Basware AP Automation 22.9 New Features


Contents

1 Introduction

This document contains descriptions of new features in Basware AP Automation 22.9 and its maintenance releases.

2 Procurement

2.1 Expiration date shown on item details page

Module(s): Marketplace
Feature ID: ALUSTA-99319
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

In Product Manager, users can add an expiration date for price lists and agent agreements. Now, that expiration date is visible on the item details page in the catalog for all items that are part of those price lists or agreements. 

2.2 Indicator icons for supplier capabilities

Module(s): Marketplace
Feature ID: ALUSTA-99318
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

When viewing the supplier directory, buying organizations can now easily see which suppliers meet certain capabilities. The icons in the Capabilities column indicate the following: 

The buying organization can filter for these capabilities using the filters to the left of the supplier list. 

2.3 New Loader now the default loading application for Marketplace Product Manager

Module(s): Marketplace
Feature ID: ALUSTA-99320
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Starting with release 22.9, the Marketplace Loader will become the standard loading application for the system. Links and menus for loading will all point to the new loader page.

Loader has been available for some time and is described in the following article: Uploading content with the Loader

Loader supports uploading both the new Super Content Loader (SCL) file formats and the older Content Loader files. Content Loader will continue to be a valid format to load files, but will not be extended to support new functionality, keep up with new Windows versions, etc. Content Loader templates will no longer be available to download from Product Manager.

To use the new functionality while loading content, suppliers and buyers may wish to convert their Content Loader files to the SCL format. There are two ways to do this:

  1. Upload content in Content Loader format and then export into new SCL file - this is the recommended method and should suit all users. See Export existing price list to Super Content Loader format
  2. Extract data from the Content Loader file into the SCL file using Excel or another editor. See Content Loader v5.9 to Super Content Loader.

2.4 New naming convention for free-text form views

Module(s): Marketplace
Feature ID: ALUSTA-99496
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

The Integrated Shopping Experience makes Marketplace to the single point of access for hosted catalog items, punchouts, and free-text forms. Free-text forms are created on Purchase side and need to be transferred to Marketplace using a view, which makes them searchable in the catalog. Previously, views for free-text forms had cryptic titles like “FTF_V2_A9jlmg8kw6E0dtvn%2BwwS6xv11hU%3D”. With the new enhancement, the title of the FTF views has been changed to the following naming convention “FTF_ {Organization Code} - {Organization Name} - {Domain}”, such as: “FTF_BW00-Basware Oyj-10.116.8.180.” That way, the free text form views are easier to identify and manage in Product Manager.

2.5 Set lead times for buyer-managed catalog items

Module(s): Marketplace
Feature ID: ALUSTA-99317
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Now it is possible to set the default lead time for agent (buyer-managed) agreements. The lead time is visible on the item details page for all items that are in that agreement. The lead time helps catalog users know how long, in days, to expect to wait from when they order an item to when they receive it. 

It is also possible to set lead times for specific items in the agreement. When an item lead time is set, that value is shown on the item detail page instead of the default lead time. 

Default lead time on the agent agreement:

Default lead time on the item details page:

2.6 Tax territories for France, Vietnam, and Malaysia added

Module(s): Marketplace
Feature ID: ALUSTA-99321
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

The following new tax territories have been added to Marketplace:

Vietnam:

France:

Malaysia (only 0% added)

2.7 Delivery charges and other cost lines shown on purchase requisitions

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-91877
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

With this feature, personal users can now see delivery charges and other fees associated to their purchase requisition items. The charges are shown in the Cost lines section of the purchase requisition. The fees may be, for example,  delivery charges set up in Marketplace or charges from an external webshop. 

There are two types of possible delivery charges. Both types of charges are shown in the Cost lines section:

You can look at the cost line details to see which items are associated to each cost line. 

Note! If you edit your purchase requisition items, such as changing the item’s delivery address, you must also make the changes to the associated cost line. Otherwise, it’s possible that the PR item and the associated cost line will be on separate purchase orders. If you delete a purchase requisition item, also delete or modify its associated cost line.

A purchase order will not be created if it only has cost lines on it. Users will be prevented from finishing the Finalize activity if a purchase order only has cost lines. They can make the needed changes to the cost lines, then send the document to be ordered. 

2.8 Free-text form purchasing category hierarchy retained for filtered category lists

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-85782
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Earlier, if an administrative user had selected in the free-text form properties in Data Management that only a part of the purchasing categories can be selected on the form, the allowed categories were shown as a flat alphabetic list in the Purchasing category selection list. Now, the allowed purchasing categories are shown as a hierarchy.

Also, the Purchasing category selection list has been enhanced so that it can show Recently used purchasing categories. 

 

2.9 Paste coding to all available lines on a purchase requisition

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-98382
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

When copying coding to other lines on a purchase requisition, users can now choose to paste coding to all available lines. This action will take the copied coding and paste it to all lines on the purchase requisition, other than lines that have coding splits. 

With this feature, users, can easily update the coding for all items on a purchase requisition, even if there are many pages of lines. 

