Procurement Refresh: Flipping the Script on “Flippers”
Over the years, some departments used a legacy workaround commonly called a “Flipper” in RealSource. We’ve shared guidance on this before, but we still see some usage and questions come up. Whether you’re new to the university or just need a quick refresher, here’s why flippers are officially retired and how you can handle your multi-invoice orders the right way.
What exactly is a “flipper”?
A flipper (or “flip-flop”) was a legacy workaround where a user swaps the Quantity and Unit Price on a non-catalog requisition to make a PO accommodate multiple invoices.
The Flipper Method:
- The Right Way: Qty: 1 | Price: $50,000 (single item at $50k EA)
- The Flipper Way: Qty: 50,000 | Price: $1.00
This was often done when a department wasn’t sure how many times a vendor would invoice, but it creates a number of downstream issues.
Why are Flippers retired? (The “Why” Matters)
It might seem like a harmless shortcut, but flippers create significant challenges for our teams:
- System Conflicts: DMR/Trustflow doesn’t support flippers. These systems often reverses the entries.
- The AP Bottleneck: Every time a flipper is used, it forces Accounts Payable to manually touch and correct the transaction.
- PO Failure: If a flipper is approved incorrectly, it can break the PO’s functionality entirely, often requiring you to close it out and start over from scratch.
The Better Way: Declining Balance POs
If you need a PO that can handle multiple invoices or a varying balance, don’t reach for a flipper. Instead, use a Declining Balance Purchase Order.
Using the Declining Balance Form in RealSource is the cleanest path forward. It allows the system to track total spend accurately without triggering errors in DMR or Banner.
What if I’m already mid-stream? If a PO was set up for one invoice but the vendor needs to bill more than once, the cleanest fix is often to JV (Journal Voucher) the order in Banner, close the old PO in RealSource, and create a fresh Declining Balance PO.
Know the Rules: Parameters & Guidelines
To make sure your declining balance orders move through the system without a hitch, please refer to the parameters below:
- 👉 Declining Balance Order (DBO) Parameters (PDF) – The specific “dos and don’ts” for using DBOs.
Still Unsure? We’ve Got You.
Procurement doesn’t have to be a puzzle. If you have a unique scenario or believe you have a true exception case, reach out before you hit “submit”:
- Submit a Service Ticket: Click here to get a direct answer from the Business Solutions team.
- Virtual Office Hours: Join us for our weekly sessions to walk through your RealSource questions in real-time.
- Check the Wiki: Our Fiscal Wiki is packed with step-by-step guides.
Let’s keep VCU moving forward by keeping our data clean and our payments fast!
Categories Procurement Services