Accounts Payable is still receiving some paper invoices from suppliers/vendors. These invoices can cause processing issues, as they often do not fully match the Purchase Order. In cases like this, Accounts Payable will notify the shopper via email that they will need to create a new Purchase Requisition so that the invoice can be paid.

We would like to remind shoppers that suppliers which submit invoices through the Ariba network have a much quicker route to getting paid. Additionally, this cuts down on the time and effort shoppers have to put into the purchasing process. Please remember that it is very important to make sure that your Purchase Requisition matches exactly to what you are attempting to buy, and that it is done before goods and or services are provided.

Please look out for emails from Accounts Payable alerting you to the need to create a new PO, if the previous PO cannot be used to post an invoice.  

In spring 2020, BU instituted restrictions to University-sponsored travel of faculty, staff and students. As the pandemic continues to impact communities around the world, Boston University will extend these restrictions until the end of the spring 2021 semester. The University will continually reassess the policy in light of COVID-19 vaccine developments, and will provide an update on the status of the policy by April 5, 2021. A full text of the spring 2021 policy can be found on the Office of the Provost website. 

In BU Guided BUying, Amount Based Purchase Orders (POs) and Blanket Purchase Orders (BPOs), also known as blanket orders, are created and used to purchase goods and services and permit tracking of multiple transactions related to a single supplier and/or agreement.

For more information on when and how to use these types of POs can be found here.

The Internal Revenue Service has issued a final rule that will allow employers to shorten Social Security numbers (SSNs) or alternative taxpayer identification numbers (TINs) on Form W-2 wage and tax statements that are distributed to employees, beginning in 2021.  

To help protect Boston University employees from identity theft, we will begin utilizing this new protocol on this year’s W-2s.

More information on the IRS policy can be found here.

Boston University’s Accounts Payable department utilizes the Paymode service offered by Bank of America to make supplier payments. We are asking our suppliers to enroll in Paymode so that all future payments are made electronically using this service.

Shoppers who work with vendors that are not yet signed up for Paymode can direct them to http://www.paymode.com/bu, where they can get set up.