Procure-to-Pay process

Context

Procure-to-Pay is the controlled purchasing chain: request, source, order, receive, and pay only when the 3-way match agrees and the payout is approved.

Who is involved

• Requester: PR
• Buyer: RFQ, PO
• Storekeeper: GRN; acceptor: Service Confirmation
• AP accountant: Bill, Payment
• Approvers: PR/PO over threshold, payouts

Apps & switches to turn on

• Procurement, Inventory, Finance
• Switches: purchasing categories (procurement.categories), budget control, payment approval gate

Flow

1. PR (optional) → RFQ (optional) → PO (over threshold ⇒ approval)
2. GRN for goods / Service Confirmation for services
3. Bill (3-way match)
4. Payment through the approval gate

Initial setup

1. Mark purchasable items (can_purchase).
2. Set up purchasing categories and access if needed.
3. Set PO approval thresholds and payout limits.

Daily / monthly operations

• Daily: convert PRs to POs, receive goods.
• Weekly: resolve 3-way match exceptions.
• Monthly: review unpaid Bills, run payouts.

Common scenarios

• One requisition, several vendors
• Purchase Order over the approval threshold
• 3-way match mismatch
• Suspected duplicate vendor Bill
• Billing an outsourced service
• Returning goods to a vendor
• A payment waits for approval
• Access by purchasing category

AI assistants

• The AP skill flags duplicate Bills and match exceptions; people decide on payment.