3077.2 Creating a Bill Procedure

Departments are responsible for entering bills into SFS. The Division of Business Services (DoBS) will generate invoices from the bills entered. Bills can be entered as either one-time or installment. Payment terms generally will be Net30, unless an exception has been approved by DoBS.

Procedure # 3077.2; Rev.: 7.1.20 (Effective July 1, 2020)
Related Policy: UW-3077 Non-Sponsored Centralized Accounts Receivable Policy
Functional Owner: Director of Financial Information Management
Contact: Supervisor Central AR for Non-Sponsored Billing, (608) 890-1328 or uwmsnar@bussvc.wisc.edu


Contents

  1. Procedure statement
  2. Who is affected by this procedure
  3. Procedure
  4. Definitions
  5. Related references
  6. Revisions

I. Procedure statement

Departments are responsible for entering bills into Shared Financial Services (SFS). The Division of Business Services (DoBS) will generate invoices from the bills entered. Bills can be entered as either one-time or installment. Payment terms generally will be Net30, unless an exception has been approved by DoBS.

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II. Who is affected by this procedure

Any department selling goods or services for non-sponsored activities should use this procedure.

The SFS Accounts Receivable and Billing System is currently being rolled out to UW–Madison departments for all non-sponsored accounts receivable, including internal and external customers. The use of SFS for non-sponsored billing and receivables was launched in November 2018 and will be introduced campus-wide in the coming months/years – unless otherwise agreed upon with the Division of Business Services.

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III. Procedure

The following steps represent the overall process for creating a bill:

  • Use the bill upload template to import bills
  • Follow the instructions to upload bills

The following journal entries are a sample of what will post when the bills are generated:

Internal customer:

Debit: Buying Department Expense XXXX
Credit: Selling Department Revenue XXXX

External customer:

Debit: Selling Department Accounts Receivable (#6200) XXXX
Credit: Selling Department Revenue XXXX

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IV. Definitions

  • Bill – A bill is a document created when a sale is made. A bill becomes an invoice when a balance is due. For the purpose of this policy, intra-unit bills (Madison department to Madison department) never become invoices because the bill is paid at the same time the bill is created.
  • Invoice – A bill becomes an invoice when the bill is delivered to the customer and creates a balance due.

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V. Related resources

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VI. Revisions

Procedure Number 3077.2
Date Approved July 1, 2020
Revision Dates Jan. 19, 2021 – Procedure number updated from 100.2 to 3077.2 in new numbering system.

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3077.1 Shared Customer Procedure

UW-Madison Non-Sponsored AR and Billing has a shared customer file that is managed centrally by the Division of Business Services (DoBS).

Procedure #3077.1, Rev.: 7.1.20 (Effective July 1, 2020)
Related Policy:  UW-3077 Non-Sponsored Centralized Accounts Receivable Policy
Functional Owner: Director of Financial Information Management
Contact: Supervisor Central AR for Non-Sponsored Billing, (608) 890-1328, uwmsnar@bussvc.wisc.edu


Contents

  1. Procedure statement
  2. Who is affected by this procedure
  3. Procedure
  4. Related references
  5. Revisions

I. Procedure statement

UW–Madison Non-Sponsored AR and Billing has a shared customer file that is managed centrally by the Division of Business Services (DoBS). Departments can request new internal or external customers by submitting the Customer upload file. Customers can have multiple contacts and locations. Modifications to existing customer information including additional contacts or locations should be requested through the uwmsnar@bussvc.wisc.edu mailbox. DoBS will review each customer request to ensure compliance with export control lists such as OFAC.

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II. Who is affected by this procedure

Any department that is using Billing and Accounts Receivable modules in SFS for invoicing to non-sponsored customers either within the UW–Madison community or externally.

The SFS Accounts Receivable and Billing System is currently being rolled out to UW–Madison departments for all non-sponsored accounts receivable, including internal and external customers. The use of SFS for non-sponsored billing and receivables was launched in November of 2018 and will be introduced campus-wide in the coming months/years – unless otherwise agreed upon with the Division of Business Services.

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III. Procedure

The following steps represent the overall process for requesting new customers:

  1. Fill out either the Internal or External customer upload file.
  2. If the customer is already set up but a different contact or location is needed, fill out the Customer Update Form.
  3. Email to DoBS – uwmsnar@bussvc.wisc.edu.
  4. DoBS will review the customer information and ensure the customer is not on any export control lists such as OFAC.
  5. DoBS will reply via email when customers have been set up.

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IV. Related references

  • Internal Customer request form
  • External Customer request form
  • Customer Update form

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V. Revisions

Procedure Number 3077.1
Date Approved July 1, 2020
Revision Dates Jan. 19, 2021 – Procedure number updated from 100.1 to 3077.1 in new numbering system.

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3031.B Open and Manage a Merchant Account using an EMV Chip or Swipe Machine Procedure

Open a Merchant Account using an EMV Chip or Swipe Machine

Procedure #3031.B; Rev.: 2.12.20 (Effective January 1, 2020)
Related Policy: UW-3031 Credit Card Merchant Services and PCI Compliance Policy
Functional Owner: Cash Management, Business Services
Contact: PCI Mailbox: pci-help@bussvc.wisc.edu


Contents

  1. Procedure statement
  2. Who is affected by this procedure
  3. Procedure
  4. Definitions
  5. Related references
  6. Revisions

I. Procedure statement

The University of Wisconsin–Madison can accept payment card payments from customers to pay for goods and services in person. A payment card terminal is used for processing payments in-person or over-the-phone by a merchant at the point-of-interaction. In some cases, payments can be made via fax communication if proper security is in place and is properly documented.

