the Basware knowledge base:

2.3 Super Content Loader template available in the template directory

Module(s): Marketplace
Feature ID: ALUSTA-82076
Release: P2P 21.3
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

The Super Content Loader Excel file template can now be downloaded from Loader > Content Loading Templates. Buyers and suppliers can then fill in the template and upload it easily from the Loader. The template can contain nearly all of the data you need to set up a great catalog, such as bundles, matrices, custom attributes, templates, and media links, all from the convenience of one file. 

The template is translated into all available Marketplace languages. 

To learn more about how to use the Super Content Loader, read our knowledge base article here.

2.4 Tax type and territory selection for agent agreements

Module(s): Marketplace
Feature ID: ALUSTA-82115
Release: P2P 21.3
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

In Product Manager, when buyer administrators create agent agreements, they can now choose the tax type (None or VAT) for the agreement. When VAT is selected, the user can also choose the tax territory for the agreement from the list of supported tax territories.

After the tax type and tax territory are set for an agreement, they cannot be changed.

2.5 Hide purchase order price information from suppliers

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-2482
Release: P2P 21.3
Feature Implementation: Basware consultant work is needed

It is now possible to hide price information from suppliers when a purchase order is sent to them. This feature can be useful in several instances, such as if the purchase requisition was created and approved with a price estimate or if the buyer doesn’t want to let the supplier know the total approved purchase order amount. To hide prices, the user selects the option from the Purchase orders section in the purchase requisition document.

Later in the purchasing process, the buyer can then choose to disclose the prices on the purchase order to the supplier.

Request a service from the Basware Support Portal if you would like to have this feature enabled.

2.6 Integrated shopping experience

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-82790
Release: P2P 21.3
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

We have introduced an improved, integrated shopping experience for users in Edge. Now, shop users can find all purchasable items from one search, including external webshops (a.k.a punchouts) and free-text forms. Simply type in a keyword to find what you’re looking for. Filters next to the Marketplace catalog help to find the correct items, punchouts, and free-text forms quickly.

The checkout process from the Marketplace basket is unified and simplified. The Summary page guides the user to fill in all the required information, then the user can get approval for the requested items. 

When ordering a single catalog or free-text item, users can also choose Express for a fast checkout with the single item. The user can quickly add the necessary requisition details and send the item for approval, without any extra steps.

Guided Purchasing has also been updated to reflect the integrated shopping experience. When configuring guided purchasing shortcuts, administrators no longer need to choose which type of shortcut they are creating. They simply pick an icon, define a display name for the shortcut, and add the search keywords they want to use. 

The integrated shopping experience will be enabled by default for new Basware customers. If you are an existing Basware customer and want to learn more about enabling the integrated shopping experience for your organization, contact Basware Support at https://basware.service-now.com/bw. 

2.7 Unique purchase order numbering format required

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-79601
Release: P2P 21.3
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

>When configuring the purchase order numbering format in Data Management > Document creation settings, users are now prevented from formatting purchase order numbers in such a way that duplicate purchase order numbers could be created among any companies in the organization. This validation is important to ensure that purchase order information is delivered correctly from Basware Network to Basware Purchase-to-Pay.

We recommend following these guidelines:

If a user sets a purchase order numbering format that results in possible duplicates and clicks Save, they are prevented from saving and informed of the error. These validations only happen when configuring document numbering from the Edge user interface.

We advise customers to check their document numbering formats once after the upgrade to ensure that the current numbering formats do not lead to duplicate purchase order numbers. 

3 AP Automation

3.1 General Data Maintenance tables are now available in Edge Data Management

Module(s): Config Tool
Feature ID: ALUSTA-80064
Release: P2P 21.3
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

System administrators can now manage the following ADM_* tables from Edge Data Management:

ADM_ACCOUNT
ADM_COST_CENTER
ADM_DELIVERY_TERM
ADM_PURCHASE_CLASSIFICATION
ADM_SUPPLIER_CLASSIFICATION
ADM_VOUCHER_SERIES

Users can add, edit, and delete any of these tables and the data within them. 

