Vinnie’s post about struggling to get his expenses from SAP/Oracle reminded me just how poor accounts payable procedures are within technology companies. I’ll not name names but here’s my (short) hit list:
- Company uses Oracle workflow as its basis for procurement. The system can only handle one bank account per provider. Workflow emails to provider erratic.
- Company uses SAP, cannot make BACS payments but that may not be down to SAP
- Lord knows what this company uses but regularly ‘loses’ auto-generated email bill notification. Asks for snail mail copies. No can guarantee with the Spanish postal service, otherwise known as ‘The Shredder.’
On the upside, one client uses self-billing so I get the invoice and remittance notification all in one – and they pay like clockwork.
I’ve not sent out a paper invoice since 1993. I stopped accepting cheques in 1997. From time to time I still have to remind companies – Please don’t send a cheque – it’s no good to me. Please don’t send me paper remittance advices – it’s a waste of time and money on both sides apart from representing dead tree technology.
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