FAQs for Suppliers

Each month, we will send you two files: the Global List and New Users. The Global List contains the details of all Batch users; New Users contains the details of shops that have just joined. Make sure that bookshops on both lists are flagged on your systems, otherwise transactions will not be loaded and bookshops won't be able to pay you through Batch.

Log on to Batch and go to ‘Create Transaction’, then choose to add either an invoice or credit. Enter the bookshop name or its SAN, click on the binoculars symbol and choose the correct shop. Enter an invoice or credit note number, date of invoice and due date (invoices only). You must use the ‘Product code’ field (user initials are sufficient), Unit Cost, Quantity and Zero VAT. Click ‘Validate’ and if the details are correct click ’Confirm’.

Contact the bookshop. The bookseller has the ability to ‘Manually Adjust’ an invoice that has been paid outside Batch.

The remittance advice showing all the transactions that have been paid will be available on the 3rd working day before the end of each month. It is usually sent to an FTP folder (in EDI), emailed to selected contacts or it can be downloaded directly from the Batch website. Click on ‘Reports’ then 'Report History' to find it. You will also be able to download a PDF of the remittance from here.

A bookseller has until midnight on the 4th working day before the end of the month to authorise and unauthorise payments. Any payments that have been authorised by the closing date will be paid to the supplier.

There are several ways to view this information: if you wish to see a single invoice, click ‘Search’ on the top bar and enter the invoice and bookshop details. If you want to view  transactions that are outstanding or have been authorised, go to ‘Reports’ and click ‘Current Period Summary’ to see all the bookshops listed. Or click ’Publisher Status’ to see the overall status and all past payments that have been made.

Yes. If you agree that the credit can be taken early, use the ‘Search’ button at the top of the screen to find the credit note. Click on the credit note number to show the credit detail and click on the ‘Due Date’ dropdown box. There is the option to change the due date to the current month and then click ‘Update’ at the bottom of the screen.

Contact the bookshop. The bookseller has the ability to ‘Manually Adjust’ a credit note that has been settled outside Batch.

Open - no action has been taken on the transaction.

Authorised – authorised to be paid when the transaction becomes due.

Cleared – the transaction has been paid through Batch in a previous month.

Not paying (formerly 'Manually adjusted') – the transaction has been marked that it will not be paid through Batch (this status can be reversed to Open if necessary).

One of the parameters is either missing, in the wrong format or is a duplicate. A quantity number must be present and the date must be inserted as DD-MMM-YYYY. The system will not allow the same invoice or credit note number to be inputted more than once so, if a reference needs to be re-used, add something to the original transaction number to make a new one, for example 123456/a.

If a bookseller’s Direct Debit fails, the supplier will be notified but will still receive the full amount from Batch. We will give the bookseller a short amount of time to make up the shortfall. In those rare instances where a bookseller still fails to pay, the supplier will receive five working days' notice that the money must be returned to us. (Check your contract for details.)

Yes. Go into the detail of the request by clicking the 'Authorise this request' button, then click on the printer icon near the top right of the page and you will see two links to download in CSV or Excel format.

As the supplier, you make all the decisions about what can and can't be returned. Our role is to simplify the process.

You need an ADSL connection and web browser Google Chrome or Internet Explorer 8 or above. (Other browsers are not supported.) The Batch website can also be accessed from an IOS or Android Smart phone.

Batch is at the forefront of returns technology and we strive to provide state-of-the-art solutions. We put any announcements on Twitter in the first instance, and follow up with emails and messages on our website. Keep an eye on @batch_services for new developments.

We hope most questions will be answered here, but if you still have problems please contact us. Sending us an email will give you the quickest response.

If you are refusing the whole request, click on the 'Refuse All' button followed by 'Send'. There is no need to do anything else.

All the bookshops using Batch Returns are listed on the 'Booksellers' tab. Click on a bookshop's name to see full contact details.