SIMS FMS E-PROCUREMENT EASY REFERENCE …...SIMS FMS Setup Guide 4 of 31 Easy Buying / eProcurement Hub Before You Start You’ll find all the steps you need to set up the web service

SIMS FMS Setup Guide 1 of 31 Easy Buying / eProcurement Hub

SIMS FMS – E-PROCUREMENT

EASY REFERENCE GUIDE FOR IMPLEMENTING

SEAMLESS INTEGRATION ACROSS YOUR SCHOOL

To help make buying with us as easy as possible, we’ve introduced our new, fully

integrated e-Procurement solution for SIMS FMS, offering you a quicker, more

efficient way to place your orders and receive your invoices.

With our new eProcurement solution, your ordering is fully compliant and will save

you – and your colleagues across all departments in your school – time and money.

This quicker, more efficient way of ordering will also provide you with:

Complete financial management across your school with all orders made across your site automatically importing into your FMS for approval /authorisation

No manual rekeying required as your orders are immediately processed meaning a quicker, faster service to you

Access to the latest products and pricing meaning your order and invoicing will always match

Best value with all our latest offers and promotions regularly updated

But don’t just take our word for it. These customers are already saving time and money by

using our new system.

“The Consortium eProcurement hub is brilliant! It is easy to use and the time it saves me is

invaluable. No more re-typing orders into my SIMS FMS as I can now import the order at the

click of a button.”

“A great admin tool for all school staff, saving everyone so much time and money. Very

quick and easy to use. Overall very impressive. I highly recommend this tool.”

– Anne Boucher, Cannington CofE Primary School

This simple to use guide illustrates how easy it is to connect to our new eProcurement Hub

but we’re always on hand to assist you – simply contact your account manager, or our

Customer Services team on 0800 042 2222.


Contents

Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 3

Before You Start ................................................................................................................ 4

eProcurement Option in SIMS FMS ............................................................................... 4

DUNS Number ............................................................................................................... 4

Website Username and Account Details. ....................................................................... 4

FMS Setup ........................................................................................................................ 5

Check your Establishment Details .................................................................................. 5

General Ledger Details .................................................................................................. 6

eProcurement Settings ................................................................................................... 9

Supplier Set up: ........................................................................................................... 13

Ordering Online ............................................................................................................... 16

Checkout...................................................................................................................... 17

Requisition Form .......................................................................................................... 20

Previous Orders ........................................................................................................... 21

Processing Orders and Invoices in SIMS FMS ................................................................ 22

Importing ...................................................................................................................... 22

Viewing Purchase Orders ............................................................................................ 24

Sending Orders ............................................................................................................ 25

Receiving Invoices ....................................................................................................... 26

Importing Invoices ........................................................................................................ 27

Importing Credits .......................................................................................................... 27

Invoice and PO discrepancies ......................................................................................... 28

Checking Discrepancies ............................................................................................... 28

Invoices Not Importing into SIMS ..................................................................................... 30

Solution ........................................................................................................................ 30


Introduction

With SIMS FMS, you can create your order on our website then import it straight into SIMS for review and authorisation.

Once it’s been authorised, the order is sent to the eProcurement Hub. Then it’s processed and an email acknowledgement will be sent back to you.

Using our website allows multiple, authorised, people (like Heads of Departments), to build an order using any internet-connected PC, at home or at work, with fully up-to-date stock levels and prices. Your SIMS administrator can then import these for review and authorisation.

This guide takes you through the steps required to create content orders on the website and

retrieve them back into SIMS, via the eProcurement Hub.

This service is fully compliant, with all requisitions available to print and save for your

records.

Teacher, Head of Department, member

of staff creates their order/s on

The Consortium website

SIMS user retrieves the order/s into

SIMS via the eProcurement Hub

The order/s are then sent directly to the

Consortium’s eProcurement Hub for

processing

The purchase order/s are reviewed and

authorised like usual

Requisition forms can be printed for

internal approval and storing for full

compliance


Before You Start

You’ll find all the steps you need to set up the web service ordering facility here. However,

before you get started, you’ll need to have three pieces of information to hand.

eProcurement Option in SIMS FMS

Many SIMS FMS systems have the, Tools → eProcurement Settings option disabled.

Please check if this area is greyed out, and if it is, please contact your SIMS representative

to enable it, either at your Local Authority or contact Capita directly.

DUNS Number

If you don’t know your DUNS number, please contact Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) at

http://salesmarketing.dnb.co.uk/find_my_company/ where you’ll be send your number by

email.

Please note that you’ll need a single not branch DUNS number.

If D&B find that you do not already have a number set up, or if they give you a generic

number, you’ll need to request to have a unique number set up. There’s no charge for this,

and the process takes 3-5 working days.

Website Username and Account Details.

