Account NI system upgrade - September 2023
The planned upgrade of the payment system for the Northern Ireland Civil Service Departments is due to take place this September.
The Account NI system, which processes payments on behalf of Northern Ireland Civil Service Departments will be upgraded during September 2023. This is necessary to ensure business continuity and the performance of the system, which processes £4 billion of payments annually, is maintained.
Account NI financial systems are currently closed between Wednesday 6 September to Tuesday 26 September 2023 due to an upgrade of the Oracle software used for its payment functions.
What should suppliers do during the upgrade?
During the upgrade, suppliers should:
- Continue to send invoices to Account NI as normal. Information on where to send your invoices.
- Invoices will be processed in the date order they were received from suppliers. Account NI plan to reduce the expected backlog as quickly as possible as soon as access to the system resumes.
- The Account NI Service Desk will remain open during the downtime. Information on how to contact Account NI.
- The Service Desk will respond to all queries that do not require access to the Account NI system but will have limited access to Invoice Enquiry. Where information is required from the system, the query will remain open until the system is available and the query will be resolved as quickly as possible thereafter.
Account NI upgrade - Frequently Asked Questions
The Account NI system, which processes payments on behalf of Northern Ireland Civil Service Departments will be upgraded during September. This is necessary to ensure business continuity and the performance of the system, which processes £4 billion of payments annually, is maintained.
What will the upgrade mean for suppliers?
The upgrade is essential technical maintenance and will mean the system will be unavailable to process payments during the downtime.
When will the upgrade take place?
The upgrade will take place from 6pm on Wednesday 6th September 2023 to 8am on Tuesday 26th September 2023.
Can the upgrade happen quicker?
The upgrade will be delivered in the shortest possible time. The system supplier will work seven days a week to ensure the number of working days lost are minimised. The upgrade is being closely monitored and progress updates will be provided.
Who will be impacted by the upgrade?
Businesses and individuals who supply goods and services to Northern Ireland government departments will be impacted by the upgrade. However, of the businesses impacted, this will only affect those submitting invoices and expecting payment during September.
Can I still submit invoices during the upgrade period?
During the upgrade, suppliers should continue to send invoices to Account NI as normal. Information on where to send your invoice.
How soon will payments be made after the upgrade?
Payments will recommence on Tuesday 26 September 2023. Additional resources are being put in place to ensure invoices submitted during the upgrade will be paid as soon possible.
If I am in financial hardship is there any facility to receive payments during the upgrade?
Yes, there will be a facility for the processing of emergency payments. To access this facility businesses should liaise with their relevant departmental contact.
Can customers continue to pay invoices/lodge funds into departmental bank accounts?
Yes, banking is unaffected by the upgrade.
Will customers still receive their monthly statements?
Customers will have received their August statement one week earlier than normal.
If I have a query regarding my invoice during the upgrade, who do I contact?
The Account NI Service Desk will remain open during the upgrade. Information on how to contact Account NI.
The Service Desk will respond to all queries that do not require access to the Account NI system but will have limited access to Invoice Enquiry. Where information is required from the system, the query will remain open until the system is available and the query will be resolved as quickly as possible thereafter.
Where can I find the latest updates regarding the Account NI upgrade?
The Account NI Internet site will be regularly updated. Find the latest Account NI updates.
If you have a question that has not been answered please e-mail BRMsupport@finance-ni.gov.uk.
First published 7 July 2023