Vendors
General
Add/Update
Inactive
IRS and Tax Identification Number
Vendor Form
MCC and NAICS
Processing
PROCESSING: General
Why do our invoices have to be billed to OUHSC? Why can't it be billed to our division, project, contract, etc?
Internal and external auditors will review our payment files. When reviewing the payments, one of the things they will verify is that the invoices belong to the University. Because we have so many outside entities co-mingled with the University and it’s employees, as well as faculty with outside clinical jobs, etc, it is important the our invoices are billed to OUHSC. Otherwise, when pulling the invoices, the auditors may believe that we are paying outside bills (such as outside clinical bills) or the bills of another entity. A good example of one we run into often would be OU Medical Center. We do have employees that work in the hospitals or even office out of them, but OU Medical is a completely separate entity. If their invoices were to arrive billed to OU Medical Center, Attn: ???, even if the person is an OUHSC employee, we will require them to have them re-billed to OUHSC.
The issue is even if we justify/document that the invoice belongs to us and we need to pay it, if the vendor does not change the bill to account to reflect OUHSC, their records indicate that as a liability of OU Medical center, when in fact it is an OUHSC liability. It is important not only that the bill be paid and paid by the correct party, but that the vendor understands and documents who is liable. It would be important that the physicians using their services indicate the account that should be recorded for that transaction so that the invoices are sent correctly to OUHSC.
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PROCESSING: Payment
How long until a check is cut?
Vouchers are generally approved within 24 hours of receipt, answers to pending information, and any required grant or management approvals. The day the voucher is approved and processed, it is given a payment date and number. The following day, the claim is sent to OSF for payment. OSF processes it that night and sends the check back to OUHSC the second day to be printed and distributed.
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PROCESSING: Voucher Error / Problems
What does invalid vendor mean?
The system is designed to verify the Vendor Name, FEI, Address Line 1, and Zip code with the Office of State Finance (OSF) PeopleSoft vendor file to ensure we do not make any payments to incorrect or non-existent vendors. Therefore, if it finds that any of those fields do not match, you will receive the vendor error when trying to enter a voucher or requisition. If the address you are trying to use has been added within the last two days, it has not been returned from OSF as okay to use yet, and we ask that you wait another couple of days before inquiring on it. If the address has been in the system longer than two days, please contact the AP Vendor Office at (405) 271-8001 x 46540 or email AP-VendorOffice@ouhsc.edu.
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Why won't the vendor work when I enter my voucher?
If the vendor is inactive or unapproved you cannot save a voucher to them. If your voucher is not working, please go to view the vendor through the Vendor Information page rather than the voucher. Verify the vendor is in approved status. If the vendor is in approved status and has been a vendor for more than two days, please contact the AP Vendor Office at (405) 271-8001 x 46540 or email AP-VendorOffice@ouhsc.edu.
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Travel
TRAVEL: General
Why are Registration Forms required for reimbursement of Registration Fees?
The registration form is used to cross-reference the amount paid with the list of fees on the form. The form also serves as confirmation that no additional fees, other than registration, were paid (membership fees, optional add-ons, etc.).
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Map Mileage vs Vicinity Mileage?
Map Mileage is the mileage from the center of the origination city to the center of the destination city. The remaining mileage is Vicinity Mileage.
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Why was my airport parking expenses reduced?
The OUHSC Travel Policy & Procedures reflects a maximum allowable reimbursement of $5 per day at Will Roger Airport. Effective July 1, 2007, the maximum allowable reimbursement for the Tulsa International Airport will be $8.95 per day. This amount was established based Airport Parking Authority rate information as the mid-range parking cost.
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TRAVEL: Form 19
Why are Titles required on Form 19?
To verify the certification statement on the form 19 “that I am of greater level of institutional authority and completely independent from the individual being reimbursed.”
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Why is the Employee ID required on the Form 19?
It serves as verification of the correct vendor. The employee ID replaced the previously required social security number. This change was made to protect the identity of the vendor.
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TRAVEL: Per-diem
What if I don't see my destination city on the www.gsa.gov website when looking up per-diem?
