FAQs

Once the Budget Office loads the new FY budget you will be able to start completing Requisitions for new FY. When requesting goods or services from new FY funds prior to September start date, you MUST enter an accounting date in the new fiscal year. BearKatBuy picks the Budget period based on the dates. Each fiscal year begins September 1st.

To change the accounting date you will need to be on the Final Review tab just before you hit the Submit Requisition button.

The update in policy that was approved by President’s Cabinet states that items available for purchase on the BearKatBuy Marketplace may no longer be purchased on the P-Card. The contracts that have been put in place in the Marketplace offer deeper discounting across thousands of items and leverage volume spend across the University or System to provide deeper discounting and larger rebates back to TSUS and/or SHSU. There will ALWAYS be a vendor who offers a lower price on a certain item this week or next week due to retail sales, etc. The contracts we have in place offer competitive pricing throughout the year and year over year. Some suppliers also include free shipping, warranty and other items of value that you will not receive through vendors outside the tool.

Departments may still purchase any of the items available under the punch-out catalogs through those suppliers. Upper management did say that because coffee and creamer and those types of food items are offered only as a convenience through office supply catalogs that those items can be purchased outside of the punch-out at your local grocery store or other supplier. Whiteboard, desk accessories, etc. are all available thru the punch-out and should be purchased there and not through Amazon or a local vendor.

If the items are offered in the Summus/Staples catalog or another punch-out supplier within the BearKatBuy Marketplace the items should be purchased from one of those approved vendors through BearKatBuy and not on the P-Card. The list would be exhaustive and is ever changing as products are always being added to the vendor’s online catalogs.

No. In emergency situations it can be reviewed on a case by case basis by Procurement, who holds the final decision on how and where items will be purchased. The dept. would need to submit a P-Card Exception Approval form and receive PRIOR approval before purchasing.

A prudent person knows what constitutes these supply categories. A comprehensive list for all of these categories would be exhaustive and ever changing. The best rule of thumb is if it is offered through one of the punch-out suppliers in BearKatBuy Marketplace then the purchase should be made in BearKatBuy, and not on the P-Card. Our staff are happy to assist you in sourcing what you need in BearKatBuy, or elsewhere, if not available through BearKatBuy punch-out catalogs. For time sake, you can list your item on a REQ, put Purchasing Dept. as the supplier, and Procurement will take on the burden of sourcing or locating the requested item at the best price, thus freeing up your time to work on other tasks.

If the items are available through BearKatBuy they should be purchased through those vendors as indicated in policy. If items are not available under an existing contract in BearKatBuy, then departments can shop and are encouraged to shop local vendors. The P-Card is no longer intended to be the main purchasing tool for departments or to be used as a convenience. The fact of the matter is, if using BearKatBuy you are saving yourself time of reconciliation on the P-Card each month in Chrome River.

The items available through the punch-out catalogs should be what the departments are purchasing. If you have an issue or concern about pricing found cheaper outside of BearKatBuy, then please address it with your assigned Purchaser. Procurement will do a cost analysis if it is warranted and work with our contract suppliers to see if they can offer an additional discount on larger quantities. Again, there will always be a vendor running a special on certain products week after week, just as grocery stores, Walmart and Target do with weekly ads. The contract pricing we have in BearKatBuy is consistent throughout the year, and often year over year. If it is determined by Procurement that there is indeed a cost savings that is in the best interest of the University as a whole (not one off items by dept.), then Procurement will allow that predetermined item to be bought from an outside supplier, but not necessarily on the P-Card.

If the supplier outside of BearKatBuy has a cheaper price, the department is encouraged to attach the quote from the supplier to the Purchase Requisition, and make the Requisition out to Purchasing Dept. Procurement will do the leg work to determine whether or not this one time purchase warrants a significant savings to the University. It also allows us to visit with our contract vendors for deeper discounting on those items if necessary. Often times a department thinks the price is cheaper, but by the time you pay for shipping, and/or other fees, and wait several days to a week for delivery, the outside supplier is not the best value.

