Where do I start?

A vendor cannot be paid until Columbia has obtained all required information about the vendor and this information has been recorded in the Accounts Payable Master Vendor File. The AP Vendor Maintenance group maintains this file.

Columbia University as a research institution, receives over $300 million per year in Federal awards.  Acceptance of these funds requires the University to be rigorous in complying with Federal regulations and guidelines.  The IRS routinely scrutinizes our accounting records and any discovered instance of noncompliance translates directly into a decrease in Federal funding.   Vendor Maintence audits to verify that these policies are complied with at every point during the payment process.

Before making any kind of payment the University must determine its withholding tax obligations.  A processor, acting as an agent of the University must answer the following two questions when processing a vendor:

1) Who are we paying?

 In other words, is this person a student, employee, prospective student, prospective employee, non-resident alien, or U.S. citizen?  Or, is this vendor an incorporated company, contractor, or consultant?   

2) What type of payment is this?

In other words is this a travel or business expense, Check request, Patient refund, regular invoice;  or what services were provided to the University? 

The answers to these two questions are often mutually dependant.  For example, a reimbursement to an employee is usually a travel & business expense (the payment of royalties via a Check Request to a University faculty member is one exception), but a reimbursement to someone who is not a University employee or student is usually a Check Request.

The University guidelines for proper payment procedures are designed to satisfy IRS requirements. Please keep in mind that all documentation is subject to examination by third party review.

LEARN THE NEXT STEP:  FIND A VENDOR.

Need more help? 

Contact us: AP Service Center, AP Staff Directory.