Accounts Payable Payment Methods and Procedures

*Important Note* You will need to submit a payment authorization after the goods or services are received. A purchase order does not initiate payment.

A blanket purchase order (PO) is required for all recurring monthly, quarterly, and annual payments and all contracts. Including utilities, software licenses, subscriptions, Insurance (including health insurance), and any other necessary university expense.  Blanket purchase orders should be initiated as soon as the expense is known.  The total amount of the blanket PO should cover all costs for the full fiscal year, if applicable. For all known recurring annual expenses, PO’s should be prepared in July for the full fiscal year that follows. A cost estimate should be uploaded with the purchase requisition in Lion’s Den.

All computer software/hardware and subscriptions must be approved by IT, all appliances must be approved by Facilities and all furniture must be approved by purchasing before making your purchase. A purchase order must be submitted for any, and all purchases with these vendors regardless of the cost.

If you need to make a purchase from a vendor who is not already in our system, you must contact accounts payable and provide a W-9 before submitting a purchase requisition. W-9's require the vendor's phone number and email address to be processed. Our master vendor list is maintained by the Accounts Payable Purchase requisitions will not be approved without vendor information.

The Payment Authorization form is intended to confirm the delivery and receipt of the requested goods and/or services. It authorizes payment to be made on the accompanying bill or invoice. Original bills or invoices MUST be included with the Payment Authorization form along with the submission of packing slips, if available, and a notation confirming the receipt of goods in their entirety. Additional signatures are not required on Payment authorizations with an executed Purchase Order.

A W-9 form is required for all new vendors. Please use every effort to utilize one of our existing vendors. 

The American Express V-card is a program with American Express where a onetime use (only) credit card number is generated for a finite amount and available for a limited period of time.

The V-card is used for the following types of payments: Airfare for conferences or meetings, conference fees, Job postings, subscriptions, etc…

Held by Vice President’s and Deans on the discretion of the Vice President for Finance, Corporate Cards are to be used mainly for travel and entertainment (conferences, meetings, etc…).

A corporate card can also be used for monthly subscriptions and other small regular recurring expenses where a check payment option is not available.

American Express should never be used to pay a current vendor that is in our Jenzabar system.

Please refer to AMEX Cardholder Policies.

A small amount of cash that is easily accessible and only to be used for minor or incidental small items. Petty cash is to be managed by a single steward in the department, stored in a locked cabinet and reconciled monthly to the total amount initially provided. 

Petty cash expenditures are limited to $50.00 per transaction, any amount over this threshold should be submitted as a direct payment through accounts payable or as an employee expense reimbursement.

Petty cash reimbursement request should never be an amount larger than your total allotted Petty cash amount.

It is the University’s priority to take affirmative action to ensure that New York State certified Minority and Women – owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) are given the opportunity to provide the University with commodities and services at competitive pricing. Purchasing may secure certified vendors in order for NYS-funded projects to meet Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) goals., Additionally, all personnel purchasing for their departments are encouraged to search Empire State Development’s WMBE directory to use certified NYS MWBE companies for purchases. NEW YORK STATE CONTRACT SYSTEM (newnycontracts.com)