Sponsor Invoicing

Purpose

This document describes the types of sponsor invoices and how to produce them.

Sponsor Invoicing Process

Once an award is received from a sponsor, an award, project, and task are established in the Oracle Grants Management module. All expenditures charged against a project or task accumulate at the award level and invoicing initiates at the award level. An invoice in the system is always necessary to post cash, even if the award does not require an invoice to the sponsor.

Draft invoice numbers are generated in the Oracle Grants Management module based on invoicing criteria applied during award establishment. Draft invoices are reviewed, approved, and released for transfer to the Accounts Receivable (AR) Module. An AR invoice number is automatically assigned once the draft invoice is released.

Types of Invoices

Cost Based Invoices

Cost based invoices are used when the payment terms are based on costs (expenditures) incurred for a specified time period. Cost based invoices are automatically generated based on criteria applied during award establishment and reflect all unbilled expenditures with an item date on or before the bill through date.

The RF Invoice Detail Report and RF Salary Sum by Invoice Report were created to use as supporting documentation for the invoice. For detailed descriptions and instructions for running these reports, refer to: RF Invoice Detail Report and RF Salary Sum by Invoice Report.

Event Based Invoices

Event based invoices are used when payment is based on an “event,” such as a schedule of payments, specific event (e.g., submission of report), cash received, etc. This type of invoicing is typically used when an award is cash driven, fixed sum (price), schedule of payments, etc. Events are entered in the Grants Management module in the Award Management Form > Compliance Tab > Event Form, for a specified date. An invoice will generate based on the due date of the event or cash received.

Manually Generated Invoices

Some direct billed sponsors will not accept a Research Foundation (RF) system-generated invoice. To meet sponsor reporting requirements it may be necessary to produce a specific sponsor form, manual invoice or spreadsheet. The Excel version of the RF Cumulative Invoice Form can be used when it is necessary to modify and make changes according to sponsor specifications. An invoice must still be generated in order for cash to be applied. Once the invoice has been transferred to the AR module, if necessary, it should be adjusted to reflect the amount invoiced to the sponsor.

Advance Invoices

It may sometimes be necessary to create an advance invoice due to the sponsor’s payment terms or due to cash received. Advance invoices are typically used when cash is received before the final agreement (award). If you need to send an advance invoice to the sponsor, you will need to create a manual invoice for the appropriate amount and a system-generated invoice will need to be generated in the Accounts Receivable (AR) module. Manual invoices can be created using the RF Cumulative Invoice Form.

For instructions on creating an advance invoice, refer to the process help on how to Create an Advance Invoice.

Invoice Generation in Grants

The award payment terms and sponsor requirements determine how invoices are generated and whether or not a system-printed invoice is needed. This criteria is selected on the Compliances tab of the Award Management form, and is described in the table below.

Invoice generation in Grants Management is determined based on the following criteria:

Criteria	Function
Billing Distribution Rule	Defines "how" invoices are generated. Refer to the Billing Distribution Rule field definition for the List of Value options. Note: This field can be changed after an invoice was released; therefore, the Billing Distribution Rule should be reviewed in conjunction with the actual award terms since both cost and event invoices may exist.
Billing Cycle	Defines "when" an invoice is required by the sponsor. Refer to the Billing Cycle field definition for the List of Value options.
Terms	Based on sponsor requirements, determines the invoice due date and when the aging of the invoice will begin. Refer to the Terms (GM) field definitions for the List of Value options.
First Billing Offset Days	Determines the number of days between the award start date and the generation of the first invoice.

Criteria for Invoice Printing and Format in Grants

Printing options are selected based on the sponsor’s payment terms. This criteria is selected on the Billing Format form in the Grants Management module, and is described in the table below.

