Procure-To-Pay FAQs

Effective June 1, 2020, all vendors of goods and services that are not manufacturers/suppliers of beverage alcohol or producers of cannabis will be transitioned to LDB's new Procure-To-Pay process.

Procure-To-Pay is an improved, seamless, end-to-end experience for vendors; from the start point of LDB requesting a good or service through to payment. LDB's new Procure-To-Pay process aligns with our values of continuous improvement, as well as modern, best practices and current legislation and policies.

This webpage provides up-to-date information and resources for vendors impacted by this change.

DEFINITIONS

Requester: The person from within LDB who requests a good/service.

Buyer: The person within LDB's Sourcing and Vendor Performance department who buys the goods or service on behalf of the line of business.

Approver: Leader who approves the purchase order to buy good/service.

Purchase Order: The result of the procurement process to purchase goods/services. The Purchase Order — which must include a PO Number — is issued to the Vendor.

Vendor: The seller or supplier of the goods or service.

GENERAL

Why is the LDB changing its invoicing process?

The BC Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) is making changes to its procurement processes to align with industry best practices and ensure invoices are paid quickly and efficiently. Our goal is to create efficiencies, reduce errors, and improve on-time payment to our vendors and suppliers.

When do the new changes take effect?

The new changes will apply to all vendor invoices effective May 30, 2020.

What are the LDB's Payment Terms?

Thirty (30) days from invoice date unless otherwise indicated within the purchase agreement.

PURCHASE ORDERS

Where can I find the Purchase Order number?

The Purchase Order number will be clearly identified in the upper right portion of the Purchase Order; the document will be in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) format, and attached in an email you will receive from the LDB.

The order I received from LDB does not include a Purchase Order number. Should I decline it??

If you have an active purchase agreement with the LDB, or the purchase amount is C$5,000 before tax, a purchase order number is not required.

If these conditions are not met, you should decline the order and notify the Requester.

Do I need to reference the purchase Agreement Number on the invoice?

The Agreement Number should not be referenced on the invoice unless it has been specifically requested. If you are providing it, the Agreement Number should be clearly identified with a prefix of "Agreement Number" and be separate from the Purchase Order number.

Who is the Requester and how should we, as the Vendor, reference the Requester Name on the invoice?

The Requester is the LDB employee who requested the goods or services, while the Buyer is a representative of Sourcing and Vendor Performance within the LDB who is handles the transaction. Both values are clearly referenced on Purchase Orders in separate fields. If there is more than one Requester, that field will display "Multiple" and the Buyer may provide a note containing the list of all Requesters.

Please reference the Requester Name in either the Ship-To Address or as a separate field. If more than one Requester has been named, please list all Requester names as Comments on the invoice with a "Requested By:" prefix to clearly identify them as Requesters.

How do I acknowledge receipt of the Purchase Order?

Acknowledge receipt of the PO by replying to [email protected], within 48 hours. If you are unable to fulfill one or more lines of the Purchase Order by the requested date(s), include your requested changes in the acknowledgement response.

The Purchase Order will not be considered binding until the Buyer has provided a revised Purchase Order, including the requested changes, and the Vendor has acknowledged acceptance of the revised Purchase Order.

If I have questions about a Purchase Order, who should I direct them to?

Any inquiries regarding a Purchase Order should be directed solely to the Buyer specified on the Purchase Order.

INVOICES & PAYMENTS

Where should I send my invoices?

All invoices must be delivered electronically to [email protected].

How will Vendor know that LDB has received its invoice?

You will receive an automated email confirmation from the [email protected] email address indicating that your invoice has been received and is under review.

What is your billing address?

Vendors must indicate the following Bill-To Address on the invoice:

BC Liquor Distribution Branch

Accounts Payable

3383 Gilmore Way

Burnaby, BC V5G 4S1

What is the preferred format for the invoice?

We prefer you send the invoice in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). Any file type that can be read with a standard program is acceptable, though, as long as the information is presented in a simple to read format.

Can I copy staff from the requesting department or the Buyer when submitting the invoice to Accounts Payable?

All invoices should be sent to Accounts Payable at [email protected] only. The Accounts Payable department will verify the invoice to ensure it satisfies the LDB's invoicing criteria prior to distributing the invoice internally for approval.

Will the LDB continue to accept hard copies of invoices?

We are asking all Vendors to transmit invoices electronically. Invoices submitted in hard copy may take more time to process and pay.

Why would my invoice be rejected?

An invoice may be rejected if one or more attributes is missing. The attributes are listed below in the order that will be followed to ensure the most efficient verification process:

Purchase Order Number
Requester Name (name of LDB staff who requested the purchase)
Bill-To Organization Name and Address
GST/HST Number
Supplier Name and Address
Invoice Date
Invoice Number
Invoice Taxes and Totals

How will I be notified if an invoice has been rejected?

The Accounts Payable department will notify the vendor, following the contact sequence below:

Vendor's email address provided on the invoice (preferred).
Vendor's email address from which the electronic invoice was sent.
Vendor's phone number reference on the invoice.

What is the difference between a warning and a rejection message?

A warning message indicates the invoice failed to meet one or more of the LDB's invoice criteria but the LDB is still able to process the invoice; payment may be delayed as a result of the non-compliance. A rejection message indicates that the vendor must resolve the reasons for failure and resubmit a revised invoice for payment.

How will I know why my invoice was rejected?

Accounts Payable will reply to the original email containing the invoice to remind the Vendor of all reasons that may cause any invoice to be rejected including the specific reason(s) the invoice was rejected.

Does the invoice need to reference a new Invoice Number when it resubmitted?

The invoice can reference the same Invoice Number unless directed otherwise by Accounts Payable. The Invoice Date must be adjusted to reflect the date which the new invoice was submitted to the LDB. Payment due date will be calculated based on the revised invoice date.

Can I include multiple invoices in a single email?

No. Please send a single invoice per email only.

Can I include additional information along with the emailed invoice?

If additional information is required to support the invoice approval and payment (e.g. proof of delivery), it should be included:

Within the single file attachment immediatey following the invoice, OR
As a separate file clearly identified separately from the invoice (e.g. proof of delivery).

Should I include a copy of the Purchase Order or original Quote with the invoice?

The Purchase Order number must be clearly indicated on the invoice; there is no need to send a copy of the Purchase Order with the invoice.

A Quote Number may be optionally referenced on the invoice as long as it is clearly identified as a Quote/Quotation so it will not be confused with the Purchase Order number.

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Procure-To-Pay FAQs