Purchase Order Requests
- Complete a Purchase Request Form. Each organization now has their own finance page, located within your student organization’s Engage portal (find your organization > Manage Organization > Use the sandwich icon to locate the grear icon then click on Finance page).
- Purchase Request Process:
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- Select “Create New Request” while on the Purchase Request tab.
- Complete all fields, feel free to reach out to KUSSI with any questions.
- Attach “back-up” paperwork which explains/details the purchase is made
Indicate if we need to fax a copy of the PO to the vendor, and supply us with a fax number. If using Budget funds please attach proof that your event was advertised to all KU students (poster/ Engage post screenshot). - If the organization’s treasurer or president submits the request, it will then be sent to their advisor. The advisor will receive an email that a request was submitted by the student officer, and it’s ready for review. The advisor must then review the request and click “Change Stage.” The next step will be for it to be “Finalized, and send to KUSSI for approval.” Once that is completed, the student officer who submitted the form and advisor will receive an email that the form was submitted to KUSSI.
- If the advisor submits the request, it will still be sent to the advisor for review and approval. The advisor must review their own request, and then click “Change Stage” to assign it to a student officer for review. Once the student officer reviews the request, they will need to click “Change Stage” and then choose “Finalized, and send it to KUSSI for approval.”
- Once all required approvals have been received, KUSSI will review your request and either process it or reach out with any changes that must be made.
- Creating a Purchase Order. Once a properly completed Purchase Request is submitted via Engage, a Purchase Order will be generated by a KUSSI Service Center staff member and be available for pick-up by the Student Organization within twenty- four (24) hours. This Purchase Order will allow the organization to purchase tax-free items specified on the purchase order without having to pay for them immediately. Purchase Orders are only valid for 60 days from the issued date. All Purchase Orders not used within 60 days will be voided and canceled.
- Please keep in mind that a Purchase Order is a guaranteed payment to a vendor. A Purchase Order sets a requested amount of money from your KUSSI account aside. Once you return the receipt from the vendor, any unused money will return to your account.
For Example: Your organization completes a Purchase Order in the amount of $100, but only uses $95, the remaining $5 will be returned to your account once the receipt is returned to the KUSSI Service Center Office.
If using an outside vendor, please be sure to ask them if they accept Purchase Orders. Purchase orders are the preferred method of payment when making business transactions for your student organization.
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Checks created from a Purchase Order
Before any invoice or bill will be paid by the KUSSI Service Center, we must receive approval from the organization that the goods or services were received and the bill is OK to pay. This approval is confirmed by obtaining the signature of an organization officer or advisor, preferably with the phrase "OK to pay" on the invoice or bill.
- If the original bill was given to an organization member at the time of purchase, it is the responsibility of that member to turn the bill into the treasurer or advisor for approval. The approval may be written directly on the original bill and then must be turned into the KUSSI Service Center. The invoice will be processed for payment.
Only original invoices will be used for payment. The KUSSI Service Center cannot pay invoices/bills that are not originals. If the organization wishes to keep an invoice for record-keeping purposes, it must keep a copy and submit the original to the KUSSI Service Center. - If the original bill is sent directly to the KUSSI Service Center from the vendor, an e-mail will be sent to the organizations’ treasurer requesting them to stop by the KUSSI Service Center to “sign-off” on the invoice in order to authorize payment. If there is no response within 14 days, then a follow-up e-mail will be sent to the organizations’ treasurer, with a copy sent to the advisor, advising of the importance of signing off on the invoice to authorize payment. Once the invoice is signed then it will be processed for payment.
By signing the purchase request, the Treasurer or another officer of the organization authorizes payment to the vendor. Receipt of the goods or services must however be acknowledged before invoices can be paid. The advisor is able to acknowledge receipt of the goods or services on behalf of the organization. This allows invoices/bills to be paid after students have left the campus during breaks or over the summer or at any other time when an organization officer would not be available to approve the invoice/bill. - If payment of the invoice/bill exceeds the purchase order amount, follow the same guidelines as above, however, in addition, the following will be assumed:
Providing additional funds are available in the organization's account, once the original invoice/bill receives written approval for payment, the invoice/bill will be paid in full. Any additional amounts, above the original purchase order amount, will be charged against the organizations’ account. It is the responsibility of the organizations’ Treasurer to reflect the additional cost on the organizations’ books. - Check Availability. Checks are created by the KUSSI Service Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays of each week, excluding holidays. Complete and accurate paperwork submitted by noon on Monday will be processed on Tuesday. Complete and accurate paperwork submitted by noon on Wednesday will be processed on Thursday. Paperwork submitted outside these guidelines will be processed on the next check processing day. The KUSSI Service Center can not offer “same day” check creating services. It is important that
pre-planning is considered to avoid any delays in payment to vendors/individuals. Checks will be available for pick up on Wednesdays and Fridays. Checks requested to be held for pick up will only be held for two weeks. After two weeks, the checks will be mailed.
- If the original bill was given to an organization member at the time of purchase, it is the responsibility of that member to turn the bill into the treasurer or advisor for approval. The approval may be written directly on the original bill and then must be turned into the KUSSI Service Center. The invoice will be processed for payment.