Getting paid on time
The NSW Department of Education is committed to paying our valued suppliers on time. We're working to ensure that you get paid in the fastest and easiest way possible.
Receive fast payment with a purchasing card (PCard)
The recommended way for you to receive payment is with a credit card called a PCard. PCard payment is the fastest and easiest way to get paid for goods or services.
PCards can be used to pay at the point of sale, either in person, on-line or over the phone. You need to provide a receipt or tax invoice (including any GST) to the school or corporate office for the goods or services to confirm payment has been received.
E-invoicing
Register your business on the NSW Government Supplier Hub and submit e-invoices for faster payment and greater visibility of invoice status.
The department has adopted electronic invoicing (or e-invoicing) to speed up the processing and payment of your invoices, when you receive a purchase order from us.
E-invoicing allows for the automated exchange of invoice information directly between your accounting systems and ours, and:
- cuts down the need for manual input while processing invoices, reducing mistakes
- doesn’t need you to generate paper-based or PDF invoices that must be printed, posted or emailed
- doesn’t need us to manually enter or scan your invoices into our accounting system.
You’ll need to include a purchase order (PO) number on your e-invoice when you send it to us, either:
- digitally from your accounting system (connected via an eInvoicing accredited service provider)
- directly through the buy.nsw Supplier hub, where you can also track the status of your invoices.
Note: PCard is still the department’s preferred method for any goods or services under $5K. Please continue to accept PCards wherever you can.
See E-invoicing on the ATO website for more information.
For further help with e-invoicing, email: transactions.buy@customerservice.nsw.gov.au.
Follow the accounts payable purchase order process
If you can’t accept payment by PCard or submit an e-invoice, you’ll need to follow the purchase order process to issue an invoice to the department:
1. Supply the school or corporate office with a quote for the goods or services you are providing.
2. Ask for a purchase order (PO), their full name and contact number.
3. Send a correctly rendered invoice referencing the PO to:
| For supply to | use ‘Bill to’ name | Email to |
|---|---|---|
a school |
‘NSW Government Schools’ or the school name |
|
a corporate office |
‘Department of Education’ |
Our payment terms are generally 30 days from the time the department receives your correctly rendered invoice unless you are a registered small business and qualify for faster payment terms.
Our payment terms are generally 30 days from the time the department receives your correctly rendered invoice unless you are a registered small business and qualify for faster payment terms.
Pre-approval is required for non-PCard purchases
As a government agency we need authorisation prior to purchasing goods or services for non-PCard purchases. The Government Sector Finance Act (2018) outlines the authorisation and delegation requirements for government agency spending. Without a PO, you risk providing goods not authorised with appropriate delegation, which may lead to delays in payment.
We can only process your invoice when…
The correctly rendered invoice includes:
- a valid departmental purchase order number typed on your invoice
Note: Purchase order numbers start with a '4' and are ten digits in length. Ensure you have received a PO number as part of your authorisation to supply goods or services. - the name of the recipient or ABN. When supplying to:
- a school, use ‘NSW Government Schools’ or the school name or ABN 18 246 198 266
- a corporate office, use ‘Department of Education’ or ABN 40 300 173 822.
Note: Do not make an invoice out to an individual or directorate.
- a Department of Education contact name
- standard ATO Tax Invoice compliant details, including your identity (business name) and ABN.
Tip: To ensure your payments are processed efficiently and within the payment terms, please send your correctly rendered invoice directly to:
- edconnect.apschools@det.nsw.edu.au when supplying to a school
- edconnect.ap@det.nsw.edu.au when supplying to a corporate office.
If you're having trouble getting paid for goods or services already supplied, please contact EDConnect on 1300 32 32 32.
Compliant invoicing
EDConnect only accepts compliant invoices.
This means:
- you must have received a purchase order (PO) number from the school or business unit that purchased the goods or service, before issuing your invoice, and this number must be typed on your invoice.
- we'll only accept invoices emailed from you directly to EDConnect Accounts Payable.
- if you send us an invoice without a PO included, we'll return it to you and won't process the invoice until we've received a compliant (correctly rendered) copy.
Tips to get paid on time:
- Ask to be paid by PCard or register for e-invoicing.
- Insist on a PO where PCard payment isn't possible.
- Ensure there is a place to provide a PO number for online ordering.
- Ensure the typed PO is always in the same place on your invoice.
Getting paid on time flyer available to download
If you're in a school or corporate office, you can download and print or email the Get paid on time flyer for suppliers to provide all of the above information to your valued suppliers.