1. Output Tab of AP Link

The output tab of the AP Link tool provides the details about importing data received from AP system and updating invoices with payment information. The information below shows the settings.

1.1. Mapping

This is the section which allows specific fields on the invoice to be mapped and used in the output file. Most commonly, the following fields will be sent to an accounts payable system.

· Invoice Number

· Invoice Date

· Vendor Number

· Net Invoice Total

· Currency

· Invoice Key (see note below)

· Some accounting information like GL Code or Cost Center.

Because AP Link is mostly an output tool, it is important that all calculations done in advance and the data saved where it is accessible to the invoice.

Each of the fields to be used in the output is built into the mapping.

In order to map a field, the following process is used within the tool.

First, in the mapping section, click the mapping button circled below.

Select the desired field in the invoice by drilling down to the field.

Click off the field list box. Give the Field a Name, Order for where it appears in the output and length. Length is only used in Fixed Width outputs, but must be included.

This process is completed for each file in the output.

It is important to convince the client that they should include the invoice primary key in the output file as well as the invoice number. The invoice primary key can be used for the return file of the invoice payments for invoice matching. Otherwise the system tries to use Invoice Number, Invoice Date and Vendor Name. Since vendor names can change, this can be a problem.

However, the Invoice Primary Key is not a field that is available in the list of system fields in the mapping. Therefore, you will need to do the following to make the primary key available. First, create a custom field for InvoiceKey. Second, create a prepopulation rule to populate this with the Primary Key. Third, use this custom field in your mapping.

2. Input Tab of AP Link

2.1. Mapping

The Mapping section is where available fields are mapped and made available for output.

3. Template Generated Files

One of the biggest features in AP Link is the ability to create a “Templated Generated File” that will allow for creating structured files that will support cases that are beyond just having a flat file on one line per invoice. Typically, clients will want to have a structure where there is a header line for each invoice and then a detail line for each cost center associated with the invoice. Each client can have a unique AP file format that can contain any possible set of fields. Frequently these file formats will contain a lot of fixed values or unused values because they were developed to handle all possible cases of accounts payable scenarios including those not used by legal.

By way of illustration, we will work through a basic example that does not have a lot of extraneous details. The actual clients files will be different.

Consider the following sample invoice file:

HDR|LGL|20170418

INV|28271|882719|20170307|42000|LGL|22222

DTL|1|25200|A2918

DTL|2|16800|B2817

INV|34200019|789200|20170309|50000|LGL|22223

DTL|1|50000|A2918

TRL|92000|92000|7

This is a pipe delimited file that is broken up into invoice headers, invoice details, and a trailer. Pipe Delimited files are generally the easiest to deal with, but fixed width or XML could be created.

The file header line has the following fields.

Line Type	Fixed Value HDR
Source	Fixed Value LGL
Current Date	Today’s date

The invoice line has the following fields with mapping to TeamConnect

Line Type	Fixed Value HDR
Invoice Number	numberString field of Invoice
Vendor Number	Custom Field on Vendor Category of the contact
Invoice Date	invoiceDate field of the invoice
Invoice Amount	Net Invoice Total of the invoice
Source	Fixed value LGL
Invoice Key	Primary Key of the invoice

The Detail line has the following fields

Line Type	Fixed Value DTL
Line Number	Sequential number of the invoice line
Line Amount	Amount field from the invoice matter cost center object
Cost Center	Cost Center field from the invoice matter cost center object

The Trailer line has the following fields

Line Type	Fixed Value TRL
Total Amount	Total of all invoice header lines
Total Amount Lines	Total of all invoice detail lines
Line Count	Count of the number of lines in the file

The Template Generated Files function uses a template mapping language called Free Marker for generating the templates. You can find additional details about it at http://freemarker.org/. It is a tool that allows for taking data and mapping it into structured output.

The general process for creating a template is to use the sample file as your guide and then replace elements of the file with the appropriate mapping elements. Any fixed items just stay fixed. The result will be the template that you will upload into the AP settings object. It is pretty much an XML file with tags for the various elements.

First, you want to use the mapping to in the application to map any available fields.

Second, there are some required tags that are needed to define the structure of the template:

<@apoutput></@apoutput> [These go at the start and end of the template]

<@fileheader></@fileheader> [These are used if you have a header line at the beginning of the file]

<@filetrailer></@filetrailer> [These are used if you have a trailer line at the end of the file]

<@invoiceheader></@invoiceheader> [This defines an individual invoice record]

<@invoicedetail></@invoicedetail> [This will be placed within the header tags for the detail lines]

When you are referencing a mapped field in the tool, you define it as ${field name} as you have it in the application.

If you are mapping to cost centers then you need to reference your cost centers through a custom field on the invoice. There is a more detailed discussion of this topic later in the document.

The example below shows our sample file from above with the section tags in place and the fields mapped for the available fields from the mapping page.

