Office Supplies Purchasing Guidelines Degree Programs January 2009
Purpose To provide guidance on general office supply purchases within Degree Programs.
Purchasing by PCard Example A: Buying office supplies online from Office Max, the preferred vendor 1) Do you have a PCard? If yes, go to step 2. If no, contact Denise Gilchrist to see who has a PCard in your department or go to PCard on secure site for application. 2) Do you have an Office Max online ordering account? If yes, go to step 3. If not, obtain an Office Max online account 3) Order supplies. Print out a copy of your OfficeMax order summary for your records, but note that this is NOT an official receipt. Your official receipt will be the packing slip Office Max includes with your shipped order. 4) Reconcile PCard transaction in PCard Oracle Financial Application. See PCard Guidelines for assistance.
Purchasing by PCard (Continued) Example B: Buying office supplies on a site from a non-preferred vendor. Non-preferred vendors may be used in cases where time constraints or the type of supplies needed rule out the preferred vendor. 1) Do you have a PCard? If yes, go to step 2. If no, contact Denise Gilchrist to see who has a PCard in your department or go to PCard on secure site for application 2) Select items for purchase. 3) Give vendor PCard alert vendor to Harvard s tax exempt status. 4) Retain original receipt. 5) Reconcile PCard transaction in PCard Oracle Financial Application. See PCard Guidelines for assistance.
Purchasing by PCard (Continued) Example C: Buying office supplies via invoice from any vendor 1) Select item for purchase. Vendor provides invoice online, on site, or by telephone 2) Confirm that invoice payment by web voucher is not an option. Whenever possible, Harvard prefers to pay by check. 3) If credit card payment is required, provide PCard number to vendor. Alert vendor to Harvard s tax exempt status. 4) Select item for purchase. Vendor provides invoice online, on site, or by telephone. 5) If payment is on site, collect receipt from vendor. The invoice alone is not a receipt.
Purchasing by PCard (Continued) 6) If payment is by telephone, request that a receipt be faxed or scanned and e-mailed. As these receipts will not be original, you will need to submit them with a completed, signed Missing Receipt Affidavit (MRA). 7) If payment is online, and vendor offers no Receipt page, print out the order acknowledgement or confirmation. Again, these documents are not official receipts. You will need to submit them with MRAs. Be aware that online vendors may not have a tax exempt option. If you can t have tax deducted online, contact the vendor. 8) Reconcile PCard transaction in PCard Oracle Financial Application. See PCard Guidelines for assistance.
Purchasing by Web Voucher Example: Buying office supplies from any vendor requesting payment by invoice 1) Place order with vendor. Provide Harvard s tax exempt ID to ensure that no sales tax will be assessed. 2) Vendor provides invoice. Invoice can be photocopied or faxed. 3) Confirm that vendor is on Harvard s Vendor Database. If yes, go to step 5. If no, 4) Complete and submit online Vendor Request in Oracle 5) Submit completed Web Voucher and invoice to Degree Programs Financial Administration for payment. See Web Voucher Guidelines for complete instructions.
Purchasing by GE Corporate Card Example: Buying office supplies via GE Capital Corporate Card. The GE Card can be used if the office supply purchase is made during business travel, or if a local purchase total exceeds the $2,500 PCard limit. 1) Do you have a GE Card? If yes, go to step 2. If no, contact Denise Gilchrist to see who has a GE Card in your department or how to obtain an application for a GE Card. 2) Select item(s) for purchase. 3) Give vendor GE Card, or GE Card number. Alert vendor to Harvard s tax exempt status.
Purchasing by GE Corporate Card (Continued) 4) Retain original receipts. Photocopies, faxes, online order confirmations/acknowledgements, and copies of invoices are not considered official receipts and will require an accompanying Missing Receipt Affidavit. 5) Review GE transactions online. Print statement of charges and match original receipts against statement. 6) Prepare GE Web Voucher, attach original receipts and statement printout, and submit to DP Financial Administration.
Purchasing by Reimbursement Example: purchasing office supplies with out-of-pocket cash or personal credit card (not preferred!) 1) Select purchase and pay vendor with personal funds. 2) Collect original receipt(s) from vendor. 3) Check to see if you are in Harvard s vendor database. If not, complete and submit the online Vendor Request in Oracle. 4) Submit Web Reimbursement and completed, signed Universal Expense Form with original receipts to Degree Programs Financial Administration for payment. See Web Reimbursements Guidelines for complete instructions.