How To

How to obtain a policy exception for a noncompliant expense report (Claimant/Submitter)

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Instructions for a claimant/submitter on how to obtain a policy exception for a noncompliant expense report. Applies to UW–Madison expense reports.

  1. Access the Policy Exception Approval Request web form. You will be prompted for a NetID login to access the form. Note: If this is a request on behalf of a non-employee, the form must be filled out by a current UW–Madison employee with a NetID on behalf of the non-employee.
  2. Fill out the required fields:
    1. Claimant Name – This is the individual requesting reimbursement of policy noncompliant expenses.
    2. Claimant Email
    3. Submitter’s Name (if different than the claimant, e.g., an administrative assistant)
    4. Submitter’s Email (if different than the claimant)
    5. Select Division & Division Name from list. This field is required for form approval routing purposes.
    6. Department UDDS: Enter your six-digit Department ID.
    7. Department Name: Enter the name of your Department.
    8. Total Exception Request Amount: Enter the total dollar amount of your exception request.
    9. Expense Report Number: : Policy exception requests will be for a transaction or transactions on an expense report. Please include the expense report number in this field, if available when submitting the exception approval request form. The expense report number is a ten-digit identification number, e.g., 0001234567.
    10. Select which policy was violated.
    11. Select additional policy violation (if applicable to the situation).
    12. Select additional policy violation (if applicable to the situation).
    13. Reason for Policy Exception Request: Please provide a thorough explanation of the circumstances surrounding the policy violation. Include a description of what happened and a justification for why the exception should be granted.
    14. Actions taken by the claimant and/or department to prevent need for future exceptions of this nature: Please outline how future exceptions of this nature will be avoided, whether there are new procedures in place or if there is now a better understanding of policy requirements.
    15. Please add any supporting documentation: Up to 10 files may be added for the exception approvers to review/consider. Files may include receipts, agenda, relevant emails/communications, etc.
  3. Click Submit. A message will pop up confirming “Your response was submitted.” The claimant (and submitter, if applicable) will receive an email confirmation of submission of the exception request. The submitted form will be automatically routed to the Divisional exception approvers for review.
  4. Approval or denial of the request: Divisional exception approvers will either approve or deny the request.
    1. Approved: The claimant (and submitter, if applicable) will receive an email notifying them of the approval of the policy exception request. The email should be converted to a PDF and attached to the expense report. The expense report may then be resubmitted into workflow.
    2. Denial: The claimant (and submitter, if applicable) will receive an email noting that the request has been rejected.
      1. Expense report: Remove the expense line(s) from the expense report containing noncompliant transactions. Resubmit the report.

Related resource

How to review a policy exception request for an expense report (Divisional Business Office)

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Instructions for Divisional Business Office employees on how to review a policy exception for a noncompliant expense report. Applies to UW–Madison expense reports.

When a new Policy Exception Approval Request form has been submitted by a claimant, both the primary and backup exception approvers for a Division will receive an email from Microsoft Power Automate (flow-noreply@microsoft.com) and a Microsoft Teams Activity notification that the request is pending withing the Microsoft Teams Approvals application. The exception request may be reviewed and acted upon in either Microsoft Outlook or in Microsoft Teams Approvals. Directions for each process follow below.

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Related resource: How to obtain a policy exception for a noncompliant expense report (Claimant/Submitter)

Reviewing a Policy Exception Approval Request Form in Microsoft Outlook

A screenshot showing how a Policy Exemption Approval Request appears in Microsoft Outlook, with numbers next to key areas described in the Outlook approval instructions
Click on image to enlarge – How a Policy Exemption Approval Request appears in Microsoft Outlook
  1. Every Policy Exception Approval Request form will show at the top of the request as “Created by DEXTER FIERRO.” This only indicates that Dexter Fierro, Division of Business Services Business Analyst, created the Power Automate workflow as a whole. He did not create the specific request that is being submitted.
  3. The second line, “Requested for Rebecca Lin” indicates that this Policy Exception Approval Request has been submitted by claimant Rebecca Lin (or on behalf of claimant Rebecca Lin), followed by a date and time stamp for unique identifiers of the request.
  4. In the following section, a summary of form field answers is displayed. Here is where exception approvers will find the Department ID and Department Name logged, as well as the dollar amount and relevant expense report number. The exception request notes exactly which policies were violated and contains claimant responses regarding the circumstances of the exception request and the steps taken to prevent future exception requests of a similar nature.
  5. The hyperlinked text Here is a link to the item you are approving contains a link to the Microsoft SharePoint item record for the specific policy exception approval request form being reviewed. This link is utilized to access attachments added to the Policy Exception Approval Request form, which can be found at the bottom of the SharePoint item page. This link should be used to access attachments, to request additional information from the claimant or submitter via the Comments functionality in SharePoint, or to grant access to another ad-hoc reviewer of the form via the Comments functionality in SharePoint. A comment may be directed to any individual with an Outlook account via @mentions. This functionality may be leveraged to ask the claimant or submitter for more information or to ask other individuals to review the request and comment on it, such as a Department Administrator. It is envisioned that this @mention functionality would be used most often to request more information from the claimant or submitter. The @mention functionality triggers an email to the mentioned individual, which grants them access to the SharePoint item to provide further information via comments. See below for an example of where to find attachments and to see a comment added triggering the claimant to provide more information.

