Basware Purchase-to-Pay 20.4 New Features


Contents

1 Introduction

This document contains descriptions of new features in Basware Purchase-to-Pay 20.4 and its maintenance releases.

2 Procurement

2.1 Administration of order type and party identifiers in P2P when using REST API

Module(s): P2P Admin
Feature ID: ALUSTA-65886
Release: P2P 20.4
Feature Implementation: Customer can take into use

On the supplier settings page in P2P Administration, the Purchase Order Format section is now called Purchase order delivery. The options are None, Basware Network, and Email. 

Additionally, the Order Format field is now named Order delivery and can show Basware Network, Email, or SmartOrder. SmartOrder only displays if SmartOrders are enabled and anyERP integration is used (instead of REST API). 

Supplier settings page in P2P Administration

New identifiers have been added to suppliers to work with REST API configuration:

New identifiers have also been added to organizations:

2.2 Delete previous versions of contracts when using OpenAPI import

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-60542
Release: P2P 20.4
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Now with Basware OpenAPI it’s possible to delete old versions of a contract when importing the latest version. If you update contracts frequently, this prevents the database from being overloaded with previous versions. The parameter to do so is shown below. 

2.3 Contract number set at header level for emailed purchase orders

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-67239
Release: P2P 20.4
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

For purchase orders delivered to suppliers via email, if lines on the purchase requisition have different contract numbers, they are placed on separate purchase orders - each purchase order created will have only one contract number for all lines. This behavior is now the same as for purchase orders delivered to suppliers via Basware Network. 

Where users can view and edit the contract number field has also changed:

2.4 Improved handling of supplier changes received in order response

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-65536
Release: P2P 20.4
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Changes made to purchase orders by suppliers are now displayed in a separate dialog box that can be opened from the document details page or from history. In this way, all changes - including line-level changes - are visible in one window. Also, future improvements in change tracking will be done using this dialog box, making this a more future-proof way to view supplier changes.

2.5 Free-text form management UI renewal

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-61000
Release: P2P 20.4
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

The interface for managing free-text forms has been renewed. It includes improved search functionality using the quick filter, as well as the ability to sort by column and choose which columns to display in the list. 

2.6 Send PEPPOL BIS 3.0 orders using REST API

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-62978
Release: P2P 20.4
Feature Implementation: Basware consultant work is needed

Now it is possible to send PEPPOL purchase orders from Basware Purchase. Note: The handling of PEPPOL order responses will be delivered in upcoming releases.

3 AP Automation

3.1 AP Pro - Recently used values available when picking recipients

Module(s): Invoice Automation
Feature ID: ALUSTA-63025
Release: P2P 20.4
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Users can now see recently used recipients when choosing recipients in AP Pro, making it faster to access users you select frequently. This feature does not support row-level recipients or user groups.

3.2 Tasks view - Show last comment on invoices and payment plans

Module(s): Invoice Automation
Feature ID: ALUSTA-65527
Release: P2P 20.4
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

On the task list for invoices and payment plans in Edge, the text below the supplier’s name now always shows the last comment on the document.

3.3 Workload management

Module(s): Invoice Automation
Feature ID: ALUSTA-64034
Release: P2P 20.4
Feature Implementation: Basware consultant work is needed

Now it is possible to start managing AP clerks’ workload in AP Pro, and ensure that the workload is shared equally between the AP clerks. To take these new features into use, please contact Basware.

The workload is managed by creating rules to assign invoices automatically to the AP clerks. You can define the rules on the new Invoice assignment rules page, which is available from Data management. To access the page, you need to have the new user right “Manage invoice assignment rules”.

The invoices are automatically assigned to the AP clerks according to the defined rules. During automatic assignment, the system goes through the rules in the defined priority order and assigns the invoices accordingly. If there are many rules with the same priority, the system will assign invoices based on the rule with criteria that best matches the invoice.

The system finds the correct AP clerk for the invoice each time the invoice moves forward or backward in the process to a new main status. The invoice stays assigned to the same AP clerk in different statuses if that AP clerk is found in the related rules. Otherwise the assigned AP clerk is changed. The system makes sure that invoices are assigned evenly between the defined AP clerks in the related rule.

If the system cannot find any assignment rules for an invoice, the invoice stays unassigned.

The rules apply also to the existing invoices in the Basware Purchase-to-Pay system. If an existing invoice goes forward or backward in the process, and there is a rule available, the invoice will get assigned to the AP clerks automatically.

