VPVI-56: The Magic of AP Approvals In Vantagepoint and Vision Pam Conlon, Foresite Group Ron Mertes, Foresite Group Jessica Daniele, Stambaugh Ness
VPVI-56:The Magic of AP Approvals In Vantagepoint and Vision
Pam Conlon, Foresite GroupRon Mertes, Foresite Group
Jessica Daniele, Stambaugh Ness
Presented By
Pam Conlon
Vice President of Finance
15 Years with Foresite Group
6 Years Using Deltek Vision
Ron Mertes
Controller
12+ Years of A/E/C Accounting
6 Years Using Deltek Vision
Jessica Daniele
Senior Consultant with Stambaugh Ness
15+ Years working with Deltek Systems
Project Accounting/Billing/Payroll/Asset Management/Reporting
About Foresite Group
Office Locations
Land Development
Landscape Architecture
Broadband Engineering
Structural Engineering
Traffic Engineering
Wireless Services
Vision 7.6 (Cumulative Update 41)
*
About Stambaugh Ness
Provides Professional Services Firms with a Future-Ready
approach that aligns services to our client’s needs
Years of Professional Experience
in the Architectural and Engineering industries
Years of Experience working with Deltek solutions
Nationally Recognized Deltek Platinum Partner
Clients in 43 States & Canada
Agenda
Why Use A/P Approvals?
Determine Your Needs
Set Up
Accounts Payable Entry
Approvals
Create A/P Vouchers
Why Use A/P Approvals in Vision?
Approval Tracking
Approval Escalations
Easier for Reviewers
Automation (Using Work Flows)
Progress is Reviewable
Approval is Transferable
Invoices Aren’t on Desks Anymore
Determine Your Needs
At Foresite Group, we decided we wanted an easy way to get vendor invoices entered and to
be able track their approval process. We also wanted to be able to have various levels of
approval escalation for approval. Finally, we wanted the ability for this to effortlessly roll into an
A/P Voucher for posting.
Setting Up Configuration - Vision
Areas that you will need to update in configuration
Setting Up Configuration - Vantagepoint
Areas that you will need to update in Settings
Things to consider as you prepare to set up your workflows
Workflows can have as many or as few steps as you need. Just like other workflows, you
can add conditions.
Who will enter each AP Invoice? (AP clerk, controller, each project manager, ???)
How do you want the invoice to be routed? (by employee or by project?)
Are there additional approvals required at certain dollar levels or for certain projects?
(Maybe certain overhead projects require dual approval. Maybe a new team needs someone
to double check behind them.)
Do you want a final approval before the voucher is created? (maybe a controller or CFO)
Who will create the voucher? (AP clerk, controller, ???)
Which security roles in your company will need access to AP Approvals?
Setting Up the Workflows – Vision & Vantagepoint
Click New to create and give it a
name.
Approval Admin (only one
person can be assigned here,
this is the person doing the
high-level AP entries)
Allow approver to reassign
(works well if the project
manager wants to send to a
supervisor or a task manager)
Step 1: How Do You Want the Invoice to Be Routed? – Vision
In our case, we have an AP clerk enter all invoices. She routes to either a specific employee or
to the project – which gets delivered to the PM.
Step 1: How Do You Want the Invoice to Be Routed? – Vantagepoint
In our case, we have an AP clerk enter all invoices. She routes to either a specific employee or
to the project – which gets delivered to the PM.
Step 2: Notify the Recipient - Vision
You will want to set up
notifications, reminders, and
possibly escalations
Here is an example of our
standard notification
Step 2: Notify the Recipient - Vantagepoint
You will want to set up
notifications, reminders, and
possibly escalations
Here is an example of our
standard notification
Step 3: Add Any Additional Approval Conditions – Vision
Here are a couple of
examples we use if
invoices are greater
than a certain
amount.
You can route to a
higher level
manager or a
specific person.
Step 3: Add Any Additional Approval Conditions - Vantagepoint
Here are a couple of
examples we use if
invoices are greater
than a certain
amount.
You can route to a
higher level
manager or a
specific person.
Step 4: Add Final Review by Accounting, if needed – Vision
This allows controller or approvals administrator to verify all dollar amounts are accounted for
and properly coded before creating the voucher. If you don’t add this step, the catch we’ve
found is that the approval admin has to reject the invoice, and the process starts over with the
person who originally submitted the invoice. The Approval Admin can walk through the steps of
the workflow and get to final review.
