London Borough of Croydon

What is required from you as a supplier?

Invoices should be submitted in the usual way. If you are signed-up to use the Coupa Supplier Portal, the process is as follows:

• Click on the menu at the top right, and then select Orders.
• In the Select Customer dropdown, choose the desired customer.
• In the PO table that appears, choose the PO you would like to invoice, and then click on the yellow coins to create an invoice.
• The invoice can be also created from the email notification received.

For more information, read the How to create an invoice guide.

How do I create an invoice if there’s no purchase order?

You can’t submit invoices without an associated PO.

Where do I send correspondence and other ‘non-invoice’ documents?

Any documentation that is not associated directly with an invoice should be sent to your usual Pearson contact.

What software do I need to install?

No additional software is required to participate in the Priority Account Service (PAS).

How will PAS impact the payment process?

We will pay you automatically as soon as an invoice has been authorised rather than waiting for the contracted payment due date.

How can I be sure you will charge the correct rebate?

The process will be transparent and the relevant information (the percentage fee and the number of days your payment has been accelerated) will be printed on the debit note so that your finance function can validate all calculations.

Have my existing contracted terms and conditions changed?

The terms and conditions for the PAS vary the payment terms applied to your contracts. In all other respects, your contracts remain in full force and effect.

How much will I be charged?

There are no service charges, joining fees or hidden charges. The only fee you pay to participate in the service is the agreed early payment rebate. In return for paying you ahead of contracted terms, Pearson will apply a rebate which will be deducted at an individual invoice level. The rebate is entirely dynamic, driven by the exact acceleration achieved on each invoice. The PAS is an entirely results based service and the rebate is only taken when payment is made early.

How will the early payment impact the invoice generation process?

There is no change to the way you generate your invoices. Croydon Council will calculate the early payment rebate and deduct this from the invoice amount. Along with the payment, Croydon Council will issue a debit note to the value of the early payment rebate.

Is there a purchase order policy?

Croydon Council already operate a ‘no purchase order, no pay’ policy. In addition to the multiple compliance benefits, this policy helps speed up the invoice approval process. Quote the PO number on your invoices for efficient handling. Failure to quote the correct number will result in delays in the processing of your invoice.

How can I be sure you will charge the correct rebate?

The process will be transparent and the relevant information (the percentage fee and the number of days your payment has been accelerated) will be printed on the debit note so that your finance function can validate all calculations.

How much will it cost to join?

There are no service charges, joining fees or hidden charges. The only fee you pay to participate in the service is the agreed early payment rebate. In return for paying you ahead of contracted terms, Croydon Council will apply a rebate which will be deducted at an individual invoice level. The rebate is entirely dynamic, driven by the exact acceleration achieved on each invoice.

How will the early payment impact the invoice submission process?

To enable Croydon Council to process your invoices effectively and to pay early, you will be required to email invoices in a machine readable format. All PSP suppliers should email their invoices to the email address they receive in their welcome email when they sign up.

Will my existing contracted terms and conditions change?

The terms and conditions for the PSP vary the payment terms applied to your contracts. In all other respects, your contracts remain in full force and effect.

How will the PSP impact the payment process?

You will be paid automatically by Croydon Council as soon as an invoice has been authorised rather than waiting for the contracted payment due date. If no early payment rebate is available when the invoice has been authorised, then payment will be made in accordance with your pre-existing contracted terms.

What happens if I don’t want to join?

That’s okay, the PSP is a voluntary initiative. Suppliers who choose not to join will continue to submit invoices as they currently do and they will remain on their existing contracted payment terms. Going forward, the PSP will be included in Croydon Council’s tendering process. Therefore, all suppliers who are currently being paid in less than 30 days will be migrated to standard contract terms of payment on the 30th day.