2.10 Purchase Professional Tools - “Receive” and “Change goods receiver” actions added to the purchase order details page

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-96312
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

In Purchase Professional Tools, purchase order actions Receive and Change goods receiver have been added to the list of actions on the purchase order details page. The actions are also available from the Workflow tab. 

2.11 When editing PR draft, Header data panel no longer opens in edit mode if mandatory data is already entered

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-90640
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

For Shop users with Integrated Shopping Experience (ISE) enabled, previously the user would enter all mandatory header data on the Summary page, then click Edit details and be prompted to edit the header data again. With this enhancement, if the user has already entered the mandatory header data and then clicks Edit details, the Header data panel no longer opens in edit mode. The user no longer needs to save the Header data panel before editing other parts of the purchase requisition. 

If the user has not entered the mandatory header data on the Summary page, then when the user clicks Edit details the Header data panel opens in edit mode. 

2.12 Advanced search for purchase orders in Purchase Professional Tools

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-85707
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Users of purchase professional tools can now use advanced search to find purchase orders. Advanced search allows users to search purchase orders based on either header data or coding data with up to 10 criteria. 

To access advanced search, first click any purchase orders status in the status chart, then click Advanced search. 

 

To add search criteria, click Add criteria. By setting up search criteria and clicking Save, users can save their search and easily run it again later by clicking View saved searches and selecting it from the list. 

2.13 Show order line acceptance in order history

Module(s): Purchase
Feature ID: ALUSTA-84870
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

The PEPPOL ordering specification defines that single lines can be accepted by the supplier in an order response. If the supplier accepts only some of the lines in a purchase order, this is now stated in the order history. The purchase order status and order line statuses are still Changed by supplier until the supplier has accepted all lines.

3 AP Automation

3.1 Allow AP clerks to receive discussions without having Review invoice/spend plan user rights

Module(s): Invoice Automation
Feature ID: ALUSTA-89333
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Earlier, AP clerks needed to have review user rights in order to receive discussion messages. This caused them to be available in the user picker for review tasks and also to receive review tasks that was not always wanted.

Now, AP clerks no longer need to have Review invoices and Review spend plans user rights in order to receive discussion messages on invoices and spend plans. A new professional side user right has been added in the invoice administration and spend plan modules: Receive discussion messages. This user right allows professional users to receive discussion messages on the related documents.

If the review user rights are removed from the AP clerks, then they are no longer available in the recipient picker for review tasks. This can be useful if AP clerks are not allowed to perform review tasks to the invoices and spend plans.

3.2 Legacy Workplace interface is now deactivated

Module(s): Invoice Automation
Feature ID: ALUSTA-95868
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

The Workplace user interface has reached end of life and is now completely deactivated. The deactivation affects all Invoice, Spend plans, Purchase, and Data management modules for Personal and Professional users. The Configuration Tool remains in use for now. For more information, see this article in ServiceNow. 

3.3 SmartCoding v2

Module(s): Invoice Automation
Feature ID: ALUSTA-99621
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Basware consultant work is needed before customer can take into use

SmartCoding (version 2) is a machine learning -based model that generates very accurate invoice coding proposals. SmartCoding uses the history of a supplier’s invoices, combined with multiple invoice dimensions, to automatically code non-PO invoices without wasting employees’ time. SmartCoding guides AP clerks and business users to make the best business decision on the created coding proposals.

 

3.4 Upgraded PDF viewer component

Module(s): Invoice Automation
Feature ID: ALUSTA-96245
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

The third-party component used to view PDF invoice images has been upgraded. This upgrade improves the user experience and resolves some reported PDF rendering issues. 

3.5 Workload management - Invoice assignment rules based on the start of suppliers’ names

Module(s): Invoice Automation
Feature ID: ALUSTA-78467
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

The invoice assignment rules in the data management has been enhanced. Now in the Additonal criteria section, it is possible to define a rules based on how the supplier’s name starts. This provides an efficient way to distribute workloads based on supplier name without needing to select each supplier one by one.

The Value column can contain one or many values. When using many values, they are separated by a semicolon.

3.6 Workload management - Tenant setting to retain a manually assigned AP clerk

Module(s): Invoice Automation
Feature ID: ALUSTA-99509
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Basware consultant work is needed

In 22.6, an enhancement was introduced where invoices that were manually assigned to AP clerks keep that assignment as an invoice moved through the invoice process. This functionality works for some workflows but not for others. Now it is possible to disable this enhancement via tenant setting “IgnoreSSCAssignmentRulesForManuallyAssignedInvoices”. 

To implement this change for your system, request a service in the Basware Customer Support Portal ( https://basware.service-now.com/bw ).

3.7 Selecting user group as recipient for discussion

Module(s): Invoice Automation
Feature ID: ALUSTA-24291
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Now, it is possible to select user groups to receive discussion messages. User groups can be added as recipients to new discussions or to existing discussions in AP Pro, Invoice professional mode, and spend plans. 

