PURCHASING 101

Where do you start?

· If you’ve never purchased anything before, give us a call and we’ll walk you step by step through the purchasing process.

· If you know what you want and from whom, send us a detailed requisition and we’ll process your order.

· If you know what you want, but don’t know a supplier, send us a requisition with as much information as possible, or give us a call and we’ll select a vendor that best meets your needs.

· If you only have a general idea of what you want, give us a call and we’ll discuss your needs and offer solutions.

WAYS TO “BUY” AT DUQUESNE

Purchase Order

This is the “traditional” ordering method. A requisition form (#75-133) is completed by the department and routed to the Purchasing Department. Purchasing reviews the requisition, verifies funding, processes the order through the Datatel system and places the order with the supplier. When the order is entered into Datatel, funds are encumbered against the general ledger number. The encumbrance is relieved when the order is paid.

Blanket Purchase Order

This is similar to a purchase order, but is made out as a lump sum not as an individual item or items. Blanket Orders are used to process many repeat small item orders from the same supplier. Blanket Purchase orders are also initiated by sending a completed requisition form (#75-133) to the Purchasing Department. This method also encumbers funds within the General Ledger.
Please see Purchasing Procedures for more information about Blanket Orders.

JP Morgan Chase Procurement Card (P-Card Plu$)

This is a University credit card used for “small dollar” purchase. It is available to all departments. Individual use is based on the approval of the budget head within each department. This method of payment does not encumber funds within the General Ledger. Prospective cardholders must submit a credit card application signed by their supervisor to the Director of Purchasing and Support Services. Once the application is processed, the cardholder must attend a mandatory training session before receiving their card.
For more information on the credit card program P-Card Plu$, click here.

 

THE PURCHASE ORDER PROCESS

Steps in the Purchase Order process:

1. The purchase order process begins when a Department sends a completed requisition form to the Purchasing Department

Each department has internal processes relating to requisitions.

A completed requisition contains:

Date
Supplier Name
Supplier Contact
Supplier Phone and Fax Numbers
Item quantity, description and price
Additional information or specifications the supplier may need to
process the order
Delivery information (building, room # etc.)
Department name and phone number
Name of person requesting the items
Budget account number
Signature of budget head

Before sending the requisition to Purchasing, detach the last page (goldenrod) and keep for the Department’s records.

2. When Purchasing receives the requisition, the following takes place.

The requisition in reviewed for (1) content (2) price (3) delivery
Budget head signature is verified
The General Ledger is checked to verify sufficient funds are
available.
The requisition is entered into the Datatel system and a purchase
order number generated
The order is faxed (or phoned) to the Supplier
The yellow copy of the purchase order is returned to the
Department
The green receiving copies of the purchase order are sent to
either Receiving or the Department.

3. When the supplier receives the order:

The order is processed through the supplier’s internal systems
The order is filled and shipped to the address listed on the
purchase order
An invoice, referencing the purchase order number, is generated
and mailed to Accounts Payable.

4. Orders are delivered to either:

Receiving (Mellon Hall)

Orders shipping to campus via UPS, RPS, Fed Ex, Airborne,
Common carrier or other shipping agencies are delivered to
Receiving in Mellon Hall.

or

Directly to the ordering department

Orders for furniture, large pieces of equipment, and orders from some local suppliers are delivered directly to departments.

Departments are called whenever there is any uncertainty about delivery location.

5. When the order is delivered to the Department, the green receiving copy of the purchase order needs to be signed, dated and returned to the Purchasing Department. This is Purchasing’s only notification that the order has been delivered to the Department.

When orders are delivered by Receiving, the green copy will be returned to Purchasing from Receiving.

When orders are delivered directly to Departments, the Department will need to return the green copy to Purchasing.

6. When Purchasing receives the green purchase order copy, the order is marked “accepted” in the Datatel system. This clears the purchase order and enables Accounts Payable to process a check.

Accounts Payable is unable to process an invoice for any purchase order that has not been “accepted."