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Appendix 2: eInvoicing checklist

A checklist to assist you in receiving eInvoices.

Published 30 September 2024

This section outlines what an AP team should consider doing when it receives an eInvoice. It is neither exhaustive nor one-size-fits-all, but may be used as the basis of a processing workflow that could be automated.

  1. Check your details are correct – a supplier may have sent you an eInvoice that was meant for someone else.
    1. Check your ABN and business name are correct.
    2. In the eInvoice’s Peppol XML file, the A-NZ invoice specification elements to check are:
      1. cac:AccountingCustomerParty/cac:Party/cac:PartyLegalEntity/cbc:CompanyID
      2. cac:AccountingCustomerParty/cac:Party/cac:PartyLegalEntity/cbc:RegistrationName
      3. cac:AccountingCustomerParty/cac:Party/cbc:EndpointID
    3. If the details are wrong, let the supplier know as they may be unaware of the mistake.
    4. If the details match, go to the next step.
  2. Check the eInvoice has come from a valid or existing supplier.
    1. Check the supplier’s ABN and that the business name matches your vendor master data – this should be the sender's legal name.
    2. If supplied, also check payment or bank account details match what you have on file.
    3. In the eInvoice’s Peppol XML file, the A-NZ invoice specification elements to check are:
      1. cac:AccountingSupplierParty/cac:Party/cac:PartyLegalEntity/cbc:CompanyID
      2. cac:AccountingSupplierParty/cac:Party/cac:PartyLegalEntity/ cbc:RegistrationName
      3. cac:PaymentMeans/cac:PayeeFinancialAccount
    4. If the supplier details don’t match or do not exist in your master data, query the eInvoice. Check the validity of the invoice with the person responsible for goods receipting and checking the invoice, and perhaps contact the vendor. You may need to update or create a new vendor record.
    5. If the supplier exists and the details match, go to the next step.
  3. Check the eInvoice is GST compliant.
    1. Depending on the value of the eInvoice and the GST registration status of the supplier, check you have all the required information. Refer to Tax invoices for what’s needed.
    2. If the eInvoice isn’t GST compliant, contact the supplier to inform them of the error.
    3. If it is GST compliant, go to the next step.
  4. Check the eInvoice for a PO number or other buyer contact details.
    1. Check the eInvoice for a PO number or other reference number, noting this may be in a different spot on each eInvoice and may not be where you expect to find it. Look in the PO number field and in the Buyer Reference field first but, if need be, scan the rest of the eInvoice content in case it is entered in a different field (for example, notes). If there aren’t any PO or buyer reference details, check the purchaser details.
    2. In the eInvoice’s Peppol XML file, the A-NZ invoice specification elements to check are:
      1. cac:OrderReference/cbc:ID
      2. cbc:BuyerReference.
    3. If there is no valid, identifiable PO, check for other workflow identifiers:
      1. contract number (cac:ContractDocumentReference/cbc:ID)
      2. tender number (cac:OriginatorDocumentReference/cbc:ID).
      3. project number (cac:ProjectReference/cbc:ID).
      4. buyer reference number (cbc:BuyerReference)
      5. contact details, such as name or email address (cac:AccountingCustomerParty/cac:Party/cac:Contact).
    4. If a seller incorrectly aligns or formats their otherwise valid PO number, contact them and help them get it right next time. In the meantime, you can manually correct the data to expedite processing and payment.
    5. If there is a valid PO number or you can identify the intended recipient, check that it matches the vendor details on the invoice.
      1. If they do not match, contact the supplier to query.
      2. If they do match, go to the next step.
  5. Check the eInvoice details match those recorded on the PO or contract – that is, PO matching.
    1. Check if the goods or services have already been receipted by the purchaser against the PO or contract.
    2. If not, forward the eInvoice to the responsible person (for example, the PO owner) and ask them to notify you once the goods or services have been receipted.
    3. If they have been receipted, go to the options below.

Note: RMG 417's payment times do not start until the goods or services have been receipted and a correctly rendered eInvoice has been received.

Option 1: Header-level matching

  1. Check the total amount of the eInvoice against the amount of the PO/procurement.
  2. If it does not match, forward it to the responsible person (for example, the PO owner) for action.
  3. If they match, ask the purchaser to approve it for payment.

Option 2: Line-level matching

  1. Do the same checks as 5.a above, but rather than just checking the eInvoice values, check each line item included in the eInvoice.

Note: Minor differences in values may occur due to you and your customer using different GST rounding rules. eInvoices by default calculate GST amounts using the total invoice rule where the GST-exclusive value of each taxable sale is added up, and GST is then calculated at 10% of that amount and then rounded to the nearest cent (rounding 0.5 cents upwards). You may need to adjust tolerances in your system to account for this, just as you may already be doing with other invoices you receive.

Payment

How you pay eInvoices will depend on several variables including agency preference, supplier requests and invoice value. All NCEs will need to consult Supplier pay on time or pay interest policyExternal Link (RMG 417) for details (see Appendix 1).

QC103090