You’ll need your website username and password as they’ll need to be entered into SIMS

FMS to allow your SIMS FMS system to connect to our eProcurement Hub.

You’ll also need to visit the eProcurement Hub status page on our website to confirm that

you’re exporting to SIMS as an option on your account and that we hold the correct DUNS

number for you. Please visit www.consortiumeducation.com/eprocurementhub/status

Once you’ve got all of the above set up, you’re good to go and set up the eProcurement Hub

facility.

http://salesmarketing.dnb.co.uk/find_my_company/

http://www.consortiumedcuation.com/eprocurementhub/status


FMS Setup

To enable FMS to talk directly to our eProcurement Hub the following steps need to be

completed:

Check your Establishment Details

Set up your establishment in Tools > Establishment Details

In tab ‘1: Basic Details’. Your establishment details will already be populated. If not, please

complete, including the DUNS number from the ‘Before you start’ section of this document.


General Ledger Details

Now we need to set up a general ledger template.

This will allow incoming orders to be given a cost centre and a ledger code.

Go to Tools > General Ledger Setup

To add a new template go to the tab ‘9: eProcurement Templates’ add click the green plus

symbol.


Now complete the pop up box with the below information:

Originator = Your Website Username

CC Mnemonic = Your Website Username

Click the magnifying glass symbol next to Cost Centre field and select the default Cost

Centre for this template. (You can then change the Cost Centre details when you’ve got a

purchase order in the system.)


Now click the magnifying glass symbol next to the Ledger Code and select the default ledger

code that you would like to use.

The cost centre that you choose will depend on your own school’s preferences and the

available types, but in general it’ll be the category for which you most commonly use to order

with us.

Any cost centre and ledger code applied to an incoming order can be amended in your FMS

system once the order has been imported.

Tick the Set Default Template.

Tick the Set Default P&P Template.

Now save the Procurement Template.


eProcurement Settings

Now you need to enter the details to connect to The Consortium‘s eProcurement Hub.

Select Tools > eProcurement Settings

If this is greyed out, please refer to the ‘before your start’ section of this guide.

In the Web Services section at the top click on the green + symbol to add a new service.


Enter the following details:

Provider Type = Supplier

Name = Consortium

URL = https://c.eprocurementhub.com/sims/education

Priority = 1

Active = Yes

User ID & Password = these are the details that you use to log in to The Consortium website

Password Duration = 999 Days

Now save these settings.

To test these settings first highlight the web service you’ve just created click on the ‘Test’

button, which will try connecting to The Consortium’s eProcurement Hub. If all the settings

are correct, it will show:

https://c.eprocurementhub.com/sims/education


Select the Web Service that you’ve just created and then click the magnifying glass symbol

in the ‘Linked Suppliers’ section.

In the ‘Available Suppliers’ list select The Consortium so that it’s highlighted and then click

the Choose button.

Now click update.

This links The Consortium as a supplier to The Consortium web service details.


Within the ‘General Settings’ section:

Select your “Default XML Order Book” for orders to be assigned when they are imported

using this method.

Check your DUNS Number is in the ‘Establishment DUNS Number’ field – if its isn’t, then

please add it. Refer to the ‘Before you start’ section of this document for your DUNS number.


Supplier Set up:

Now you can setup Consortium for web service ordering.

Go to Focus > Accounts Payable > Supplier

Double click on Consortium.


In tab ‘1: Basic’ the Delivery Code needs to contain your account number and delivery point

with a / separating the values e.g. C00001/000. The account number needs to be the same

as in the Delivery Code and Account Number field.

The Order method tab gives you a list options available for sending the Purchase Orders.

Select ‘W – Web Services’.

In the unique identifier section select DUNS and enter The Consortium‘s DUNs Number

which is 491204269.


In tab ‘5: eProcurement’ enter theconsortium in the XML Supplier reference field.

Now save and close the supplier record.


Ordering Online

You’re now ready to build orders online to be imported into SIMS FMS.

Build an order on the website by browsing, searching or using the Quick Order Form.

Once items are in your basket you are ready to checkout.


Checkout

Part one of the checkout screen allows you to confirm your account number and delivery

point.

The delivery information page shows the status of products and suggested delivery date

(you can update the delivery date in SIMS FMS to next day or to when you require the

order).


On the payment information page you will now have the option to ‘Save for Export’. Select

this to import your orders into SIMS FMS.

Finally, check all of your details are correct on the order review page.

Once you’re happy click on ‘Place Order’. (Please note: this won’t place the order with us; it

sends it to the eProcurement Hub ready for you to import into SIMS FMS.)


You will now see the confirmation page stating that your order is ready to import in into your

system.


Requisition Form

On this page you’ll also see an option to ‘Print Requisition Form’.

This allows whoever built the order to print the order details, which can be signed and

passed for approval.