Follow the www.naco.org link on the www.gsa.gov site to determine what county the destination city resides. Refer back to the county listing (2nd column) on the www.gsa.gov website. If neither the city nor the county is listed, the standard CONUS per-diem rate reflected at the top of the page would apply. Documentation of each source should accompany the claim.
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Vendors
VENDORS: General
Why has my vendor not been added yet?
If you fax a vendor request to the Vendor Office and do not use a coversheet the vendor might not be added. If any of the form is illegible or if there are any questions about the vendor, we cannot ask them without your contact information. There are many things we cannot obtain directly from the vendor without knowing what your business is with them. Therefore, we need to know who to contact from the department with questions on that vendor form request. Otherwise, the vendor form is filed in the pending file until we hear from you. To ensure quick and accurate vendor entry, please always use a coversheet.
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How long until a vendor is ready?
Vendors are generally entered into OUHSC PeopleSoft within 24 hours of receipt and answers to all pending information. If the vendor is foreign we send a paper request to the Office of State Finance (OSF) to add the vendor to their system. If the vendor is an Oklahoma state agency, we send a request to that agency to add/correct the vendor information at OSF. All other vendors we add to our system, are transmitted electronically to OSF the day after approval, and then returned to OUHSC for use the second morning. Therefore, there is a two day turnaround time for all vendor updates, with an exception of foreign and state information. Foreign and state vendor updates depend on OSF and that agency's time to update.
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Can't you just enter it to get it paid, and then correct it later?
No we cannot. It is our job to ensure the University is paying their expenses correctly and that we file our 1099s with the correct information. Therefore, we will not knowingly pay an incorrect vendor or tax identification number (TIN).
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I have searched and can't find the vendor what do I do now?
If you are searching for a vendor by name it is always best to use the least common word in the vendor name and change your search drop down menu to say "contains". If you still cannot find the vendor, please request the Tax Identification Number (TIN) from the vendor and try searching for that vendor by the TIN number in PeopleSoft (see the Vendor Training Manual for instructions). If the results return the message "No matching values were found." the vendor is not setup in our system and you will need to request a new vendor form be completed by the vendor. For additional help please contact the AP Vendor Office at (405) 271-8001 x46540 or email AP-VendorOffice@ouhsc.edu for assistance.
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What does invalid vendor mean?
The system is designed to verify the Vendor Name, TIN, Address Line 1, and Zip code with the Office of State Finance (OSF) PeopleSoft vendor file to ensure we do not make any payments to incorrect or non-existent vendors. Therefore, if it finds that any of those fields do not match, you will receive the vendor error when trying to enter a voucher or requisition. If the address you are trying to use has been added within the last two days, it has not been returned from OSF as okay to use yet, and we ask that you wait another couple of days before inquiring on it. If the address has been in the system longer than two days, please contact the AP Vendor Office at (405) 271-8001 x 46540 or email AP-VendorOffice@ouhsc.edu
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Why won't the vendor work when I enter my voucher?
If the vendor is inactive or unapproved you cannot save a voucher using that vendor. If your voucher is not working, please go to view the vendor through the Vendor Information page rather than the voucher.. Verify the vendor is in approved status. If the vendor is in approved status and has been a vendor for more than two days, please contact the AP Vendor Office at (405) 271-8001 x 46540 or email AP-VendorOffice@ouhsc.edu.
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Why do I have to handle this, why can’t the vendors office take care of it?
The OUHSC vendor office consists of three people. OUHSC has many departments. It is not plausible for three people to handle the vendor issues compiled from all the campus departments. We work full time dealing with the vendor forms and issues that come in on a daily basis. On average, we receive 20-30 vendor forms per day and 20% are pending due incompleteness or other problems. We ask the departments to handle these errors as we don’t have the staff to handle them ourselves. Also, many times the departments have contacts that we do not. Usually, all we have on file are customer service contacts and customer service can’t always answer the detailed questions we have.
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VENDORS: Add/Update
How do I add a vendor?
