BATCH PAYMENTS: A GUIDE FOR SUPPLIERS

Transcription

1 BATCH PAYMENTS: A GUIDE FOR SUPPLIERS Ø INTRODUCTION Batch is whlly wned by the Bkseller s Assciatin f the UK and Ireland. The system has been designed t help the bk trade reduce verheads in the supply chain by imprving cmmunicatin between suppliers and their custmers, and allwing rganisatins f all sizes t enjy the advantages f trading electrnically. Ø THE FUNCTION OF BATCH PAYMENTS Batch prvides a single payment slutin fr bksellers and suppliers. Bksellers make a single payment that cvers payments t all their suppliers. Suppliers receive a single payment fr all authrised invices frm all their custmers using the system. Ø THE PROCESS Batch receives invice and credit infrmatin frm suppliers n a daily basis fr all their bksellers flagged fr Batch. This infrmatin is either sent electrnically t Batch r invices are created by suppliers n the Batch Payments website. Once an invice r credit is available n the Batch system, it can be accessed by the bkseller. Bksellers authrise which invices they wish t pay. Suppliers can see which invices have been authrised fr payment n the Batch website. Ø CLAIMS Bksellers can make a claim within Batch fr a variety f reasns. Claims are raised by the retailer and sent t the supplier via Batch. An is sent t the supplier s cntact infrming them that a claim has been made and needs t be dealt with. Ø REMITTANCE AND PAYMENT A supplier s remittances are prvided three wrking days befre the payment date. The remittance advice details each invice with its payment listed by retailer. The remittance advice spreadsheet is ed t the supplier s cntact fr allcatin int their system at mnth end. The payment is made n the last wrking day f each mnth and will prvide cleared funds, paid directly int the supplier s bank accunt. Ø SANs AND GLNs It is imprtant t nte that Batch uses SANs (Standard Address Numbers) and GLNs (Glbal Lcatin Numbers) t perate and t identify bth suppliers and retailers within the system and fr accurate EDI (Electrnic Data Interchange) cmmunicatins. The SAN Agency has been appinted t issue SANs/GLNs n behalf f Bk Industry Cmmunicatin (BIC). The Glbal Lcatin Number (GLN) is an internatinal crss industry system administered by GS1 and EAN Internatinal and the SAN systems are likely t migrate t GLNs/EANs ver the next few years. Standard Address Numbers (SANs) and Glbal Lcatin Numbers (GLNs als knwn as EANs) are unique identifiers that can be assigned t the addresses f rganisatins invlved in the bkselling r publishing industries. Bth schemes are recgnised thrughut these industries and enable cmmercial transactins t be made mre efficiently and accurately. Fr example, SANs are used by publishers and distributrs t identify bksellers and link t their rder prcessing systems. SANs and GLNs identify specific gegraphical lcatins. It is als imprtant t nte that if yur rganisatin relcates (even if nly by a few drs alng the same street) a new SAN and GLN will be required t ensure that rders, deliveries, invices and credit ntes are still delivered crrectly. 20/09/2017 1

2 Ø GETTING STARTED. Frm the Batch website Click n Payments lgin The lgin page lks like this: Enter yur SAN r EAN. (This can als be yur GLN, which can be prvided by Batch if required, althugh nt all suppliers use GLNs as an identifier.) Enter yur passwrd. User ID is nly relevant t thse users with several staff accessing the infrmatin. Ø Ø PASSWORDS Passwrds must be secure and at least eight characters lng, with a mix f lwercase and uppercase letters, numbers and special characters. If yu have frgtten yur passwrd, mail@batch.c.uk t receive a new passwrd which nce the user is verified can be used fr single use entry t the website. Batch des nt stre passwrds and yu will be asked t reset yur passwrd t cntinue accessing the website. VIEWING INFORMATION After yu have lgged n t the system yu will see a simple menu screen. Depending n what level f permissin yu have t use this site, yu will see either ne r tw menu chices. These chices are Reprts and Transactin Prcessing. Anything in blue cntains a link t a further screen with mre detailed infrmatin. 20/09/2017 2

