We ask our suppliers to include a purchase order number with all invoices. This helps us to work more efficiently and to arrange payment faster. We aim to pay by Bacs within 30 days of receiving the goods and invoice.
All invoices for services we purchase must comply with government guidance on invoicing.
Invoices must also include a purchase order (PO) number. If you do not quote a PO number, your payment will be delayed – we will ask you to resend the invoice with a PO number.
Send invoices for services you supply to us to apinvoices@cambridge.gov.uk. Address them to: Cambridge City Council, Accounts Payable, PO Box 1299, Cambridge CB1 0XQ.
Our standard terms are to send payment within 30 days of the invoice date, although we try to do so sooner than this. If we hold bank details for you, we will pay electronically by Bacs.
Bacs payments take three working days to clear. We make payments on Mondays and Wednesdays – you will receive the money on the next Wednesday or Friday. Bank holidays affect these timescales.
Unpaid invoices
If we have not sent payment within 30 days of receiving your invoice, contact us and we will investigate.
If you sent your invoice directly to the officer that placed the order, contact them to check on the payment.
Purchase order numbers
A purchase order (PO) serves as a formal agreement between buyer and supplier. It outlines the transaction details, including the quantity, description, price, and terms. It gives both parties legal protection in case of misunderstandings or disputes.
We require a PO number with every invoice. Ask the officer placing the order to give you a PO number, if they do not provide one.
Purchase order numbers will usually be six digits prefixed with ‘PO’, such as PO123456. If you are a supplier to our City Services or Fleet and Garage Services, the number will have a different format. If you have any questions, contact your customer directly.
You can reuse some PO numbers over a set period. If you are unsure whether a PO number is valid, check with the officer that gave it to you before you send us your invoice. Invalid PO numbers on an invoice will cause a delay to your payment.
We can process an invoice with multiple PO numbers. Quote all relevant numbers on the invoice and identify which charges relate to which one. If you prefer, you can send one invoice per PO number. This way, if there is an issue with one purchase order, only that part of the payment will be delayed.