Step 4: Add Final Review by Accounting, if needed - Vantagepoint
This allows controller or approvals administrator to verify all dollar amounts are accounted for
and properly coded before creating the voucher. If you don’t add this step, the catch we’ve
found is that the approval admin has to reject the invoice, and the process starts over with the
person who originally submitted the invoice. The Approval Admin can walk through the steps of
the workflow and get to final review.
Step 5: Create Voucher – Vision
Regardless of how many steps you have in your workflow, the last one needs to be Create
Voucher so your Action can be set to create the voucher.
Step 5: Create Voucher - Vantagepoint
Regardless of how many steps you have in your workflow, the last one needs to be Create
Voucher so your Action can be set to create the voucher.
Other Things to Know – Vision
Set up your workflow in your Sandbox database to test!
Once you get the steps in place and save the workflow, it is live for those with permissions to
access the AP Approvals area of Vision. Be aware: If you need to edit the workflow, any
approvals in process will be started over. Only the Approval Admin can edit the workflow.
Other Things to Know - Vantagepoint
Set up your workflow in your Sandbox database to test!
Once you get the steps in place and save the workflow, it is live for those with permissions to
access the AP Approvals area of Vantagepoint. Be aware: If you need to edit the workflow,
any approvals in process will be started over. Only the Approval Admin can edit the workflow.
Overview of the A/P Invoice Approvals – Vision
Overview of the A/P Invoice Approvals - Vantagepoint
Starting the A/P Approval Process – Vision
Click A/P Invoice
Approvals
Click on the
“Upload” button
(next to the Save
button)
Select the file to
upload
Starting the A/P Approval Process - Vantagepoint
Click A/P Invoice
Approvals
Click on the
“Upload” on the
far right side
Select the file to
upload
Getting Started (Continued) – Vision
Notice the PDF is attached and viewable
Enter Vendor
Include the Number
Date
Amount
Note, the Invoice amount can change when the approver approves the invoice
Restricting Entry
Getting Started (Continued) - Vantagepoint
Notice the PDF is attached and viewable
Enter Vendor
Include the Number
Date
Amount
Note, the Invoice amount can change when the approver approves the invoice
Restricting Entry
Getting Started (Continued) – Vision
Determine how you are going
to route the invoice
Do you know who the PM is?
Do you know the project?
Enter as much data as you can
for the approver
Ensure your vendors are set up
with G/L account numbers
Click Submit
Getting Started (Continued) - Vantagepoint
Determine how you are going
to route the invoice
Do you know who the PM is?
Do you know the project?
Enter as much data as you can
for the approver
Ensure your vendors are set up
with G/L account numbers
Click Submit
The Approval – Vision
The approver will receive the email mentioned earlier in the presentation
The approver can access the AP invoice through the email or by logging in to
Vision/Vantagepoint
The ability exists to search AP approvals using a standard search much like the other
searches in Vision/Vantagepoint
The approver can also set up a “saved search” (We call ours “Mine”)
The Approval – Vision
Click on the File Name to
view invoice, this will open a
new window
Review the Invoice attached
Determine if you are the
appropriate approver
(reassign if you’re not)
Enter the description (if not
already provided)
Enter the project (if not
already provided)
Split (WBS 1, 2, or 3)
The Approval - Vantagepoint
Click on the File Name to
view invoice, this will open a
new window
Review the Invoice attached
Determine if you are the
appropriate approver
(reassign if you’re not)
Enter the description (if not
already provided)
Enter the project (if not
already provided)
Split (WBS 1, 2, or 3)
The Approval: Quick Tip – Vision
For Invoices which are long
with pages of line data, you
can import the description and
WBS breakdown.
Click on Import.
Review the required fields.
Format your CSV file to match
the fields to import.
Browse for your file, and
select.
Click Import.
The Approval: Quick Tip - Vantagepoint
For Invoices which are long
with pages of line data, you
can import the description and
WBS breakdown.
Click on Import.
Review the required fields.
Format your CSV file to match
the fields to import.
Browse for your file, and
select.
Click Import.
The Approval – Vision
Note: Make sure your invoice total
matches the sum of all the lines you
have entered. Vision doesn’t have a
control total, so you could enter too
much or too little.
After all is entered click the approval
drop down box.
Click approve
Note: This is where you’d reject the
invoice or reassign it.