Vendors are added using information from the Vendor Registration Form. These forms come in three formats. Two of the forms are W-9 substitutes. One is for domestic companies and the other is for domestic individuals. The third form is a W-8 substitute and is for foreign companies and individuals. One of these three forms must be completed and signed before a vendor will be entered. The form should be returned to you and then forwarded to the Vendor Office via fax at (405) 271-2496. These forms can be found on the AP Vendor information website.
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How do I have a new address added?
You must have documentation in writing from the vendor (invoice, memo on letterhead, a qualifying email as specified in the Vendor Training Manual) and the company Tax Identification Number (TIN). If you do not have the company's TIN, you need to contact the company and request it. If you state to the company that you are trying to pay them or place an order and the University's vendor file is setup according to TINs they should provide you with this information. After you obtain the TIN write it on the documentation and fax it with a coversheet to the AP Vendor Office at (405) 271-2496 or email AP-VendorOffice@ouhsc.edu. For additional information see the Vendor Training Manual for instructions.
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Why do I have to have an address added if they change the suite numbers? Why can’t you change the address?
A different suite number is usually a different address. A different suite address doesn’t always mean that the current suite address isn’t being used. For example, many universities have one street address and different departments have different suite numbers. We do no change current addresses; we add new ones and inactivate addresses no longer used.
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Why do I have to add a new vendor if they change their name?
We do not change names; we inactivate the vendor and add a new one. Even though the vendor no longer uses the name, we want the name to stay on file for past payment and reporting history. If we change the name, then the new name will appear on every payment made to the vendor. If the vendor changes the IRS name, but keeps the Doing Business As (DBA) name, we want to keep the old IRS name on file or IRS purposes. The IRS charges if the IRS name and Tax Identification Number (TIN) do not match. They also backdate three years, so we want the name we have on file to match the TIN during the time the IRS is checking it.
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VENDORS: Inactive
If it is in the system as an old vendor (vendor ID begins with 0) can you reactivate it?
No. If the vendor you are trying to use begins with 0, it is a vendor from the old system. When we upgraded to a new version of PeopleSoft July 1, 2003, in an attempt to restructure and improve our old vendor system, we required all vendors to complete a new vendor form. This is to update our W-9 records and improve our 1099 filing. We require all vendors to complete a new form and will not use any of the old information from the previous vendor. No exceptions.
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How do I get an inactive 91 or 90 vendor re-activated?
If the vendor number begins with 91 and is inactive, there is a problem with that vendor. A new vendor may already be in the system and approved. Check the comments box on the Location page in the vendor record. There is usually a reason listed in there and/or if there is a new vendor number. If not, you will need to request a new vendor form from the vendor.
If the vendor number begins with 90, it is an employee vendor. If an employee vendor is inactive, that employee is no longer employed. If you need to reimburse an employee for expenses occurred during employment, you can request that employee vendor be approved for payment. You will need to send an email to the AP-Vendor Office (HSC) email on the OUHSC Global Group list, with the payment information to consist of the vendor name, employee ID, reason for payment, and date of expense. Someone will respond to you when the vendor is approved. Please note: because the employee vendor load runs automatically every evening, the vendor will only stay active for one business day. Therefore, please do not email a request to approve a vendor if you are not able to enter and budget check the voucher the same day.
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VENDORS: IRS and Tax Identification Number
What is a TIN?
TIN stands for Tax Identification Number. This is a number assigned by the IRS. There are multiple types. For more information, please see TIN Types & Descriptions on the IRS website.
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Why do I have to have the Tax Identification Number (TIN) to update a vendor?
Since many businesses and individuals have the same name, it is critical that we have the vendor/individual's TIN (Employer Identification Number, EIN or Social Security Number, SSN) to update the vendor information. This is a security measure for the University to ensure accurate information on payment remittance and 1099 filing, as well as assurance to the vendor that we will not add incorrect information to their vendor record on our system.
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What if the company won't give me the Tax Identification Number (TIN)?
Please inform the vendor that you are trying to pay them or place an order and the University's vendor file is setup according to TINs. They should provide you with this information. If you have any difficulties, please contact the Vendor Office at (405) 271-8001 x 46540 or email AP-VendorOffice@ouhsc.edu.
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Why is it so important that the IRS name and Tax Identification Number (TIN) match on our vendors?