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II. Who is affected by this procedure

This procedure applies to all UW–Madison departments that accept payment cards via payment card terminals. This procedure should be understood by all Divisional Business Representatives (DBRs), Site Managers, and Operators of the merchant accounts.

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III. Procedure

Below are the steps for opening a merchant account that uses an approved PCI P2PE or an approved EMV payment card terminal with no electronic cardholder data storage:

  1. Complete and submit the Card Merchant ID Request Form.
    1. The Divisional Business Representative (DBR) must approve the new merchant account.
      1. The DBR will receive an email upon completion of the Card Merchant ID Request Form. The DBR should then sign into the portal to approve the request.
    2. The DBR should determine which card brands the new merchant will accept.
      1. The standard set up for a new merchant account includes MasterCard, Visa, and Discover. Should the department decide to choose to accept American Express cards, an additional reconciliation and an additional connection is required.
  2. Cash Management will review and approve the submitted Card Merchant ID Request Form and contact the Site Manager to facilitate setting up Payments Insider access.
    1. Cash Management will provide information on payment card machines, including pricing information. Standalone payment card machines will ship directly from Elavon to the campus department. The cost of the new payment card machine will be charged directly to the merchant account.
    2. Each person who logs into Payments Insider for settlements and monthly statements is required to have a unique operator ID.
    3. Complex Point of Sale Systems will require additional PCI review and approval, signed contracts, and annual AoC documentation. Please contact pci-help@bussvc.wisc.edu for additional information.
  3. The PCI Site Manager is required to establish card handling procedures and a contingency plan for processing transactions should the primary system be unavailable. Once complete, these policies and procedures shall be submitted to Cash Management via email (pci-help@bussvc.wisc.edu).
  4. Cash Management will schedule a PCI site visit with the Site Manager once a Merchant ID (MID) is assigned by Elavon. During the PCI site visit, Cash Management will review the department business policies and procedures and assist with completing the Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ).
  5. When the equipment is received, verify the machine has the correct address, merchant name, and MID on the machine.
  6. The PCI Site Manager is responsible to document:
    1. Make and model of the device(s)
    2. Physical location of the device(s)
    3. Device Serial number(s) or other methods of unique identification
    4. Physical inspection of each device periodically to detect tempering, skimming devices, and unauthorized substitution; Record your device information and inspection dates (charge.wisc.edu/users)
  7. Call Elavon Training at (866) 451-4007 to schedule a training on how to use the payment card terminal; training includes daily transactions and settlements. Note: the payment card terminal will not auto settle unless the terminal is turned on.
  8. Elavon terminals are factory shipped and contain incorrect information on each terminal. The merchant is required to add the correct information directly on the terminal containing this information:
    1. Equipment problems – Relationship Premier Services: (800) 725-1245
    2. Supplies such as thermal paper – Customer Service Center: (800) 725-1243
    3. Elavon Training: (866) 451-4007

Merchant account fees

Any fees associated with the acceptance of payment cards in a campus department will be charged to the related merchant on a monthly basis. These fees will post to WISER on the first of the month for the prior month’s transactions. Expenses include a monthly account maintenance fee of $5.00, Elavon processing fees of approximately 2.5% of each transaction, and in some cases $7.50 for chargeback fees (rare). American Express charges a fee of 2.1% of each transaction.

Requirements to manage a Merchant Account

  1. Annual completion of a Self-Assessment Questionnaire every calendar year.
  2. Participation in assessments of your environment by the designated PCI Compliance Analyst and/or Internal Security Assessor.
  3. Completion of mandatory annual payment card industry (PCI) merchant training.
  4. Maintaining documentation of employees who have participated in the annual training, with the ability to produce to the PCI Compliance Analyst upon request.
  5. In some instances, maintaining relationships with third party vendors for departmental specific payment applications, to receive compliance documentation from the vendors (AOCs, ASV Scans, etc.).
  6. Review annually the University Policies and Procedures related to the PCI compliance environment. UW-3031 Credit Card Merchant Services and PCI Compliance Policy
  7. Maintain accurate lists of individuals within your organization directly involved in the credit card processing environment.
  8. Reconcile the transactions from the merchant account to WISER, at a minimum, monthly.

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IV. Definitions

  • Campus Merchant Department – Manage the daily operations of the merchant account(s) and maintain PCI compliance.
  • Divisional Business Representative (DBR) – An individual within the divisional or dean’s office. This individual has the highest level of PCI responsibility, including approving the initial merchant account request and annually reviewing the SAQ as the executive officer.
  • Payments Insider – An online tool from Elavon, the credit card processor, which displays transaction activity and monthly statements.
  • Site Manager – This individual is the point of contact for the campus department merchant account(s) and should have influence to establish procedures for the day-to-day handling of payment cards to ensure compliance.