Once approved the invoice will be
routed back to the administrator.
The Approval - Vantagepoint
Note: Make sure your invoice total
matches the sum of all the lines you
have entered. Vantagepoint doesn’t
have a control total, so you could
enter too much or too little.
After all is entered click the approval
drop down box.
Click approve
Note: This is where you’d reject the
invoice or reassign it.
Once approved the invoice will be
routed back to the administrator.
Back to the Administrator – Vision
Two Options to review Approvals.
First Option: Go to Approvals Review.
Click Approvals and Assignments.
For Application, select AP Invoice Approvals.
Click on the hyperlink for each invoice.
Limited: can only do one at a time.
Back to the Administrator - Vantagepoint
Only one location to review AP
Approvals.
Go to AP Invoice Approvals.
Click on appropriate record icon,
or search for “My assignments”
Un-Limited: can approve all at
once, but can only view one at a
time.
A Quick Tip for the A/P Administrator – Vision
Option 2: Using the search box; my preferred method
Set up a search filter to only show the step you are reviewing
We use a “mine” saved search: only brings up your assignments
Select all
Vision will bring up all you have selected and will auto advance when you go through each approval
When finished, create vouchers
Back to the Administrator – Vision (continued)
Review the coded data
Compare it to the invoice
If everything matches, then
you’re ready to approve for
A/P Voucher Entry
Create or Select an A/P
Voucher
If it doesn’t match, this is
where we would use the
extra layer of approval for the
administrator (Ex. On Next
Slide)
Back to the Administrator –Vantagepoint (continued)
Review the coded data
Compare it to the invoice
If everything matches, then
you’re ready to approve for
A/P Voucher Entry
Create or Select an A/P
Voucher
If it doesn’t match, this is
where we would use the
extra layer of approval for the
administrator (Ex. On Next
Slide)
Example of Invoice Total error: this is what the approver received from the
A/P Clerk when she uploaded the invoice for approval.
Example of Invoice Total error: this is what the approver coded and
submitted as an approved invoice.
Creating an A/P Voucher – Vision
In the A/P Approval screen, after all levels of approval are done, click the Voucher Options Tab
When the drop down box appears, either add this to an existing voucher or create a new one and click OK
Next, Click Approval for it to move to the A/P Voucher
Be careful of which period you are creating the voucher in
When complete, go to A/P vouchers to check the file and enter the control total
Post the A/P Voucher
Creating an A/P Voucher - Vantagepoint
In the A/P Approval screen, since the last level of approval is the create voucher, when you click approve, the Transaction Center Voucher Options opens
When the drop down box appears, either add this to an existing voucher or create a new one and click OK
Next, Click Approve for it to move to the A/P Voucher
Be careful of which period you are creating the voucher in
When complete, go to Transaction Center> A/P vouchers to check the file and enter the control total
Post the A/P Voucher
A/P Voucher – Vision
Be careful when the A/P
Voucher comes up, the
control total won’t match
Confirm and enter the
control total
Make sure you’re in the
correct period
Click OK
Post the voucher as you
usually would
A/P Voucher - Vantagepoint
Be careful when the A/P
Voucher comes up, the
control total won’t match
Confirm and enter the
control total
Make sure you’re in the
correct period
Click OK
Post the voucher as you
usually would
Review of the A/P Invoice Approvals – Vision
Review of the A/P Invoice Approvals - Vantagepoint
Vendor Review – Vision
The approval ID carries over to Vendor Review. After the invoice is posted, you can click the
approval ID number and it will take you to the A/P Approval Screen for review.
Vendor Review - Vantagepoint
The approval ID carries over to Voucher Review. After the invoice is posted, you can click the
approval ID number and it will take you to the A/P Approval Screen for review.
Some key takeaway thoughts…
Think about what your organization’s goals are
Consider what steps you want to have in the approval workflows
Review the coded data for errors before creating the voucher
Double check the Invoice total: this is not a controlled total and can be incorrect
Create the A/P Voucher in the correct period
Invoices are no longer on someone’s desk
The TDM (Transactional Document Management) is there from the start
Invoices flow into Interactive Billing for billing back up
Contact Information for Questions
Pam Conlon
Vice President of Finance
770-368-1399 Ext. 315
Ron Mertes
Controller
770-368-1399 Ext. 320
Jessica Daniele
Senior Consultant
717-840-2454