Logo TM

Important BearBuy Updates

December 2015

Dear BearBuy Users,
  
We would like to inform you of a few updates.  Please review the topics below and follow the links or scroll down for more information on each topic. 
 
This month's BearBuy News:
As always, if you have any questions, please contact Customer Support at (415) 514-4100, Option 2 or appsupport@ucsf.edu for immediate assistance.

Thank you for your continued support, 
    
BearBuy Team 
UCSF Supply Chain Management
BBSystemMaintenance
1. Changes coming to Purchase Orders that are closed Automatically
  
In an effort to reduce the number of Change Order Request Forms departments submit to close Purchase Orders (POs) and to help departments better manage PO liens, Supply Chain Management (SCM) will be increasing the number of POs that are closed automatically.
  
Beginning January 18, 2016, SCM will automatically close POs that meet one of the following criteria:
  • PO contains only catalog/Punch-out items AND has no PO or invoice activity for 9 months
  • PO contains only the "Non-Catalog Form" AND has no PO or invoice activity for 9 months
These criteria will be used to close POs on an ongoing basis. No Change Order Request Forms need to be submitted to request that these POs be closed.
 
To help departments identify POs that will be closed because of this change, SCM has published a one-time  listing of purchase orders that meet the new PO closure criteria as of November 30, 2015.  No departmental action is required to close POs appearing on this list. These POs will be automatically closed beginning January 18, 2016.
  
If you have a PO that appears in the above list, but you need to keep the PO open, send an email to bearbuy@ucsf.edu by January 15, 2016.  In the email, use the subject "PO Auto Close - POs to Keep Open" and specify the PO numbers that you need to keep open in the body of the email. 
  
This new PO close criteria does not impact POs that are regularly closed automatically today. POs that meet ALL of the following criteria will continue to be closed automatically:
  • PO is fully invoiced (fully expended) AND
  • PO is fully matched to invoices applied to the PO AND
  • PO has no PO or invoice activity for 30 days
POs that meet ALL of the following criteria will also continue to be closed automatically:
  • PO has a lien (encumbrance) of $1 or less AND
  • PO is fully matched to invoices applied to the PO AND
  • PO has no PO or invoice activity for 30 days
Please note, any POs NOT meeting any of the PO closure criteria will NOT be automatically closed by SCM. Departments will still need to submit Change Order Request Forms to close POs that are not automatically closed.
 
For any questions regarding automatic PO close, please email SCM at bearbuy@ucsf.edu.
  
In response to campus feedback, Supply Chain Management and Accounts Payable have revised the timeline for the transition to using the America To Go (ATG) Punch-out for all on-campus catering orders.
  
The timeline for processing outstanding invoices for ATG caterers is as follows:
  • Invoices dated prior to December 31, 2015 for ATG catering orders placed outside of the ATG Punch-out:
    • Until January 31, 2016, you may use the Meeting and Entertainment Payment Request Form (M&E PRF) to submit qualifying invoices for payment
    • Example: If you have a James Standfield Catering (a caterer in ATG) invoice dated November 10, 2015 for an order that was placed directly with the caterer outside of the ATG Punch-out, you may use the M&E PRF to pay the invoice.
  • On-Campus catering orders placed on or after January 1, 2016:
    • Place new orders for ATG caterers using the ATG Punch-out
    • If catering orders were placed directly with an ATG caterer outside of the ATG Punch-out (rare in occurrence), the order must still be created in the ATG Punch-out for payment following the ATG Post Event Process (see next newsletter topic below for details).
  • P-Card usage 
    • We are in the process of finalizing our P-Card strategy as it relates to the America To Go catering program. More information will be coming soon.
For questions, contact bearbuy@ucsf.edu.
 
A new America To Go Post Event Process Quick Reference Guide is now available on the Supply Management America To Go webpage. This guide provides information and instructions on recent changes that require all on-campus catering orders for America To Go (ATG) caterers be processed through the ATG Punch-out beginning January 1, 2016.
  
When should I use the Post Event Process?
 
In limited cases, such as a last-minute order, you may not have had enough time to create an order in the ATG Punch-out and instead you ordered directly with an ATG caterer. 
 
Beginning January 1, 2016, if you placed an order directly with an ATG caterer outside of the ATG Punch-out, follow the instructions outlined in the ATG Post Event Process guide. The guide contains instructions for processing the order in the ATG Punch-out so the order can go through the proper approvals and the caterer can be paid. 
 
Please note that the Post Event Process is not the preferred method of ordering from an ATG caterer. Whenever possible, orders should be placed using the ATG Punch-out prior to the event so the order can go through the proper approvals before being sent to the caterer.
 
How does the Post Event Process work?
 
After you place an order directly with an ATG caterer, the caterer will upload your order to the ATG Punch-out as a "Custom Order." Your Custom Order will appear at the bottom of the caterer's menu in the ATG Punch-out. (It may take 24 to 48 hours for your order to appear after the caterer uploads the order.) You will then process the order in the same manner you would with any other ATG order, only you will select a past date for the event, select your Custom Order from the caterer's menu, and add a special delivery instruction so the caterer knows this order has been fulfilled. Please follow the step-by-step instructions in the guide to complete the process.
 
What should I do if the caterer already sent me an invoice? Do I still have to process my order through the ATG Punch-out?
 
If the ATG caterer sent you an invoice for an order placed on or after January 1, 2016, process the order through the ATG Punch-out. Ask the caterer to upload your order as a "Custom Order" in ATG so the caterer can be paid. If the caterer has difficulty uploading the order, the caterer can contact ATG Customer Service at (866) 284-8646 for assistance.
BBTip  
  
Q: When do I submit a Change Order Request Form?
 
A: Change Order Request Forms are submitted to either:
  • Request a change to a BearBuy Purchase Order (PO)
  • Close a BearBuy PO that is no longer needed to relieve the PO lien
Example scenarios of when you submit a Change Order Request Form are:
  • A PO was created for an item, but the item you wanted was discontinued. The supplier canceled the order so the PO will no longer be used and it can be closed.
  • A PO was only partially invoiced because your PO was created at a dollar amount that was more than what the supplier charged. The PO can be closed because you will not be using the PO in the future and all outstanding invoices on the PO have been paid.
  • A PO either has not been invoiced or is partially invoiced, but you need to change the Accounting Codes (chartfields) that will be used to pay for invoices on this order.
  • A Non-Catalog PO was created with a unit price of $20 per item, but the price is not correct. The unit price of each item was actually $25 and the PO needs to reflect the correct unit price.
Please note that Change Order Request Forms do not need to be submitted for POs that are automatically closed by Supply Chain Management. Payment Request Form and Meeting & Entertainment Payment Request Form POs cannot be modified. If you require a change to a voucher created by a payment request type form, contact Accounts Payable at: COSolutionCenter@ucsf.edu
  
Review the
Change Order Guide for more information on submitting Change Order Request Forms.