Non-PO invoices are standalone invoices that are not based on a purchase order or contract available in the SAP Ariba Buying and Invoicing application. This means that there is no SAP Ariba document to validate the invoice against.
Non-PO invoices can reach the SAP Ariba invoicing solution either by:
- By the supplier on SAP Business Network and transmitted to your SAP Ariba solution, if the customer’s business rules allow it
- Manually by a user in the customer site using a paper invoice sent by a supplier
When implementing new non-PO invoice policies and processes, you want to ensure that you assess the impact to each identified user’s role, how to communicate the change to identified users and train each user so they have the information and knowledge to be able to comply with the processes.
Typically your invoice approval process should account for non-PO scenarios where the Accounts Payable department must determine if the invoice is legitimate, the accounting information is set correctly and if funds can be released.
Non-PO invoicing is a workable solution for unmanaged spend categories where there is no current negotiated pricing with the supplier, or you do not have the possibility to negotiate pricing.
Examples of items you might be invoiced for without a PO:
- Utilities
- Repairs
- Phone bills
- Entertainment
A non-PO invoice might also be required if the transaction is a one-time occurrence.
Creating a Non-PO Invoice for a One-Time Vendor
When a supplier that you plan to use just once (or rarely) sends an invoice, and the supplier isn't in your organization's master vendor list, you can still enter and process the invoice if your site supports one-time vendor invoices.
Unlike regular invoices, with one-time vendor invoices, you enter supplier details directly on the invoice. An authorized user from Accounts Payable adds the payment information to the invoice.
Note
This configuration is possible only in sites that integrate with SAP ERP.For information about configuring your site to support one-time vendor invoices, see Non-PO Invoices for One-Time Vendors in the Invoicing Data Import and Administration guide.
Note
Although, invoicing is usually handled in the SAP Ariba Buying and Invoicing application, the guided buying capability offers customers a simple non-PO invoice form. It allows users to pay suppliers for one-time purchases when there is no associated purchase order. To learn more about the feature, please see the Guided Buying Administration guide.