3-Way Match with Multiple Invoices

Question

This may be a basic Oracle iProcurement functionality question, but i have been unable to get a good answer. Any information will be greatly appreciated.
I am currently using Oracle 11i iProcurement.
The problem I am having is I am unable to perform a 3-way Match in the system on purchase orders that will use multiple invoices. Our vendors require a tiered payment structure (i.e. 50% due up front before shipment, 30% due when item has reached shipment destination, and 10% due after our engineers have inspected the shipment).
We have been currently using a 2-way match for all of our purchase orders because when we apply the first invoice against the PO (50%), the PO will automatically close before we can receipt the goods against the purchase order.
Our Invoice Receipt Close % Tolerance and Invoice Close % Tolerance are set at 0%.
Our goal is to receipt the first 50% against the purchase order, have the PO remain open, and receipt the goods in Oracle after the 2nd or 3rd invoice application against the PO.
Thanks in advance.
Edited by: user13053863 on Apr 28, 2010 2:44 PM

Answer 1

Hmm, an interesting situation. What are the quantities on your purchase orders? Are they almost always a quantity of 1? Payables should only close a purchase order when quantity billed and quantity received is GT or equal to the quantity ordered. So if you order a quantity of 10, you could match for quantity 5 on the first invoice, quantity 3 for the second invoice, and quantity 2 for the final invoice. But since you don't receive the quantity until the 3rd invoice, you cannot match on receipts, so that would be a problem.
Maybe you need to approach this from a different angle? Maybe you should look at the prepayments ability in Payables. Typically Prepayments will be charged to a Prepayment Account (asset). Say you have a purchase order for $10,000. You prepay $5,000 up front, so basically Debit Prepayment 5,000 and Credit Cash 5,000. Same for the next prepayment level - $3,000. Then you get the ordered material received. So you want to do an invoice for $10,000. Match the invoice to the purchase order. Apply the prepayments to the purchase order. Thus you get an entry something like Debit Inventory $10,000, Credit Prepayments $8,000, and Credit Cash $2,000.
From an accounting perspecitive, you don't show the prepayments in inventory until received, but do show a prepayment asset. Which is reflecting what you really are doing I think.
I have never worked for anyone who has had to do prepayments, but this is an area that you may wish to investigate as a possible solution for your situation. Good luck.
John Dickey