PAYMENT PROCESS:

PURPOSE:
To make payments to external (outside UTPA) vendors or contractors for goods and services rendered
as well as reimbursements to employees/students.

OVERVIEW:
Most purchases for the university are made through a central purchasing office, which is part of the
Division of Business Affairs.
Funding for the University comes from the State (i.e., taxpayers), from students' tuition, and from
grants. There is a great responsibility to use that money wisely.
The Office of the Comptroller, part of the Division Affairs, ensures that the money is being spent
responsibly.
One way to help do this is to route purchases through Purchasing, where they can be checked before
payment is made.

Prior to an invoice getting processed, the following conditions must be met:

a) An approved purchase order or requisition must exist
b) merchandise/service must be received/performed
c) original invoice, if applicable
d) receiving ticket, if applicable

The following Payment Process will show you what steps need to be taken so that vendors will be paid
by the University in a timely fashion.


MATCH INVOICES WITH POS
Procedure 1:
Step 1 Once invoice is received; examine Purchase Order to make sure it is complete and correct.

Step 2 Check invoice against Purchase Order and confirm that they match.

Step 3 Verify Accounting.

IF
Information is correct. Go to step 4.
Information is not correct, make note to make necessary changes.

Step 4 Verify supplier information. Check to see if information and W-9 is on file (if applicable).

IF
Information is on file, complete the Data Entry Form and match Invoice to PO in Oracle.
Information is not on file contact supplier and ask them to send a W-9 form.

Step 5 Data Entry Clerk enters invoice in Oracle to match to Purchase Order, liquidate encumbrance,
and expense account.

IF

There is a problem with invoice (price increase, receiving, etc), Accounts Payable will contact
department and purchasing to notify them and await approval.

Procedure 2:
Validating the invoices
Step 1 All invoice batches will then go the AP Accountant/AP Supervisor to be reviewed and validated.

IF
There are no holds a check will print or a USAS file will be sent to State for warrant issuance.

State Payments
Step 1 Execute a separate check run process for all state payments. Usually done twice a week.

Step 2 Once paid a state file gets created.

Step 3 After reviewed; the state file is sent to state via an oracle request.

Step 4 The following day; payments are posted in USAS.

Step 5 AP Accountant reviews state batches in USAS.

Step 6 AP Supervisor releases the batches in USAS.

Step 7 When received in AP, warrants are then matched to the paperwork and filed.

Procedure 3:
Printing of the checks
Step 1 Assigned AP Clerk, AP Accountant, or AP Supervisor executes the check run process.


Step 2 Checks get printed in the vault. (Only AP Supervisor, AP Accountant, and assigned AP Clerk are
allowed in the vault)

Step 3 All checks are logged to excel worksheet (where check stock and check numbers are verified).

Step4 Checks are matched to the corresponding paperwork.

Step 5 Checks are kept in the AP Accountants office outgoing mail cabinet until they are picked up by
campus mail or departments (if prepayments).

Procedure 4:
Filing
Step 1 After paperwork is matched to the check. Paperwork gets filed to hold as university records.

NON-PO CHECK REQUESTS
Procedure 1:

Step 1 Once request is received; examine documentation to make sure it is complete and correct.

Step 2 Verify Accounting.

IF
Information is correct. Go to step 3.
Information is not correct, make note to make necessary changes.

Step 3 Verify supplier information. Check to see if information and W-9 is on file (if applicable).

Step 4 Complete Data Entry form.

Step 5 Data Entry Clerk enters invoice in Oracle.

Procedure 2:
Validating the invoices
Step 1 All invoice batches will then go the AP Accountant/AP Supervisor to be reviewed and validated.

IF
There are no errors a check will print or a USAS file will be sent to State for warrant issuance.

Procedure 3:
Printing of the checks
Step 1 Assigned AP Clerk, AP Accountant, or AP Supervisor executes the check run process.


Step 2 Checks get printed in the vault. (Only AP Supervisor, AP Accountant, and assigned AP Clerk are
allowed in the vault)

Step 3 All checks are logged to excel worksheet (where check stock and check numbers are verified).

Step4 Checks are matched to the corresponding paperwork.

Step 5 Checks are kept in the AP Accountants office outgoing mail cabinet until they are picked up by
campus mail or departments (if prepayments).

Procedure 4:
Filing
Step 1 After paperwork is matched to the check. Paperwork gets filed to hold as university records.