The Accounts Payable department is responsible for entering invoices received from vendors and then paying those vendors. In SAP, there are two methods for entering invoices and two methods for paying vendors.
First, there are direct invoices. This method is used for invoices such as BPA purchases, credit card invoices, petty cash and change fund reimbursements, employee travel expenses. The other method is called the Three Way Match method. It starts in Procurement with a purchase order being created. Next, a goods receipt is posted once the goods are received. The final step is the invoice  verification (also called MIRO in SAP).
Vendors are paid by two different methods in SAP. The first is by check. This process is done at the individual regions. The other method is by electronic fund transfer (EFT). This process is done centrally by CNIC Millington with the approval of the regions.

Understand about Direct Invoices – Vendors, Credit Memos, Display and Change Documents, Park Documents, Delete/Post Parked Documents & Reversal of Individual Documents.

Three-way Match Overview

Procuring items on a SAP purchase order is part of the three-way match process. In order for a purchase order to be paid, three things must occur:

1. The Procurement Technician must create the purchase order in SAP. In this step there is no accounting impact, although PO items are coded to the appropriate general ledger account and cost center, or asset.
2. The Accounts Payable Clerk/Receiving Agent must enter a goods receipt (GR) into SAP. In this step, the goods receipt will match up the information that was entered on the purchase order. If
   this is a partial shipment, the clerk may modify the quantity, which will leave the GR open until the rest of the shipment is entered.
3. The Accounts Payable Clerk receives the invoice. Invoice Verification is the last step of the three-way match process. Transaction code MIRO is used to enter the purchase order number
   and verify that the amount of the PO that appears on the screen is the amount being invoiced. MIRO must match what was entered at the purchase order level and goods receipt.

Understand in-depth about all the basic processes in this Beginners Guide to Accounts Payable (PDF).

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