    Screenshot showing how to find Policy Exception Approval Request details in Sharepoint, including seeing attachments and the ability to tag the claimant who submitted the form
    Click on image to enlarge – How to access request attachments and add comments to a request (including tagging a claimant)
  6. When an approver is ready to Approve or Reject the request, the approver should return to the email in their inbox and click their desired action button. Exception approvers have the opportunity to add a comment, but it is not required. Click “Submit” to complete the action step (this is the same regardless of whether Approve or Reject is selected). An email will be sent to the claimant and submitter notifying them of the decision.
  7. For the approver who completed the action step, the Microsoft Power Automate email for the request will dynamically update reflecting the status to Approved or Rejected (Figure A below). For the other approver who did not complete the action step, their Microsoft Outlook email regarding the request will be updated to note “Others have already completed this request” (Figure B below).

    1. Screenshot showing how the Outlook version of the Policy Exception Approval Request dynamically changes to reflect its status -- this example shows what the approving individual sees: "Approved" status
      Figure A. What the approving individual sees they complete the approval process: “Approved” status in the email

    2. Screenshot showing how the Outlook version of the Policy Exception Approval Request dynamically changes to reflect its status -- this example shows what an approving individual sees when a different approver has completed the approval process: "Others have already completed this request" status
      Figure B. What an approving individual sees when a different approver has completed the approval process: “Others have already completed this request” status in the email

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Reviewing a Policy Exception Approval Request Form in Microsoft Teams Approvals

A screenshot of Teams, where Divisional Business Office approved employees will be able to access various Policy Exception Approval Requests and see their status
Click on image to enlarge – How to find requests in Teams under the “Approvals” section
  1. Microsoft Teams has an application called Approvals. All Power Automate Policy Exception Approval Request Forms are visible within and actionable within Microsoft Teams Approvals. This application can be added to Microsoft Teams by clicking on the sidebar View More Apps “…”, searching for Approvals, and then pinning to your taskbar by right-clicking on the icon and selecting Pin. An exception approver will receive an Activity notification every time a Power Automate Policy Exception is submitted for their approval.
  2. Navigate to a requested policy exception form in the Approvals Any items with Status “Requested” are still pending action from approvers. Click anywhere on the Request title to view the details of the submitted form.
  3. A screenshot of the Teams workflow for Policy Exception Approval Requests; this screenshot has a label pointing to the area where you can see why a request was submitted
    Click on image to enlarge – You can see request details when a Policy Exception Approval Request is selected in the Teams workflow, including why the request was completed

    A summary of form field answers is displayed. Here is where exception approvers will find the Department ID and Department Name logged, as well as the dollar amount and relevant expense report number. The exception request notes exactly which policies were violated and contains claimant responses regarding the circumstances of the exception request and the steps taken to prevent future exception requests of a similar nature.

  4. A screenshot of the Teams workflow for Policy Exception Approval Requests; this screenshot has labels to show where you can find attachments, the approval workflow (who needs to do what), a space for comments, and other details
    Click on image to enlarge – The details of a Policy Exception Approval Request, including where you can find attachments, the approval workflow, where to add comments, a reassign option, and the ability to reject or approve the request

    Continue scrolling on the form to view the SharePoint item link Here is a link to the item you are approving. This link is utilized to access attachments added to the Policy Exception Approval Request form, which can be found at the bottom of the SharePoint item page. This link should be used to access attachments, to request additional information from the claimant or submitter via the Comments functionality in SharePoint, or to grant access to another ad-hoc reviewer of the form via the Comments functionality in SharePoint. A comment may be directed to any individual with an Outlook account via @mentions. This functionality may be leveraged to ask the claimant or submitter for more information or to ask other individuals to review the request and comment on it, such as a Department Administrator, for instance. It is envisioned that this @mention functionality would be used most often to request more information from the claimant or submitter. The @mention functionality triggers an email to the mentioned individual, which grants them access to the SharePoint item to provide further information via comments.