The State Comptroller is who provides the account codes and naming conventions. If you have suggestions for words to be added to codes you can submit those to Procurement@shsu.edu and our office will work with the SHSU Controller’s office to review and possibly edit our names on the Account Code Guide. Keep in mind that some codes by State Comptroller definition cover more than one category of items, hence the often vague naming conventions.

You will need to go to the Billing section on the right side of the screen. There you will have the option to change the Accounting Date under the Billing Options section.

To change the accounting date you will need to click on the edit button out to the right of the Billing Options. When you do this, the following box will pop up.

You can click on the calendar button to select the date that you need.

This will now drop the date in. You can now click on save and submit the requisition for the next fiscal year.

BearKatBuy is only available to those who've completed training. BearKatBuy training is online through Talent Management. You must have completed Finance 101 at least one week prior to requesting the BearKatBuy training.

Take Finance 101 Course Take BearKatBuy Course

A Blanket Purchase Order should be utilized when there will be multiple payments or the possibility of multiple payments against a Purchase Order. Examples are annual water orders, Aramark orders for multiday events, Blanket Purchase Orders for semester/year, and open orders to local stores where multiple trips will be made. That way when a payment is made off of one invoice the order will remain open for more payments. If a Non Catalog Order is used, then once one invoice is paid, it closes the order and no further payments may be made.

To split FOAPS on a line item, you want to make sure you do the add split at the line level, not the header level. That way the drop down option is available for the amount of price split. One of the FOAPS used, however, does have to be in the header level. Make sure you split by amount of price and not by percent of price. It is recommended that if the order has several line items then the FOAP that is used at the header level covers most of the line items so less will have to be modified at the line level, however you can modify each line item at each line level.

If a Purchase Order is set up as manual distribution the department is responsible for sending out the Purchase Order to the vendor. To do this, the end user will have to go under the Revisions tab and click on the Manual Distribution button. This will open up the Purchase Order to be printed out and sent to the vendor. Departments can provide Procurement with an email address or fax number to be the default distribution to the vendor.

When completing a Non-Catalog Order or a Blanket Purchase Order, please include information on how the Purchase Order needs to be distributed out to the vendor (email or fax). This information can be put in the Suppler Contact Email/Phone field along with the New Supplier Name and Address field. If there is no information in those areas and distribution is not already set up, the vendor will be set to manual distribution and departments will be responsible to send the order to the vendor. In the following example, the department requests that the Purchase Order be sent out via fax and gives the fax number as 555-555-5555. Only one default distribution method may be set per vendor.

To see how a Purchase Order was distributed, the end user must be in the Purchase Order and on the Status tab. The Distribution Information will be on the right side of the screen under the Document Status section. It will show either the email address that the Purchase Order was emailed to, the fax that the Purchase Order was faxed to, or it will show as manual which means that the Purchase Order was not sent out and it will be the department’s responsibility to send the Purchase Order out to the vendor. It will also display the distribution date and time, which is when the Purchase Order was emailed or faxed out.

The following example shows that the Purchase Order was sent via email on 8/11/2015 at 4:21 PM.

On the Blanket Order and Change Order Request Form, there is the option of Yes or No on “Do you want to send the Purchase Order to the supplier?” Always mark that as yes. Otherwise, distribution will fail even if an email and/or fax is set up for that vendor.

If an end user needs to add an attachment to a requisition after it has been submitted or to an existing Purchase Order, then the attachment will have to be added through the Comments section. Once you click on the add Comment button, then you can attach a document on the bottom portion of the Add Comment pop up box. You would then use the browse button and attach just like attaching any other document in BearKatBuy.

Note: W-9’s that are obtained by the department should be added as an attachment to the Requisition/Purchase Order via the Comments and emailed to acctspay@shsu.edu.

When filling out the Change Order Request Form, please make sure that the section labeled “Total revised amount that Purchase Order will have committed (original plus all changes)” is the new amount that the Purchase Order needs to be.

Example: If the original Purchase Order was for $100.00 and you are adding $25.00 then the Total revised amount that Purchase Order will have committed (original plus all changes) section will need to be $125.00.