3.2 Informational message for Workplace users to switch to the new Edge/AP Pro user interface

Module(s): Invoice Automation
Feature ID: ALUSTA-79778
Release: P2P 21.3
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Users of the legacy Workplace user interface for accounts payable are now shown a message encouraging them to switch to the new, fully-featured Edge and AP Pro user interfaces. For personal users, the message contains a link to access the Edge interface. For professional users, the message contains a link to the AP Pro tutorial page. 

The messages can be dismissed, but they are shown again with every version update. 

3.3 Skipping enabled to selected automatic activities

Module(s): Invoice Automation
Feature ID: ALUSTA-82294
Release: P2P 21.3
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

In AP Pro, the Skip activities action has been enhanced. It is now possible to skip to automatic transfer, automatic coding, and difference handling activities.

3.4 AP Pro - Foward many invoice header tasks at once

Module(s): Invoice Automation
Feature ID: ALUSTA-44441
Release: P2P 21.3
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

It’s now possible to forward up to 500 invoice header tasks to new recipients at one time. Invoices must be in Workflow status to be forwarded. 

When forwarding, the user can choose to either forward all tasks to the same group of recipients or select specific recipients to update. It is also possible to specify that the task must only be completed by one recipient to be considered complete.

Forward all is the default option when selected invoices have single tasks.

 If any invoice has multiple tasks, Select recipients is the default option. 

3.5 Filter user right reports by user validity

Module(s): P2P Admin
Feature ID: ALUSTA-23818
Release: P2P 21.3
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

In Basware P2P Administration, users can now filter user right reports based on if the users are active or inactive. Reports can now include all users, only active users, or only inactive users. 

3.6 Coding templates in spend plans

Module(s): Spend Plans
Feature ID: ALUSTA-73042
Release: P2P 21.3
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Coding templates can now be used to add coding to spend plans. With templates, users can easily and quickly add up to 800 coding rows to spend plans. 

Users with the “Manage spend plans” user right can find the Import coding from template action from the More actions menu. Plan managers can also save coding that already exists to a coding template, so that it can later be imported to other spend plans. 

3.7 Extend validity period for many spend plans at once

Module(s): Spend Plans
Feature ID: ALUSTA-57152
Release: P2P 21.3
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

It is now possible to extend the validity period of many spend plans at once with Extend validity period action. Users can extend the validity by a defined number of months or change the validity period end date for all selected spend plans to a new date. Users can also create new payment schedule rows automatically for the extended spend plan period, based on the already existing rows.

3.8 Update coding on spend plans

Module(s): Spend Plans
Feature ID: ALUSTA-57153
Release: P2P 21.3
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Users can now update coding on spend plans. The Update coding action is available for users with the “Manage spend plans” user right. 

With this feature, plan managers can quickly change or clear any coding values on a single spend plan or up to 2000 spend plans at once. 

3.9 Update header data and matching settings for many spend plans at once

Module(s): Spend Plans
Feature ID: ALUSTA-55379
Release: P2P 21.3
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Two new batch actions are available for spend plans: Update header data and Update matching settings. With these new actions, plan managers’ workload is significantly reduced, because they can update fields on up to 2000 spend plans at one time. 

The actions are available from the More actions menu when the user has selected more than one spend plan. To use these batch actions, the user must have the "Manage spend plans" user right.

Update header data

The Update header data batch action makes it possible to update many header data fields. The user selects the fields they want to update, enters the existing value in the Find column for each field, and then enters the new value in the Replace with column for each field.

The Update matching settings batch action works similarly to the Update header data batch action.

3.10 Update spend plan sums

Module(s): Spend Plans
Feature ID: ALUSTA-77084
Release: P2P 21.3
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Plan managers can now update schedule-based and self-billing spend plans’ sums by using the Update sums action. With this action, it is easy to update different sums to all schedule rows, self-billing invoices, and coding rows when prices change. The user can set the start date for the changes to take effect, and the price change can be entered as percentages or sums.

Users with the “Manage spend plans” user right can update sums for single or multiple spend plans from the list view. Plan managers can also update sums from the spend plan details page in the Payment schedule and Invoices tabs.

4

4.1 Accessibility improvements for personal users

Module(s): Invoice Automation, Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-82812
Release: P2P 21.3
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

In Edge for personal users, we have made accessibility improvements to the tasks, purchase requisition drafts, invoice search list, and invoices search details pages. Improvements have been made in the following areas: 

Additional accessibility improvements will be made in future releases.