Format	Function	Additional Selections within Format
No Print	No invoice will print; used for cash driven awards or any other event-based award where a system invoice is not required.	Not applicable.
Print Invoice	Not used. If a printed invoice is needed, Agency Specific Form should be chosen with the appropriate selection.	Not applicable.
EDI	Not used.	Not applicable.
Letter of Credit Drawdown	Used for awards with an established Letter of Credit.	LOC Account This field must be populated with the appropriate drawdown account. LOC Address This field is automatically populated with the address defined in the customer file.
Agency Specific Form	Used when a printed invoice is needed.	Available forms: 1 – RF Cumulative Form: Includes current and cumulative billing period costs. 10-Form 1 and Form 5: Includes the RF Cumulative Form and a Public Voucher 11-Form 1 and Form 7: Includes an RF Cumulative Form and a NYS Aid Voucher. 12-RF Cumulative with Remaining Balance Form: Includes Form 1 with an extra column for remaining balances. 13 - Form 6 and BSROE: Includes NYS Standard Voucher (AC92) and NYS Department of Health Budget Statement and Report of Expenditures. 14- Expenditures by Project: Includes current and cumulative billing period costs by project . 15 - Claim for Payment: NYS Form #AC3253S used for certain NYS awards. 16 - Form 15 and Form 1: Output file produces both the NYS Form #AC3253S and RF Cumulative Form. 17 - Form 15 and Form 4: Output file produces both the NYS Form #AC3253S and RF Catch All Form. 18 - Form 15 and BSROE: Output file produces both the NYS Form #AC3253S and NYS Department of Health Budget Statement and Report of Expenditures. 2 – RF Fixed Price Invoice: Used for event-based invoicing; displays the lump sum amount of the event. 3 – RF Current Expenditures Only Invoice: Used for current expenditures; format similar to Form 1 except excludes cumulative billing costs. 4 – RF Catch All Form: Used to generate invoice data for special reports; is never sent to sponsor. 5 – Public Voucher (1034): Used for certain federal awards. 6 – NYS Standard Voucher (AC92): Used for certain NYS awards. 7 – NYS State Aid Voucher (AAC1171): Used for certain NYS awards. 8 – Form 6 and Form 1: Output file produces both the NYS Standard Voucher (AC92) and RF Cumulative Form. 9 – Form 6 and Form 4: Output file produces both the NYS Standard Voucher (AC92) and RF Catch All Form.

Draft Invoice Review/Approval/Release in Grants

Once a draft invoice is created, it should be reviewed and the appropriate action taken. The table below describes corrective actions to take based on findings during invoice review.

Review Findings	Invoice Action
Review complete and no corrective action required.	Approve and release invoice. For more information, refer to the Approve and Release an Invoice process help. Print invoice. For more information, refer to the View and Print a Sponsor Invoice in Grants process help. Send to sponsor.
Comment is required on the invoice.	Add comment to invoice. For more information refer to the Add Comments to an Unapproved Sponsor Invoice process help. Approve, release invoice. Print invoice and send to sponsor.
Invoice certification is missing or incorrect.	Add or change the invoice certification on the award. For more information, refer to the Create, Change or Add an Invoice Certification process help. Approve, and release invoice. Print, and send to sponsor.
Invoiced amount is incorrect for an event-based invoice.	Delete the unapproved invoice. For more information refer to the Delete an Unapproved Sponsor Invoice process help. Review the events entered on the award. Delete the event that is in error and reenter an event for the correct amount. For more information, refer to the Add or Delete an Event process help. Regenerate invoice. For more information, refer to the Regenerate a Sponsor Invoice process help. Note: Alternatively, you can wait for the Oracle applications to generate the invoice during nightly processes. Approve, and release invoice. Print, and send to sponsor.
Invoiced amount is incorrect for a cost-based invoice.	Review the "Bill Through Date" on the draft invoice. If incorrect, regenerate the invoice through the correct period. Important! Final Invoices should be regenerated using the current date. Review the direct cost amount versus the indirect cost amount on the draft invoice and determine if correct. If incorrect: Verify the indirect cost rate, burden schedule, and IDC calc period on the award and task. Review and if necessary take corrective action. Review expenditures and determine if all invoiced expenditures are for current invoicing period based on when the item expended to the award. If necessary identify and place appropriate expenditures on billing hold. For more information, refer to the Placing Expenditures on Billing Hold procedure. Once the issue has been identified and corrective action taken: Regenerate invoice. For more information, refer to the Regenerate a Sponsor Invoice process help. Approve, and release invoice. Print, and send to sponsor. Note: If it is determined that an approved and released invoice needs to be regenerated, please follow these steps to ensure the data is correct:

Cancel the invoice.
Approve and release the cancelled invoice (the newly created offsetting invoice).
Regenerate the invoice.

