Basware Purchase-to-Pay 17.9 New Features


Contents

1 Introduction

This document contains descriptions of new features in Basware Purchase-to-Pay 17.9 and its maintenance releases.

2 Procurement

2.1 Detailed information to goods receipt task in Edge

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-23150
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Now the receiver can report faulty goods, add product serial number, and add additional data to goods receipt when receiving goods in Edge. With the feature, the user can enrich the data on the goods receipt.


2.2 Purchase requisition data import

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-3228
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Basware consultant work is needed

Now it is possible to import requisition data to P2P Purchase.The importing is done using a scheduler task to retrieve a new requisition to P2P Purchase. Before creating a requisition draft, P2P Purchase pre-validates the document so that it contains all relevant data for the P2P Purchase to be able to create a requisition. The data checked are, for instance, valid organization, valid owner, one valid purchasing currency code, unique external requisition number and at least one line must exists. If all pre-validation criteria are met and saving requisition succeeds, P2P Purchase creates a requisition draft to the owner stated in the incoming data and the draft is visible to the owner in My PR and Search. If the pre-validation fails, a response on pre-validation failure with error code listing is returned and the requisition is not created to P2P Purchase (the requisition needs to be edited and resent until pre-validation succeeds).

When creating the requisition, the system checks that the category code and supplier code match to pickers. If not, then the value is emptied and no defaulting is done and the owner must set the correct values in the draft. Other data like lookup lists are not validated, so if the data for instance with account code is not valid against its list, it is identified in approval process.

The incoming document can contain delivery address and it will be handled as other addresses. If the delivery address is not stated, the default address is used.

The imported data contains only item prices and quantities and P2P Purchase retrieves exchange rates, organization, and company currencies from P2P Admin against valid purchasing currency and does all the calculation on line and header totals based on imported unit prices and quantities. Approval workflow can identify imported requisition since it has PRextnumber that is available in workflow entity.

2.3 Receive order rejection with reason for rejection from Peppol network

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-24672
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

The P2P system can read order response with order rejection from Peppol network. When the seller rejects an order, the order response code «27» must be sent in the order header level to the buyer.

2.4 Search Marketplace, free-text forms, and external webshops in Edge Shop

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-11098
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically (see instructions for definining keywords)

Now there is a new Search page available for shop users in Edge. The search makes it easy to find items to purchase from Marketplace, free-text forms, and external webshops. User’s search criteria is compared with items in Marketplace and with keywords defined for free-text forms and external webshops. 

2.5 Self-approve action in Edge

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-10123
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

For a user with the self-approve user right, there is an Approve and send to process action available in the PR draft view in Edge. With this action, the approval workflow is skipped and a purchase order is created.

2.6 Showing company code and name on Your requisition list in Edge

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-26658
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

In Edge, the person who makes the requisition can now see company information of the purchase requisition in the Your purchase requisitions list of the Your requisition view. This way, they can identify to which company the purchasing will be done.

2.7 Supplier and delivery panel to PR on draft, confirm and approval in Edge

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-24571
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Supplier and delivery information is now available on the purchase requisition header details page in Purchase Edge.

2.8 XML order cancellation enhancements

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-24550
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Now the buyer may cancel an XML order when its status is Ready for Ordering, Ordered, or Confirmed. Earlier it was only possible when the XML order had the status Ready for Ordering or Changed by supplier, meaning the supplier had proposed changes to the order and a task for the order was still open. Now when the XML order’s status is Ordered or Confirmed, the user may navigate to Search - Purchase orders or My tasks - Purchase orders page and select to cancel the order.

2.9 Receive order confirmation from Peppol network

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-18154
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

The P2P system can read an order response with order confirmation from the Peppol network. When the seller has accepted an order, the order response code «29» must be sent in the order header level to the buyer.

2.10 Create PEPPOL BIS XML Order for EHF supplier

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-24175
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Now a Peppol BIS XML order sent from P2P passes the EHF order validation in Basware Networks, except for Tax category.

2.11 Create XML order with identifiers for EHF or standard XML supplier

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-17112
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Basware consultant work is needed

There are a few changes in XML order files. Now PEPPOL BIS XML orders for EHF suppliers have buyer’s and seller’s party identification and end point identification as specified in PEPPOL BIS specification. Now a standard XML order file has all buyer’s and seller’s party identifiers with the scheme IDs that have been saved in P2P Administration.

An example of supplier information in EHF order message:

3 AP Automation

3.1 Return to previous user action in Edge

Module(s): Invoice Automation
Feature ID: ALUSTA-3379
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

The Edge client has been improved by allowing a user to return an invoice task back to any previous recipient. Earlier, the functionality was available only in the Workplace client.