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V. Related references

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VI. Revisions

Procedure Number 3031.B
Date Approved January 1, 2020
Revision Dates Jan. 19, 2021 – Changed Procedure Number to 3031.B from 404.B
Sept. 14, 2023 – Small tweaks related to language change (terminal vs. machine) and added a section with what is needed to manage a merchant account.

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3031.A Open and Manage an Internet Storefront Merchant Account Procedure

Open an Internet Storefront Merchant Account Procedure

Procedure # 3031.A; Rev.: 2.12.20 (Effective January 1, 2020)
Related Policy: UW-3031 Payment Card Merchant Services and PCI Compliance Policy 
Functional Owner: Cash Management, Business Services
Contact: PCI Mailbox: pci-help@bussvc.wisc.edu


Contents

  1. Procedure statement
  2. Who is affected by this procedure
  3. Procedure
  4. Definitions
  5. Related references
  6. Revisions

I. Procedure statement

The University of Wisconsin–Madison can accept payment cards from customers to pay for goods and services. An Internet storefront is a method of accepting e-commerce payment transactions via a website.

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II. Who is affected by this procedure

This procedure applies to all UW–Madison departments that accept payment cards online. This procedure should be understood by all Divisional Business Representatives (DBRs), Site Managers, and Operators of the merchant accounts.

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III. Procedure

Below are the steps for opening an internet storefront merchant account:

  1. Complete and submit the Card Merchant ID Request Form.
    1. The DBR must approve the new merchant account.
      1. The DBR will receive an email upon completion of the Card Merchant ID Request Form. The DBR should then sign into the portal to approve the request.
    2. The DBR should determine which card brands the new merchant will accept.
      1. The standard set up for a new merchant account includes MasterCard, Visa, and Discover. Should the department decide to choose to accept American Express cards, an additional reconciliation and an additional connection is required.
  2. Cash Management will review the submitted Card Merchant ID Request Form and contact the Site Manager to facilitate setting up CASHNet and Merchant Connect.
    1. Each person that will log into CASHNet and Merchant Connect must have a unique operator ID.
    2. The department should provide a logo for the checkout page.
  3. The PCI Site Manager must establish card handling procedures and a contingency plan for processing transactions should the primary system be unavailable. Once complete, these policies and procedures shall be emailed to Cash Management (pci-help@bussvc.wisc.edu).
  4. The PCI Compliance Assistance Team and Elavon will review the website that is being used and ensure that it directs customers to CASHNet for payment. The hosting location must be determined and approved before the Merchant ID (MID) goes into production.
  5. Cash Management will schedule a PCI site visit with the Site Manager once a MID is assigned by Elavon. During the PCI site visit, Cash Management will review the department business policies and procedures and assist with completing the Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ).
  6. Cash Management, or a specific DoIT staff, will activate the MID within CASHNet after the PCI site visit. Once the MID is in production in CASHNet, the storefront website may be used by customers.
  7. The PCI Site Manager must track all live websites in use that redirect to the payment page. Contact pci-help@bussvc.wisc.edu to close the websites that are no longer used for payment.

Merchant account fees

Any fees associated with the acceptance of payment cards in a campus department will be charged to the related merchant on a monthly basis. These fees can be seen in WISER/WISDM once they have been posted. Expenses may include a monthly account maintenance fee of $5.00, Elavon processing fees of approximately 2% of each transaction, and $7.50 for chargeback fees. American Express charges a fee of 2.1% of each transaction.

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IV. Definitions

  • Campus Merchant Department – Manage the daily operations of the merchant account(s) and maintain PCI compliance.
  • CASHNet – A third-party, e-commerce service provider contracted by the University of Wisconsin that is used to process credit card payments.
  • Divisional Business Representative (DBR) – An individual within the dean or divisional office. This individual has the highest level of PCI responsibility including approving the initial merchant account request and annually reviewing the SAQ as the executive officer.
  • Merchant Connect (MCP) – An online tool from Elavon, the credit card processor, which displays transaction activity and monthly statements.
  • Site Manager – This individual is the point of contact for the campus department merchant account(s) and should have influence to establish procedures for the day-to-day handling of payment cards to ensure compliance.

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V. Related references

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VI. Revisions

Procedure Number 3031.A
Date Approved January 1, 2020
Revision Dates Jan. 19, 2021 – Changed Procedure Number to 3031.A from 404.A

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3025.2 How to Approve and Reconcile a Cash Advance (Approver/Auditor Procedures)

How to Approve and Reconcile a Cash Advance (Approver/Auditor Procedures)

Procedure # 3025.2; Rev.: 1 (Effective October 10, 2018)
Related Policy: UW-3025 Cash Advance Policy
Functional Owner: Accounting Services, Business Services
Contact: Expense Reimbursement Program Manager – Allie Demet, expensereimbursement@bussvc.wisc.edu, (608) 263-3525


Contents

  1. Procedure statement
  2. Who is affected by this procedure
  3. Procedure
  4. Contact roles and responsibilities
  5. Definitions
  6. Related references
  7. Revisions

I. Procedure statement

Cash Advance requests are submitted through the Shared Financial System (SFS). Employees must first be approved by their Dean’s/Divisional Business Office to receive Cash Advances. Employees’ profiles must be activated for Cash Advances by Business Services before they can create and submit Cash Advances. Employees must fully reconcile Cash Advances within 30 days of the end of the trip.