3 Ø MAIN MENU SCREEN Ø MENU OPTIONS 1 Create Transactin This ptin takes the user int the invice and credit creatin area f the site. This area is used t manually create invices and credit ntes n the system. 2 Reprts This menu ptin takes yu t the area where yu will view infrmatin n the status f invices and credits detailing whether they have been set fr payment r nt. Ø 1 CREATE TRANSACTION Batch allws invices and credits t be created manually and entered directly nt the system. Once created the invices can be printed ff and placed in the bx with the gds. Many bksellers like t deal with invices as the delivery arrives, s it is imprtant that invices be created prmptly n the system. If the invice des nt appear n Batch, it culd result in a late r missed payment r queries frm the bksellers asking where the invice r credit is. Nte: If there s a need t enter a dcument manually, this implies that it was nt sent thrugh the usual methd, therwise it wuld be shwn n the system. Batch receives all dcuments electrnically, therefre any missing dcuments shuld be investigated and a dcument nly added manually as a last resrt. Ø HOW TO CREATE INVOICES AND CREDITS MANUALLY Click n Create Transactin t create an invice r credit nte. Ø INVOICES Select Enter Invice and yu will see the fllwing screen: 20/09/2017 3

4 Ø Enter the bkseller s details by entering their SAN number r part f their name. There are tw bxes in which t enter the details. These are clearly labelled EAN r SAN number r Bkseller Name. Once yu have entered the details, yu shuld click n the Search icn n the right- hand side f the screen. A new windw appears with the search results and details f the bksellers fund and yu can click n the Bkseller s Name t enter the details. As the EAN r SAN numbers are unique, the bkseller s details will appear in the Search windw when yu enter these numbers. Click n the bkseller s name and their details will be entered n the page. Next, enter yur invice number, custmer s rder number and currency in the bxes that are clearly labelled alngside the date bxes. The invice date is autmatically laded and the due date is entered as 30 days frm invice date by default. Bth dates can be changed if required. Nw yu need t enter the prduct details n the lines belw the date and invice number. Yu must enter a prduct cde (the ISBN) and als cpy this int the EAN 13 bx. This bx, alng with the Unit Cst, Quantity and VAT Cde must be cmpleted and cannt be left blank. The title descriptin is ptinal but recmmended and shuld be added in the Cmment sectin and is limited t 30 characters. The Order N./Cust. Ref. bx is als ptinal but can be used if yu want t include multiple rders in a single invice. The ptinal Selling Price bx can be used when a special selling price differs frm the Unit Cst. The Unit Cst bx is the price that the discunt and quantity figures will be applied t. Then yu need t enter the quantity f prducts t be inviced. There are tw discunt bxes and nly ne bx shuld be used and the ther must be left blank; ne is a percentage discunt figure that is calculated n the unit cst; the ther is a discunt value that is deducted frm the unit cst. The final clumn is a drp dwn bx where yu select the relevant VAT cde fr the prduct. Ø VAT CODE Finally, the relevant VAT cde must be selected frm the drp dwn bx. Zer inputs VAT at 0%. Standard when the invice is validated it adds a calculatin fr VAT at 20%. (Standard rate in the UK.) Exempt adds Exempt t the VAT cde bx. N VAT value will be added t the invice. Enter as many lines as required. If yu need mre, click n the Add Lines link at the bttm f the page. Once yu have cmpleted the invice, click n the Validate link at the bttm f the page. This prduces the finished invice fr yu t cnfirm. If yu are happy with the invice yu have created click n the Cnfirm link at the bttm f the page. If there is anything yu wish t change, use the back 20/09/2017 4

5 buttn n yur brwser. If yu wish t create anther invice, start the prcess again by clicking n Enter Invice frm the Main Menu. Errr Messages If yu made any errrs whilst creating the dcument, a red crss will appear next t them s yu can see what needs t be crrected. Ø CREDITS The prcess is similar t the Enter Invice instructins abve. Select Enter Credit Nte frm the Main Menu. Enter the bkseller s details and lad them nt the dcument as described in the Invice sectin abve. Enter the Credit Nte number in the bx just belw the EAN/SAN bx. Select the reasn fr the credit frm the drp dwn list prvided. CREDIT NOTE REASONS: Order duplicated Prduct rdered in errr Substitute prduct nt accepted Damage in transit Lss in transit Trade discunt errr Trade price errr Surplus t requirements Sale r return Prmtin allwance Retrspective discunt Cupn redemptin Returnable cntainers Free gds charged in errr Shrt delivery Incrrect prduct delivered Nn- delivery Order cancellatin Pstage/packing wrngly charged Defect in prduct manufacture A credit cannt be created withut a reasn being selected frm the list! Enter the Credit Nte/Claim Number, if there is ne, in the next bx. Then, enter the Invice number in the next bx. This will prvide a link t the invice that the credit refers t, prvided that the invice is n Batch. It is imprtant t make sure that the invice number matches exactly. Enter the prduct details as described in the invice sectin abve. Althugh at least ne prduct line is required t calculate the value f the credit nte many suppliers will simply place a single character, a full stp fr example, in the prduct cde bx and put sme general descriptin in the next bx rather than entering all the individual prducts that the credit refers t. Once cmpleted click n the Validate link at the bttm f the page. Review the credit nte and click n the Cnfirm link r use the back buttn n yur brwser t make any changes. T enter anther credit nte, click n Main Menu then Enter Credit Nte again. 20/09/2017 5

