Accounts Payable

All University purchases over $50.00 must go through the Purchasing Process. Please refer to the purchasing manual for a review of the approved purchasing procedures.

The Controller’s Office has established that regular check runs (AP) will be done bi-weekly on Wednesday with a Thursday distribution:

• In order to accomplish this, all invoices, check requests, and expense reports must be submitted to the Controller’s Office by Wednesday (the week before) at 5:00 p.m.
• While there may be occasions when a request is received after this deadline and a check is issued, a check can only be guaranteed if the request is received by the deadline.
• This will allow time for proper approval and entry into the Accounts Payable system. In rare instances, a check may be approved by the Controller to be issued outside of the normal check run.
• These requests should be limited to emergency situations.

Checks are mailed directly to vendors from the Controller’s Office.

Checks for Expense Reports and Travel Advances received (with proper approvals) by 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday will be available for pickup on the following Friday.

Checks for Expense Reports and Travel Advances are mailed directly to employee.

Check Requests

Check requests must go through the department signature approval process, as determined by each department head.

1. Check Requests should be used only for those payments that do not have an invoice, such as conference registrations. a one-time payment for service, travel advance, or Honorarium payments.
2. If an invoice is the backup documentation, no check request form is required. The invoice can simply be stamped, and all approvals recorded directly on the invoice.
3. Check Requests without invoices must have supporting documentation showing payee and the amount.
4. Check Requests for vendors not currently in our system must have a completed W-9 attached. W-9’s are available here. ​
5. Accounts Payable will never pay from a statement or a quote; original invoices are required.

Wire Transfers

Wire transfer requests must have the same approvals and documentation as any other Accounts Payable request. They must have proper approval signatures (as determined by each department head), along with proper account coding and supporting documentation. The Wire Transfer Request form is available here.

1. If an invoice is the backup documentation, a wire request form will still be required with proper approvals and coding.
2. Wire Transfer Requests without invoices must have supporting documentation showing payee and the amount.
3. Wire Transfer Requests for vendors not currently in our system must have a completed W-9 attached. W-9's are available here.
4. Accounts Payable will never pay from a Statement or a quote; original invoices are required.
5. The Controller's Office will not accept Wire Transfer Requests via e-mail.

Travel Advances

Travel Advance Request Forms may be submitted for travel advances to cover expenses not being paid with corporate credit cards or purchase orders.

1. Such requests should be submitted at least two weeks in advance of the travel date to ensure the timely issuance of the check.
2. All checks issued for an advance will be entered as an Account Receivable (A/R) due from the employee until a properly documented and approved Travel Expense Report is submitted to Accounts Payable.
3. To ensure proper credit to your outstanding balance, attach all original receipts and a completed Travel Expense Report along with all other supporting documents.
4. Any cash remaining should be deposited at the cashier’s window with a Deposit Form and must reference the original cash advance. A copy of the deposit/receipt should be attached to the Travel Expense report.
5. Travel Advance Requests instructions are available here.
6. Travel Advance Request Forms are available here. 

Expense Reports

Expense reports are used for purpose of travel, training and any non-travel expenses incurred in the course of university business. Requests must go through the department Signature Approval process. Reimbursements for expenses will be made in accordance with the University’s Travel Policy. Below are some excerpts from that policy:

1. Original receipts with detail of purchase (summary receipts from restaurants are not acceptable) must be attached. In the rare occasion that a receipt should be lost, a memo must be attached acknowledging this missing receipt with an explanation of the expense. However, this should be a rare exception and any reimbursement made without a receipt is subject to inclusion as taxable income in your W-2. (see: University’s Travel Policy)
2. U.S. State Department per diem rates may be used for foreign travel when receipts are not available.
3. Work related expenses that are not related to travel or training such as hotel rooms for visitors, entertainment, cell phones and mileage, could also be reimbursed by submitting an expense report.
4. MapQuest mileage totals may be used for mileage reimbursements, and proof of cell phone charges must be attached to reimbursement requests.
5. Please note that mileage rates are updated periodically in accordance with the GSA website rates. To avoid confusion, we ask that the form for Travel Expense Reimbursements be obtained from the Controller’s Office website each and every time you submit these requests.
6. The expense report form for students can be found here.
7. The expense report for staff and faculty can be found here.
8. A locally prepared users manual for Chrome River is available here.

AP Due Date Calculations

The normal vendor will be on 30 day payment terms. The 30 days is calculated from the Invoice Date. If the invoice is more than 30 days old, the system will pay on the next check run. If a vendor is set up as 30 days and you need to pay an invoice sooner, please indicate your needs on the Check Request/Invoice so we may accommodate you.

Due dates may be seen on invoices through WebAdvisor. If you drill into the document, you will be able to see the entry of the invoice in question.

Payments are made 13 days out from the date of the check run. That means if an invoice has been submitted with a February 15 due date, the invoice will be paid on February 2. If the invoice has a due date of February 16, the payment will be made on February 9.

All POs have this stipulation printed on the document so the vendor will know exactly when to expect payment. There are exceptions to this – please check with AP if you need information on any particular vendor.

Tax Status

Jacksonville University is a tax-exempt organization. Advance planning of purchases will eliminate rejection of sales tax reimbursement. Sales tax will not be reimbursed. Tax-exempt certificates are available here.