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Feb Purchasing Event Meeting Minutes

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Survey Responses

These responses were generated from the first round activity during the event.

  • Shop@UW

    • 8 lab managers use this purchase method
    • Comments
      • Use for 10% of purchsaes
      • 1st choice
      • Separate account per grant
      • Primary method. 3-4 accounts and place orders weekly.
      • go here first. search to compare prices.
      • Primary ordering method

  • Requisitions

    • 7 lab managers use this purchase method
    • Comments:
      • Send to accountant to move forward
      • Use rarely for large equipment or overseas
      • Use infrequently through department contact
      • 3 choice. Capital equipment
      • Use for memberships.
      • Generate my own requisitions. 3rd choice

  • P-Card

    • 8 lab managers are card holders
    • 1 lab manager is not a card holder and requests purchases through a department contact
    • Comments:
      • I have two in my name (2 depts)
      • Use often for non-Shop@UW vendors
      • On demand. Try to organize and order weekly.
      • 2nd choice for orders
      • Process through my own purchase request website
      • 2nd order method.  Travel/lodging sent to admin via FASTQ
  • Direct Billing
    • 1 lab manager uses this purchase method
    • comments:
      • Billing library

 

Q&A Responses

I took about 9 “post its” back from the meeting. Several of these we discussed at the meeting, but I am addressing some of the others:

  • Manufacturers’ names on our contracts. The large recently awarded scientific contracts do not currently have the manufacturers’ names posted, as we do not have all this information finalized to add. However, we are working through this and the information should be posted once finalized. Having said that the majority of vendors on both 20-5700 and 20-5916 are manufacturers and sell their own branded products.
  • Vendor searchable data, e.g., ineligible vendor list, preferred vendor, shop@uw vendor and contract number. I brought this up as a concern to my supervisor and some of this may be easier to find in the new system. He made a note to consider this as the P2P implementation team moves forward with configuration and implementation of the system.
  • Purchasing services on a pcard. There is a lot to be considered when purchasing service, so I generally recommend a PO. However, a service that is routine, low risk, off-site, low dollar (best judgement), with a known vendor can be purchased using a pcard. The more complicated and/or expensive services should be purchased on a PO. Note that pcard payments are generally made as soon as the pcard number is provided, so would be paid prior to the service being provided. With a PO we generally pay N30 after the invoice is submitted, which generally gives us time to confirm that the service provided meets our needs.
  • The best way to be informed of changes in purchasing: shop@uw notes scrolling on the left side of the shop@uw page with all the vendor tiles and on shop@uw.wisc.edu, Division of Business Services Newsletter; which can be searched at https://businessservices.wisc.edu, and the purchasing website at https://businessservices.wisc.edu/purchasing/.
  • Many people expressed concerns about the current internal campus billing system.  Accounting Services is working on a new system for internal billing that may alleviate some of the concerns. They will provide me with information about this that I will share with you once I receive.
  • Internal billing was one of the concerns that came up at out meeting on Thursday. Below is a summary of the new functionality that is being rolled out in SFS for internal billing. The decision to use this billing option will be determined by the selling department and not the buying department.
    • UW Madison has begun rolling out a centralized accounts receivable option to campus for non-sponsored accounts receivable. Within this system is the ability to bill internally (Madison department to Madison department). This functionality replaces the use of JET for internal billing. The bill is created in SFS (PeopleSoft) and processes the entry to record revenue and expense at the time of generation. The selling department initiates the transaction. A bill and any attachments are emailed to the buying department at the time the bill is generated. Additionally, bills can be reviewed historically by looking up the invoice number found in WISDM or WISER. Departments interested in processing internal billing through this process can email Tricia & Shauna at uwmsnar@bussvc.wisc.edu.

Downloadable Purchasing Handouts

Contracting for Services HANDOUT 20191029

Contracts Listing Handout Rev 20200219

Importing Products Handout 20191029

Purch Directory 20191029

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