<@apoutput>

<@fileheader>

HDR|LGL|${.now?date}

</@fileheader>

<@invoiceheader>

<@set var="matterAlloc" record=invoice fieldName="MatterInvoiceAllocationIN"/>

<#assign costCenterFieldName = "CostCenterINAL">

<#assign AmountFieldName = "AmountINAL">

<#assign ccTP = "INAL">

HDR|${INVOICE_NUMBER}|${VENDOR_NUMBER}|${INVOICE_DATE?string["MMddyyyy"]}|${INVOICE_AMOUNT}|LGL|${INVOICE_KEY}

<@invoicedetail>

detailList=matterAlloc.getChildListForObjectDefinition(ccTP)>

<@set var="costCenter" record=invoiceDetail fieldName=costCenterFieldName/>

<@set var="INVOICE_DETAIL_AMOUNT" record=invoiceDetail fieldName=AmountFieldName/>

DTL|${invoiceDetailIndex?c}|${INVOICE_DETAIL_AMOUNT}|${CostCenter}

</@invoicedetail>

</@invoiceheader>

<@filetrailer>

TRL|${TOTAL_INVOICE_AMOUNT}|${TOTAL_INVOICE_DETAIL_AMOUNT}|${RECORD_COUNT?c}

</@filetrailer>

</@apoutput>

4. Example File – XML

A client has an xml file output format. They are also using the Financial Management Module with invoice cost centers. Each invoice has a header record and then a line record for the allocation information

<@apoutput>

<@fileheader>

<?xml version="1.0" ?>

<VCHR_INFO>

</@fileheader>

<@invoiceheader>

<@set var="matterAlloc" record=invoice fieldName="InvoiceOrganization"/>

<#assign AmountFieldName = "AmountChargedCO">

<#assign AccountFieldName = "ACCOUNT">

<#assign BusinessUnitFieldName = "BUSINESS_UNIT_GL">

<#assign Chart2FieldName = "CHARTFIELD2">

<#assign DeptIDFieldName = "DEPTID">

<#assign OperatingUnitFieldName = "OPERATING_UNIT">

<#assign ProductFieldName = "PRODUCT">

<#assign VatFieldName = "TOTAL_VAT_AMOUNT">

<#assign ccTP = "ICC$">

<VOUCHER_HEADER>

<BUSINESS_UNIT>${AP_BU}</BUSINESS_UNIT>

<INVOICE_ID>${INVOICE_NUMBER}</INVOICE_ID>

<INVOICE_DT>${INVOICE_DATE?string["MMddyyyy"]}</INVOICE_DT>

<GROSS_AMT>${GROSS_AMT}</GROSS_AMT>

<VENDOR_ID>${VENDOR_ID}</VENDOR_ID>

<PYMNT_MESSAGE>Thank you for your support</PYMNT_MESSAGE>

<DESCR254_MIXED>${PRIMARY_KEY}</DESCR254_MIXED>

<VAT_ENTRD_AMT>${TOTAL_VAT_AMOUNT}</VAT_ENTRD_AMT>

<TOTAL_OTHER_TAX_AMOUNT>${OTHER_TAX_AMOUNT}</TOTAL_OTHER_TAX_AMOUNT>

<CURRENCY_ID>${CURRENCY_ID}</CURRENCY_ID>

<@invoicedetail detailList=matterAlloc.getChildListForObjectDefinition(ccTP)>

<@set var="AllocDEPTID" record=invoiceDetail fieldName=DeptIDFieldName/>

<@set var="AllocACCOUNT" record=invoiceDetail fieldName=AccountFieldName/>

<@set var="AllocBUSINESS_UNIT_GL" record=invoiceDetail fieldName=BusinessUnitFieldName/>

<@set var="AllocOPERATING_UNIT" record=invoiceDetail fieldName=OperatingUnitFieldName/>