Previous Orders

You can view previous orders built online by clicking on “Exported Orders” from the “My

Account” page. Here, you can see if they have been loaded into SIMS FMS (either pending

or processed) and you also have the option to print another Requisition form.


Processing Orders and Invoices in SIMS FMS

Importing

To import your content orders from our eProcurement Hub into FMS click on

Focus > Accounts Payable > Import Orders / Invoices / Credit Notes


When the Import Progress box appears click on the ‘Import’ button.

The system will now connect to our eProcurement Hub and import any content orders and

invoices.

Once completed you will be told how many orders and invoices have been imported.


Viewing Purchase Orders

The new orders will now appear at the top of the list of ‘Not Yet Authorised’ purchase orders.

Orders which have been imported via the website can only have order line quantities

amended or lines deleted, you won’t be able to add new lines at this point.

The special instructions on the order will be FAO: (Name of person who placed the order)

anything after the FAO: will be printed on the label of the box.

For next day delivery or delivery on a specific date, please change the delivery date in the

drop down box and put in the date you want. (Please note that ASAP is our standard 3-day

delivery.).

To change a ledger code and cost code please click ‘tag all’, click ‘edit tagged’ and change

your codes accordingly. Please note you can also change this at line level by clicking on the

individual lines.


Sending Orders

Once authorised, click on the print button, this will send the orders back to the eProcurement

Hub.

If you need a printed copy for your records click on print again, select “print single file” and

this will send a copy to your printer.

Please note. The first time you do this you may get the following error appear on your

screen:

If this happens please re-enter your website password within the eProcurement settings from

page 9 of this guide.


Receiving Invoices

Once you’ve have received your order from us your invoice will be available for collection

into FMS via the eProcurement Hub.

You will also continue to receive a copy of this invoice in the traditional manner.

Please do note manually enter these invoices into SIMS FMS for the orders created

via the eProcurement Hub

NB

1. You’ll receive invoices via the eProcurement Hub for orders placed after your

activation date of the invoicing facility.

2. The invoicing facility will be automatically activated upon sign up to the eProcurement

Hub.

3. Any orders placed before the invoicing facility was activated will need to be manually

entered into FMS.

4. The eProcurement Hub will only contain invoices for orders which were placed via

the eProcurement Hub.

Any orders which are placed by other methods (e.g. phone) will need to be manually

entered


Importing Invoices

Import the invoices by using the same option as you did for importing orders.

Focus > Accounts Payable > Import Orders/Invoices/Credit Notes

When an invoice has been downloaded go to:

Focus > Accounts Payable > Invoice / Credit Note and your invoice will be in the list.

You are then able to process your invoice as normal.

Importing Credits

Currently, credits will be sent in the traditional manor. However, they’ll be available for

download very, very soon.


Invoice and PO discrepancies

There may be occasions when your invoice and PO don’t match. This will be one of three

things.

1. A description mismatch, where we have updated the description of a product.

2. An item code has changed (e.g. we have sent you an alternative product).

3. There’s a price difference from the original order to the price of the product when you

processed the official order.

SIMS FMS will alert you to any discrepancies, and the following steps show your how they

can be checked.

Checking Discrepancies

In FMS go to Focus > Accounts Payable > Invoice / Credit Note

On the right had side of the table of invoices, the green ticks indicate the invoice correlates

to the PO correctly. However, any that have an exclamation mark indicate a mismatch and

need to be investigated

To do this, double click the invoice with the exclamation mark.


Now click on the yellow exclamation mark as highlighted below.

This will inform you of any lines on the invoice where there’s a discrepancy.

In this example, it’s showing that the price and product descriptions between the PO and

invoice don’t match.

Once you’ve reviewed the issues highlighted, you simply accept (or reject), the invoice as

you would through your standard process.

However, if you do reject the invoice, please contact our credit control department on 0800

042 2222.


Invoices Not Importing into SIMS

When importing invoices into SIMS FMS, you may receive a message saying that one or

other the documents can’t be imported. This could be due to the invoice already having been

keyed into SIMS FMS and will result in errors, illustrated in the screenshot below.

Solution

Either our Credit Control team will have proactively contacted you, or we’ll request that you

contact them on 0845 330 7780.

Credit Control will then take the appropriate action to stop this invoice from being

downloaded. Once this update has been completed, the result is that the next time you press

import you’ll receive the message below:

Document: {Invoice Number} cannot be found on the server.

This action then tells SIMS FMS to stop importing the document again.


This will mean that the invoice is no longer attempting to import.

Documents

SIMS FMS E-PROCUREMENT EASY REFERENCE …...SIMS FMS Setup Guide 4 of 31 Easy Buying / eProcurement Hub Before You Start You’ll find all the steps you need to set up the web service