Dos and Don'ts - DFA Home - Cornell University

PAYMENT REQUEST SYSTEM - DO’s & DON’Ts
GENERAL:
DO contact your Business Service Center if you have a payment that needs to be processed.
They will provide you with the proper internal procedures for your unit to follow.
DO process any payment previously permitted by voucher, based on Cornell’s Policies, through the
online Payment Request System.
AS OF AUGUST 1, 2004, PAPER VOUCHERS WILL NO LONGER BE ACCEPTED FOR
PROCESSING AT DFA. The only exceptions to this are wires and foreign currency, amounts over
$500,000, moving and house hunting, and NY State Appropriation Funds, which must still be processed
by paper voucher.
DON’T submit a payment request for goods or services that should be purchased by Pcard or on a PO.
University policies have not changed with regard to what types of payments should be made on a Pcard or
with a Purchase Order. Payment Requests received for goods or services that should be on a PO will be
rejected to the Unit, and a PO will be required after the fact. (If a payment request is being submitted
because the vendor does not accept Pcards, include a note of explanation.)
DO allow up to 10 business days processing time for all payment requests, including travel or other
reimbursement payments, from the day the paperwork is received at DFA.
Allow extra time for payments requiring additional review (tax, sponsored funds, etc.) or if a new vendor
has to be set up. Incomplete or improperly submitted payment requests will also take longer. The days are
counted from the day the paperwork is RECEIVED at DFA, not when you put it in the mail.
DON’T forget to send original backup to DFA.
Once a payment request is approved by signature authority, it moves into the DR&T (Disbursement
Review & Tax) queue and is available for us to approve in the system. The arrival of the cover sheet with
supporting documentation is our signal that the payment is now complete and waiting for our approval. If
backup is not sent to us, we do not receive this signal, and your payment could be delayed.
DO look in the payment request system to check on the status of a payment request prior to calling
Accounts Payable or Disbursement Review for assistance.
Review the log entries to see if the history can answer your question. You can also search on your net id
as the preparer or signature authority to see a list of all payment requests you have prepared or signed off
on. The status is displayed in the list and you can also view the history for a payment. Here’s what the
different status mean:
SAVED – The preparer has created the request but has not sent it to a reviewer or signature authority
yet. The request is still in the preparer’s PREPARE queue.
CREATED - (only if the request was sent to a reviewer) The preparer has sent the request to a
reviewer. The request is in the reviewer’s REVIEW queue.
REVIEWED – Either the preparer or the reviewer has sent the request to the signer(s). The request is
in the signer’s SIGNATURE AUTHORITY queue(s).

ASSIGN – (only if a new vendor or vendor address was requested for the payment) – The signer has
approved the request. The request is now in the Vendor Maintenance VENDOR SETUP queue.
SIGNED – The signer has signed the request and, if needed, Vendor Maintenance has added the new
vendor. The request is now in Disbursement Review’s DRAT queue, awaiting receipt of the
coversheet and original documentation at DFA to be audited and matched with the electronic
payment request.
AUDITED – (only if paid on a Sponsored Funds account) Disbursement Review has approved the
request. It is now in Sponsored Funds’ SFA queue.
COMPLETED – Disbursement Review has approved the request and, if required, so has SFA. The
request is approved and waiting for the next system load to the Accounts Payable system (these are
automatically performed throughout the day).
SUCCESS – The request has successfully loaded to the Accounts Payable system. The check should
be printed in the next scheduled check writing cycle, unless you have requested a pay date in the
future, in which case it will be paid in the next scheduled check writing cycle on or after the date
you specified. Checks are mailed the same day they are printed.
DON’T just put an urgent payment request in the mail with a note.
We receive a large quantity of mail on a daily basis. If you put an urgent request in campus mail, or drop
it at the front desk without asking to speak with someone in Disbursement Review or Accounts Payable, it
will not receive any special attention.
DO contact someone in Disbursement Review or Accounts Payable if you have a payment that requires
special attention (rush).
Rush handling is at the discretion of Disbursement Review and Accounts Payable. You may be asked to
explain the reason why your payment should be handled before others which were sent to us in the normal
course of business. We will instruct you in the best method for delivering backup, etc. to assist in
meeting your needs, if possible.
DO remember to use the COPY REQUEST feature in the system if you pay the same vendor on a
regular basis.
This will save you time by copying the vendor and account distribution information into a new payment
request, rather than you having to start from scratch each time you pay the vendor.
DON’T forget the following important information:
Checks are mailed out Wednesday & Friday afternoons each week.
Checks pre-arranged for pick up are generally ready after 1:00pm at the Bursar’s Office at Day
Hall on Wednesday & Friday.
Checks may not be picked-up at East Hill Plaza.
Direct Deposits are processed each day (not just Wednesday & Friday) and it takes approximately
2 business days from when the payment request is APPROVED at DFA for the money to appear
in the bank account.
Allow 2-3 days for check delivery by campus mail.

