Accounts Payable

Dear University Community,

Effective immediately, local and domestic travel will no longer require approval by the Division Vice President for your area. International travel will still require approval by the university President.

All travelers must obtain approval in advance by using the travel authorization form available in Adobe Sign and listed in the AP website under Forms.

Travelers must adhere to all travel policy and procedures.  Please refer to the campus travel website for policy information and Certify training resources.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your AP technician for additional assistance.

Lana Lewis
Manager, Accounts Payable

March 22, 2022

Considering the planned re-population of our campus for the Fall 2021 term, and the expected widespread availability of the COVID-19 vaccine, the restrictions previously placed on travel

 will be lifted effective June 1, 2021 with the following guidelines:

 Domestic Travel

• Beginning June 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021, Domestic travel will need to be

         approved by the Division VP for your area.

• Systemwide meetings will be considered on a case by case basis; many may continue

         to be held virtually, if it is not essential to be in person.

 International Travel

• The final decision on which countries will be approved for travel is still pending, but

          expected to be issued soon.

• International travel will continue to be approved by the President.

 Important Travel Information

• Travelers must obtain approval to travel using a travel authorization form. Note that an

          Adobe version is available in Workflow entitled AP-Travel Authorization Form (SELF)

• Travelers must adhere to all travel policy and procedures. Please refer to the

          campus travel website for policy information and Certify Travel reimbursement training tools.

• Supervisors must carefully review requests with a focus on student and employee health and safety.
• Below is the latest travel guidance:

           -   Travel Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

           -   U.S. State Department’s Travel Advisory

The safety and wellbeing of our students, faculty and staff is our utmost priority. We will continue to adapt the   travel protocol and communicate to the campus community as appropriate

Idaho has been added to the list of banned states effective July 1, 2020. Specific information about the travel ban, including exceptions and FAQs, can be found at the California State Attorney General’s website at State of California Department of Justice AB1887.

Due to reductions in operating budgets, actions are required to reduce non-essential travel expenses. As a result, all system-wide meetings and conferences will be held virtually for the FY 2020-21.

Additionally, through June 30, 2021, all international and non-essential domestic travel has been suspended.

In the rare instance when travel could be deemed essential, travelers must submit a written justification to supervisors along with a travel authorization form. Supervisors must carefully review requests with a focus on employee and community safety. Requests for essential travel must be approved by the Division Vice President with final approval by the President. If approved, all standard travel policies and procedures must be followed.

For further questions contact Lana Lewis at lana.lewis@csueastbay.edu.

In response to COVID-19, the Accounts Payable department has converted a number of forms to Adobe Sign. Below is a recap of these process improvements.

In Adobe Sign please select Use a WorkFlow and then choose the desired document:

• AP - Invoice Approval Form

The Invoice Approval workflow is used when the department is in possession of the original invoice. It will route to the appropriate delegation of authority for approval and will then route to the Accounts Payable department. Please be sure to keep the original invoice in the department.

 Important note - we require vendor invoices to be directly sent to the Accounts Payable office. Please reach out to the vendor to change the recipient address to Accounts Payable.

•  AP - Short Term Limited Scope

The campus departments will initiate this form to the vendor. It will then automatically route to Procurement and Accounts Payable.

As a reminder, the STLS form is used when independent contractors and/or individuals are performing work for less than $5,000.  As a reminder, the STLS form can only be used for paying individuals and not companies or partnerships. 

• AP – Vendor Data Record Form (VDR)

When working with a vendor who needs a VDR, the campus representative needs to inquire whether the vendor's organization has an identifying FEIN number or will be using a social security number identification (common for independent contractors, student payments, etc.). 

-          If a FEIN number will be reported, the campus representative may send the VDR form (Adobe Version) available on the Accounts Payable website directly to the vendor. This will only be used when there is no Level 1 data or personal identifiable information (i.e., used for corporations, partnerships, etc.). 

-          If Level 1 data or social security number will be provided, the campus department will need to email general.accounting@csueastbay.edu to make such a request. The only information that the campus representative will include in their request is the vendor's email address. General Accounting will then send the secure VDR request out to the vendor to electronically complete. Note that the campus representative will be copied on the communication. 

•  AP - STD261 Authorization to Use Privately Owned Vehicles on State Business

In accordance with State Policy (S.A.M. 0753 & 0754) approval is requested to use privately owned vehicles to conduct official State business.

• AP - Check Request Form

The check request form can be used for smaller purchases, if unable to purchase on a Pcard. Please refer to the check request guideline for full details. This form will automatically route to the Accounts Payable department. See the Check Request Guidelines for further information.

 https://www.csueastbay.edu/accounting-fiscal/files/docs/ap/check-request-guidelines.pdf

• FS – Travel Authorization Form

Domestic and International Travelers must receive authorization to travel.

For questions, please reach out to your AP Technician, or you can email Lana Lewis at lana.lewis@csueastbay.edu.

New Project Code for Coronavirus Related Expenses

Due to the continued Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the university is required to report the financial impact of the university’s response to the outbreak.  To facilitate multiple reporting requirements, a project code has been established:  EMR001.  The usage of this project code must meet the expense criteria listed below.

EMR001 expense criteria:

• Directly related to Cal State East Bay’s COVID-19 response
• Would not have been incurred if the COVID-19 outbreak had not taken place
• Incurred within the timeframe of the outbreak
• Must be deemed necessary and reasonable, sufficiently documented, and properly authorized

For further questions, please contact kim.napoli@csueastbay.edu.

Accounts Payable reimbursement checks will be mailed out to employees, and will not be available for pick up at the cashier’s office until further notice. All other payments will be mailed as usual. Accounts Payable department will continue to process invoices remotely. As a result, approvals will still be required; however, electronic approvals will be accepted (i.e., Adobe sign, email, etc.)

For questions related to Accounts Payable, please reach out to your AP Technician, or you can email Lana Lewis, lana.lewis@csueastbay.edu

When using the Adobe Sign version, please select from USE A WORKFLOW.

Note that forms begin with the letters AP (e.g., AP-Check Request Form).

• Acknowledgement of Receipt Form (Adobe Sign) 

  ---

• Check Request Form (Adobe Sign) (Instructions) 

  ---

• Direct Deposit Form for Vendor ACH Payment- Please email accounts.payable@csueastbay.edu to sign up

  ---

• Direct Deposit Form for Employees- Please email accounts.payable@csueastbay.edu to sign up

  ---

• Hospitality Expense Form (Adobe Sign) 

  ---

• Travel Expense Form- To be used by students and non-employees. (Web form) (Instructions)
  

  ---

• Hotel/Motel Transient Occupancy Tax Waiver (PDF) 

  ---

• Global Travel Reservation Form (Webpage)  (Instructions) 

  ---

• Short Term Limited Scope Form (Adobe Sign) (Instructions) 

  ---

• STD261 - Authorization to Use Privately Owned Vehicles on State Business (Adobe Sign) (Instructions)

  ---

• Travel Authorization Form (Adobe Sign) (Instructions)

  ---

• Invoice Approval Form (Adobe Sign) (Instructions) 

  ---

• VDR Department Form (Adobe Sign) (Instructions) 

  CSUEB Student VDR Guidance and FAQs

   Vendor VDR Guidance and FAQs

  
  

  ---

• HEERF Expenditure Support Form (PDF) 

Having trouble opening a form? Right click on form link: Click on "Save link As..." ; Open downloaded form with Adobe Reader 9.1 (or higher) or Adobe Pro.

For any further questions, please contact the Accounts Payable department directly for additional assistance.