If you have several account codes to be used on a requisition, it is helpful for Disbursements when processing payment to have each account code on its own line. This also makes it easier for departments when receiving on the different items. For example, a Blanket Purchase Order to Kroger that has food, consumables, and gift cards. Each category (food/consumables/gifts) should have its own separate line instead of splitting out all three FOAPs on one line item. Another example is water orders with water, rental of dispenser, cups, etc. These should each be on a separate line instead of splitting the FOAPs out on one line item

If a receipt has been created and it is over or under received then the end user will have to go in and create a new receipt to correct the receiving issue. If an order has been over received then the end user will need to go in and do a negative amount receipt for the amount that was over received.

Example: If an end user receives for 4 items but only actually received 2 items then the new receipt would have to be for a -2. If an order has been under received then the end user would have to do a new receipt for the remaining amount. So if an end user receives for 1 item but actually received in 2 items then the new receipt would have to be for 1, as well.

If a department receives an item on an order and it needs to be returned (damaged, wrong item, or too many), then the department will choose the Receive and Return option.

Example: Department received one box of copy paper and the box was delivered damaged. Department fills in the quantity and then clicks on the Receive & Return button.

Once the Receive & Return button is clicked it will create a duplicate line item for the line that is being received and returned. One line item will be the received line and the other will be the returned line item. Insert the quantity to be returned in the returned line item and click on complete. By doing this process it will let disbursements know that although the line item was received it needed to be returned and then it will not be paid. Once this is complete contact the vendor and send item back to the appropriate vendor.

When a Purchase Order has a line split by multiple FOAPs, then the receiving can only be completed on the single cost for the entire line. In this scenario, the end user will have to put details of how the Purchase Order is to be paid based on the split FOAPS.

Example: Total cost received is $15.88, however, the payment needs to be broken down as illustrated in the notes section.

If a department selects a vendor with multiple address options, then the preferred address for Disbursements is always in bold.

Internal attachments are documents that will stay within the Sam Houston State University BearKatBuy system. These documents will not be sent out to the supplier. Examples are FO-19s, Authorization of Professional Services form, and Memos.

External Attachments are documents that will be sent out to the supplier with the Purchase Order. Examples are quotes and signed contracts. You do not have to attach the same documents as both internal and external attachments as Procurement can see either one.

When filling out the product section on a requisition please make sure and give enough detail so Procurement and the Vendor can understand what you are purchasing. Please include any quote and/or contract numbers as well. If additional space is needed for the description you can use the external note area.

Departments will need to start attaching Franchise Tax Certification for a vendor as an internal attachment. The link to find the Franchise Tax Certification on a vendor is: https://mycpa.cpa.state.tx.us/coa/Index.html. Do not make an award to a vendor with a forfeited status.

If an order includes freight, please include it as a separate line item on the requisition. Freight will need to have the Account Code 728600.

If ordering custom stamps from Summus/Staples, please obtain a quote from Summus/Staples for the stamp and process as a Non-Catalog requisition.

There are 3 Levels of BearKatBuy Approvals:

1st Level 0 – $20,000.00

2nd Level $20,001 – $50,000

3rd Level $50,001 and up (VP’s and Provost)

If you are an approver for requisitions up to $5,000 in Banner, you will be on the first level in BearKatBuy. It is recommended if the requisitions are above your threshold that you utilize the Comments feature as well, to let the appropriate approver know their approval is needed. Depending on the dollar amount of the requisition, all levels will receive the approval notification at the same time and can approve at “any” time, even superseding the lower levels. The requisition will not complete the Approval workflow step until all levels required to approve it have approved it. When approving, make sure you select Approve and Complete in the drop down menu in the upper right hand corner. It is easy to accidentally choose Assign it to myself and at that point, other approvers will no longer be able to view the requisition in their action items. Since BearKatBuy is fairly transparent, please take notice of your approval queues and if anything doesn’t look accurate, contact Lisa Lucas in the Controller’s office for corrections as soon as possible to avoid any delays. Approval levels should not be confused with Purchasing Dollar thresholds.

