Issues with PO Change Orders: What To Do

It's "the case of the phantom credit."

contributed by Danielle Hancock

When you submit a PO Change, please work with the Approver to get the change approved as quickly as possible. 

If the PO Change is approved AFTER the Supplier Invoice, here's what to do: 

If the Supplier is NOT yet paid:   

Send an email to AskFinance using the subject line "Reprocess Supplier Invoice - Supplier Invoice processed before PO Change Approval."  Include the Supplier Invoice number, and ask them to send it to the PSDS Invoices Queue labeled "URGENT."

The invoice can be reprocessed as long as it has not yet been paid.  This will correct the phantom credit. 

If the Supplier has already been paid:

If the Supplier Invoice has already been paid, there is no way to fix the issue through PO/Supplier Invoice.   Your options are: 

• Leave it alone:  The obligations from closed POs don't get rolled over into the next fiscal year.  The phantom credit will go away the next fiscal year.  You will not see these obligations on non-grant reports.  Because grant reporting pulls Actuals, Obligations, and Commitments Life-To-Date (not Fiscal Year-to-date), you will still see the phantom obligation credit, but it won't affect the closeout process. 
• Do an Obligation Journal to correct it:  This can only be done in the same Fiscal Year.  Email AskFinance with the subject line "Obligation Journal to correct PO Change Approval Error."  Include the Supplier Invoice number (s) and ask them to send it to the Financial Reporting Queue.

Refer to my slides and presentation from the March 6 Fiscal Administrator's Meeting for further details.  You can find this by navigating to our website's Meetings & Resources page and clicking on Fiscal Administrators and the March 6 meeting.