 

When the feature is in use, two fields become available in the invoice list:  AP clerk and SSC name. In these fields you can easily see which AP clerk and Shared Service Center (SSC) is currently responsible for the invoice. AP clerk information is also available on the invoice title bar.

 

It is also possible to manually assign invoices to AP clerks. There is a new user right called Assign Invoices that is required to assign invoices manually. With this user right, you can change the AP clerk or unassign the invoice using a user picker that is available on the invoice’s title bar.

 

There is also Assign invoices batch action available to assign or unassign several invoices at once. This batch action can be done for up to 2000 invoices at once.

 

In Advanced Search, you can search for invoices that are assigned to a specific AP clerk, or invoices that are not assigned to anyone yet.

 

The SSC name can be used as search criteria in the basic search.

 

AP clerks can concentrate on their own invoices by using the new My invoices selection on top of the status graphs. This selection affects the invoice searches and invoice counts in the status graphs. 

In P2P Administration, the SSC name can be defined for each organization. The SSC name is added to the invoices automatically based on the invoice’s organization during the invoice import, manual invoice creation, or when the organization is changed on the invoice.

 

3.4 AP Pro - Contact task recipients for many invoices at once using a batch action

Module(s): Invoice Automation
Feature ID: ALUSTA-44439
Release: P2P 20.4
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Users of AP Pro can now select many invoices at one time and click Contact task recipients to send an email message to all recipients that have pending tasks for the selected invoices. Up to 2000 invoices can be selected and acted on at one time. 

3.5 AP Pro - Remove invoices using a batch action

Module(s): Invoice Automation
Feature ID: ALUSTA-44448
Release: P2P 20.4
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

 

Users of AP Pro can now select many invoices at one time and click Remove to remove them all from the invoice process. Up to 2000 invoices can be selected and removed at one time. 

3.6 AP Pro Manual Matching - Big Data support for purchase order search

Module(s): Match Orders
Feature ID: ALUSTA-62188
Release: P2P 20.4
Feature Implementation: Basware consultant work is needed

In AP Pro it is now possible to configure Big Data Support. This feature is meant for customers who have large amounts of data in the system each month. Using this configuration, the system will perform faster when the user performs purchase order searches in Manual Matching. 

3.7 Create parent/child relationships for purchase orders

Module(s): Match Orders
Feature ID: ALUSTA-60183
Release: P2P 20.4
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

A purchase order can now be linked with another purchase order in a parent/child hierarchical relationship. One parent purchase order can have many child purchase orders, but a child purchase order can reference only one parent.

When searching for a purchase order number that belongs to the parent order, all the child orders also display in the search results.

3.8 AP Pro Manual Matching - Support for invoice lines

Module(s): Match Orders
Feature ID: ALUSTA-4735
Release: P2P 20.4
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

AP Pro now supports invoice lines. Invoice lines can be added, duplicated and deleted. A line can be also associated as additional cost. Invoice lines have association and error statuses.

Invoice line values can be also used in associations if they are different than order values. Invoice lines that have errors can be filtered. Invoice lines can also be ignored - for example, if they are invalid.

 

4 Analytics

4.1 Invoicing Environmental Impact Analysis

Module(s): Analytics
Feature ID: ALUSTA-68693
Release: P2P 20.4
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Analytics now introduces an invoice carbon footprint index that is based on the 2018 Basware Study on the carbon impact of e-invoicing.

In the past 2 decades, organizations have progressively adapted “green metrics” as part of their corporate social responsibility agenda, including tracking their carbon footprint. Understanding carbon footprint can show opportunities for organizations to reduce their energy consumption and directly impact the environment. AP automation plays a vital role in helping organizations reduce their carbon footprint by helping them adopt e-invoicing, reducing the need for paper production and mail delivery.

On the AP KPI dashboard, a new section has been introduced to show your organization’s average environmental impact in the invoicing process. You can benchmark your average carbon footprint against peers in the Basware community. Additionally, we have introduced contextual data-driven recommendations that give you insight into how your onboarding efforts will impact the environment. 

View 1: Total actual emissions over time is the default view that shows your average carbon emissions per invoice and the trend over time. 

View 2: Emissions and improvement potential view shows the potential you have to reduce your carbon emissions by attaining 100% e-invoicing, based on your current invoice volumes. A tool-tip provides a description of how the potential has been calculated

 

In the tool-tip, click the link to access material on how you can improve your e-invoicing rate and reduce your emissions.