6 Ø 2 REPORTS Once yu have clicked n Reprts yu will see anther menu. The chices here are: Current Perid Summary Shws the perid summary by retailer. Select Past (previus mnths can be selected frm drp dwn bx), Current r Future perids. Publisher Status - Clicking n this link takes yu t a page shwing a summary f the status f yur invices t all yur custmers in EUR, GBP and USD. Bkseller Status - Bksellers can be searched by name r SAN. Once the retailer has been selected, the screen shws the Outstanding Balances by currency and by perid. Reprt Histry Shws a list f Reprts, which can be pened r dwnladed. Statement Dwnlad Creates a dwnladable, cmma separated.csv file cntaining details f all transactins at line level that can be pened in Excel. and Main Menu takes yu back t the start. Clinking the Batch lg als takes yu back t the Main Menu. Ø CURRENT PERIOD SUMMARY 20/09/2017 6

7 This screen is an verview f all the payments due t be received during the Current Perid. By clicking the drp dwn bx in the centre f the page and selecting Past, yu can view Past Perids by selecting the relevant mnth frm the drp dwn bx. Likewise, clicking Future will display payments due by future perids. Ø PUBLISHER STATUS This screen shws the Outstanding Balances by Perid fr the three main currencies that Batch can perate with: GBP, USD and EUR. The page is in three sectins: the tp sectin shws the current perid, ie. the transactins that make up the payment that will be made t yu n the last wrking day f the current mnth. On the left f the screen the different transactin types are listed. These are: Credit Ntes, Claims and Invices. At the bttm f this sectin is the balance: the ttal value nce the credit nte value has been deducted and any utstanding claim amunts have been added t the invice value. Acrss the tp f the page are three clumns. These clumns shw the number and value f each transactin type and their status n the system. There are three states that a transactin can be in, which are: Open, Verified and Authrised. Open - This status means that n actin has been taken n this invice, s any transactin in an pen state will nt be included in the payment. Verified - The verified status means that sme actin has been perfrmed n the transactin. A transactin can be set directly t the state f verified. Sme bksellers will have staff wh d nt have the authrity t set an invice t be paid, but can use the verified state t acknwledge that the gds have been delivered, then anther persn can authrise the invice fr payment. Authrised - The authrised status means that the transactin will be included in the payment run nce the due date has been reached. The due date is supplied by the supplier when Batch receives the invice infrmatin. It is nt pssible fr an invice t be paid early; an invice can nly be paid n r after the due date. Hwever, a due date can be brught frward. Ø OUTSTANDING BALANCES BY DUE PERIODS In the middle sectin f the status page there is a list f dates n the left f the screen, each f which refers t a payment perid. Clicking n these dates will shw details f transactins that make up the figures shwn. The details displayed will be all transactins prir t the date displayed. 20/09/2017 7