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II. Who is affected by this procedure

e-Reimbursement approvers and auditors who review, approve, and reconcile Cash Advances.

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III. Procedure

  1. Pre-Approval: Prior to advancement, a Cash Advance Activation Request Form must be submitted to Business Services. This form must be approved by the Department and Division. Once the form has been submitted and the traveler’s profile has been activated, the traveler can request a cash advance. Once activated, the traveler’s profile is permanently activated unless the Department or Division specifically requests a traveler to be deactivated.
  2. Cash Advance Approval: Cash advances are approved by an approver and auditor. They appear in approver/auditor queues with expense reports. The level of detail required in a cash advance is determined by the department and division.
  3. Reconciliation: Cash advances must be fully reconciled within 30 days of the end of the trip.
    1. Traveler submits expense report: Travelers must submit an expense report to account for the use of advanced funds.  Expenses post to the general ledger after the expense report is approved; expenses do not post when the cash advance is approved.
    2. Refund of excess advanced funds: Travelers must promptly refund any unused advanced funds to the University. Deposits must be made to the funding used in the cash advance.
      1. Identify the funding string used on the cash advance:
        1. Sign into WISDM.
        2. Navigate to Main Menu > Other > Transaction Search.
        3. Complete the search criteria as follows:
          • Select the Fiscal Year and Accounting Period in which the Cash Advance was paid.
          • Change the Dept drop-down menu to starts with and enter the traveler’s Division code (e.g. 48 for L&S).
          • Change the Account drop-down menu to is exactly and enter account code 6166.
          • Change the Description drop-down menu to is exactly and enter the traveler’s Employee ID.
          • Check the Show Balance Account
      2. Click Submit.
      3. Find the original cash advance payment by locating the Cash Advance ID in the Jrnl Line Ref column and the total sum of the cash advance in the Monetary Amt column. Use this funding string to deposit the refund payment.
        1. Note: Jrnl Line Ref is not a default column in WISER for the Transaction Search and must be manually added. To do this, click the “More Options” when icon next to “Pin to Dashboard.” From the menu that pops up, select “Customize…” Under “Available Columns” menu, select “Jrnl Line Ref” and click the right arrow button to move the field to your “Custom View.” If desired, rearrange “Custom View” by selecting the field you’d like to move, and clicking the up or down arrows. Once complete, click “Save.” The custom layout including Jrnl Ln Ref should now be visible.
      4. Submit a Check Deposit Form utilizing the funding string identified in the step above.
  4. Auditor Reconciliation: The Auditor of the Cash Advance request must reconcile the deposit in e-Reimbursement to fully close the Cash Advance. The refund check must have been deposited prior to the auditor’s reconciliation.
    1. Sign into the Shared Financial System (SFS)/e-Reimbursement, click the Expenses WorkCenter tile.
    2. Select Reconcile Cash Advance from the cash advance submenu. Select the proper cash advance from the list.
    3. Enter the check number and the amount of refunds received. Click Reconcile.

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IV. Contact roles and responsibilities

  • Travelers – Travelers are responsible for reconciling cash advances within 30 days of the end of the trip. Travelers must not seek excessive cash advances and must refund any excess advancements promptly. Advanced funds must be used prudently and in accordance with UW travel and purchasing policies. Travelers are responsible for submitting cash advance requests in a timely enough fashion to allow for approvals and payment.
  • Approver – Upon submission, cash advance requests are first reviewed by an approver. Approvers are responsible for reviewing supporting documentation, for reviewing cash advances for policy compliance, and for reviewing the funding being charged.
  • Auditor – All cash advances are reviewed by an auditor after the approver. Auditors are responsible for reviewing cash advances for policy compliance. Auditors are responsible for reconciling refunded payments related to cash advances.

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V. Definitions

  • Cash Advance – a request for monetary advancement prior to a trip.
  • Expense reports – An expense report contains a categorized and itemized list of expenses that were made on behalf of University of Wisconsin–Madison. This report helps the employer or finance team determine what money was spent, what was purchased, and how much of the expenditure is approved for reimbursement.

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VI. Related references

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VII. Revisions

Procedure Number 3025.2
Date Approved October 1, 2018
Revision Dates July 23, 2019 – Updated instructions for depositing refund checks
Jan. 19, 2021 – Updated Procedure Number to 3025.2 from 321.2

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3025.1 How to Obtain and Reconcile a Cash Advance (Traveler Procedures)

How to Obtain and Reconcile a Cash Advance (Traveler Procedures)

Procedure # 3025.1; Rev.: 1 (Effective October 10, 2018)
Related Policy: UW-3025 Cash Advance Policy
Functional Owner: Accounting Services, Business Services
Contact: Expense Reimbursement Program Manager – Allie Demet, expensereimbursement@bussvc.wisc.edu, (608) 263-3525


Contents

  1. Procedure statement
  2. Who is affected by this procedure
  3. Procedure
  4. Contact roles and responsibilities
  5. Definitions
  6. Related references
  7. Revisions

I. Procedure statement

Cash Advance requests are submitted through the Shared Financial System (SFS). Employees must first be approved by their Dean’s/Divisional Business Office and their profiles must be activated by Business Services before requesting cash advances. This process should be initiated at least 7 – 10 business days prior to the travel start date. ACH deposit for approved cash advances may take up to 5 business days. Employees must fully reconcile cash advances within 30 days of the end of the trip.

