Payments at UCSF

Questions? Contact SCM Response Team

Overview

General guidelines for making payments to suppliers and reimbursing individuals.

Supply Chain Management oversees supplier invoice payment, non-payroll individual payments (like compensation for study participants or honoraria), employee reimbursement, and corporate credit cards at UCSF.

Important Payment Considerations

  • UCSF staff should not submit invoices on behalf of suppliers unless special exceptions pertain. UCSF staff should direct suppliers and persons awaiting approved payments to contact support. 
  • UCSF is not exempt from sales tax in most cases. 
  • Suppliers must be registered with UCSF in order to invoice or receive payment.  
  • Suppliers seeking payment status on approved payments can work directly with support. 
  • The fastest and most efficient supplier payment process is through the combined use of Transcepta e-invoicing and Payment Plus virtual credit card. 
  • Reimbursement expenses become taxable 60 days after they are incurred. To avoid being taxed, get reimbursements approved and submitted within 45 days. 
  • Supply Chain Management does not define departmental approval chains or thresholds, nor can they pursue approvals on behalf or requesters. 

UCSF Preferred Purchasing Methods

Starting with the appropriate purchasing method and providing complementary documentation will initiate the correct payment process. More details on UCSF Preferred Purchasing Methods.

Individual direct payment coupled with reimbursement is appropriate for certain types of expenditures such as travel. All reimbursements must be documented appropriately with receipts and approved. Learn more about MyExpense Reimbursement

Invoices for Payment

BearBuy Purchase Order (PO) 

Typically, the supplier will submit the invoice to BearBuy electronically through the Supplier Portal or Transcepta (learn more about Transcepta). Invoices in proper format, referencing a valid BearBuy PO Number (format B00#######), and accurately calculated will be processed automatically for payment.  

Unauthorized Purchases: Purchases Made Without a BearBuy PO 

Most purchases should go through a BearBuy purchase order (PO). Unauthorized purchases outside of BearBuy are against policy. Unauthorized purchases (after-the-fact transactions) should be submitted in BearBuy with justifications, an action plan outlining how this will be avoided in the future, as well as departmental approval signatures are required. Learn more about After-the-Fact PO form

Using the Payment Request Form 

Sometimes transactions don’t require a purchase order. For these instances, you may need to use the Payment Request Form

Exceptional Supplier Payments  

  • For a facility rental PO, follow the Facility Rental Payment Processing Instructions. 
  • Other Universities are not required to submit invoices through Transcepta. Write the PO Number on the invoice and email the invoice to Financial Operations at coapmail@ucsf.edu. 
  • Phone carriers, such as AT&T and Verizon, do not submit invoices through Transcepta. Obtain a copy of the monthly billing statement from your phone carrier, write your PO Number on the invoice, and email the invoice to UCSF Financial Operations at coapmail@ucsf.edu.  
  • Foreign suppliers are not required to submit invoices through Transcepta. UCSF can process and pay invoices in foreign currencies when necessary. When placing the order in BearBuy, enter an estimate in USD based on the currency exchange rate. The supplier will need to provide an invoice in their preferred currency. Email the invoice to UCSF Financial Operations at coapmail@ucsf.edu. Financial Operations will pay the invoice by wire based on the day's currency exchange rate. 

Reimbursements

Supply Chain Management processes reimbursements for all UCSF employees. UCSF requires all reimbursements to be properly documented and submitted through MyExpense (Concur) within 45 days. Approved expenses are paid to UCSF staff members in the same method/channel used for payroll. Learn more about MyExpense Reimbursement

Payment Methods

For suppliers looking for information about payment methods, visit Payment Methods for Suppliers.

For more information on UCSF Greenphire ClinCard, paying with gift cards, and petty cash—see Payment Policies & Guidelines for more details. 

Taxes

UCSF is not exempt from sales tax in most cases. When placing an order in BearBuy, do not include sales tax or shipping on the Purchase Order. The PO should reflect the cost of goods/services only. The supplier should include any relevant sales tax on the invoice. 

Payment Processing Status

Refer to the Payment Status training for instructions on how to search for a voucher/invoice in MyReports or BearBuy. MyReports is managed by the UCSF Controller's Office. For assistance using the MyReports application, contact COSolutionCenter@ucsf.edu external site (opens in a new window)

Reimbursement approval and processing status can be viewed in MyExpense (Concur). 

For assistance with a specific invoice, payment processing, or changes to submitted requisitions/POs/invoices, contact SCM Response Team external site (opens in a new window)