Welcome to electronic invoicing for Bread Financial

On March 23, 2022 Alliance Data and Bread became Bread Financial. Our company name and brand are changing to better reflect and enable our business transformation. Please note the new Buyer ID is reflecting Bread Financial Payments, Inc.

SUPPORTING YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY

Using over a decade’s worth of experience, we have drawn together an extensive set of frequently asked questions (FAQ) and documents to help you every step of the way

Important notice

Bread Financial is changing the address where you should send all postal (paper) mail to our company. Starting May 31, 2022, you should send all paper mail to your relationship owner at the following address:

Att: Relationship Owner’s name
Bread Financial
P.O. Box 182936
Columbus, OH 43218

Note that this change will not affect your invoice submission process. Please continue to submit your invoices through Tungsten. You will only need to update the “Bill to” addresses that you have for Bread Financial (formerly Alliance Data) to the address listed above.

General and Registration Questions

    Who is Tungsten Network?

    Tungsten Network is the world’s largest compliant business e-invoicing transaction network which connects buyers and suppliers for easier, faster and safer electronic invoice delivery.

    What are the benefits from using Tungsten Network?

    • Secure and fast invoice delivery – invoices are loaded directly into our financial system for payment
    • Instant invoice validation – get notified of errors before you send your invoice, resulting in fewer invoice exceptions
    • PO Convert – receive purchase orders and convert them into invoices at the touch of a button
    • Real-time status – track the status of your invoice to see when you will get paid and run reports of your submitted invoices
    • Secure archiving – all your invoices are digitally signed, encrypted, and stored within the Tungsten Network image archive, where you can access them anytime

    Will electronic invoicing be a requirement for new tenders and new suppliers?

    Yes. Use of Tungsten Network e-invoicing will become a formal vendor selection criteria employed by Bread Financial. Although this will not necessarily lead to immediate disqualification of non-compliant vendors, our expectation is that such suppliers will, over time, inevitably find themselves at a disadvantage.

    Can I send electronic invoices using Tungsten Network to all of my customers?

    Yes. Once you are subscribed to the network, Tungsten Network enables you to send electronic invoices to any other buyer customers that are members of the network without any additional charge. Click on Customer Connect in your supplier portal to easily locate other buyers.

    Will Bread Financial make payments using Tungsten Network?

    Tungsten Network is not a payment platform; it is an invoice delivery service. Bread Financial will continue to use their current payment method. You will be able to access the Tungsten Network portal 24/7 to check both invoice status as well as scheduled payment dates and details.

    Once I have received the RTT (Ready to Transact) notification from Tungsten can I still submit paper invoices?

    No. Once you receive the RTT notification, you should start submitting all invoices through Tungsten Network. No further paper or emailed invoice copies should be sent either to Accounts Payable or any other Bread Financial business owners. This will prevent any possible duplication of invoices and/or processing and payment delays.

    How secure is sending invoices via the Web Form?

    Access to the Tungsten Network service, including the Web Form, requires three credential authorizations. In addition, each session is protected by industry standard 128 bit SSL encryption using Class 3 Server Certificates from Verisign. Once your invoice is created, it is stored in a secure archive where it is protected by the latest security measures which are tested daily. Only authorized users can connect to the site and once connected, all communications are private and data is completely secure.

    What do I have to do to send electronic invoices via Tungsten Network?

    To start using Tungsten Network, all you need to do is register now using the unique registration link sent to you by your customer or Tungsten Network. Once registered, all Web Form suppliers automatically receive 52 free transactions. At the end of your first anniversary (one year after registration), we will replenish your account, at no charge, back to 52 free invoices for you to use during the next 12 months.

    Do I need to install any software?

    No. Additional software or hardware is NOT required. You only need a connection to the internet to send e-invoices via Tungsten Network.

    What are the minimum system requirements for using Tungsten Network?

    The minimum operating system requirements are: Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition, Linux or Mac OS 9.2*.

    Minimum browser requirements are: Version 9 of Internet Explorer and the latest versions of Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera.

    Can I send invoice data directly from my billing system?

    You can send invoices directly from your billing system in any format you choose. To do this you will need to become an Integrated Solution Supplier on Tungsten Network. When you register, please select the Integrated Solutions method or indicate this choice when part of the campaign process.

    Are there fees associated with this service?

    Note: Pricing will vary according to delivery method and country. Both Web Form & Integrated Solutions receive a bundle of free transactions which are replenished every year on their anniversary date. The majority of Bread Financial suppliers trade at no cost on Tungsten Network.

Invoice Submission Questions

    Can I send an invoice with an earlier invoice date than today's date?

    Yes, just enter a relevant date. The invoice date will always default to the submission date so you will want to change to the actual invoice date. Incorrect invoice dates are the number one error we observe and this will negatively affect your scheduled due date. Invoices with future dates are not accepted.