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II. Who is affected by this procedure

Faculty and staff seeking cash advances for travel expenses and their alternates.

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III. Procedure

  1. Pre-Approval: Submit a Cash Advance Activation Request Form to Business Services. These forms must be routed through the Dean’s/Divisional Business Office. Once the form has been submitted and the traveler’s profile has been activated, the traveler can request a cash advance.
  2. Cash advance request:
    1. Sign into the Shared Financial System (SFS), click the Expenses WorkCenter tile.
    2. Select Create/Modify Cash Advance from the cash advance submenu.
    3. Click Add. If you are an alternate requesting a cash advance for a different traveler, enter their employee ID before clicking Add. If you receive an error message, ensure your travel profile has been properly activated (see above).
    4. Enter header information, justification, and add any attachments to the cash advance.
    5. In the descriptions area, enter expense descriptions or select from pre-existing expense types. The amount of expense line detail required will vary by department and division.
    6. Click “Save For Later” to save the cash advance. Note you must click “Save for Later” in order to check the box next to the attestation statement and submit the report.
    7. Check the box next to the attestation statement.
    8. Click “Submit” to submit the cash advance.
  3. Reconciliation: Cash advances must be fully reconciled within 30 days of the end of the trip.
    1. Submit an expense report: Account for the use of advanced funds by submitting an expense report. On the Review and Submit page, there will be a menu showing your available Cash Advances. Apply either the full amount of the expense reimbursement or the full amount of the cash advance, whichever is lower. You will receive a notification if an amount is due back to the University.
    2. Refund Excess Advanced Funds: Any advanced funds not utilized must be promptly refunded to the University. Travelers must submit a check to their departmental or divisional business office for deposit. Once the check has been deposited, the Divisional auditor must reconcile the remainder of the cash advance in the Shared Financial System (SFS) to ensure the cash advance is reconciled in full.

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IV. Contact roles and responsibilities

  • Travelers – Travelers are responsible for reconciling Cash Advances within 30 days of the end of the trip. Travelers must not seek excessive cash advances and must refund any excess advancements promptly. Advanced funds must be used prudently and in accordance with UW travel and purchasing policies. Travelers are responsible for submitting cash advance requests in a timely enough fashion to allow for approvals and payment.

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V. Definitions

  • Cash Advance –a request for monetary advancement prior to a trip
  • Expense Reimbursement – An expense report contains a categorized and itemized list of expenses that were made on behalf of University of Wisconsin–Madison. This report helps the employer or finance team determine what money was spent, what was purchased, and how much of the expenditure is approved for reimbursement.

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VI. Related references

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VII. Revisions

Procedure Number 3025.1
Date Approved October 1, 2018
Revision Dates Jan. 19, 2021 – Updated Procedure Number to 3025.1 from 321.1

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3024.7 How to Process an Expense Report Not in Compliance with the University’s Accountable Plan Procedure

All Expense Reimbursements must be submitted within 90 days.  Divisional approving authorities can approve payments submitted after 90 days by attaching a signed approval form to the Expense Reimbursement.  Upon approval, these Expense Reimbursements are reviewed by Accounting Services and reported as taxable income to the recipient unless the documented circumstances surrounding the Expense Reimbursement made timely submission impossible.

Procedure #3024.7; Rev.: 1 (Effective May 8, 2017)
Related Policy: UW-3024 Expense Reimbursement Policy
Functional Owner: Accounting Services, Division of Business Services
Contact: Expense Reimbursement Program Manager – Allie Watters, expensereimbursement@bussvc.wisc.edu, (608) 263-3525


Contents

  1. Procedure statement
  2. Who is affected by this procedure
  3. Procedure
  4. Contact roles and responsibilities
  5. Definitions
  6. Related references
  7. Revisions

I. Procedure statement

All expense reports must be submitted within 90 days. Divisional approving authorities can approve payments submitted after 90 days by attaching a signed approval form to the expense report. Upon approval, these expense reports are reviewed by Accounting Services and reported as taxable income to the recipient, unless the documented circumstances surrounding the expense report made timely submission impossible.

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II. Who is affected by this procedure

Employees who seek reimbursement for out-of-pocket or Corporate Card expenses; alternates who prepare expense reports in the Shared Financial System (SFS)/e-Reimbursement; Approvers and Auditors; Divisional Business Officers and others who have approval authority.

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III.   Procedure

  1. Expense report submission
    1. Employees submit non-compliant expense reports in the same way as compliant expense reports.
    2. SFS/e-Reimbursement requires a note justifying each expense line that is over 90 days old.
  2. Accountable plan exception request form
    1. For extenuating circumstances, Deans, Divisional Dean’s Office Directors, or Divisional Business Office Leadership have the authority to grant exceptions for employees to allow for expense reimbursement, under the Accountable Plan, if expense reports are submitted later than 90 days. Extenuating circumstances for employees may be defined as a serious illness or other unforeseen emergency out of the control of the employee. Employee negligence is not considered an extenuating circumstance. Employees are not entitled to reimbursement after 90 days.  Reimbursement requests should be denied without documented extenuating circumstances.
      1. The Accountable Plan Exception Request form must be signed by the claimant and divisional leadership.
      2. The form must be electronically attached to the expense reports.
  3. Accounting Services’ review
    1. Once fully approved, all expense reports submitted after 90 days get reviewed by Accounting Services.
    2. All non-compliant expense reports are reported as taxable income to the recipient, unless circumstances surrounding the expense report made timely submission impossible. Extenuating circumstances must be documented to the extent possible.
  4. Non-employees
    1. Expense reports cannot be submitted for non-employees after 90 days. These payments must be processed on Payment to Individual Reports (PIR) and will be taxable to the recipients.

