Accounts Payable How Do I...?
When is it appropriate to prepare a disbursement request form?
Where can I get blank disbursement request forms and how do I prepare the form?
Where should I send completed forms?
What happens after disbursement requests arrive in A/P?
How long does it take for A/P to process a disbursement request?
How can fiscal managers help to improve processing of invoices and disbursement requests?
Why hasn't a particular invoice been paid?
Do I need to fill out a disbursement request form if I have an invoice?
How do I find out if a vendor is PO required?
Are invoices on the General Ledger paid?
How do I find out which invoices are on hold for my department?
Q: When is it appropriate to prepare a disbursement request form?
A disbursement request is not a substitute for using a procurement card or for creating a purchase order.
It should only be used when other procurement methods are not available.
Valid reasons for disbursement request forms:
- Employee business expenses reimbursements
- Travel advances for employees
- Relocation related expenses paid personally
- Patient refunds
- Research study compensation
- Honoraria
- Subscriptions, conference registration fees, and membership dues
- Permits, applications & other non invoiced fees
- Legal settlements & legal services
- Royalty income payments
- Petty Cash set ups and replenishments
Invalid reasons for disbursement request forms:
- Pay an actual invoice from a vendor.
- Pay a deposit for a banquet room rental.
- Pay a contractor for services.
- Pay on OHSU employees for services performed.
- Pay another department with OHSU.
- Reimburse an employee for office supplies not from Corporate Express.
- Reimburse an employee for capital equipment purchased personally.
- Reimburse an employee for personal amenities items or gifts given to a fellow employee.
- Reimburse an employee for alcoholic beverages consumed by OHSU employees.
- Pay the fiscal authority who signed the request.
- Reimburse an employee for payments made personally to contractors or to research subjects.
Q: Where can I get blank disbursement request forms and how do I prepare the form?
Disbursement Request Forms and instructions are on the CFS Forms page.
Q: Where should I send completed forms?
Send completed forms, with backup documentation, via campus mail at mail code AD220 or scan and email to Accounts Payable.
Q: What happens after disbursement requests arrive in A/P?
- Each invoice & disbursement request is date stamped when it arrives in A/P.
- Invoices go directly to an A/P technician for entry based on an alphabetical division of work load. Refer to our Contact list for details.
Q: How long does it take for A/P to process a disbursement request?
- Plan ahead and allow a week for A/P to process a request for payment.
- Allow extra time if the vendor is not yet set up In Oracle. Please provide as much information as possible for new vendors.
- Disbursement requests are paid the next check run after they are entered.
- There are two check runs a week: Monday and Thursday mornings.
Q: How can fiscal managers help to improve processing of invoices and disbursement requests?
- Use procurement cards whenever possible.
- Learn and consistently follow standard purchasing policies and procedures.
- Before making a purchase, first make certain that the purchase is within OHSU’s fiscal policies.
- Preparers should learn to properly complete disbursement request forms.
Q: Why hasn't a particular invoice been paid?
There are a number of reasons an invoice may be on hold. The Invoices on Hold by Fund/Org Report will give details.
Questions to ask when investigating include: Was a PO created? Was the order received in Oracle? If the invoice was sent to the department, has it been forwarded to Accounts Payable with the applicable account information and fiscal authority signature?
Q: Do I need to fill out a disbursement request form if I have an invoice?
No. The invoice is all accounts payable needs.
Q: Are invoices on the General Ledger paid?
Not necessarily. For example, an invoice on receiving hold (Qty. Rec.) will post to the general ledger, but the vendor will not be paid until the goods/services are received in Oracle. To verify whether an invoice has been paid, check the Invoices Inquiry screen or run the Invoices on Hold by Fund/ORG report.
Q: How do I find out which invoices are on hold for my department?
You need to run the Invoices on Hold by Fund/Org Report - Project/Exp. Org. Be sure to include all the Funds and Orgs that your department uses.
Q: How do I resolve an invoice hold?
See the Holds Reference Guide for instructions on how to proceed.
Q: If I am a stipend recipient, how do I find when I get paid?
Refer to the Stipend Pay Dates list for details.
