Why do VCI requests for multiple months generate multiple POs?

[Guy Stokley]

This is a two part question frequently asked:

1) When a teacher places a purchase order for a VCI and the teacher creates it for 3 months (for example) when it is ready to approve, it appears that it splits it into 3 separate POs. Is there a way to NOT have it break the PO apart like that?

2) Kind of on the same lines- can it be added as an option for VCI to select “session”  It only allows for months. Sometimes it’s not a month- it’s 5 sessions, or 6 sessions….so “months” doesn’t make sense.  Is it possible to place an order for quantity and then unit (i.e. 1 month or 1 session) and then the cost?

Answer:

The purpose for dividing VCI requests into separate monthly orders is to protect you from the awkward and often times challenging task of collecting refunds or establishing credits with vendors. Should a student sign up for three months with a VCI and for any reason not continue after the first month, if the vendor was paid for the entire course of instruction, negotiating refunds has proven to be challenging.

The way to get around VCIs being broken into separate monthly orders is to select only one month (the starting month) enter the full cost for the entire course and in the ‘Description” field describe the course and the breakdown. Below are a few examples of what other schools have entered in the description;

“Swimming classes – Tuesdays and Fridays at 2:00. $35 a lesson- March 3rd, 6th, 10th, 13th, 17th, 18th (Wednesday), 24th, and 27th“
“Horseback riding lessons $40 per lesson 11-12pmFeb. 4 5 11 12 18 19 25”
“House Hockey Lessons Fridays 6:10-7:10 from January 2 to March 21st for winter session”

The way that OPS currently handles VCI requests has been the best solution for our school clients across the board. However there is the flexibility as described above to get around the monthly breakdown of VCI purchase orders.

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