There is not a way to set up “Reviewers” in BearKatBuy. If you are a “Reviewer” in Banner, then you will be on the same level as your approvers. As a reviewer you will not want to approve the document. It is recommended that you use the Comments feature in BearKatBuy to let your approver know when the requisition ready for their approval. You will still have the ability to return it to the originator for corrections and re-submission. Once a requisition is approved, all other approvers on the same level will no longer be able to view it in their Action Items.

If an order is “Closed”, it will not be reopened to add additional items. A new requisition must be submitted.

Yes, grant and non-grant funded items can be put on the same Requisition. Different FOAPS will be entered for grant funded items and non-grant items. The Requisition will be routed to Research Administration (Contracts & Grants) to bless the grant funded items before it comes to Procurement and Business Services to be worked.

It is recommended that airfare be booked 14-21 days in advance.

All guest travel should be booked by an administrative staff. If you are an administrative staff, email travel@shsu.edu to request access. For booking instructions, visit Guest/Prospective Employee travel webpage.

Yes, it is suggested that complicated, multi-leg, international itineraries by booked by a full service agent. Call 1.855.705.3310 to reach a CTP agent.

Yes, it is suggested that international itineraries by booked by a full service agent. Call 1.855.705.3310 to reach a CTP agent. An agent will be able to get better pricing and advice you of any travel documents you may need.

Yes, graduate students have profiles in Concur that need to be completed and assigned to an arranger (administrative staff) to assist with travel.

Airlines provide only limited amount of seats that can be pre-reserved. The remaining seats will be available at the time of check-in.

Note: A pre-reserved regular economy seat assignment is never guaranteed.

In most instances a pre-reserved seat can be done online while making your reservation, however, once a reservation has been ticketed and confirmed, you can access the airline's website and modify the seat assignment or make changes based on frequent flyer status.

Note: A pre-reserved regular economy seat assignment is never guaranteed.

The traveler's frequent flyer number will be printed on the final invoice that is sent to CTP. It will be listed under Frequent Flyer Info.

Frequent flyer information can be added to the traveler's profile. Once it has been added to the profile, it will automatically be included in any reservation for that airline.

A conference booking should be booked on the website that the conference has provided.

Prospective employee's would be booked as a guest through Concur. For booking instructions, visit Guest/Prospective Employee travel webpage.

All guest travel should be booked by an administrative staff. If you are an administrative staff, email travel@shsu.edu to request access.

Group travel is defined as a group of 10 or more individuals traveling to or from the same destination at the same time.

The split between FOAPs will occur after travel has taken place and the expense report has been filed. For more information, contact the Controller's Office

Please contact Corporate Travel Planners (CTP) to make necessary changes to your travel plans. Traveler will need to provide justification for SHSU charges on the expense report. Call 1.855.705.3310

Extra leg room, early check-in, and change in flight class can be obtained by contactin the airline company directly. Traveler will need to provide justification for all additional request on the pre-approval or expense report.

Disbursements will not unencumber remaining balances on orders. Complete a Change Order Request Form to unencumber any remaining balances.

If the invoice is within 10%, no more than $250.00, disbursement can force match and transmit invoice to Banner for payment with institutional funds. If the invoice will be paid with state funds or over 10%, then the purchaser must submit the Change Order form.

If the shipping and handling or freight is within $100.00 tolerance, disbursements can force match invoice to Banner for payment. If the charge is more than $100.00, the purchaser must submit the Change Order form.

Note: Additional funds are pulled directly from the available balance and added to the cost of the item(s).

Purchaser needs to contact the vendor of damaged goods, obtain return information, and/or credit memo information. Then, purchaser must add notes to the PO in BearKatBuy concerning damaged or returned items.

The original invoice for full order will be processed. Once Disbursements receives the credit memo, it will be entered directly into Banner FOP offsetting the original charge.

If invoice is obtained by the department, then attach invoice in BearKatBuy by adding a comment to acctspay@shsu.edu, indicating invoice attached.