The British Library automates invoicing

Storage system integrated with Oracle database speeds up payment processes

The British Library claims to have better control of supplier payment terms

The British Library is using a document storage system for space optimisation and to improve invoice processing times.

Some 3,000 purchase invoices are entered monthly onto the system, which is in turn integrated with an Oracle financial database. It is claimed to give the Library better control of suppliers’ payment terms. The web front-ended system has 2,000 British Library users at five different sites.

Under the new platform, all purchase invoices are scanned and linked to the appropriate record in Oracle financials. Authorisation of invoices is also automated, which eliminates the manual processes used previously.

“Purchase invoice approval is more efficient than ever before. Using the system in conjunction with Oracle’s workflow, the relevant approvers are automatically notified by email that there is an invoice for their authorisation,” said Oracle business development manager at The British Library Jayne Cove.

“By clicking on a link in the email, they can instantly view the imaged invoices from their PCs enabling them to approve, reject or query the invoices accordingly. The accounts payable team can track where an invoice is in the approval chain and as the process is totally paperless, the risk of lost invoices has been eradicated,” said Cove.

Future plans to build on the Version One-supplied system include using it to store incoming and outgoing finance and non-finance documents.