Invoicing for transport contracts

In the Transport Hub we process over 1000 invoices and payments in the team for transport services to schools and care centres.  

Please see the below information for details about how we deal with invoices.

Invoice processing timescales

  1. VERY IMPORTANT Please do not call us or emails us chasing/checking payment within the first 10 working days after invoicing. This is really helps allow time for our team to process the majority of invoices for all services.
  2. The only exception to this is if we have contacted you directly about an invoice query.
  3. After allowing us the 10 working days, we will always speak to you about any concerns in terms of payment of missed or disputed invoice payments.
  4. Our supplier agreement is to process or dispute all invoices within 30 days of receipt for all operators, these are the basic payment terms and they have not changed. However as a Council we do try to pay sooner and our processes are designed to try and achieve this where it is possible to do so.

Dispute management

This is how we will aim to deal with disputed invoices:

  1. We will dispute any invoice that cannot be paid when processing them. These can take longer to check and this can mean some of your invoices are paid sooner than others, please still allow 10 working days after receipt before contacting us about missing invoice payments.
  2. Disputed invoices will be communicated to you as soon as possible, this may just be a holding email until we have been able to give you the detailed reason for the dispute.
  3. We will only ask you to contact us when we ready to work on disputed invoices, and it is possible this may be after the initial 10 working days after receipt.

Invoicing standards

These are requirements for invoicing or points that really help speed up the processing of your invoices:

  • Emailing them (as a PDF where possible) and including the these in the file name:
    • Contract name
    • date period the invoice is for example the month and year
    • invoice number (where applicable).
  • Each invoice should be in a separate email for anyone emailing up to 10 invoices (some operators we have agreed exceptions due to the volumes). The title of the email should be clear what contract and date period it is for.
  • Clearly showing these on the invoice (on the first page of the invoice where possible):
    • cancelled journeys
    • price changes
    • additional charges
    • totals for the invoice
    • A unique number so you can match it to the payment. We will always use the contract reference and period the payment is for if you do not provide a unique number.

Example invoice templates