    Can I add an attachment to my invoice?

    Yes, Bread Financial prefers that all suppliers attach their internal invoice as a pdf copy to capture more specific details of the charges. When utilizing purchase orders (POs) if provided, suppliers actually create the invoice directly from the applicable PO lines. If no PO is provided, some suppliers may be able to utilize invoice templates customized for their billing needs.

    Can I send two invoices with the same invoice number?

    No. The system itself does not allow entering the same number twice to prevent duplicate invoices. If your invoice number is made up of your account number, please differentiate each separate invoice by adding a relevant billing date. The key is to bill in a consistent fashion each time. If your invoice contains alpha characters in addition to numbers, use either lower or upper case and stay consistent. Minimize all special characters when possible. Dashes are accepted. (Please do not use spaces within the invoice number.)

    When using Invoice Status with Tungsten Network, what type of invoice status updates will I receive on the Tungsten portal?

    Sent: Your invoice is waiting to be validated by Tungsten Network
    Accepted: Your invoice passed Tungsten Network validation
    Failed: Your invoice did not pass Tungsten Network validation – please check the failure reason. Some invoices can be corrected and resubmitted. If your PO number was not found, please refer to the above question prior to filing a ticket.
    Delivered: Your invoice has been transmitted to the Bread Financial ERP system.
    Approved: Your invoice has passed Bread Financial validation and approvals and is scheduled for payment.
    Paid: Your invoice has been paid. NOTE: All ACH payments fund within two business days of ACH notification. Please note that banking holidays will impact your payment date.
    Exception: The majority of all PO invoices will show an exception status. Most of the time, your invoice is in the process of being approved. If you submitted your invoice in a timely manner and your due date is approaching within a week, you can contact [email protected].
    Rejected: Your invoice has been disputed by the business owner. They should communicate with you directly to let you know the reasons for the dispute and what action may be required on your end.

    NOTE: If your invoice is showing a Delivered status and your due date has passed, please check with us as there could be some type of error preventing your invoice from further movement. Email [email protected].

    Credit notes for PO invoices will usually error out since our POs do not contain credit lines. We would prefer that you email PO credit memos to us directly at [email protected] so we can review and see if any action is needed.

    Can I reference more than one PO per invoice?

    No. Each invoice should only have one PO reference. For Web Form suppliers, PO Convert is a requirement so only one PO can be accessed to create your invoice.

    Why are my POs not found on the Tungsten Network portal?

    If you have billed PO invoices successfully in the past and do not see your PO or if you are a newly registered Tungsten supplier, it is simply a timing issue. New POs as well as PO revisions are picked up nightly and transmitted to Tungsten Network and loaded to their portal. Please allow approximately 24 – 72 hours for the PO to load. Make sure you are accessing the correct buyer relationship for your PO number. Each business has a unique numbering range. If your PO has still not loaded within this timeframe, please contact us directly at [email protected].

    It is possible you do not have the correct connection to access your PO. Feel free to contact us directly at [email protected]

    Who can provide login access to Tungsten for our account?

    When a supplier registers in the Tungsten portal, they must name an administrator. The details of the administrator can be located at the bottom of the screen by clicking on “My Account” and then by clicking on “My Profile”. The administrator can add new users and assign access rights. Please note: Bread Financial does not have access to your account and as such cannot add users for your company.

    Can I revise my invoice once submitted?

    No. Your invoice cannot be revised or recalled once submitted. If you made a mistake on your invoice (most common are wrong invoice date or omitting sales tax, and/or freight), please DO NOT send another invoice. This will result in your invoices being flagged for duplication and processing and payment delays will occur. Please contact us directly at [email protected] and explain the error. Most times, we can work with you to repair your invoice. We highly recommend that you preview every invoice prior to submission.

    Can I run reports if I have a large volume of invoices?

    Yes, you can run reports at any time to see if your invoices were submitted to Bread Financial. You can check on any failed transactions or other statuses. If you have a small number of invoices, you may also choose to look up each invoice status separately.

    Is there e-invoicing help for me if needed?

    Yes. Both Tungsten and the Bread Financial AP team are here to assist you. Here are some ways to receive assistance.

    • Click on the orange Self-Help tab located beside your menu on the left side of your homepage.
    • Click Contact Support in the lower right corner of your homepage. On the new page, click on Support found at the top of the page to access FAQs, Tutorials, or to raise a ticket. You may also click on the Get in touch box on the top right corner to contact support.
    • Call Tungsten Network in the US at 470-305-4896 (option 2).
    • If you need help specific to your Bread relationship, contact our dedicated inbox at [email protected] or by phone at 214-494-3519.

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