3.2 Search support for invoices in historical status

Module(s): Invoice Automation
Feature ID: ALUSTA-12177
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Edge Invoice search function has been improved by enabling users to search for invoices in Historical status. Previously historical invoices were not included in the search results.

3.3 Notification widget and Notification center

Module(s): Invoice Automation
Feature ID: ALUSTA-19274
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

A new notification widget is added to the Edge user interface to indicate to the user that there are new collaboration messages or announcements in the system waiting for the user’s attention.

By clicking the collaboration notification in the system, the user is able to navigate to the document to reply to the discussion. 

The user is able to view all notifications in the Notification center page and navigate to the discussion also from the Notification center.

3.4 Receive announcement notifications in Edge

Module(s): Invoice Automation
Feature ID: ALUSTA-19275
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Announcements are now shown in Edge, too. User is able to view the announcements in the notification widget and Notification center page.


3.5 Personalized view settings

Module(s): Invoice Automation
Feature ID: ALUSTA-3325
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

The Workplace client has been improved by saving the list filters in all views. Earlier, all the selections were set back to default values after each logout.

3.6 Matching a closed purchase order line with quantity that exceeds the available quantity to match

Module(s): Match Orders
Feature ID: ALUSTA-22221
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Now it is possible to match a standard purchase order line with higher quantity than what is presented in the Quantity to Match field in the Matching view. Earlier this was already possible when the user drilled down to match with goods receipts.

3.7 View purchase order related information from the invoice details view

Module(s): Match Orders
Feature ID: ALUSTA-18427
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Now it is possible to view purchase order details from the related documents even if a purchase order is not originated from Basware P2P Purchase. A purchase order that is matched with an invoice is listed in the invoice related documents after the matching task is completed. The purchase order is not visible in the related documents tab at the time of manual matching. The purchase order preview provides selected header and line details of the purchase order.

Below is an example of a preview link in Workplace: 

Below is an example of a preview link in Edge:

Once the user clicks the preview link, the view with the selected purchase order data opens.

 

3.8 Create new payment schedule/self-billing/budget rows as a batch action

Module(s): Match Plans
Feature ID: ALUSTA-24204
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

The Extend Validity Period action has been enhanced so that it can now also create new payment schedule, self-billing, and budget rows until the new validity period end date is reached. It is designed to be helpful in scenarios when for example payment plans are expiring in the end of the year and the payment plans need to be extended for the next year. This action can do up to 2 000 payment plans. Earlier, this action allowed only to extend the validity period end date of payment plans and therefore it did not create any new rows.

There is a new checkbox in the Extend Validity Period dialog where a user can set whether the system should create new rows.

3.9 Send an email notification to supplier about schedule-based and budget-based payment plan

Module(s): Match Plans
Feature ID: ALUSTA-25929
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Schedule-based, self-billing, and budget-based payment plans have been enhanced by making it possible to send an email notification to the supplier always when a payment plan gets activated. Earlier, the email notification was sent only from the self-billing payment plans and it was sent only for the first time when the plan was activated.

The email address where the notification is sent can now be defined in the header data of all payment plans. Earlier, it was possible to define the supplier email address only in the self-billing payment plans.

3.10 Support for association rules in manual payment plan matching

Module(s): Match Plans
Feature ID: ALUSTA-25913
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Basware consultant work is needed

Now it is possible to run association rules also in manual payment plan matching. Earlier, the association rules were always run in the automatic payment plan matching but never in manual payment plan matching.

It can be configured in the Configuration Tool which association rules are run in automatic payment plan matching and which in manual payment plan matching.

4 Analytics

4.1 Benchmark Alusta tenants on various KPIs

Module(s): Analytics
Feature ID: ALUSTA-22498
Release: P2P 17.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Benchmarks are the aggregate measure of the KPI in question, which is calculated over all Basware SaaS user organizations that have agreed to share their data. The figure helps users to compare their performance on the aggregate performance of other Basware users. The benchmarks are calculated as the default setting on AP KPI: Overview and does not reflect other changes made on the dashboard. Currently the benchmarks are available only for invoice volume (number of invoices).

There are two benchmark figures user can compare their performance against: 

  1. Top 25% threshold (upper quartile or 75th percentile). Answers the question: Is my performance better than the top 25% organizations within the KPI category in question?
  2. Top 10% threshold (upper decile or 90th percentile). Answers the question: Is my performance better than the top 10% organizations within the KPI category in question?

The line and figure is read followingly: If it exceeds the benchmark, the organizations belongs to the top group in question (either 10% or 25%) within that KPI category.

 

All the new features are found in AP KPI project and affects both Overview and Details dashboards.