Uploading an invoice directly into the client's system Thread poster: patyjs
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patyjs 
Mexico
Local time: 03:40
Spanish to English
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I need to rant a little...
I have a new client (a Mexican university as it happens) whose payment system involves the supplier, using a code and password provided by the client, accessing the client's system and following two 5 minute tutorials in order to register as a supplier and upload the invoice. Although the tutorials are only (?) 5 minutes, the supplier has to:
1. Check their supplier information (input from the several forms the supplier has already filled out)... See more I need to rant a little...
I have a new client (a Mexican university as it happens) whose payment system involves the supplier, using a code and password provided by the client, accessing the client's system and following two 5 minute tutorials in order to register as a supplier and upload the invoice. Although the tutorials are only (?) 5 minutes, the supplier has to:
1. Check their supplier information (input from the several forms the supplier has already filled out)
2. Upload and validate two fake invoices.
3. Check the status of the validation.
4. Get an "acuse" of the validation.
And then wait for the client to inform her that the invoices have been correctly uploaded and are in the system.
Then, following the second 5 minute tutorial, go through steps 1 - 4 again with the real invoice followed by:
5. Send the invoice with the purchase order to the correct department.
I have had problems since the start of this episode and have, dare I say wasted, hours of time and effort; I have lost count of the emails that have gone back and forth with three different people and my patience is now very thin.
The system only works with IE but that took me some time to figure out (I was following a tutorial and thought maybe I had missed something), and then something in one of the tutorials totally misled me, although with hindsight (20/20) it makes sense now. There were other problems that I won't go into here (not my fault), but you get the idea.
Anyway, rant over...I just wondered if anyone else has had to go through anything like this in order to submit an invoice. It seems to me the suppliers are doing all the admin work that is really the job of the client. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Jessica Noyes
United States
Local time: 05:40
Member
Spanish to English
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These invoicing systems are a headache for sure, especially when (as I do) you have 3-4 different systems to make your way through every month. Worse yet though, are the companies that insist you upload your actual translation in a similarly arcane fashion. It is really upsetting to be 30-45 minutes ahead of the deadline, and end up submitting your work late because of having to make your way through a complicated training manual whose pictures in no way resemble what's on your screen. (The next... See more These invoicing systems are a headache for sure, especially when (as I do) you have 3-4 different systems to make your way through every month. Worse yet though, are the companies that insist you upload your actual translation in a similarly arcane fashion. It is really upsetting to be 30-45 minutes ahead of the deadline, and end up submitting your work late because of having to make your way through a complicated training manual whose pictures in no way resemble what's on your screen. (The next time that complicated-upload agency offered me a job, I simply told them that they could have the translation by e-mail for the proposed deadline, or several hours later uploaded to their system. I guess they were in a hurry, because they accepted it by e-mail.) ▲ Collapse
| | | | Suzanne Smart (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:40
Italian to English
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| can you charge for it? | Sep 1, 2015 |
I hate these systems too, especially the ones that force you to wait until the client has uploaded your invoice in order for you to "request" it. I just want to send an invoice when I've finished the work!
Your case does sound rather more extreme than what I have been dealing with. This really is the client's job that you are doing. We should only be responsible for preparing our own invoice and sending it, nothing else. What would happen if you tried to charge for the admin time?
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I agree with you all. These on-line invoicing systems are a nightmare.
I recently had a similar situation with an ageny I occasionally worked for which used to be entirely pleasant and problem-free. Then, they introduced an on-line invoicing system for "improved efficiency". The PM repeatedly said that I MUST use the on-line system or my invoice wouldn't be accepted. I made at least ten attempts to follow their instructions and each time was met with a different obstacle which prevented me... See more I agree with you all. These on-line invoicing systems are a nightmare.
I recently had a similar situation with an ageny I occasionally worked for which used to be entirely pleasant and problem-free. Then, they introduced an on-line invoicing system for "improved efficiency". The PM repeatedly said that I MUST use the on-line system or my invoice wouldn't be accepted. I made at least ten attempts to follow their instructions and each time was met with a different obstacle which prevented me from proceeding. Either their system is flawed or they are incapable of explaining how to use it. I'd spent far longer trying to send my invoice than the small, urgent translation itself had taken me.
In the end, I sent them my invoice by POST. Eventually, they paid me, and, a month later, paid me AGAIN, so then I had the hassle of arranging a bank transfer to refund them the double payment. So much for the "improved efficiency" of their system.
At that point, I was so fed up that I asked them to remove me from their database. I won't be working for them again.
Ugh. ▲ Collapse
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Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 10:40
Member (2007)
English
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| They are almost always a pain | Sep 1, 2015 |
One or two seem to work fine and actually streamline the process, but most don't. I worked with one big agency who produced an invoice themselves at the end of the month, detailing everything I'd done during the month. And the system enabled me to very quickly:
- check the details (I never found any errors)
- change my bank details when necessary
- add my own details in a free-form text box (Spain insists that I use sequential invoice numbers and state my ID number)
- tic... See more One or two seem to work fine and actually streamline the process, but most don't. I worked with one big agency who produced an invoice themselves at the end of the month, detailing everything I'd done during the month. And the system enabled me to very quickly:
- check the details (I never found any errors)
- change my bank details when necessary
- add my own details in a free-form text box (Spain insists that I use sequential invoice numbers and state my ID number)
- tick a box to confirm agreement
- print the invoice for my records.
It was perfect for a while and saved me loads of time. Unfortunately, they went the way of most big agencies and started unilaterally imposing new terms etc., so we had to part company. I imagine your "new client" will be an "ex-client" just as soon as they've paid that first invoice, patyjs. It's a crazy way to do business. ▲ Collapse
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