DO feel free to contact us if you have any questions about using the system, or about any of the
procedures.
You may contact someone in Accounts Payable (phone 255-0869 or email to dfa-payreq@cornell.edu) or
Disbursement Review (phone 255-1703 or email to uco-vouchaudit@cornell.edu).
SELECTING THE VENDOR AND ADDRESS:
DO search carefully for the correct vendor in the system.
The best way to search for a vendor is by the Federal ID or Social Security number. If you don’t know
this, try these tips: Search for individuals by last name only; for vendors such as New York Dairy
Association, please try a number of variations on your search (New York Dairy, NY Dairy, N.Y. Dairy,
NYDA, N.Y.D.A, etc…); selecting the options “Begins with” or “Contains” generally produces more
accurate results than “Exact.”
DON’T request a new vendor without providing all of the requested information.
This includes the payee’s social security number or EIN, whether US or foreign entity or individual, and
their permanent home address (in the foreign country if a foreign individual). Submitting the request for a
new vendor without the above information will delay processing of the payment request.
DO use the Add New Vendor feature if you have a new address for the vendor.
We are working on a feature to allow you to add an address, but it is not available yet.
DON’T use a vendor if you see ***DO NOT USE*** or ***Use V#123456 03*** in the vendor
address.
This means that the vendor has multiple addresses and this is not the one to use. Please read the note and
search again, using the correct vendor number or address number indicated. If the note says V#123456
03, the vendor to use is 123456, address # 3.
ENTERING INFORMATION INTO THE SYSTEM:
DO enter a business purpose that answers the questions “Who, what, why, when and where”
Make sure the business purpose would be easily understood by an external reviewer (outside auditor, for
example).
DON’T enter the invoice number, account number, etc. in the business purpose section.
Enter information that answers the questions “who, what, why, when and where.”
DO enter the invoice number or account number in the check stub information area (max 18
characters).
Whatever is entered here prints on the check stub. This tells the payee what the payment is for. If you are
paying multiple invoices and/or accounts on one pay request LIST EACH ONE SEPARATELY in the
check stub information area. Your payment request may be one of many that are paid on a single check.
This is the only way the vendor will know how to apply the payment to the correct invoices/accounts.
DON’T forget to enter the account distribution and set signature authority on the payment request.
If you know the account distribution for the payment, enter it, look up signature authority, save the line,
print your cover sheet and forward the completed pay request to a reviewer (optional – check with your
BSC) or signature authority. If you do not complete the account distribution and set signature authority,
you will only be able to forward the payment request to a reviewer. They will then need to select the
account and signature authority before it can proceed in the system.

DO be sure that you choose the correct enclosure type for your payment.
If it is necessary that an enclosure be sent with the check (conference registration, membership, letter of
explanation, etc.) be sure to select the correct enclosure type. If you select “none,” and attach something
to the cover sheet that you want sent with the check, we will need to reject the payment request to you so
you can correct the enclosure type. This is necessary in order for the enclosure to be mailed with the
check. If you can enter invoice or account numbers in the check stub information, leave the enclosure
choice as “none.”
DON’T forget to select the correct Payment Delivery method.
Whenever possible, select US Mail as the check delivery method for vendors. If you must pick the check
up at Day Hall, you need to select this check delivery method. If you select US Mail but really need to
pick the check up, we will need to reject the request to you to make the correction in the system. If an
employee is on direct deposit, this will replace the other options for check delivery method, and cannot be
changed.
COVER SHEETS:
DO print your payment request cover sheet in PORTRAIT format, not LANDSCAPE.
This makes it much easier for us at DFA when handling and filing backup.
DO print your cover sheet AFTER you have entered all information in the payment request, including
the dollar amount, enclosures, and check delivery method.
If you change any of the information that appears on the cover sheet, be sure to print a new one. Remove
the old sheet and attach the new sheet to the original documentation.
DON’T print the payment request form itself.
This can be viewed online and a paper copy is not needed. Save a tree!!
DO STAPLE the cover sheet to the top of the backup, FACE-UP (not back-to-back).
Again, this makes it easier to review the documentation.
DO print a second copy of the cover sheet if you are requesting check pickup and STAPLE both copies
to the top of the backup.
The second copy is needed to facilitate the check pickup. If you print two as you’re preparing the
documentation, we can process your request more quickly and the likelihood of check pickup being
missed is greatly reduced.
DO STAPLE essential enclosures to the lower part (blank area) of the front of the cover sheet.
Check enclosures are less likely to be lost if they are stapled to the cover sheet. Stapling them to the
lower portion of the form allows us to see all the information printed on the cover without having to lift
up enclosures.
PAYMENTS TO VENDORS (STANDARD VOUCHERS):
DON’T prepare the standard voucher form in addition to the payment request.
The payment request contains all the necessary information. Please don’t do the same work twice!