8 The default transactin status filter is All including Cleared. Clicking n the drp dwn bx yu can select ther ptins: Adjusted, Authrised, Nt Paying, Open, Verified and Open, Verified and Nt Paying cmbined as a selectin. Clicking thrugh brings up a list shwing invices, claims and credits that can be clicked and viewed t see the line detail. Once yu have selected the perid yu want t see, click n the date. Invices will appear n the page rdered by date with the ldest transactin shwn first. The infrmatin displayed cnsists f Transactin Date, Type (Invice, Credit Nte r Claim), Invice Number, CN r DN number (Credit Nte r Claim Number). Due Date This is taken frm the supplier s EDI feed. Batch has a single payment date, which is the last wrking day f the mnth. The invice will be paid n the next payment date fllwing the supplier s Due Date. Status Open N actin has been taken with a transactin with an pen status. Verified Sme bksellers set an invice as verified. This can mean that smene at gds- in acknwledges receipt and the invice may be authrised at a later time. A transactin will als be set t a status f verified if it has previusly been authrised and then un- authrised. Authrised The transactin will be included in the next payment run. Cleared The transactin has been included in a previus payment. Manually Adj. Stands fr Manually Adjusted, which might mean a payment has been made t a supplier utside the Batch system. The transactin is usually an invice r credit. Because f the cmplex crss referencing n the Batch system, transactins are nt deleted but set t a status f Manually Adj., s they wn t appear in the list f invices when authrisatins are being made. N transactins are ever remved frm Batch s they can be fund by searching the transactin number, r changing the filter transactin by status t Manually Adjusted n the main menu. This peratin can nly be perfrmed by Batch simply request us t d it fr yu. If a transactin has been adjusted incrrectly it can be returned t a status f verified. Bkshps have the ability t d this. Value The riginal value f the invice. Outstanding The utstanding value f the invice. This may change if, fr example, a claim has been raised against it. 20/09/2017 8

9 VIEWING THE INVOICE - Each invice number is a link t the full invice. T view the details, simply click n the invice number. VIEWING CREDIT AND CLAIM DETAILS - T view the credit nte r claim, click n the number. Make sure yu click n the crrect number and nt the invice number. Credit ntes and claims shw a link t the invice number that they relate t. SORTING ASCENDING/DESCENDING - Transactins can be srted in tw ways: by transactin date and invice number. T srt the transactins, click n the clumn heading. A small green arrw will appear next t the heading t indicate hw the transactins are srted and whether they are listed ascending r descending. MOVING BETWEEN PAGES - There are green arrws at the tp and bttm f each page that take yu t the tp r bttm f the page, depending n whether they pint up r dwn. If the number f transactins displayed is t great, then a blue arrw appears at the bttm f the list f transactins. An arrw pinting t the right will take yu t the next page. An arrw pinting t the left will take yu t the previus page. Ø BOOKSELLER STATUS This ptin is accessed frm the Main Menu and shws similar financial infrmatin and fllws the same layut as the Publisher Status ptin but with the ability t search and view infrmatin fr a specific retailer. Ø SEARCHING After clicking n Bkseller Status yu can enter details f the bkseller yu require. Either enter the name f the bkseller r their SAN. If the details yu have entered are unique then yu will g straight t the Bkseller Status page. If there is mre than ne bkseller returned by the search criteria entered, yu will be shwn a list f ptential bksellers. Each name n the list is a link, just click n the name yu want and yu will be taken t the Bkseller Status page fr that bkseller. If the list des nt cntain the name yu wish, use the back buttn n yur brwser t try and enter mre specific details. There is a wildcard character that can be used during searches, this character is the % character. Once the Retailer has been lcated the screen will shw the Claims and Invices by perid and by currency fr that retailer. Clicking n any due mnth will take yu t a summary screen with the ptins t view the balances and then drill dwn t invice line level as with navigating in the Publisher Status area. 20/09/2017 9

10 SEARCHING FOR A SPECIFIC INVOICE There is a blue bar at the tp f each page. This bar cntains links as well as the wrd SEARCH. If yu want t search fr a specific invice, then yu can click n the search link. Yu need t enter either the bkseller s name r their EAN r SAN number. If there is mre than ne accunt crrespnding t the search criteria yu have entered, a list f accunts will appear. Click n the name f the accunt whse invice yu wish t see. The invice details will appear shwing its status n the system. T see the full details f the invice, click n the invice number. 25/09/2017 Ø BATCH CLAIMS Shuld there be an issue with an invice r ne r mre lines f an invice, a bkseller can submit a claim fr a variety f standard reasns. Submitting a claim remves the disputed line(s) frm the invice and allws fr the rest f the invice t be paid in the nrmal way. An is sent t the relevant Batch cntact t infrm him r her that there is claim t be addressed. If the claim is accepted, yu as the supplier will raise a credit fr the claim and this will be sent t Batch in the regular EDI feed t ensure that the utstanding balance is crrect. If the claim is disputed yu will need t cntact the bkseller t reslve the issue and either raise anther invice r credit nte depending n the utcme f the negtiatins. CLAIMS PROCEDURE Any claim submitted will always have a reasn selected frm the list belw. 20/09/

