What is the Student Activities Business Office (SABO)?
The Student Activities Business Office (SABO) supports the financial and administrative needs of student organizations and university departments engaged in student programming. SABO acts as the central hub for processing payments, reimbursements, vendor contracts, purchasing, and travel for student-led initiatives. The office ensures compliance with university policies and helps student groups manage their allocated funds responsibly. In addition to financial services, SABO provides training, guidance, and oversight to promote transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the use of student activity fees.
Who Can Access SABO Services?
All student groups, that are recognized by the university and in good standing with the Student Activities Office/Student Leadership & Impact Center.
How Can We Help You?
Contact Information
Students who have any questions or concerns, please contact sabo@bu.edu.
For vendors, please visit Guided Buying For Suppliers.
FAQs
Budget & Account Management
How do I check my student organization’s account balance?
Login to your student organization’s Terrier Central account. Click the left side bar and scroll down to your group’s name and then select finance. Once you are on that page, on the top right click accounts and you can view your organization’s balance.
Do funds roll over from year to year?
Yes, for most organizations’ funds roll over. Although this will not be the case for organizations that get direct allocations from Community Service Fee, which the funds will get swept at the end of the academic year.
What happens if our account balance is negative?
If your account balance is negative, please make sure to have incoming funds deposited into your account to take out of deficit. You can write us a check (made out to Trustees of Boston University), and we can deposit the check for you. You can also do an online donation for your group. It is of great importance that you keep track of your finances to prevent this from happening as it can disrupt your budget approval with the Allocation Board.
Compliance & Restrictions
Contracts
Who is authorized to sign contracts for my student organization?
Students are never allowed to sign. Depending on the scope it will either be the Director of Student Leadership & Impact Center (SLIC) or BU Sourcing will complete this as part of your PR submission.
When would I need a contract?
There are three main instances when student organizations need a contract:
- Your organization plans on paying a speaker or performer
- You are renting a venue off campus
- You are bringing a vendor to campus who will provide a service to your organization
How far in advance do I need to submit a contract?
You should submit these 6-8 weeks in advance via your Event Request in Terrier Central.
Why does this process take so long?
The contracts process includes multiple other offices on campus. Unfortunately, we are unable to speed up these parts of the processes.
How do contracted vendors get paid?
Once your event is over, you will need to submit a vendor payment request for all contracted vendors. Your service provider will not be paid without this step.
Fundraising & Deposits
I don't see my donations/Eventbrite revenue reflected in our account?
Deposits are not real time. The funds are manually allocated, so this may take some time for you to see it reflected in your account.
How do I deposit cash or checks into my group’s account?
Bring a check to SABO and complete a deposit slip. The check must be made payable to Trustees of Boston University. Please note, we can only accept checks with no cash.
Spending Money
What constitutes an invoice?
Invoices should include the vendor’s name, vendor address, an invoice number, date, and itemized price breakdown including total amount. Quotes, pro forma invoices, and order confirmations are not accepted as invoices.
Payments to People
Please see our Payment Procedures chart to understand the payment process by category.
What is an honorarium?
An honorarium is a token payment given to a guest speaker, performer, or expert to thank them for sharing their time or expertise — especially when they’re not charging a fee. It’s not salary or wage, but rather a gesture of appreciation for a guest participating in an event, panel, or activity.
Purchase Requests (PR)
When do I submit a PR?
Purchase Request (PR) is submitted via Terrier Central, when groups need pay from vendors or procure goods. This includes supplies, service subscriptions and membership dues.
This is submitted after your Event Request has been approved.
What’s the timeline?
You should submit the PR at least 14 business days ahead of your event. For planning purposes – please remember this is submitted after your Event Request has been approved. So please factor that into your timeline.
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How can I expedite my request?
We cannot expedite any purchase requests as this is a first come first serve basis. Please plan accordingly, keeping in mind that we need at least 2 weeks to process PR’s depending on demand.
Who can submit a PR?
Only the President or Treasurer can submit a PR.
What do I need for my PR?
Please see our Payment Procedures chart with tailored directions for each type of purchase. The process of paying a vendor/supplier differs depending on their status and will need specific documentation and information.
How do I title my request?
This is very important – please ensure your subject title is in the correct format:
- For events – Event Name: Event Date: Vendor/Payee’s name so that would read – Splash: 09/06/24: Peak
- For general business – General Business: Current Date: Vendor Name an example would be General business: 10/10/2025: Amazon
- Date format MM/DD/YYY
- You need the “:”
If the titles are not in this format, the PR will be denied and need to be resubmitted correctly.
Why is my purchase request denied?
Please see the notes in the comment section of the PR. Once it is denied you will have to make the appropriate changes and resubmit.
Reimbursements
Can I pay for things out of pocket and get reimbursed?
Student organizations are strongly discouraged from paying out of pocket. However, officers may make organization-related purchases and request reimbursement via Engage if they do so within 30 days of the itemized receipt.
How do I request reimbursement?
Submit your reimbursement request via Engage, including an itemized receipt. Requests must be tied to a registered and approved event in Engage.
How do I request reimbursement?
Once your reimbursement is approved, it may take up to 3 weeks for a check to be produced.