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IV. Contact roles and responsibilities

  • Traveler (employee)/claimant: responsible for submitting expense reports in a timely fashion.
  • Dean’s/Divisional Business Office Leadership: responsible for approving or denying non-compliant reimbursement requests.

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V. Definitions

  • e-Reimbursement: the Expenses module of the Shared Financial System (SFS), used to create, submit, and approve expense report claims.
  • Expense report: An expense report contains a categorized and itemized list of expenses that were made on behalf of University of Wisconsin-Madison. This report helps the employer or finance team determine what money was spent, what was purchased, and how much of the expenditure is approved for reimbursement.

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VI. Related references

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VII.  Revisions

Procedure Number 3024.7
Date Approved May 8, 2017
Revision Dates Jan. 19, 2021 – Updated Procedure Number to 3024.7 from 320.7

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3024.6 How to Update Approver and Auditor Roles in e-Reimbursement Procedure

Expense Reimbursements are routed for approval based on the department code used in the funding string(s). Division Coordinators request updates to the approval matrix as needed.

Procedure # 3024.6; Rev.: 1 (Effective May 8, 2017)
Related Policy: UW-3024 Expense Reimbursement Policy
Functional Owner: Accounting Services, Division of Business Services
Contact: Expense Reimbursement Program Manager – Allie Watters, expensereimbursement@bussvc.wisc.edu, (608) 263-3525


Contents

  1. Procedure statement
  2. Who is affected by this procedure
  3. Procedure
  4. Contact roles and responsibilities
  5. Definitions
  6. Related references
  7. Revisions

I. Procedure statement

Expense reports are routed for approval based on the department code used in the funding string(s). Division Coordinators request updates to the approval matrix as needed.


II. Who is affected by this procedure

e-Reimbursement approvers and auditors; Division Coordinators.


III. Procedure

  1. Reviewing an Approval Matrix
    1. To view your division’s current approver matrix, log into the Shared Financial System (SFS) and click on the Requester/Approver tile. Under Business Unit and Dept, enter full or partial department ID (minimum of two characters) in the Department field, and click Fill Grid. This will return a list of results for all SFS approval processes; the results can be downloaded as an Excel spreadsheet and irrelevant results filtered out.
    2. Division Coordinators may also request a complete listing of the approvers, auditors and backup auditors from Accounting Services by emailing expensereimbursement@bussvc.wisc.edu. Include all six-digit department code ranges for those you are requesting (e.g. “Please send me an updated approval matrix for 48xxxx”).
  2. Requesting an update to the Approval Matrix
    1. Log into the Shared Financial System (SFS) and click on the Expenses tile. Within the Expenses tile, click the EX Approver Changes tile, then click Add an EX Approvers eForm. Fill out the required fields and once completed, submit the form. The submitter of the form will receive an email confirming successful submission. Once the approver change(s) has been updated, the submitter will receive another email stating that it has been approved. Requests are typically addressed within three business days. All requests must be made by a Division Coordinator.
    2. Alternatively, a Division Coordinator may request changes by returning a copy of the approval matrix spreadsheet to expensereimbursement@bussvc.wisc.edu noting which changes are to be made. All requests must be made by a Division Coordinator.
  3. Guidelines for Approval Roles
    1. Employees serving in any approval role must have taken Expense Reimbursement – Approver/Auditor training and UW-Madison Travel Policy Training.
      1. Approvers
        1. Approvers are pooled. Multiple approvers can be added to the same department range and the Shared Financial System (SFS)/e-Reimbursement will require only one of them to approve an expense report.
        2. There is no backup approver role. Employees may serve as a backup approver functionally, but their approval assignment will be no different than a primary approver.
      2. Auditors
        1. Auditors are not pooled. If multiple auditors are setup for the same department, expense reports for that department will require all assigned auditors’ approval.
      3. Backup Auditors
        1. Backup auditors receive no automated workflow. They only receive workflow which has been manually routed.
        2. The backup auditor matrix serves as a guide for Accounting Services to route expense reports for which the primary auditor cannot serve (e.g. the primary auditor served as the alternate on the expense report).
        3. The backup auditor role can be used for any employee who doesn’t receive automated workflow, but who has taken expense report training and may serve in any approval role on a sporadic basis.

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IV. Contact roles and responsibilities

  • Approver: Upon submission, expense reports are first reviewed by an approver. Approvers are responsible for reviewing supporting documentation, reviewing expense reports for policy compliance, and reviewing funding being charged.
  • Auditor: Expense reports are reviewed by an auditor after the approver. Auditors are responsible for reviewing expense reports for policy compliance.
  • Backup Auditor: Backup auditors receive no automated workflow, but may serve in any assigned approval role on an ad hoc basis. They only receive workflow which has been manually routed.
  • Division Coordinator: responsible for submitting approval matrix update requests.

