Procure to Pay

uBASE User Group

Notes from the meeting on 16th May 2012

Attendees:

Robert Hebblethwaite (Chair)

Lynda Hodge-Mannion (Faculty of Arts & Humanities Finance Hub)

Steph O’Neill (Civil & Structural Engineering)

Natalie Hothersall (Electronic and Electrical Engineering)

Helen Callender (EEE & Faculty of Engineering Finance)

Louise Brown-Leng (Chemistry)

Marion Simkins (Psychology)

Karen Vyce (Biomedical Science)

Angela Hill (Journalism/Economics)

Emma Bryant (Human Resources)

Andrew Wood (Finance)

Kellie Hall (Finance)

Yvette Everitt (Finance)

Andy Jamieson (Finance)

Matt Colbourne (Finance)

George Chapman (CiCS)

Agenda Item 1 - Apologies

Andy Bassett (Biological Services)

Susan Cross (Biological Services)

Vicky Gray (ACS)

Alison Lougheed (CiCS)

Diane Villis (Student Services)

Natalie Swallow (Chemical & Biological Engineering)

Zoe Topham (Estates)

Diane Knowles (Medical School)

Cheryl Whiteman (Estates)

Kate Hewitt (Finance)

Judy Hair (Finance)

Introductions – The group welcomed Kellie Hall back from her maternity leave and were pleased to hear the news of the birth of Kate Hewitt’s son. Kellie also reported that Rob Kelsall was currently seconded to a project with ACS and Tom Watkins was covering the myPurchaseuBASE help desk.

Agenda Item 2 – Notes from the Previous Meeting

  • There were no corrections to the Notes from the previous meeting

Agenda Item 3 – Matters arising/Action Points

  • RH reported that there has been no further progress with work to pull together the myPurchase and uBASE Training Request and Profile update process. ACTION: RH to publicise via the web and uSpace when it is live.
  • It was previously discussed that some users may be printing out documents because they simply had always done this OR because they thought that the Dept of Finance required this to be done.Clare Vincent has kindly produced anewFinancial Advice Note on what does and does not need to be printed/filed/retained in the procure to pay process. It can be found both via uSpace here and also from the A-Z list of FANs on the Department of Finance web pages here.
  • On the topic of Materials Groups and their link to expenditure general ledger codes, Louise Brown-Leng highlighted an issue in relation to radio chemicals via the catalogue.
  • Matt Colbourne reported that all of the old Nat West corporate cards have now been cancelled though not all of them have actually been physically returned to the Payments Office. ACTION – Any user who knows of such a card holder to remind them to arrange for the card to be returned.
  • Matt also informed the group that the Purchasing Cards were now being used at the rate of approx 3000 transactions per month with an average of £415k spend per month. His team will be contributing to the review of expenditure via P-Cards and this links with both the activities of the Procurement Steering Group and also the KMPG Procurement Review Project.
  • In relation to VAT, on-line purchases and the use of P-Cards, there is new guidance available from the Tax Team area of the Department of Finance web pages here.

Agenda Item 4 – Current queries/questions from Users

  • The group discussed various matters in relation to suppliers including notifications when new ones have been brought into the catalogue and how people know when certain suppliers have been blocked (either because they are no longer under contract with us or because of lack of use.
  • Communication is problematic since a general email to all Requisitioners was not targeted enough and also would annoy staff if these were issued regularly. Specific notes held against vendor records were not visible to all Requisitioners because they are held in uBASE and not in myPurchase. ACTION User group members to help with suggestions for communication methods that would be most appropriate for their Faculty or Professional Service area.
  • A question was asked about Requisitioners having access to more than 3 purchasing groups but Kellie confirmed that this was not possible.
  • A point of clarification was also raised in relation to Profile request forms and access to training. RH clarified that the profile request forms should be submitted first and then profiles are granted either upon receipt of the authorized form or AFTER confirmation that the relevant training had been undertaken.

Agenda Item 5 – MyPurchase / Procure to Pay training – update re proposed new Advanced Purchasing workshop

  • RH updated the group on a new Advanced Purchasing course that Clare Vincent was preparing. It will be aimed at Purchase Orderers who want to know/do more and Angela Hill requested that this should include Goods Receipting issues as Orderers are not always aware of all of the GRN issues. The course may also be useful for Administrators who are not directly involved in purchasing but would like to gain a wider understanding of the uBASE (not myPurchase) purchasing process and purchasing reporting. It is proposed to be a half day course with small groups (6-8) of attendees. Clare will issue further details re course content etc when these are available.

