Business Policies and Procedures Manual
Chapter 70: Purchasing

BPPM 70.20

For more information contact:
   Purchasing Services
   509-335-3541

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Overview

If circumstances prevent the use of regular purchasing procedures, University departments are to follow the procedures described in this section.

The documentation used to process such a purchase depends on whether the request is for a check payment to a supplier or an employee reimbursement.

Purchase Over $10,000 Exception to Policy

In rare circumstances when regular purchasing procedures are not possible, a University department may pay for goods or services costing more than $10,000 with an exception to policy provided by Purchasing Services. See Confirming Purchase Procedures.

Employee Reimbursement

If a University employee pays for an item and seeks reimbursement, the department must use the procedures under Employee Reimbursement Procedures to process the reimbursement. The maximum amount allowed for an employee reimbursement is $5,000.

Regular Procedures to Consider Before Purchase

See the tables in BPPM 70.01 for a list of regular purchasing procedures which the employee and department should consider before initiating a confirming purchase or employee purchase requiring reimbursement. Regular purchasing procedures generally involve arranging payment before or at the time of sale.

Regular purchasing procedures to consider are:

• Direct processing by departmental personnel (see BPPM 70.08).
• Processing purchases through Purchasing Services (see BPPM 70.10).
• Directly processing purchases through Accounts Payable

Purchase After Supplier Invoice Received

When arranging payment before or at the time of sale is not possible, a department may directly pay for goods and services costing $10,000 or less with a procurement card or department Purchase Order in Workday after receiving the supplier’s invoice. (See BPPM 70.08 and the Workday Create and Change Purchase Order reference guide.)

Confirming Purchase Procedures

Confirming purchases are processed with and without approval in advance from Purchasing Services. Departments must follow the procedures below to complete confirming transactions.

Personal Responsibility

When a purchase transaction exceeding $10,000 occurs without authorization through regular purchasing procedures, the employee who made the purchase is personally liable until both the employee’s department and Purchasing Services have approved the purchase. This is true regardless of the source of the funds.

Purchasing Services Review Required

If a transaction exceeding $10,000 occurs without one of the regular purchasing forms of authorization, Purchasing Services must review the circumstances and the justification provided by the department.

If the purchase is appropriate, a buyer approves the purchase, and a Cost Center Manager authorizes the expense. If the purchase is not approved, the buyer denies the requisition or invoice in Workday.

Check Payment to Supplier

If WSU is to pay the vendor for a product or service costing in excess of the $10,000 direct buy limit:

Upon receipt of the supplier’s invoice, submit a Create Supplier Invoice Request in Workday with the following information:

• Provide a detailed description of the circumstances that required the use of this exceptional procedure.
• Indicate that the invoice is a “confirming invoice.”
• Attach a copy of the supplier’s invoice.

  See BPPM 70.10 and the Workday Create Supplier Invoice reference guide for instructions.

If the expenditure is supported by an account in function FN057, include appropriate justification and approval (BPPM 70.33).

A buyer reviews the documentation provided with the Confirming Invoice and approves if the payment is allowable and in compliance with this policy (BPPM 70.20).

Employee Reimbursement Procedures

If an employee pays for an item and seeks reimbursement, the department must follow the procedures below to process the reimbursement. The maximum allowed for an employee reimbursement is $5,000.

The department is not required to obtain prior approval from Purchasing Services for an employee reimbursement.

Requesting the Reimbursement

To request employee reimbursement, the department must:

• Prepare a State of Washington Invoice Voucher (see BPPM 30.45). Itemize the product or service purchased. Include the following information:
  • Itemize the product or service purchased,
  • Include a detailed description of the circumstances that required the use of this exceptional procedure, and
  • Conspicuously label the invoice voucher “Confirming Reimbursement.”
• Indicate the name, home address, and WSU ID number of the employee purchaser under Supplier or Claimant.
• Obtain the employee’s signature under Supplier’s Certificate.
• Obtain an authorized signature.
  • If reimbursement exceeds $500:
    • In academic departments, the chair, dean, or a responsible administrator above the dean indicates approval of the purchase by signing under Authorized Signature.
    • In nonacademic departments, the director, area finance officer, or a responsible administrator above the director indicates approval of the purchase by signing under Authorized Signature.
  • If reimbursement is $500 or below, the dean/director/chair, area finance administrator, expenditure authority, or a responsible administrator above the dean/director indicates approval of the purchase by signing under Authorized Signature.

Note: A University employee may not authorize reimbursement to himself or herself. When the chair, dean, director, or area finance officer is seeking reimbursement, the invoice voucher must be signed by their supervisor.
 
If the expenditure is supported by an account in function FN057, include appropriate justification and approval (see BPPM 70.33).

• Attach the receipt, canceled check, bank card slip, bank card statement, or other record indicating that the employee paid the supplier.
• Submit the documents in Workday through the Expense Report. See the Workday Create Expense Report reference guide.

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Revisions:  January 2021 (Rev. 560); Jan. 2014 (Rev. 425); May 2013 (Rev. 412); Dec. 2009 (Rev. 351); July 1995 (Rev. 97).