User groups can be selected using typeahead search in the Select recipients field, or clicking … next to the field and opening the Groups tab. User groups can be identified by the group icon next to their name. 

3.8 Show information for faulty goods receipts in order matching

Module(s): Match Orders
Feature ID: ALUSTA-97961
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Basware consultant work is needed

In manual matching, users can now see if a goods receipt has been marked faulty in AP Automation Purchase and read more information about the fault, as provided by the goods receiver.

Contact Basware Support to enable this feature.

3.9 User setting for viewing PO items in PO line or GR level

Module(s): Match Orders
Feature ID: ALUSTA-95568
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

In manual matching, users can now select at which level they want to see purchase order items: PO line level or GR line level. The user’s selection will be saved and applied automatically in future sessions. 

 

3.10 AP Automation Admin - Ability to save user data with old backup user period

Module(s): AP Automation Admin
Feature ID: ALUSTA-85631
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Previously, Basware AP Automation Administration prevented administrators from saving a user if the backup user period was invalid. Now, old backup user periods are no longer validated when an administrator saves user details in Basware AP Automation Administration.

3.11 Enhanced automatic matching to a budget-based spend plan

Module(s): Spend Plans
Feature ID: ALUSTA-99147
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

Automatic matching to a budget-based spend plan has been enhanced. Earlier, automatic matching always compared the matched sum to the remaining sum in the spend plan header level. If any previous budget rows were overmatched, then the current match was stopped because the remaining sum at the header level was not enough. This check is now removed and this allows budget rows to be fully matched although some previous budget rows were overmatched.

Some configurations may include an association expression that prevents matching if the header level remaining sum is negative. In these cases, consultant work may be required if the customer wants to remove this kind of check.

3.12 Enhanced extend validity period single and batch action

Module(s): Spend Plans
Feature ID: ALUSTA-92230
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

The Extend validity period action has been enhanced in AP Pro to support many more use cases and to reduce manual work related to extending spend plans.

Firstly, now there are many new options available in this action’s dialog, giving the plan manager more control over how the spend plans are extended. The options are different for budget-based spend plans than for schedule and self-billing plans. Therefore, a batch action can no longer be performed for budget-based spend plans at the same time as other types of plans.

Schedule-based and self-billing spend plans:

There are two options how the new schedule lines/self-billing invoices can be created when extending the plan.

1. Create spend plan lines with a new recurrence

This is a new functionality to create spend plan lines with a new recurrence. This option will be handy in cases like when the plan doesn’t currently contain schedule lines/self-billing invoices for all months in the current year and new rows for next year should be created for every month or if there is a need to have differently recurring rows in the next year.

2. Create spend plan lines based on the existing lines

The plan manager can also create spend plan lines based on the existing lines. This option creates new schedule lines/self-billing invoices similarly like before. There are two new sub-options with this, giving the plan manager control which coding rows are applied to new schedule lines/self-billing invoices:

 

Budget-based spend plans:

Now there are three options for creating new budget rows when extending a budget-based spend plan.

1. Extend the latest existing row

This is a new functionality to extend the latest existing budget row. With this option, the system extends the latest existing budget row and doesn’t create any new budget rows. The budget and maximum number of invoices will be increased proportionally. Also the remaining budget and remaining invoice count will be updated.

2. Create one new budget row

This is a new functionality that makes it possible to create a new budget row. With this option, the system creates one new budget row that covers the extended validity period. Coding is applied from the latest existing budget row.

3. Create new budget rows based on existing rows

The plan manager has also the option to create budget rows based on the existing rows. This option creates budget rows similarly like before. There are two new sub-options with this, giving the plan manager control over which coding rows are applied to new budget rows:

 

The Extend validity period action is now available also for individual spend plans in AP Pro. This reduces manual work when, for example, the plan manager wants to extend an individual spend plan that is active. Earlier, the action was available only when user had selected many spend plans.

Moreover, the Extend validity period action is now available for spend plans in Workflow and in Approved and Expired statuses. This reduces manual work in cases when the plan manager wants to extend plans in these statuses. Earlier, the plan manager needed to extend plans in these statuses one by one, which was time consuming.

Lastly, Extend validity period now only creates a maximum of 36 new schedule/self-billing/budget rows on each extended spend plan. Earlier, the action created up to 120 new schedule/self-billing/budget rows to each extended plan. This kind of huge extension was too heavy of an operation to be run.

3.13 Match and unmatch actions in manual spend plan matching

Module(s): Spend Plans
Feature ID: ALUSTA-82116
Release: AP Automation 22.9
Feature Implementation: Feature is in use automatically

In manual spend plan matching, users can now match and unmatch invoices and spend plan lines. 

To match an invoice with a spend plan line, click the … in the Spend plan reference field. Then in the dialog, search for and select a spend plan line and click Match. 

 

To unmatch an invoice, click the … in the Spend plan reference field. Then in the dialog, search for and select a spend plan line and click Unmatch.

Make sure to enable the toggle Show also the fully matched lines in order to see lines that were fully matched and need to be unmatched.