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V. Definitions

  • Approval Matrix: the full list of all approvers, auditors and backup auditors for a specified department range.

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VI. Related references

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VII. Revisions

Procedure Number 3024.6
Date Approved May 8, 2017
Revision Dates Jan. 19, 2021 – Updated Procedure Number to 3024.6 from 320.6
April 26, 2023 – Additional methods added for reviewing the approval matrix and requesting updates to the approval matrix.

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3024.5 How to Reimburse Non-Employees Procedure

Non-employees are reimbursed for out-of-pocket travel expenses through e-Reimbursement.  Expense Reimbursements for non-employees must be created and submitted by Alternates.  Non-employees are paid via paper check unless they are setup to receive a wire transfer.Non-employee Profile Setup Forms are routed through the Dean’s Office or Divisional Business Office to the UW-Madison Travel Office.  Alternates are notified via email when the non-employee profile is complete and they can being preparing Expense Reimbursements.Non-employees are subject to the same travel and reimbursement policies as employees.

Procedure # 3024.5; Rev.: 1 (Effective May 8, 2017)
Related Policy: UW-3024 Expense Reimbursement Policy
Functional Owner: Accounting Services, Division of Business Services
Contact: Expense Reimbursement Program Manager – Allie Watters, expensereimbursement@bussvc.wisc.edu, (608) 263-3525


Contents

  1. Procedure statement
  2. Who is affected by this procedure
  3. Procedure
  4. Contact roles and responsibilities
  5. Definitions
  6. Related references
  7. Revisions

I. Procedure statement

Non-employees are reimbursed for out-of-pocket travel expenses through e-Reimbursement. Expense reports for non-employees must be created and submitted by Alternates. Non-employees are paid via paper check unless they are setup to receive a wire transfer.

Non-employee Profile Setup Forms are created in SFS/e-Reimbursement and routed to the UW–Madison Travel Office. Alternates are notified via email when the non-employee profile is complete and they can begin preparing expense reports.

Generally, non-employees are subject to the same travel and reimbursement policies as employees.

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II. Who is affected by this procedure

  • Alternates who prepare expense reports
  • Employees responsible for reviewing and submitting Non-Employee Profile Setup and Change forms

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III. Procedure

  1. Finding an existing non-employee profile
    1. Before requesting a new non-employee profile, check if one already exists for the recipient.  If one does exist, use this search to find the non-employee ID and ensure the recipient’s address is correct.
    2. Sign into the Shared Financial System (SFS). Click the Expenses WorkCenter tile.
    3. Expand the Employee Data menu, then select Update Profile.
    4. Search by employee ID (this includes non-employee IDs), name or last name. Search the “Name” field using the convention “LastName,FirstName” with no spaces.
    5. Review the search results to find the proper profile.  Click one of the blue links to access profile details in a read-only format.
    6. The Employee Data tab shows the non-employee’s name and address.
    7. The Organizational Data tab shows the hire date (i.e., first date expenses were incurred) and the default funding.
    8. Non-employee profiles do not expire. The same non-employee profile should be used for the same recipient, even if it was originally setup by a different department. Avoid creating duplicate non-employee profiles for the same person. The default funding for an existing nonemployee may be updated by utilizing the Request Non-employee EmpIid tile and form, choosing the option to Update an Existing Emplid.
  2. Creating a new non-employee profile or updating information on an existing non-employee profile
    1. Sign into the Shared Financial System (SFS) and choose the Expenses tile. Then click on the Request Non-employee Emplid tile.
    2. Choose either Add a new non-employee or Update an Existing Emplid and fill in all the required fields (marked by an asterisk).
      1. Instructions for setting up a new non-employee travel profile
      2. Please note additional requirements are necessary for Non-Resident Aliens (NRAs). The initiating department/division is responsible for obtaining, reviewing and retaining additional documents for Non-Resident Aliens prior to submitting a non-employee profile creation request and/or filing reimbursements. Documentation must be complete, accurate, legibly copied and kept on file in the initiating department/Division. Learn about the necessary documents
    3. Submit the form once it is completed. The submitter of the form will receive an email confirming successful submission. Once the Non-employee ID has been created or updated, the submitter and alternates will receive another email stating it has been approved.
    4. Alternates are listed on the form and are notified via email when the profile is setup.
    5. Non-employee payments should be sent to a home address, not a campus address. If the recipient plans to pick up the check from the Business Services office, enter “Hold for Pickup” in the address field.  If a different individual is picking up the check on behalf of the recipient, follow the Check Custody Agreement instructions (check custody agreements are not guaranteed to be approved).
  3. Reimbursing non-employees: Expense reports for non-employees are submitted through e-Reimbursement. Non-employee expense reports are created and submitted by employees serving as their alternate.
  4. Requesting payment via wire transfer
    1. Non-employee payments must be made via wire transfer when the address is outside of the United State or Canada.
    2. When filling out the Non-employee Profile Setup Form or the Non-employee Change Request Form, indicate payments are to be made by wire transfer by entering “Wire Transfer, ATTN: Cash Management” in the address field. Once activated for wire transfers, all reimbursement payments will be paid via wire transfer.
    3. For each wire payment, fill out an Outgoing Wire Form and upload it as an attachment to the expense report.
    4. Upon approval of the expense report, payment will be automatically routed to Cash Management to process the wire transfer.