11 REASONS FOR A CLAIM: Order duplicated Defect in prduct service Substitute prduct nt accepted Damage in transit Lss in transit Trade discunt errr Trade price errr Surplus t requirements Sale r return Prmtin allwance Retrspective discunt Cupn redemptin Returnable cntainers Free gds charged in errr Shrt delivery Incrrect prduct delivered Nn- delivery Order cancellatin Pstage/packing wrngly charged Defect in prduct manufacture A claim is created by the bkseller. Batch stres the claim n the system and generates an that is sent t yu with an attachment f the web page cntaining the details f the claim. The bkseller shuld authrise the remaining invice amunt fr payment n the due date. Yu shuld send an acknwledgement t the bkseller stating that the claim has been received and is being dealt with. If the claim is accepted and a credit nte prduced, then the credit nte shuld reference the riginal invice t which the claim referred and the claim number. The credit nte will appear n Batch fllwing the next EDI feed. The bkseller will accept the credit nte and shuld authrise the claim fr payment n the due date. If the claim is rejected then simply infrm the bkseller and, if they agree, they can authrise the claim t be paid. If they disagree then yu are in dispute with the custmer. VIEWING CLAIMS Existing claims can be viewed in Reprt Histry frm the Main Menu. New claims will be sent t the relevant Batch cntact fr review. Ø TRADE DISCOUNT ERRORS If a bkseller claims fr Trade Discunt Errr, they will nly be claiming the extra discunt that they believe they are wed. Fr example, if their standard discunt is 40% and they were ffered an extra 5% n an rder but this was nt inviced crrectly, they will submit a claim fr the extra 5%, nt fr 45%. It is up t yu t decide whether this is a valid claim and make the adjustment accrdingly. Please nte that Batch is nt respnsible fr any cmmercial decisins we simply display the infrmatin that we have been given. Ø MONTHLY REMITTANCE AND PAYMENT The Batch remittance is prduced after the cut- ff date each mnth. The cut- ff date is fur wrking days befre the last wrking day f the mnth (this date is shwn n all Batch screens). The cut- ff date and the last wrking day f the mnth are displayed n every page n the website. 20/09/

12 VIA EDI - The EDI remittance file is transmitted n the day fllwing the cut- ff date. The remittance file can be transmitted either as an EDI message r as a simple delimited text file attached t an . It can als be accessed in Reprts/Reprt Histry. PAYMENT Suppliers receive cleared funds in their accunts n the last wrking day f each mnth. This payment is made by the BACS system. PAYMENT DATE The payment date is set by Batch and will be the last wrking day f each mnth. The website shws the date f the next payment n the tp f each page. Ø FAILED DIRECT DEBITS AND FAILED OVERSEAS PAYMENTS. The prcedure fllwed if a Direct Debit frm a UK bkseller fails is as fllws: If a Direct Debit fails, Batch will try t get the mney frm the shp. We will nly infrm the supplier if we cannt get hld f the shp r we have reasn t think they may have a prblem in paying. Batch will send a warning t the supplier saying the funds may be recalled if we d nt receive payment. Batch will always keep suppliers updated via , either infrming yu that we need the mney back r we have received the funds. Fr verseas bksellers: Batch will send ut daily reminder s t bksellers, starting seven days befre the Authrisatin Date, if n payment has been made and until funds are received. Ø SUPPLYING DATA ELECTRONICALLY We are able t receive and wrk with many different electrnic file frmats, s please cntact us at mail@batch.c.uk t set up the necessary feeds t test and autmate the prcess f file delivery. IF THERE ARE ANY ISSUES, QUESTIONS OR QUERIES THEN PLEASE CONTACT THE BATCH SUPPORT LINE BY ING mail@batch.c.uk QUOTING THE REASON FOR THE QUERY AND ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WILL HELP US TO IDENTIFY AND RESOLVE THE PROBLEM Batch Ltd is a whlly wned subsidiary f The Bksellers Assciatin f Great Britain & Ireland. 20/09/