  5. A diagram of the approval workflow is provided with both the primary approver and backup approver listed.
  6. If an approver would like to add comments, they may do so in the Comments section.
  7. The form approval may be reassigned to another Teams user with a Microsoft account. Note: This is not recommended as a best practice. The primary and backup approvers should be approving all requests. The SharePoint @mention functionality can be used to gain additional feedback from individuals, but the requests themselves should always be approved by the Divisional CFO or delegate (the primary or secondary approver).
  8. When an approver is ready to take action on the form, click Reject to deny the request or Approve to approve of the exception request. An email will be sent to the claimant and submitter notifying them of the decision. The Microsoft Teams Approvals log will dynamically update the status of the form once this is completed.

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How to Notify Cash Management of Outgoing Wire Transfer Payment

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HOW TO NOTIFY CASH MANAGEMENT OF OUTGOING WIRE TRANSFER OR DRAFT PAYMENT

  1. Fill out an Outgoing Wire Form.
  2. Attach the completed form to the front of the appropriate expense request document: Direct Payment (DP), Payment to Individual Report (PIR), Purchase Order (PO), or e-Reimbursement. Also include a copy of the invoice and other supporting documentation.
  3. Forward the expense request and other documentation through regular department payment channels for review and to obtain the appropriate approvals.
  4. The approved expense request and supporting documentation should then be forwarded to Accounts Payables to review. Accounts Payable will then forward approved expense requests to be paid by Wire Transfer to Cash Management to process.

Department Costs for Outgoing Wire Transfer and ACH Transactions

Type of Payment Amount of Fee
International Wire Transfer in Foreign Currency $0.00 (No Fee)
International Wire Transfer in US Dollars $16.00
Domestic Wire Transfer in US Dollars $2.25
ACH Payment (Domestic Only)* $0.00 (No Fee)

* Search the vendor in WISER to see if the default payment method is Automated Clearing House (ACH). If this is the default payment method, the Outgoing Wire Form is not necessary. If the vendor payment method is not set to ACH, contact acctg@bussvc.wisc.edu to see if it can be setup

Contact cashmgt@bussvc.wisc.edu with any questions regarding the forms or to check on the status of your wire transfer payment.

How To Obtain Shipping Services at UW-Madison

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How To Obtain Shipping Services at UW-Madison

Effective June 13, 2022, the UPS express package and delivery related services contract with E&I expired. UPS is not accepting new account requests to receive E&I discounts; however, your account is automatically migrating to the NASPO contract managed by the Department of Administration. The migration was completed in early June 2022. Shipping rates may double on the upcoming contract (see FAQ below for more information).

Due to market unpredictability, users are encouraged to procure services through FedEx, UPS, and USPS to receive the best pricing.

Please refer to the user guides for information on setting up accounts, navigating the contracts, and points of contact. FedEx and UPS user guides can be found in the documents section (bottom of page) on VendorNet. You can find information about USPS in this USPS user guide (PDF).

How to obtain outbound shipping services at UW–Madison

A purchasing card (PCard) must be used to setup new accounts for express package and delivery related service payments. UW–Madison will no longer be using funding strings as payment on new accounts for these types of services.

  • For PCard information, please contact pcard@bussvc.wisc.edu .
  • For billing plan or invoice information, please contact freight@bussvc.wisc.edu .
  • For service-related questions, please contact the vendor. Their contacts are provided in the user guides.

Key benefits

  • The FedEx and UPS NASPO contracts 505ENT-O22-SMLPAKGDLV-00 have a lot of buying power consolidated, so they offer the best pricing.
  • USPS is exempt from spend thresholds (best judgement, simplified bid, etc.); therefore, a contract isn’t required, so services aren’t limited to a contract term.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What changes can I expect on the upcoming UPS/NASPO Contract?
Pickup fees will be waived, and fuel surcharges capped at 7%, but all other charges and value-added services are list rates, in comparison to discounts in the previous contract. We will not receive the discounts we are accustomed to, and per package rates may double.

UPS’s Daily Rate and Service Guide, and Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service in effect at time of shipment will be incorporated into your shipping agreement. Only terms and conditions required by State law are incorporated into the contract, so most clauses we are accustomed to referencing will not be included.

What are my payment options?
If you are setting up a new account, use your PCard as the payment method.

If you have an existing account that uses another means of payment, those accounts can remain as is until further notice.

What do I do about service areas vendors cannot handle?
Please use best judgement, simplified bid, or contact purchasing services if costs exceed $50,000.