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IV. Contact roles and responsibilities

  • Alternate – responsible for creating and submitting expense reports on behalf of others. Employees who seek reimbursement can assign an alternate to create and modify expense reports for them, but the employee must submit their own. Expense reports for non-employees or recently-terminated employees are created and submitted by alternates.

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V. Definitions

  • e-Reimbursement: the Expenses module of the Shared Financial System (SFS), used to create, submit, and approve expense reimbursement claims.
  • Expense report: contains a categorized and itemized list of expenses that were made on behalf of University of Wisconsin–Madison. This report helps the employer or finance team determine what money was spent, what was purchased, and how much of the expenditure is approved for reimbursement.
  • Non-employee: an individual who does not have an active appointment at the University. Non-employees can be reimbursed for travel-related expenses through e-Reimbursement.

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VI. Related references

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VII.  Revisions

Procedure Number 3024.5
Date Approved May 8, 2017
Revision Dates Dec. 6, 2019 – Updated links
Jan. 19, 2021 – Updated Procedure Number to 3024.5 from 320.5

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3024.4 Working with My Corporate Card and My Wallet Procedure

The My Corporate Card is a personal-liability credit card that can be used to pay for UW business-related expenses.  Purchases made using My Corporate Card appear in the user’s My Wallet in e-Reimbursement.  This procedure details how to use e-Reimbursement to account for your My Corporate Card activity.

Procedure # 3024.4; Rev.: 0 (Effective ?)
Related Policy: UW-3024 Expense Reimbursement Policy
Functional Owner: Accounting Services, Division of Business Services
Contact: Expense Reimbursement Program Manager – Allie Watters, expensereimbursement@bussvc.wisc.edu, (608) 263-3525


Contents

  1. Procedure statement
  2. Who is affected by this procedure
  3. Procedure
  4. Contact roles and responsibilities
  5. Definitions
  6. Related references
  7. Revisions

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I. Procedure statement

The My Corporate Card is a personal-liability credit card that can be used to pay for UW business-related expenses. Purchases made using My Corporate Card appear in the user’s My Wallet in e-Reimbursement. This procedure details how to use e-Reimbursement to account for your My Corporate Card activity.

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II. Who is affected by this procedure

  • Employees who use the My Corporate Card
  • Alternates who prepare expense reports for My Corporate Card holders

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III. Procedure

  1. Viewing your My Corporate Card activity in My Wallet
    1. Sign into the Shared Financial System (SFS).
    2. Click the Expenses tile. Within the Expenses tile, there are three places to access your My Wallet activity:
      1. Add Quick Expense tile
        1. All My Corporate Card expenses which have not been accounted for on an expense report are shown.
        2. This is the only place the Expense Type of a Corporate Card expense can be modified.
        3. Users can add additional expenses to My Wallet using the plus sign icon. Users can manually add Corporate Card, P-Card, or Personal Fund charges to My Wallet which can be accessed when creating an expense report.
        4. Users can delete My Wallet transactions using the trash can icon.
      2. My Wallet tile – this tile is functionally similar to Add Quick Expense except users cannot modify Expense Types here.
      3. Expense History tile – this tile shows Corporate Card expenses which have been accounted for on previously-created expense reports.
  2. Accounting for Corporate Card expenses in e-Reimbursement
    1. See Procedure 3024.1 – Creating and Submitting an Expense Reimbursement for instructions on creating a new expense report.
    2. My Wallet transactions are imported into the expense report using the Add from My Wallet option on the dropdown list (Option i below) on the General Information page or the wallet icon on the Expense Entry page (Option ii below); click images to enlarge:
      1. A screenshot with a red drawn arrow showing where the "Add from My Wallet" option is for expense reports. Found under "Expense Details" and the "Expense Report Action" dropdown.
      2. Screenshot showing where the wallet icon is located on the Expense Entry page -- a red arrow points to the icon, which is second in from the left under the item total.
    3. Users may also manually enter My Corporate Card transactions in an expense report by selecting “US Bank Corporate Card” as the payment type.
  3. Payment
    1. My Corporate Card expenses – whether imported into an expense report from My Wallet or manually entered – are paid directly to U.S. Bank upon approval of the associated expense report.
    2. To avoid credit balances on the Corporate Card, cardholders must make efforts to avoid duplicate or incorrect payments made to US Bank.

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IV. Contact roles and responsibilities

  • Traveler/User/Cardholder: responsible for ensuring timely reconciliation and payment of their Corporate Card balance.

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V. Definitions

  • Expense report – contains a categorized and itemized list of expenses that were made on behalf of University of Wisconsin–Madison. This report helps the employer or finance team determine what money was spent, what was purchased, and how much of the expenditure is approved for reimbursement
  • e-Reimbursement – the Expenses module of the Shared Financial System (SFS), used to create, submit, and approve expense reimbursement claims.
  • My Corporate Card – individual-liability credit card that can be used for travel and non-travel expenses.

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VI.  Related references

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VII. Revisions

Procedure Number 3024.4
Date Approved
Revision Dates Jan. 19, 2021 – Updated Procedure Number to 3024.4 from 320.4

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