Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. We can confirm that Essex County Fire & Rescue Service does hold some of the information you have requested.
Please see below the answers to your request.
Questions and final response:
We are interested in the systems you have in place to process supplier invoices
1. What is your current invoice process
We have an invoice automation via email and a cloud-based solution.
2. What systems do you use for managing and processing invoices and for catalogues
Invoices are processed via KefronAP and Unit4Dream. We do not have a system of catalogues, but we can process orders from a catalogue.
3. How many invoices were processed in FY19?
In Financial Year (FY) 2019-20 we processed 25755 invoices through our purchase ledger.
4. In what format do you currently receive invoices?
Direct invoices to our Accounts Payable team are 95% PDF via email.
5. Are you currently meeting the EU eInvoicing Directive 2014/55/EU?
The directive when translated into English law adds an automatic implied term into our contracts. Therefore, by statute we have been ‘meeting’ the directive since 18 April 2020.
6. How many EDI invoices were processed in FY19?
We did not process any EDI invoices in FY19.
7. Do Accounts Payable check every invoice received?
Accounts Payable check all invoices received.
8. Does the authority currently have a PO system or non-PO system?
We currently use a PO system.
9. What is the split between PO and non-PO invoices?
87% PO and 13% non-PO.
10. Do you have an invoice matching process? If so, is this done manually?
We match invoices to orders manually.
11. How are you currently reporting on invoice spend?
We report on our invoice spend via our Transparency Website, Cabinet Office and Home Office statistics.
12. Are you claiming back VAT on invoices?
Yes, where appropriate.
13. How many FTE's do you have in your AP team?
Purely for purchase ledger input we have 2.
14. What % of invoices were paid late in FY19?
0% round to the nearest 0.1%
15. What are your top 5 types of spend?
Top 5 spend for external purchase (FY 2019-20 excluding VAT):
· IT Maintenance and Contracts
· IT Communications
· Managed PPE
· Building Maintenance
Consultancy Fees