If we setup a vendor with an incorrect name for their TIN and we have 1099 reporting for that vendor, we are accessed penalties by the IRS for incorrectly filing. We want to ensure the accuracy of our vendor file as well as keeping the expenses the University incurs to a minimum.
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Why is it so important that we pay each vendor under the correct Tax Identification Number (TIN)? If the name on the check matches and we mail it to the correct address, isn't that all that matters?
It is important that we send the correct payment amounts on our 1099 forms to companies and the IRS at the end of each year. If we do not pay under the correct TIN, we are not reporting under the correct TIN.
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VENDORS: Vendor Form
Why can't I just send you a company's W-9 to add the new vendor?
We require the vendor to complete the vendor forms so we have the proper remitting, ordering, returning, and contact information as necessary to do business with them. We also need to know the person who is signing the vendor form and their title to reflect their status with the company. If a vendor would like to only complete the first page of the vendor form and submit a W-9 in place of page 2, we will accept that as long as we have the name and title of the individual who is completing the information, but we will not setup a vendor with only a W-9 form.
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Why does AP ask additional questions on the vendor form I submitted?
Sometimes AP needs clarification as to the purpose of setting up the vendor or on information completed on the form. We need to verify that we are only setting up vendors that can be used for payments or orders and that the information is accurate. Therefore, sometime we require additional information. When at all possible, we will keep the question to a minimum. Please note if you do not fax your contact information when submitting the vendor form, this can slow the vendor entry if we have questions and do not have a contact.
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What if the company refuses to fill out a form?
Please inform the vendor we cannot pay them nor do business with them until they complete the vendor form. We will not setup a vendor without the required form.
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VENDORS: MCC and NAICS
What is a Merchant Category Code (MCC)?
A Merchant Category Code (MCC) is a four-digit number used to classify suppliers into market segments. The list of MCC codes, defined by the Internal Revenue Service in Revenue Procedure 2004-43, determines which payments are reportable on IRS Form 1099.
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What is a North American Classification System Code (NAICS)?
NAICS codes were created by the US Census Bureau and can be used by the University to categorize vendors for soliciting bids. Also, departments on campus can use NAICS codes to search our vendor system for companies in an industry that the University does business with.
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Is there a list of MCC and NAICS codes?
For your use, the following links not only provide the codes but also descriptive information about the codes:
MCC Codes
MCC Codes Excel Spreadsheet
NAICS Codes
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What if more than one MCC or NAICS code is appropriate?
Our vendor system allows for entry of only one MCC code, so we ask you choose the one code that accounts for the greater percentage of business.
Multiple NAICS may be used if the codes are associated with the company’s activities. Please use all codes that apply to your company so that your company will appear within the appropriate categories departments search against as they apply to their needs.
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What if there isn’t an appropriate code?
Please select a code that best suits your company’s primary business activity (the activity that generates the most revenue). Your company may not fit perfectly into one particular category, but we ask you select the most appropriate.
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Why are these codes a requirement to be set up as a vendor?
This policy was adopted in June 2005, in attempt to address the challenges of IRS reporting and backup withholding. We are in the process of obtaining codes from all current vendors. All vendors that do not have codes will be inactivated.
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Why is the MCC code required for exempt corporations?
As previously mentioned, we use many different factors to improve our 1099 filing. The MCC code is only one aspect used to ensure accurate reporting. There are codes on the list that the IRS lists as non-reportable and this is not the only factor in our reporting process. Not all aspects of 1099 reporting can be collected by just one source of information; so, rather than try to differentiate between the different company profiles at receipt of the form, we require the MCC codes for all vendors.
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What if a supplier with a non-reportable MCC actually performs services?
Because we use the MCC codes as a reference for reporting in our Accounts Payable vendor system and it is not assigned by a financial institution for a specific payment on a credit card, it is not the only determining factor. We report based on General Ledger Account code on that payment and compare to MCCs for researching possible discrepancies.
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Who can I contact if I have questions about the MCC and NAICS codes?
You may contact Accounts Payable Vendors by email
AP-VendorOffice@ouhsc.edu or by phone (405) 271-8001 ext 46540.
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