Agenda Item 6 – P Cards and Catalogues progress check

  • As well as the transactional information about current usage of P-Cards, Matt Colbourne updated the group on his proposed series of departmental visits to discuss and check with card holders and administrators how they are being used, the position with regards to retention of receipts and compliance with Financial Regulations.
  • Kellie reported that there is a planned upgrade to the Science Warehouse Catalogue. The upgrade will change the user interface. Users will see different screens and an improved search facility. The upgrade also ensures that we remain on a supported version of the catalogue software. Further communication and guidance notes will be provided nearer to go-live which is expected to in the Summer. A list of the current vendors included in the myCatalogue system can be found as a download on the Procurement Team web pages here.
  • A query in relation to Insight and the frequency/speed of email response was raised. Post Meeting Note: - Science Warehouse has now confirmed that they will change the message delivery method for Insight to XML within the next few weeks which should speed up the process.

Agenda Item 7 –User Satisfaction Survey – Reflections from users

  • RH updated the group on the results from the User Satisfaction survey that was issued following go live of the upgrade in January 2012. He thanked everyone for taking the time to respond and there was even more feedback given in terms of free text comments than in the pre upgrade survey.
  • The results of the post upgrade survey had been written up into a Report to the SAP Upgrade project board and this had been shared with user group members in advance of the meeting via uSpace. User group members reflected that some negativity was in relation to infrequent usage and also that there was a degree related to dislike of any form of change. It was hoped that some of the actions taken since go-live would help users to grow to like (or grow to not dislike so much) SRM 7. It was agreed that no further user satisfaction survey should be planned in 2012.

Agenda Item 8– Actions taken since SAP Upgrade project go live

  • At this point the meeting was running close to its scheduled finish time and hence RH decided to deal with this Agenda item by offering to provide users with a list of actions addressed within the Notes to the meeting.
  • Post Meeting Note:-
  • List of issued addressed/fixed: - Pop up screen sizing resized to be compatible with latest versions of FF and IE. Load speed fixes completed to speed up access to messages etc. Change of Unit of Measure field to populate with EA for “each”. Clipboard now reinstated. MUSE screen amended to provide separate links for “myPurchase for Requisitioners” and “myPurchase for approvers” with guidance for setting substitutions available from this front MUSE page. More information on the Faculty that a Purchasing Group belongs to is now included in the general purchasing reports starting ME* and also the MRBR and GRIR reports. The new fields are “Department Name” and “Faculty Name” and these can be brought into the reports using the advice in uSpace here. (Document 40783)

Agenda Item 9 –Getting the most out of the User Groups

  • RH led this discussion by asking for user group members’ views on how we can continue to improve what we get out of having these meetings. The user group format has been in place for 4 years now and it should be a means by which news and information is cascaded outwards from the Finance Department and also a channel for views or development requests to be brought from users. I.e. a 2 way communication.
  • User group members are responsible for disseminating information they receive at the meetings to Faculty colleagues as well as pulling in others views. Whilst it is appreciated that this is not always easy, the user group meetings are always more rewarding and productive where members have gathered feedback from colleagues via their Finance Operations Groups or the like.
  • RH reminded user group members that they are free to hand over the task of representing a Faculty or a Professional Service area to another colleague at any stage. (just let me know of any changes to membership) The high level of apologies received for these meetings (despite the fact they are held only twice per year) could be a sign that new blood is required although it IS acknowledged where apologies were given simply due to other diary commitments.

Agenda Item 10 – Any other business

  • Yvette updated the group on the work of the Procurement Strategy Group and gave details of the Faculty representatives on the group. The review project being undertaken by KPMG is being overseen by the PSG. The group has also pushed through recent changes to the financial thresholds at which quotations are required and also changes to the involvement of the Procurement team in relation to the purchase of equipment from externally funded research grants and contracts
  • Andrew Wood and Matt Colbourne updated the group on the continued monitoring of POs raised after invoice date and also the average payment days from date of invoice. We pay suppliers on average 32 days from the date of their invoice whereas Newcastle achieves 22 days. We therefore need to keep all our systems and processes under review to seek continuous improvements. Accounts payable scanning is a project that should help in providing quicker information to resolve queries.
  • RH mentioned that Clare Vincent had recently issued some helpful guidance and reminders on the subject of Goods Receipting. This was contained in an email to all staff with the GRN profile sent on 14.5.12.
  • It was agreed that the next meeting should be held in approx 6 months time. As usual, any Agenda items to be emailed to RH or posted via uSpace.