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Originally published in Invoice Amnesty Day At RECAP’s Enhancing Accounts Payable Operations conference, two speakers mentioned being surprised at the number of invoices coming out of the woodwork when new systems and/or procedures were introduced. In both instances, the accounts payable staff was instructed to turn over all unprocessed invoices when the new processes became effective. In each case, these professionals expected one or two days’ worth of work to be transferred. They were way off base. In the first instance, the manager was inundated with approximately 20 times the number of invoices and in the second the unquantifiable number was equally horrendous. In each case, this workload set the new project back in a serious manner. In the first case, the manager was able to determine that clerks cleaned out their desks of all the problem invoices that had been hidden away because they did not know how to deal with them. So, not only was there a tremendous increase in the work flow, but most of it consisted of problem invoices! In the second case, functions were moved to different locations and the manager suspects that certain staffers just "stopped working." Both speakers recommended starting fresh processes with new invoices and having the existing staff finish up with invoices already in the system. During the conference, a group of accounts payable professionals were discussing the issue of the flux of invoices that miraculously appeared when this golden opportunity presented itself. The group concluded that such hoards exist in most companies. One of the pros offered a solution that worked at his company. Approximately once a year, his company holds a sort of "invoice amnesty day." Each staffer is asked to clean out his or her desk and may submit invoices that have been sidelined for various reasons—no questions asked. He says that the number of invoices that crawl out from under rocks is amazing. Managing Accounts Payable strongly suspects that most companies would benefit from such a day, and it would make the staff members who have such a trove feel a lot better as well. "Accounts Payable Miscellany: Invoice Amnesty Day" ©1997 Institute of Management and Administration, Inc. For subscription information call (212) 244-0360 or send e-mail to SUBSERVE@IOMA.COM
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