How to Address an Item Total Exception Type (Legacy)

^{Last Updated: May 22, 2024}

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Table of Contents

1. Item Total Exception Type
2. Checking the Bill Item's Total
3. Comparing Bill Item to Order Item
4. Excluding a Total Exception
5. Leaving a Total Exception
6. Disputing a Total Exception

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Bill exceptions appear on bills as part of the 3-way match process to ensure the bill matches with the order and receipt to make sure you aren't overpaying for items you've ordered. The Item Total Exception Type appears when a bill item’s total is greater than the linked order item’s total. There are several scenarios that can cause a total exception, and a different way to address the issue depending on the scenario. 

Item Total Exception Type

The Item Total Exception Type occurs when the bill item's total price is greater than the order item's total price. 

Typically, a total exception is caused by there also being either a unit price exception or quantity exception. It is unusual to just have a total exception on a line item. Fixing the unit price or quantity exception typically fixes the total exception on the bill. 

To determine if there is only a total exception on the bill, view the information under the Linked Order Item section in the Line Item Detail drawer. 

• If the total is highlighted in red but the unit price is also highlighted in red, then there is also a unit price exception on the line item

 

• If the total is highlighted in red but the quantity is also highlighted in red, then there is also a quantity exception on the line item

 

• If only the total is highlighted in red, then there is only a total exception on the line item

More than one bill can be linked to the same order, and all of the bills can have the same bill item on them connected to the same order item on the order. The totals of the bill items are added together, and, if the bill item total goes over the order item total, the line item that triggers the total amount to go over triggers the exception. For example:

• On an order you have item 123456 Blue Gloves with a total of $20. 
• Bill 1 comes in with line item 123456 Blue Gloves with a total of $10. 
• Bill 2 comes in with line item 123456 Blue Gloves with a total of $11. 
• Bill 1 will not have a total exception because the total on the bill item is less than the total on the order item.
• Bill 2 will have a total exception because its total of $11 is added with the previous bill's total of $10 to get $21, which is over the order item total of $20. 

When a bill item is linked to an order item, the totals are compared to each other. Depending on the variance, the following scenarios will occur:

• If the total on the bill item is greater than the total on the order item, a total exception is thrown.
• If the total on the bill item is less than or equal to the total on the order item, there is no total exception. 

Some reasons why the bill item's totals might be different from the order item's totals are: 

• The vendor did their math wrong on calculating the total
• The vendor rounded up after calculating the total
• The vendor added taxes per line item instead of to the overall bill

Checking the Bill Item's Total

Sometimes, the bill item total can be transcribed incorrectly from the bill. First, check to make sure the bill item's total matches the total that appears on the attachment. If the totals match, move on to the next section. If the transcription of the total is inaccurate, follow the steps below to update it. 

• Click on the Edit Bill button in the upper right corner of the bill tab. 

• The Edit Bill modal will open. 
• Scroll down on the right side of the bill modal until you reach the Line Items section. 

• Find the Line Item with the incorrect total
• Update the Line Item with the total that appears on the attachment. 

• Click on the Save button in the lower righthand corner. 

Scroll down to the line item on the bill to see if the Total Exception has been resolved. 

• If the Exception badge is gone, the bill item's total is now less than or equal to the order item's total and no other exceptions exist. 
• If the Exception badge is still present, click on the row to view the types of exceptions the item has.
  • If a Total exception type is still present, follow the steps for comparing a bill item to an order item.
  • If a Unit Price or Quantity exception type is present, follow the steps in the linked articles to address them.

Comparing Bill Item to Order Item

It's important to view the total variance between the bill item and the order item to ensure you don't overpay the vendor. To view the total exception:

• Click on the bill line item

• The Bill Item Detail drawer will appear with the order item's total highlighted in red

• Under the Bill Item section, check the total of the bill item

• Under the Order Item section, check the total of the order item

• Calculate the variance between the two, this is the total variance

If the variance between the bill item and order item is negative or 0, it means there are other bills with a bill item connected to the same order item on the current bill that is triggering the total exception. To determine the true variance: 

• Make a note of the current bill item's total and SKU
• Close out of the Bill Item detail drawer
• Click on the Relationship tab 

• Click into another bill that is connected to the same order

• Find the same SKU under the line items section

• Make a note of the bill item's total 

• Repeat the previous 4 steps until you have viewed all of the bills connected to the PO
• Add up the totals from all of the bill items
• Subtract the order item total from the summed bill item total, this is the total variance

After viewing the variance in totals, ask yourself the following questions to determine if the bill item's total is incorrect: 

• Did the vendor add taxes to the individual bill items? 
• Did the vendor add shipping to the individual bill items? 
• Does the unit price times quantity equal the bill item total on the attachment? 

If you determine the total on the bill is correct, then follow the instructions for excluding a total exception.

If you determine the total on the bill is incorrect or are unsure, then determine how you want to proceed based on the variance of the bill.

• If the variance is small enough that you don't mind paying the bill and don't want to dispute the overcharge later, follow the instructions for excluding a total exception.
• If the variance is small enough that you don't mind paying the bill but want to dispute the overcharge later, follow the instructions for leaving a total exception.
•  If the variance is large enough that you want to withhold payment from the vendor and dispute the bill, follow the instructions for disputing a total exception.

Excluding a Total Exception

Excluding the item removes it from the 3-way matching algorithm which removes it from having any exceptions. This option should only be used if you are fine with paying the bill and not talking to the vendor about the issue later.

If there are no other exceptions on the bill, the bill should be moved into the approved bill stage. This option should only be used if:

• The bill item total included taxes and is correct
• The bill item total included shipping and is correct
• You are fine with paying the different in pricing now and don't need to be reimbursed by the vendor
• Need to get a 2-way or 3-way match on the bill

To exclude the item:

• Click the Exclude Item button in the item detail drawer. 

 

Leaving a Total Exception

Leaving the exception keeps the exception tag visible on the bill. This option should only be used if you are fine with paying the bill and potentially talking to the vendor about the issue later. If there are no other exceptions on the bill, it should be moved into the approved bill stage. We recommend leaving a comment on the bill about why an exception is still present if choosing this method. This option should only be used if:

• You are fine with paying the variance in pricing now and bringing it up with the vendor at a later time
• Don't need to get a 2-way or 3-way match on the bill
• Want to keep visibility into the exception

Disputing a Total Exception

Disputing the item should be done if the variance is above your accepted limit. The bill should be moved to the blocked bill stage while talking with the vendor. We recommend leaving a comment on the bill about why the bill is in the blocked stage if choosing this method. 

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