For more information, refer to the process help on how to Cancel an Approved, Released or Accepted Sponsor Invoice.

Viewed and Printed Invoice Information

All invoices can be viewed in a PDF format which can be e-mailed to sponsor or attached in the Oracle system. Invoices will print with a cover sheet that includes all address lines. The cover sheet is designed for mailing in a window envelope.

Invoices print in different formats but will generally include the following information:

RF name and mailing address
Sponsor name and address
Award Information – Award Number, Invoice Number, Sponsor Reference, AR Invoice Number, Project Director, Award Period, Project Organization
and Project Title
Billing Period Information with notation to make checks payable to the RF and mail to the attention of the Cash Receipts Department
“Prior To” Function – If the end date of the award is prior to the bill through date, the Billing Period information will print as “prior to (end date of the award).”
Remarks – If applicable, comments entered on invoice prior to approval and release.
Certification – If applicable prints the certification statement that was chosen in the Award Management DFF form.
Signature/Date
Name, Title, Phone number and e-mail address of contact person will print on all invoice formats except Format 4-RF Catch All Form.

This information for the contact person can be changed by logging a Help Desk Ticket.

For further information, refer to the process help on how to View and Print a Sponsor Invoice in Grants.

Invoice Transfer to Accounts Receivable

Once released, the invoice is transferred to the AR module.

Note: The process to transfer invoices from Grants Management to AR occurs daily at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., and nightly during processing.

Invoice Adjustments

Once the transfer to AR is complete, the invoice may be adjusted if necessary to reflect the amount invoiced to the sponsor (e.g., if a manual invoice was processed for a different amount) or the cash received from the sponsor (e.g., sponsor may withhold a portion of the payment until the final report is received.) For more information, refer to the Adjust an Invoice process help.

Scenarios Based on Sponsor Payment Terms

The following table provides scenarios for invoicing based on sponsor payment terms:

Sponsor Payment is based on . . .	Billing Distribution Rule	Billing Cycle	Terms	Billing Format	Invoice Generation
Submission of quarterly progress report.	Event	Automatic Payment	AUTO	2 – RF Fixed Price Invoice	Invoice will be generated based on when the event is due and will be automatically transferred to AR. An invoice will print using the fixed price format.
Cash received from multiple sponsors.	Event	Cash Driven	AUTO	No Print	Invoice will generate based on when the event is due and transfer to AR automatically. No invoice will print.
Established letter of credit.	Cost	Daily	LOC	Appropriate LOC account and LOC address are selected.	Invoice will be generated daily based on costs incurred and automatically transferred to AR.
Monthly invoice of costs incurred.	Cost	Last Day of Month	Immediate	1 – RF Cumulative Form	Invoice will have to be reviewed, approved, and released before it is transferred to the AR module. Invoices will print using the cumulative format. Invoice due date will be the date the invoice is approved.

Change History

May 15, 2012- Added new invoice formats.
February 17, 2010-Added new invoice format.
July 23, 2008 - Added new invoice formats.
July 1, 2005 - Revised AR invoice transfer time form 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
June 3, 2005 - Added "Note" to Billing Distribution Rule information.
April 29, 2005 - Added new invoice formats: 8 and 9 to "Billing Format" section. All invoice formats revised and replaced.
March 23, 2005 - Revised information under: Types of Invoices, Criteria for Invoice Printing and Format in Grants, and Invoice Transfer to Accounts Receivable. Rewrite of section:
Draft Invoice Review/Approval/Release in Grants.
July 22, 2004 - Added links to sample agency-specific invoice forms; changed Monthly billing cycle to "Last Day of Month."
March 29, 2004 - New Document.

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