Construction Purchasing, Part 2: From Purchase Order to Payment

Building off the previous look at Lewis’s purchasing process, Melissa Edwards, Director of Purchasing and Contracts, leads the transition from approved purchase to actual payment, a process that requires equal parts system expertise and relationship management. Once the Contracts department enters, writes, and sends contracts out for signature, the invoice process can begin—turning approved purchases into actual payments, working with our Accounts Payable team. While the systems sound clean on paper, the real magic happens in problem-solving, led by Melissa, who serves as my indispensable partner in managing this complex operation. Her team handles hundreds of invoices weekly, catching issues before they become problems and ensuring every dollar spent has proper documentation and approval.

Common Challenges:

• The 3-Way Match: Purchase orders & Work Agreement, receiving documents, and invoices must align perfectly. When they don’t, Melissa’s team investigates pricing changes, partial deliveries, and data entry errors.
• Vendor Communication: About 20% of Melissa’s day involves coaching vendors on Lewis’s systems. “Send it to SoCalLand.invoices@lewismc.com, not directly to the project manager” becomes a frequent refrain.
• Entity Complexity: Lewis operates multiple legal entities. Getting invoices to the right one matters for tax, legal, and accounting purposes.

The Approval Bottleneck

Invoices don’t get stuck in “the system,” they get stuck with people. Each Contract Administrator tracks approvals closely, sending reminders when invoices sit too long. 

Red Flags That Stop Payment

The team immediately flags:

• Invoices without backup documentation
• Pricing that doesn’t match the contract
• Missing lien releases on construction work
• Vendors not properly set up in JDE
• Work performed before contract execution

Emergency Situations: When Rules Bend

Real emergency example: A sewer line breaks on a Friday afternoon. The superintendent can authorize immediate repair work, but the expectation is:

• A call or email explaining the situation
• Vendor information to expedite setup if needed
• Contract and invoice documentation by Monday
• Proper coding to the right project

Technology: Helpful but Imperfect

Bottomline automates routing, but it can’t:

• Verify that work was actually completed
• Catch if the wrong entity is being billed
• Know if pricing changed mid-project
• Replace human judgment on reasonableness

Lessons from the Contract Trenches

Key insights for anyone in AP/procurement:

• Learn the business: Understanding construction helps catch errors
• Build vendor relationships: You’ll need their help when problems arise
• Document everything: Your future self will thank you
• Stay calm under pressure: Vendors get frustrated; professionalism matters
• Master the systems: Knowing workarounds saves time

The Unwritten Rules

Things everyone should understand:

• Submitting invoices doesn’t mean immediate payment—approvals take time
• “Rush” requests should be rare; frequent urgency signals poor planning
• Champions who approve quickly get projects closed faster
• Good coding at the start prevents cleanup work later
• Relationships matter: vendors who communicate well get prioritized when there are issues

What Success Looks Like

A good week means:

• Invoices processed within 48 hours of receipt
• No aged items in the approval queue
• Vendors paid on time
• Month-end closing smoothly
• Zero duplicate payments or errors

The Bottom Line

Methodical processing of paperwork bridges the gap between field operations and financial controls. Melissa Edwards, as leader of this critical function, ensures the team acts as relationship managers, problem-solvers, and guardians of financial integrity. Every invoice tells a story about a project, a vendor relationship, and the choices made in the field. The job is to make sure those stories have documentation to back them up and that everyone gets paid accurately and on time.