OPS-SOP-010 — Vendor Invoice Control & Payment Authorization
1. Purpose
This SOP establishes a consistent, auditable process for receiving, validating, approving, and paying vendor invoices at Unity Care Solutions, LLC. It ensures proper 3-way matching, GL coding, authorized approval, and accurate posting in Acumatica to maintain financial controls and compliance with ERISA trust obligations.
2. Scope
Applies to all vendor invoices received by Unity Care Solutions, LLC including but not limited to: TPA fees (Allied Benefit Systems), PBM fees (ProAct), reinsurance premiums (HLRA/Brown & Brown), COBRA administration (Varipro), FSA/HSA administration (HealthEquity), legal fees (Dickinson Wright PLLC), consulting, software, and all other operating expenses.
3. Roles & Responsibilities
| Role |
Responsibility |
| Operations |
Receives invoices, performs 3-way match, assigns GL codes, completes Payment Request Form, routes for approval |
| Finance |
Reviews Payment Request Form, verifies GL coding, approves invoices up to signing threshold, processes payment execution |
| Executive Signatory (Dr. Greg / Nora) |
Signs off on invoices above the approval threshold; authorizes ACH or check release for large disbursements |
| Vendors |
Submit invoices to designated email inbox; provide W-9 upon onboarding or when requested |
4. New Vendor Onboarding Requirements
No payments may be issued to a vendor who has not completed onboarding. Onboarding must occur before the first invoice is processed.
Before any vendor is added to the approved vendor list or paid, the following must be on file:
- Vendor Add / Change Form — completed and signed by vendor; captures legal entity name, remittance address, payment preference (ACH or check), banking details for ACH
- W-9 (IRS Form W-9) — current, signed copy; required for 1099 reporting threshold compliance
- Executed contract or service agreement — must be in contract repository before first payment
- Certificate of Insurance — where applicable (per contract requirements)
- BAA (Business Associate Agreement) — required for any vendor handling PHI (e.g., Gradient AI, Allied Benefit Systems, ProAct, HealthEquity)
TBD: Vendor Add / Change Form template to be finalized and stored in the shared Operations drive. Link to be inserted here upon adoption.
5. Invoice Receipt
5.1 All vendor invoices must be directed to the designated AP email inbox. Operations is responsible for monitoring this inbox and logging each invoice within 1 business day of receipt.
5.2 Upon receipt, Operations logs the invoice in the Payment Tracker (see OPS-SOP-025) with: vendor name, invoice number, invoice date, due date, invoice amount, and service period.
5.3 Invoices received in paper form must be scanned and saved to the vendor's folder in the document management system. The original paper document is retained per document retention policy.
6. Three-Way Match
Prior to routing any invoice for approval, Operations must perform a 3-way match confirming alignment between:
- Purchase Order (PO) or Approved Contract — confirms the service/product was authorized
- Goods / Services Receipt — confirms delivery or service was rendered for the period billed
- Vendor Invoice — confirms amounts, dates, and terms match PO/contract
6.1 Pull the relevant contract or PO from the contract repository.
6.2 Verify: invoice amount matches contract rate; service period is correct; no duplicate invoice number exists in the Payment Tracker.
6.3 If discrepancies exist, contact the vendor in writing (email) to request a corrected invoice. Do not process until resolved. Log the discrepancy and resolution in the Payment Tracker notes field.
6.4 Mark 3-way match as "Passed" in the Payment Tracker before advancing to GL coding.
7. GL Coding
Operations assigns the appropriate GL account code and branch code in Acumatica before routing for approval. Refer to OPS-SOP-026 for the full GL structure.
| Vendor / Expense Type |
GL Account |
Branch |
| TPA — Allied Benefit Systems |
5025 (COBRA/Benefits Admin) |
MAIN |
| PBM — ProAct |
5025 (COBRA/Benefits Admin) |
MAIN |
| Legal — Dickinson Wright PLLC |
7126 (Consulting / Legal) |
MAIN |
| Reinsurance — HLRA/Brown & Brown |
[TBD] |
MAIN |
| COBRA — Varipro |
5025 (COBRA/Benefits Admin) |
MAIN |
| FSA/HSA — HealthEquity |
[TBD] |
MAIN |
| Consulting / Other |
7126 (Consulting) |
MAIN or NUWELL |
TBD: Full GL account mapping for all recurring vendors to be finalized with Finance and documented in OPS-SOP-026.
8. Payment Request Form & Approval Chain
After 3-way match and GL coding, Operations completes the Payment Request Form and routes per the threshold table below.
Payment Request Form includes: Vendor name, invoice number, invoice date, amount, GL code, branch, payment method (ACH/check), due date, 3-way match status, supporting documents attached (invoice + contract reference), Operations sign-off.
| Invoice Amount |
Recommends |
Approves |
Signs / Releases |
| Under [TBD threshold] |
Operations |
Finance |
Finance |
| [TBD threshold] – [TBD threshold] |
Operations |
Finance |
Finance + Dr. Greg or Nora |
| Above [TBD threshold] |
Operations |
Finance |
Dr. Greg or Nora (required) |
TBD: Approval thresholds to be set by Finance and executive leadership upon adoption of this SOP.
8.1 Operations completes the Payment Request Form and attaches the invoice and 3-way match documentation.
8.2 Operations routes the completed form to Finance via the designated workflow (email or shared folder). Operations records routing date in the Payment Tracker.
8.3 Finance reviews, codes the form in Acumatica, and approves or escalates per threshold table. Finance records approval date in the Payment Tracker.
8.4 Where executive sign-off is required, Finance forwards to the designated signatory. Signatory completes approval within [TBD] business days.
9. Payment Execution
9.1 ACH payments: Finance initiates ACH transfer via the banking platform using banking details on file from the Vendor Add / Change Form. ACH is the preferred payment method for all recurring vendors.
9.2 Check payments: For vendors not set up for ACH or per special circumstances, Finance prepares a check. Check requires dual signature for amounts above [TBD threshold].
9.3 Finance records the payment confirmation (ACH trace number or check number) in the Payment Tracker and marks the invoice as "Paid."
9.4 Payment must be executed on or before the invoice due date. If a payment will be late, Finance must notify Operations and document the reason.
Never issue payment to a vendor using banking details received via email without verbal or written confirmation from a known vendor contact. ACH fraud via email spoofing is a known risk. Always verify changes to vendor banking details via a secondary channel before updating the Vendor Add / Change Form.
10. Acumatica Posting
10.1 Finance posts the invoice to Acumatica as an Accounts Payable bill with the approved GL code and branch code.
10.2 Upon payment execution, Finance posts the payment in Acumatica and marks the AP bill as closed.
10.3 Finance reconciles AP entries to bank statement as part of the monthly close process (see OPS-SOP-026).
11. Filing & Document Retention
11.1 All paid invoices, Payment Request Forms, and supporting documents are filed in the designated vendor folder in the document management system.
11.2 Documents are retained for a minimum of 7 years per ERISA recordkeeping requirements and applicable IRS guidance.
11.3 W-9 forms are retained for a minimum of 4 years following the year of last payment.
12. Related Documents
- OPS-SOP-025 — Invoice Approval Chain & Payment Tracker
- OPS-SOP-026 — GL Structure & Monthly Reconciliation
- Payment Request Form Template [link TBD]
- Vendor Add / Change Form Template [link TBD]
- Approved Vendor List [link TBD]