Purpose of Vouchers
To issue benefits to eligible clients when a central direct deposit (CDD), central cheque (CCP) or a district office cheque (DOC) is not appropriate see Payment Methods and Processes Introduction.

A voucher should only be issued when necessary.

Do not use vouchers for:

• Benefits paid by EMP 1976 Drug Authorization
• Payment of an EMP 0207B Physician’s Invoice for completion of a medical assessment.  Physician's invoices are paid through IMAGIS.  Procedures can be found in the IMAGIS Accounts Payable Manual under Entering Invoices for Payment - Administrative Payments (Page 26)

Note
In the case of issuing a voucher when the client does not have a Health Benefits Card, confine services to the month during which IS benefits are issued and do not enter fee amounts.

An EMP 1976 Drug Authorization must be used when the client requires prescription medication.

AS staff can issue a contract voucher when the worker has authorized it in the client’s file.

General

Goods and Services Tax (GST)
The vendor cannot charge GST when a voucher is issued for any goods or services.

Goods and Services Table
The Goods and Services Table in LISA is a list of the most commonly used needs. It includes the needs code, the appropriate description to be entered on the voucher and the goods code. Use the goods code to save time and to make sure the correct wording is used.

When the department is issuing a voucher to a vendor who is providing goods and/or services as part of a contract with the department, use the exact wording from the Goods and Services Table in order for Finance to pay the vendor.

Types of Vouchers

Contract Vouchers (VC)
VCs are system-generated vouchers but are not created from the client’s budget. The worker enters the VC using Process Voucher function 12. After function 12 is completed, the VC code will be present on Budget, but with no amount shown.

VCs

• Are usually issued for goods and services provided through agreements or contracts with the vendor or supplier of the service
• Often do not have a specific dollar amount at the time they are issued

The following needs can be issued as a VC:

* These needs are not covered with a formal agreement but may be issued without an exact dollar amount. However, in the description area of the voucher, there must be a maximum amount given that the invoice cannot exceed (to the nearest $10 or $100). If the exact amount is known, they may be issued as a VR instead of a VC.

When issuing a need covered by a contract, workers make sure the appropriate phrase (as identified in the applicable policy section) appears in the description area and that no dollar amount is shown. The vendor enters the dollar amounts and Finance compares the vendor’s figures to the contract or agreement.

Note
A VC is issued only by the Process Voucher function 12 in LISA which is used mainly by the AS staff but is also available to other staff.

Regular Voucher (VR)
VRs are system generated vouchers using function 9 or 10 and:

• Are created from the client’s monthly budget in the budget/payment function
• Have a specific dollar value at the time they are issued

Note
If the third party need is shelter-related (e.g., rent, room and board, utilities) a third-party cheque is issued instead of a voucher.

Manual (Hand-Written) Voucher (VH)
VHs are either hand-written or typed and issued when:

• A client or vendor cannot wait for a system printed VC or VR
• LISA is down
• Issued after hours by Income Support Contact Centre Staff

LISA treats a voucher like a DOC, with the same financial controls and connection to the budget. Use LISA to generate the voucher whenever possible. If a manual voucher has to be used, it must:

• Have all fields correctly completed
• Have the same wording in the Description field as given in the Goods and Services Table
• Be entered into LISA within one working day
• Be recorded in the EMP 2367 Manual Voucher Control Log

If the voucher cannot be entered in LISA, because the data has already been purged, then stamp all copies of the voucher “Not Entered in LISA”.

Handwritten vouchers are approved in LISA by an ISS through Assess Client File function 19.

Emergency Voucher (VE)
VE is a voucher, which is issued to a client with an active file in another delivery site.

VE is created when a client comes into a delivery site with a need but has an active file in another delivery site and the client will return to the owning delivery site shortly.

The worker in the issuing site:

1. Gets direction from the worker at the owning site for issuing only needs codes in the 1800 and 1900 series (non-continuous benefits and health benefits).

    

2. Enters the requested minimal client information and the manual voucher data in LISA which updates the owning site file overnight.

    

3. Sends the owning delivery site the D.O. copy of the voucher and enters Mobius Notes.

    

4. Keeps a photocopy of the voucher at the issuing site.

Note
Both delivery sites will receive a LISA report Issued to Active in Other Office confirming the VE.

Disaster Services Voucher (DV)
Headquarters will advise the worksite of the procedure for DVs as required.

Voiding Vouchers
The IT Site Contact uses the VOID transaction to advise LISA a particular voucher is no longer available for issue.

Note
Do not void if:

• The data on the voucher has been transmitted
• The physical voucher is not in the IT Site Contact’s possession

The following are three situations where a void is appropriate:

• When the IT Site Contacts void blank vouchers at the beginning and the end of a printing run.

   

• When the IT Site Contacts void a printed voucher that has a mistake on it and the information has not been electronically transmitted to Headquarters.

   

• When a manual (typed or handwritten) voucher is not going to be used and has not been entered onto LISA.

Note
IT Site Contacts are the only persons in the delivery sites who have the authority and the LISA function to void vouchers.

Canceling Vouchers
Vouchers should only be cancelled under the following circumstances:

• When a voucher has been printed and transmitted but is cancelled by a worker because it is no longer needed (e.g., services not used, payment method changed to cheque).
  
  CN = Returned

   

• When a voucher has been issued but has been lost, stolen or destroyed by the client, vendor or staff.
  
  LS = Lost

   

• If a voucher is misplaced within the delivery site, the IT Site Contact records it as an MS (misplaced voucher) in LISA’s Voucher Register function 41.
   
  MS = Misplaced

If the original voucher was mailed to the vendor, the worker:

1. Asks the vendor to return the voucher to the Service Centre.

    

2. Marks or stamps all copies of the voucher as “Cancelled”.

    

3. Provides a copy of the cancelled Voucher to the IMAGIS Operator and advises the operator not to pay the voucher.

    

4. Cancels the voucher.

Note
Only workers have LISA function 9 and 10 to cancel a voucher.

Returning Vouchers

See Returned Cheques and Voucher Procedures