How do I find a drop box nearest to my location?
To find the nearest location to drop off your packages, please consult the following sites: UPS, FedEx, USPS.

How to Sell, Dispose of, or Trade In an Item or Piece of Equipment

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How to Sell, Dispose of, or Trade In an Item or Piece of Equipment

Purchasing Services has the sole authority for disposal of surplus and abandoned property at UW–Madison (other than titled and licensed vehicles which are handled by the Department of Administration – refer to Policy UW-3056). When possible all surplus property sales are conducted at the SWAP (Surplus with a Purpose) Warehouse, located at 1061 Thousand Oaks Trail, Verona, Wisconsin.

Sales and disposal of surplus items

For most items, the process begins by contacting SWAP via the completion of a Surplus Request Form. SWAP collects all reusable, repairable, or salvageable surplus equipment from the UW–Madison campus and state agencies in the Madison area, but will NOT collect items which are unsafe to handle or intended for recycling or disposal by another State department. Please consult the Material Acceptance Guidelines web page for more information. Depending on the value and type of items received, SWAP may choose to list items in their inventory and/or an online auction. Profits from the sales will be returned to departments according to the current SWAP revenue sharing rate (PDF).

For information on the disposal of hazardous materials or animals (live or dead), please see the Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) website.

Trading in an item

For items associated with a formal bidding process, trade-in language can be added to the bid as a part of the package. Alternately, SWAP may provide a better return on your investment by offering the item for sale to a targeted audience. If you are interested in trading in a piece of equipment, please contact the purchasing agent responsible for that commodity area to discuss the trade and determine if it will offer the best value for your items.

University departments are NOT authorized to trade in or dispose of state property to persons or organizations outside UW- Madison without Purchasing Services approval.

For more information

See Policy UW-3057 (Disposal of Surplus University Property), contact SWAP, or contact the purchasing agent responsible for the items you are interested in disposing of or trading in.

How To Obtain/Apply for a Taxpayer Identification Number for Non-Resident Aliens (NRA’s) Receiving Any Payment From UW-Madison

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How To Obtain/Apply for a Taxpayer Identification Number for Non-Resident Aliens (NRA's) Receiving Any Payment From UW-Madison

All persons receiving tax reportable payments from UW-Madison must have, or have applied for (proof required), a United States Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN). For individuals the Taxpayer Identification number can be a Social Security Number (SSN) or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). For businesses the Taxpayer Identification Number is an Employer Identification Number (EIN) or a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN).

The flowchart below outlines the requirements for obtaining or applying for a Social Security Number (SSN) or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) for all Nonresident Aliens (NRA’s) that are being paid through the University of Wisconsin.

As stated in the flowchart, please make sure that if your nonresident alien visitor needs an SSN or an ITIN that you plan ahead of their visit and schedule appointments ahead of time to have them apply for their numbers. The University of Wisconsin ITIN Acceptance Agent requires appointments for all ITIN applications. Please do not send your foreign visitors or students to the University of Wisconsin ITIN Acceptance Agent without appointments.

Download PDF of flowchart.

How To Determine Which Tax Related Documents are Required When Making Non-Payroll Payments at UW-Madison

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How To Determine Which Tax Related Documents are Required When Making Non-Payroll Payments at UW-Madison

The flowchart below guides you in determining which tax related documents are required when making payments at UW-Madison. This is especially important when making payments to Nonresident Alien (NRA) visitors because additional immigration (visa restrictions, documentation, etc.) and tax (tax treaties, etc.) issues are involved. For example, for NRA’s the visa type determines the kind of payments the UW is allowed to make to the NRA. Please make sure you review flowchart as part of your planning process ahead of the visitor arriving because these requirements must be adhered to.

If you still have tax related questions after reviewing our tax web pages please contact your Dean’s Office for assistance.

NOTE: If the payment for services performed by an NRA is being made to their company (i.e., invoice received by UW by NRA’s company), the UW is required to treat the payment as being made to the NRA for required immigration and taxation purposes. As such all the required immigration documentation and taxation listed in the flowchart below must be followed for the NRA, not their company.

Visit the Tax Compliance And Reporting guide for more information

How to Secure Lease or Purchase Financing

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How to Secure Lease or Purchase Financing

To acquire financing for a lease/purchase transaction, contact the purchasing agent for the commodity you are interested in acquiring. The agent will help you complete a requisition for “lease” of equipment or for the purchase involving financing, and will guide you along in the process.

All lease/purchase financing must be conducted through the Department of Capital Finance on the established bulletin for financing. The only exception would be financing required by a mandatory state bulletin.

