Post Award Handbook
4. Claims, Invoices and Income Receipt
Key Users
- Research Finance
- Departmental & Finance Administrators
- Principal Investigators
At a glance
This section provides practical guidance on raising claims and invoices and managing incoming funds. Its purpose is to support timely cashflow, ensure compliance with funder requirements, and make the process as straightforward as possible.Can't find what you are looking for? Contact the Research Finance team at RFCompliance@warwick.ac.uk
Contents:
Claims are requests made to funders to recover costs incurred on a research project. They provide evidence that expenditure aligns with the agreed budget and funder terms.
Most claims are prepared quarterly in arrears, usually at the end of calendar quarters, although some sponsors may require monthly or alternative intervals. Submitting claims accurately and on time ensures that projects receive the correct funding and funder reporting requirements are met.
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When preparing claims, the project reconciliation tool should be used to ensure costs are eligible and correctly allocated before submission. See PR9 — Project reconciliation toolLink opens in a new window.
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Fixed price invoices are used when a project or contract provides a set amount of funding for agreed-upon deliverables or outputs, regardless of the actual costs incurred by the University. They are usually issued according to the schedule agreed with the funder.
Because the University bears full responsibility for any cost overruns or underspends under fixed price contracts, accurate invoicing is crucial to manage financial risks, avoid revenue loss, and maintain compliance.
Contract billing — how to guide
Use when setting up contract billing in SAP Fiori for a fixed price project, covering creating a sales contract, entering billing frequency and amounts, attaching the agreement, and managing the credit check process.
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Milestone-based invoices are used when funding is released once specific project milestones or deliverables have been completed. Each invoice is issued after the milestone has been accepted by the funder, in line with the agreed invoicing schedule.
Issuing invoices at the correct time ensures that income is recognised in line with project progress and that project finances remain accurate and up to date.
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Actual cost recovery invoices are used when funding is based on the costs actually incurred on a project, rather than a fixed amount. The University invoices the funder for eligible expenditure recorded on the project, in line with the agreed budget and the funder’s terms and conditions.
Accurate invoicing ensures that the University recovers the correct level of funding and that project income reflects the expenditure incurred, helping maintain accurate project finances.
PR13 - Invoice and Claim Preparation
Use when preparing and submitting a claim or invoice to a funder, covering eligibility checks, reconciliation, departmental sign-off, timing considerations, and exception report updates.
When preparing claims, the project reconciliation tool should be used to ensure costs are eligible and correctly allocated before submission. See PR9 - Project reconciliation toolLink opens in a new window.
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The project reconciliation tool is used to compare SAP expenditure against the funder budget in preparation for a financial statement or claim. It provides a structured way to review all cost categories — including payroll, directly allocated costs, travel, equipment, and student costs — and to identify and resolve reconciling items before submission. While mainly used when preparing final claims and cost recovery invoices, the tool supports good financial management throughout the project lifecycle and helps ensure costs are eligible, correctly allocated, and fully evidenced ahead of funder scrutiny.
PR9 — Reconciliation tool for claims
Use when preparing a reconciliation of SAP expenditure against the funder budget ahead of a financial statement or claim.No tools yet in this section. If there's something you'd find useful, please let us know.
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Income receipt covers the processes involved in recording, allocating, and managing research income once it has been received by the University. This includes accounting for payments from funders, allocating receipts across multiple project codes, transferring income to linked sub-codes, and managing overdue payments and invoice disputes. Research Finance works closely with Accounts Receivable and Credit Control to ensure income is posted accurately and in a timely manner, supporting reliable financial reporting across all research projects.
RP14 - Matters Relating to Accounts Receivable
Use when handling incoming research payments, including accounting for receipts, managing overdue invoices, allocating income across multiple projects, and processing UKRI remittance journals.
RP15 - Income Transfer to Linked Codes
Use when income received into a lead project code needs to be transferred to one or more internal sub-codes.
RP16 - Invoice Dispute Procedure
Use when a funder disputes an invoice and guidance is needed on considerations before raising a credit note, key contacts to consult, and approval requirements for credit notes over £50,000.
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Each funder has its own requirements for how and when financial reports, claims, and statements must be submitted. This section sets out the process for preparing and submitting financial returns to all major funders, and provides a quick reference guide to key reporting requirements including portals, deadlines, timesheet obligations and audit requirements.
PR7 — Funder reporting
Use when preparing and submitting financial claims, statements, or invoices to a funder, covering the process and key steps for all major funders including UKRI, Wellcome, Innovate UK, NIHR, Royal Society, British Academy, CRUK, and EC/Horizon.
PR7a - Funder reporting quick referencing guide
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