On May 1st, iBuyit Payables will be activated for all organizations supported 
by the Houston-based Accounts Payable processing center.  The purpose of this 
message is to explain the iBuyit Payables invoice review and approval process 
and to ask your help in defining and communicating the limits of authority 
within your business unit.

How iBuyit Works
The May 1st introduction of iBuyit Payables will initially have the 
flexibility to administer any invoice review/approval process, however, in 
the near future it will also be able to enforce the review/approval process.  
Therefore, until the enforcement functionality is activated the project team 
is instructing iBuyit Payable users to continue to follow the current invoice 
review and approval guidelines of their business unit.  

The following steps outline the iBuyit Payables invoice review/approval 
process:
1. The coder will self-direct the invoice to the appropriate 
reviewer/approver, according to business unit guidelines.  
2. If the reviewer/approver has the authority to approve the invoice, 
according to their business unit guidelines, they validate the coding and 
approve the invoice for payment.
3. If the reviewer/approver does not have the authority to approve the 
invoice, according to their business unit guidelines, they self-direct the 
invoice to the appropriate person for approval.

We Need Your Help
For an effective introduction of iBuyit Payables, it is important that each 
business unit has a clearly defined release strategy.  If you do not 
currently have a release strategy in place, it is important that one is 
defined as soon as possible.  

Once the release strategy has been defined for your Business Unit, I 
encourage you to communicate it to your organization so that iBuyit Payables 
users can appropriately route invoices for review and approval.  Attached is 
a template to assist you in communicating this information. 

In addition, please submit your release strategy to me by Thursday, April 19, 
so that the project team can work to enhance iBuyit Payables, ability to 
function as an enforcement tool. 

I am dedicated to ensuring that iBuyit Payable tool meets your control 
needs.  Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions 
(713-646-6222).
Thank You 
John Gillespie