Buying and Payment Guide Summary
A quick reference guide for payment methods at the university
UShop (Online Purchasing)
Use UShop to purchase goods and services through the university’s online purchasing platform.
Use UShop when:
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Buying from approved vendors using Punch-Out catalogs (fully electronic purchasing) -
Submitting specialty purchases that require additional information (e.g., Chartwells, software, recurring lease payments) -
Creating purchase requests for non–Punch-Out vendors via Quick Order or Purchase Request forms -
Purchasing from internal university departments
Travel & Reimbursement Services
Use this option for travel-related expenses and employee reimbursements.
Travel qualifies as:
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Trips over 100 miles from campus -
Overnight travel
Covered expenses include:
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Prepaid airfare -
Hotel and conference prepayments -
Travel cash advances -
Travel Card (TCard) usage
Platform used:
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Concur
ePayment Request (ePR)
The ePayment Request (ePR) system is used for payments that do not require a formal procurement process.
Common ePR uses include:
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Fees, associations, and dues (under $10,000 use PCard) ePR prefix: (FA)
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Guest lecturers or performers (under $10,000) ePR prefix: (GP)
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Royalties and funding payments ePR prefix: (RY)
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Scholarship, fellowship, or trainee payments ePR prefix: (SF)
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Student and education-related payments ePR prefix: (SP)
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Study participant payments ePR prefix: (PS)
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Utilities and freight ePR prefix: (UF)
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Miscellaneous approved payments ePR prefix: (MC)
Card Services (PCard)
The Purchasing Card (PCard) is a university corporate credit card used for small-dollar purchases.
Appropriate uses include:
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Memberships, subscriptions, or dues -
Business meals -
Office supplies -
Food or beverages for meetings or office kitchens -
Conference registrations
Restrictions include:
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Consulting services -
Professional services (e.g., cleaning, repairs, entertainment services) -
Gifts to employees -
Software purchases -
Travel-related expenses
Wire Transfer Services
Wire transfers are required for specific types of payments.
Use a wire transfer when:
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Sending payments to a foreign bank -
Paying in a foreign currency -
Completing very large financial or real estate transactions -
A contract requires immediate payment
Important notes:
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Departments are responsible for all bank fees (sending and receiving) -
Additional fees may be charged for expedited processing -
Fees may change over time and are included in the Wire Transfer Request form