How to Make Expenditures from UW Foundation Accounts

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How to Make Expenditures from UW Foundation Accounts

Procedure for making expenditures from University Accounts using Foundation Funds

  • Transfer money from the appropriate UW Foundation accounts to a new or existing Fund 233 projects at the University by following the instructions in “Requesting Gift Funds from UW Foundation”.
  • Make your expenditure from the Fund 233 project following University directions described in “How to Make A Purchase“.
  • Such money should be transferred prior to making the expenditure from the 233 Project.

Procedure for making expenditures directly from Foundation Funds

  • Determine that making the expenditure directly from the UW Foundation is appropriate.
  • To the maximum extent possible, University expenditures are to be made from University Accounts using procedure 1 above.
  • Only those expenditures which are necessary to support ongoing programs where the expenditure is not allowed by University or State regulations and where you feel comfortable explaining the reasonableness of the expenditure if it is challenged in the press or in public, should be made directly from the Foundation. See the last section of this August 2009 email about UW-Madison and UW Foundation Policies (PDF) for examples of typically appropriate and typically inappropriate transactions.
  • Complete a UW Foundation Check/ACH Request Form on the WFAA Advancement Resources website and route the form and all documentation through your Dean or Director’s office for approval.
  • Remember that documentation of these transactions is considered a public record.

For more complete information about the relationship of the UW Foundation and the University see the Chancellor’s August 2009 email about UW Madison and UW Foundation Policies (PDF).

In e-Reimbursement, the traveler will be reimbursed for both Foundation and UW expenditures by the University upon approval of their expense report. The University will then collect the UW Foundation portion of the payment from the Foundation accounts specified when the expense report is filed.

  • The traveler prepares and submits the expense report. The receipt packet must include detailed receipts for expenses over $25 and the business reason and justification for the expense that will be charged to the Foundation.
  • Ensure that the expense to be charged to the Foundation is in compliance with UW-Madison and UW Foundation Policies.
  • Only expenses that cannot be paid by the UW are allowed to be split and charged to the UW Foundation by Approvers.
  • All expenses charged to the UW Foundation must have a valid, open, UW Foundation account number and funds available to cover the expense.
  • The specific names of persons for whom expenses were incurred must be entered in e-Reimbursement. General terms such as “staff” or “donors” are not sufficient.
  • Receipts to support the expense must be obtained and retained according to UW procedures and available upon request by UW Foundation staff.
  • Accounting Services will bill UW Foundation weekly.
  • Auditors will reconcile the receivable account monthly.

 Step-by-step instructions

  1. Click the Expense Details link.
  2. Display the funding string for the appropriate expense by expanding the two grey arrows (left of the date and left of the Accounting Details).
  3. If splitting the charge between a UW funding string and Foundation funding, click the plus sign to the far right of the funding string (you will have to use the scroll bar below the funding string).
  4. Change the account code to 6240 for the funding line being charged to Foundation funding.  Hit ‘tab’ when finished.  Do not delete the rest of the funding string.
  5. Click the Foundation link to the left of the funding string.  Enter the 9-digit Foundation account number, the Foundation account description, and the reason for using Foundation funding.  Click OK.
  6. Update the amounts to reflect the proper split between UW funding and Foundation funding.
  7. For Hosted Meals, click the Additional Attendees link.  Add the names and affiliations of the additional attendees, if not already done so.

How to Obtain Products or Equipment for Trial, Evaluation, Demonstration or Loan

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How to Obtain Products or Equipment for Trial, Evaluation, Demonstration or Loan

ll vendors providing the University with property for evaluation, trial, or loan must complete a Product Evaluation Letter or Product Evaluation Agreement.

Insurance coverage for products offered to the University on an evaluation, trial, or loan basis is normally provided by the vendor. The University may accept the risk in certain instances as approved by Risk Management.

  1. Contact the appropriate Purchasing Agent to have a Product Evaluation Letter sent, informing the vendor of our insurance and purchasing requirements. This must be done prior to the University’s receipt of property.
  2. If the vendor requires a PO:
    • The Purchasing Agent can advise the vendor that a Product Evaluation Agreement can be prepared and sent to them in place of the PO. This is a formal agreement as opposed to the evaluation letter.
    • If this is acceptable to the vendor, the agent will prepare and process the agreement.
    • No zero dollar purchase orders (POs) can be issued for evaluation of property.
  3. If the vendor insists there is a “contractual obligation” or the department and vendor have agreed the University will accept the insurance risk, the department must contact Risk Management for approval. Additional information regarding the Risk Management requirements is available through their Property Program website (see paragraph beginning with “Borrowed Property”).