<@set var="AllocAMOUNT" record=invoiceDetail fieldName=AmountFieldName/>

<@set var="AllocCHARTFIELD2" record=invoiceDetail fieldName=Chart2FieldName/>

<@set var="AllocPRODUCT" record=invoiceDetail fieldName=ProductFieldName/>

<@set var="AllocVAT" record=invoiceDetail fieldName=VatFieldName/>

<VOUCHER_DETAIL>

<AMOUNT>${AllocAMOUNT - AllocVAT}</AMOUNT>

<DEPTID><#if AllocDEPTID??>${AllocDEPTID}</#if></DEPTID>

<ACCOUNT>${AllocACCOUNT}</ACCOUNT>

<PRODUCT><#if PRODUCT??>${PRODUCT}</#if></PRODUCT>

<BUSINESS_UNIT_GL>${AllocBUSINESS_UNIT_GL}</BUSINESS_UNIT_GL>

<BUSINESS_UNIT_PC><#if AllocBUSINESS_UNIT_PC??>${AllocBUSINESS_UNIT_PC}</#if></BUSINESS_UNIT_PC>

<PROJECT_ID><#if PROJECT_ID??>${PROJECT_ID}</#if></PROJECT_ID>

<ACTIVITY_ID><#if ACTIVITY_ID??>${ACTIVITY_ID}</#if></ACTIVITY_ID>

<RESOURCE_TYPE><#if RESOURCE_TYPE??>${RESOURCE_TYPE}</#if></RESOURCE_TYPE>

<RESOURCE_CATEGORY><#if RESOURCE_CATEGORY??>${RESOURCE_CATEGORY}</#if></RESOURCE_CATEGORY>

<RESOURCE_SUB_CAT><#if RESOURCE_SUB_CAT??>${RESOURCE_SUB_CAT}</#if></RESOURCE_SUB_CAT>

<OPERATING_UNIT>${AllocOPERATING_UNIT}</OPERATING_UNIT>

<CHARTFIELD2><#if AllocCHARTFIELD2??>${AllocCHARTFIELD2}</#if></CHARTFIELD2>

<VAT_LN_ENT_AMT>${AllocVAT}</VAT_LN_ENT_AMT>

</VOUCHER_DETAIL>

</@invoicedetail>

</VOUCHER_HEADER>

</@invoiceheader>

<@filetrailer>

</VCHR_INFO>

</@filetrailer>

</@apoutput>

5. Example File – Pipe Delimited

A client has a structured file with file header, invoice header per invoice, invoice detail per allocation and file trailer. They have a custom invoice cost allocation module. A lot of the data in the file is “fixed values” that do not change.

<@apoutput>

<@fileheader>

0|PFI|LAW|TEAMCONNECT|${.now?date}|01

</@fileheader>

<@invoiceheader>

<@set var="matter" record=invoice fieldName="MatterIN"/>

<@set var="matterAlloc" record=invoice fieldName="MatterInvoiceAllocationIN"/>

<#assign percentFieldName = "AllocationPctINAL">

<#assign costCenterFieldName = "CostCenterINAL">

<#assign ClientOrgCodeName = "OrgCodeINAL">

<#assign EntityFieldName = "EntityINAL">

<#assign AmountFieldName = "AmountINAL">

<#assign ccTP = "INAL">

<@set var="vendorNumber" record=VENDOR fieldName="VendorNumberCONT" category="CONT_EXTE_SUVE"/>

<@set var="vendorLocation" record=VENDOR fieldName="VendorLocationCONT" category="CONT_EXTE_SUVE"/>

1|${invoiceIndex?c}|${INVOICE_NUMBER}|${TRANSACTION_TYPE}|${INVOICE_DATE?date}|${vendorNumber}|${vendorLocation}|${INVOICE_AMOUNT}| |${VENDOR_NAME}|PFI_DOMESTIC_STANDARD|${INVOICE_NUMBER}| |N| | | | | | | | | | | | | |N| | |

<@invoicedetail detailList=matterAlloc.getChildListForObjectDefinition(ccTP)>

<@set var="percent" record=invoiceDetail fieldName=percentFieldName/>

<@set var="costCenter" record=invoiceDetail fieldName=costCenterFieldName/>

<@set var="ClientOrgCode" record=invoiceDetail fieldName=ClientOrgCodeName/>

<@set var="Entity" record=invoiceDetail fieldName=EntityFieldName/>

<@set var="INVOICE_DETAIL_AMOUNT" record=invoiceDetail fieldName=AmountFieldName/>

2|${invoiceIndex?c}|${invoiceDetailIndex?c}|ITEM|${INVOICE_DETAIL_AMOUNT}|${AP_DESC}|${Entity}|${account(ACCOUNT)}|99999|11|99999|${ClientOrgCode}|99999|9999|999999|PFI_DOMESTIC_SHIP_TO|NJ|07102| | | | | | | | | | | | |

</@invoicedetail>

</@invoiceheader>

<@filetrailer>

9|${TOTAL_INVOICE_AMOUNT}|${TOTAL_INVOICE_DETAIL_AMOUNT}|${RECORD_COUNT?c}

</@filetrailer>

</@apoutput>

<#function account treePosition>

<#if treePosition == 'ROOT_1111'>

<#return '76441'>

<#elseif treePosition == 'ROOT_2222'>

<#return '76440'>

<#elseif treePosition == 'ROOT_3333'>

<#return '70020'>

<#elseif treePosition == 'ROOT_4444'>

<#return '76205'>

<#elseif treePosition == 'ROOT_5555'>

<#return '77005'>

<#else>

<#-- Should never reach here -->

<#return ''>

</#if>

</#function>

6. Working with Cost Allocations

One of the key requirements that clients have is the ability to have cost allocations broken out in their AP Feed. If a client is using the Financial Management module, at rule is needed that ties the Matter Invoice Cost allocation record to the invoice. Out of the box, it does not do this. You need a custom object field on the invoice referencing the Matter Invoice Cost allocation record. A custom rule on creating of the cost allocation sets the value of this field on the corresponding invoice.

In the template, you need to refer to this field. In the case below, it is MatterInvoiceAllocationIN