DO include the original invoice, or whatever original documentation would normally be required to
support the payment, as backup for the payment request that you send to DFA.
Cornell University Policies have not changed with regard to what backup is needed in order to process a
payment to a vendor or reimburse a traveler or employee.
DON’T attach unnecessary enclosures.
If you can enter necessary details in the check stub information section (invoice number, account number,
etc…), leave the enclosure choice as “none.”
TRAVEL REIMBURSMENTS (except for those pilot testing the online Travel System): DO use the
travel forms provided on the Payments website.
Check out the 2003/2004 Travel Reimbursement Form if you aren’t currently using it. We think you’ll
like it! Attach the completed form, with traveler’s signature, to the payment request cover sheet along
with the original receipts and send to DFA. The link to all travel forms is
http://www.payments.cornell.edu/Travel_Forms.cfm.
DON’T re-use an old form that you’ve saved or copied to your desktop.
We update the forms regularly; you’ll want to use the current version that is posted on the web.
DO fill in the traveler’s name and the detail expense information (breakdown of meals, lodging,
transportation, etc.) on the travel form.
We still need the basic information to properly report travel expenses. If you want to enter day-by-day
expenses, use the 2003/2004 Travel Reimbursement form and fill in the Supplemental Worksheet (2 nd tab
at the bottom of the form).
DON’T worry about completing the account distribution on the travel form.
You’ll do this in the payment request system.
DO have the traveler sign the travel form.
The reimbursement will be delayed and the backup will be returned to you if you have not obtained the
traveler’s signature certifying that the charges are accurate and they are not claiming reimbursement from
other sources (this attestation is required for all travel reimbursements). Their signature on a form, letter,
note, etc. without the attestation is not enough.
DON’T get approval signatures on the travel form (unless your unit requires them).
You will obtain signature authority approval through the payment request system. Signature Authority is
responsible for ensuring that all approvals have been obtained.
DO obtain original receipts, organize these and attach them to the travel form as required in the past.
Policy has not changed with regard to proper documentation required for travel reimbursements.
DON’T group multiple Travel Forms on one Payment Request.
Please prepare one payment request for each Travel Form. This will make it easier to track individual
“trips” for you and the traveler.

DO be sure that you obtain the appropriate level of Signature Authority for trips with expenses (before
deducting any advances) over $2500.
Travel over $2500 requires Level I or Level II Signer (this is actually the second level of approval).
When you are selecting from the drop-down list, Level I will show a (20) after the person’s name and a
Level II will show a (30) after their name. If you select someone with a (10) after their name and total
expenses are $2500 or more, we will have to reject the request to you to obtain the correct signature.
DON’T check off any enclosure for a travel reimbursement.
Leave this selection as “none.” There is no need for any enclosure to be sent with a travel reimbursement
check.
DO enter separate lines in the CHECK STUB INFORMATION section of the payment request for
travel reimbursement and honorariums, speaker’s fees, etc. so that tax coding can be applied to just the
taxable portion of the payment.
Unfortunately, entering separate lines in the account distribution section do not allow us to apply tax
coding to just the honorarium or speaker’s fee. It must be done in the check stub information section.
TRAVEL/CASH ADVANCES:
DO use the Travel Advance form provided on the Payments website.
The link to the advance form is: http://www.payments.cornell.edu/Travel_Forms.cfm. Attach the advance
form, with the traveler’s signature, to the payment request cover sheet and send it to DFA.
DON’T re-use an old form that you’ve saved or copied to your desktop.
We update the forms regularly; you’ll want to use the current version that is posted on the web.
DO fill in all requested information when preparing a Travel Advance form.
Incomplete forms cannot be processed, will delay processing, and might have to be returned to you.
DON’T forget to have the traveler to sign the form.
The payment request will be delayed and the backup will be returned to you if you have not obtained the
traveler’s signature on the advance form.
DO leave the documentation to be sent with check type as “none” for a travel/cash advances in the
system.
There is no need to send any enclosure with an advance check.
DON’T worry about getting account approval on the Travel Advance form.
You’ll do this in the Payment Request System.
DO request all advances at least two weeks prior to the traveler needing the funds.
Advances require review and processing time, just like any other payment. Please allow ample time for
this when preparing an advance request.
DO review Policy 3.2, UniversityTravel, for more information about travel advances.
This policy, found at http://www.univco.cornell.edu/policy/UT.html#10f , lists the situations in which a
travel advance may be issued, and procedures to be followed in requesting and accounting for travel
advances.