BearBuy Updates

July 2015

Dear BearBuy Users,

We hope everyone is enjoying their summer! We would like to inform you of a few updates and important events coming soon.

Please review the topics below and follow the links or scroll down for more information on each topic.

This month's BearBuy News:

BearBuy Scheduled Maintenance Downtime
BearBuy 15.2 Enhancements Coming July 20
Phase 3: Supplier Deactivation Program
Bears That Buy Town Hall - Friday, August 21, 2015
Partial Sales Tax FAQs now available!
Upcoming In Class Trainings
'Did you know?' Useful BearBuy Tip:

If you have any questions, please contact the BearBuy Help Desk at

510-664-9000 (options 1,2) or BearBuyHelp@berkeley.edu for immediate assistance.

Thank you for your continued support,

BearBuy Team

Supply Chain Management

UC Berkeley

1. BearBuy Scheduled Maintenance Downtime

Users will not be able to access BearBuy from Friday, July 17 at 6PM through Sunday, July 19 at 9AM due to the 15.2 SciQuest feature release upgrade.

BFS will remain available during its normal daily hours of 7AM until 9PM.

2. BearBuy 15.2 Enhancements Coming July 20

New BearBuy enhancements will be released July 20, 2015. A PowerPoint presentation outlining the new features will be available under the 'Recent Product Releases' menu on the Supply Chain Management (SCM) website.

The highlights of this release are:

Changes with Invoices/Vouchers Total Calculations
Updated supported browsers

3. Phase 3: Supplier Deactivation Program

To continuously improve the Supplier Search functionality when using certain BearBuy forms, the BearBuy Team plans to deactivate suppliers who have not done business with UC Berkeley in the last 18 months. It has been determined that if the Campus has not paid or issued a Purchase Order to a supplier in over 18 months, they are either unlikely to have future business or they have changed to a different entity. The BearBuy Team has identified about 24,878 suppliers with no activity during this time frame.

In the event a department or Campus Buyer needs to have a supplier reactivated for ordering, please have the supplier:

Complete the UC Berkeley Substitute W-9 & Supplier Information Form to capture address updates and other changes.

Fax the form to Vendoring (510) 664-7209.

How Departments Can Help

Go to the Bearbuy webpage. Click on the link in the Supplier Deactivation Program section to view the list of suppliers which had no purchase order and voucher activity for the period of March 1, 2013 to August 31, 2014.

Please email BearbuyAdmin@berkeley.edu, if you know that you will be placing an order with any of these suppliers and they should remain active no later than August 13, 2015.

The estimated date of completion for this phase of the Supplier Deactivation Program is August 31, 2015.

If you need any other assistance, please contact the BearBuy Help Desk Mon-Fri

8 AM to 5PM, (510) 664-9000, Option 1, Option 2 or at bearbuyhelp@berkeley.edu.

4. Bears That Buy Town Hall: Friday, August 21, 2015

The BearBuy team regularly conducts interactive meetings for the Bears that Buy user group. As BearBuy utilization increases, it is important to expand the user group to include those who have used the system for some time and would like to provide ideas for continuous improvements.

Bears that Buy User Group Town Hall Feedback Session

Friday, August 21 | 9:00am to 11:00am

150 University Hall

Light refreshments will be served.

CLICK HERE to RSVP for the Bears That Buy Town Hall

5. Partial Sales Tax FAQs Now Available!

Last month we announced the Partial Sales Tax Process at UC Berkeley. This new process will allow us to pay a reduced sales tax rate on qualified equipment purchased for research & development in California.

A list of frequently asked questions is now available within the Resources section. To access the FAQs and/or read more about this great

savings opportunity, please visit the Supply Chain Management CA Partial Sales Tax Rate Exemption webpage.

6. Upcoming In Class Trainings

Register to learn more about BearBuy with one of our upcoming in-class trainings based on BearBuy user roles. Courses are offered through the

UC Learning Center. Instructions and more information on how to enroll can be found on the page. Visit the BearBuy website for more information on.

BearBuy Requisition Creator | August 04, 2015

Course Number: BEESS965-150804

Thorough classroom training for the BearBuy Requisition Creator Role. Participants will learn concepts, workflow, best practices, and can test their knowledge through several hands-on exercises in BearBuy. We will also demonstrate additional training materials available for the role, including Job Aids, manuals and YouTube videos.

BearBuy Change Order Preparer | August 06, 2015

Course Number: BEESS973-150806

Hands-on classroom training for Change Order Preparer role. Participants will learn concepts, workflow, best practices, and can test their knowledge through several scenarios in BearBuy.

BearBuy Authorizer & Requisition Approver | August 12, 2015

Course Number: BEESS966-150812

Classroom training for the BearBuy Requisition Approver, Additional Authorizer, Chartfield 1 & 2 Authorizer Roles. Participants will learn concepts, workflow, best practices, and test their knowledge through several exercises in BearBuy. We will also review where to find additional training materials available for the role, including Job Aids and YouTube videos.

BearBuy Match Exception Preparer | August 17, 2015

Course Number: BEESS968-150817

Interactive classroom training for the BearBuy Match Exception Preparer role. Participants will be shown concepts, workflow, best practices, and test their knowledge through several exercises in BearBuy.

BearBuy Voucher Approver | August 20, 2015

Course Number: BEESS968-150820

Practical classroom training for the BearBuy Voucher Approver role. Participants will be shown concepts, workflow, best practices, and test their knowledge through several exercises in BearBuy. We will also review where to find additional training materials available for the role, including Job Aids and YouTube video.

7. "Did you know?" Useful BearBuy Tip:

Q: What is a fabrication? Where do I enter a Fabrication Number in BearBuy?

A: As defined in BUS-29, a fabrication is an item of non-expendable, tangible personal property that: (1) has been physically constructed by a University activity; (2) that has a total acquisition cost of $5,000 or more; (3) that has a normal life expectancy of more than one year; and (4) that is expected to be used by the University upon completion. A product resulting from simple assembly or connecting of various parts does not qualify as a fabrication.

The Request for Fabrication Control Number Form, located on the Property Management > Equipment Management site, should be completed and a Fabrication Control Number will be issued.

Property Management site: (http://businessservices.berkeley.edu/property/equipmanagement/fabrications)

In order to track fabrication expenses in BETS, whenever accounts 54231 (Fabricated Equipment =>5K) or 54232 (Fabricated Equip =>$5K (OH)) are used for purchases, fabrication numbers should be entered for the purchase orders. In BearBuy, the Fabrication Number will be entered at the header level (not at the line level) on the Asset Management tab (use a leading zero) which will be downloaded to BETS. A MFG Model Number is not needed.