Invoice Locked or Not Uploaded to STARS
When a user opens an invoice, the application "locks" the invoice to prevent other users from making changes to it. An 'Invoice is Locked by' message will be displayed at the top of the screen indicating who has locked the invoice.
However, there is a time limit for this lock. After 15 minutes, another user can select the invoice, and that user will then have the invoice locked.
If a user tries to save the invoice, and an error message, "Invoice not updated because another User has modified it” is displayed. The user can determine who the other user is. The user should go to the Status screen and select the invoice. If the invoice is still locked by another user, a message will be displayed at the top of the screen indicating who has locked the invoice.
Any invoice that is locked at the time Payment Services uploads the transactions to STARS will not be uploaded. The upload happens nightly at 6:30 PM MST.
Even though users are sure they have approved an invoice, and the status of the invoice is “Released”, the invoice payment cannot be found in STARS. This can happen if an approver does not exit the application correctly.
For example, users will simply close the browser rather than log off, or an approver clicks the back button of the browser instead of using the Back button in Payment Services. (Whenever an invoice is open, it is locked, whether or not it is the intent of the user to make changes.)
Be sure to use the Back button or the Log Off button in Payment Services to properly exit an invoice or exit Payment Services.