How Do I...
There are three different types of Purchase Orders:
1. Punchout Requests
Punchouts are an integrated version of the supplier's website that has Harvard-specific pricing. You are redirected to a supplier’s website to shop when used but are later returned to B2P to finish your order. PO’s are automatically distributed via the system.
Quick Reference Guide
- View the Quick Reference Guide to learn how to add a Punchout item to a cart in B2P.
Things to remember:
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Punchout orders are sent to the supplier electronically after approval
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Punchout items should never be copied or saved to personal favorites in B2P. Always get a new version of the item from the punchout to assure the pricing and availability of the item.
2. Catalog Requests
Catalogs include commonly used product & services from certain suppliers that are uploaded and searchable in the B2P shopping section. PO’s are automatically distributed via the system.
Quick Reference Guide
Things to remember:
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Catalog Requests are automatically transmitted electronically to the supplier after approval and invoices are received centrally
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You can search or browse by Supplier or Category, compare goods or services between multiple suppliers, and conduct a chemical structure search
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Catalog Requests are most used for lab supplies and associated items
3. Non-Catalog Requests
Quick Reference Guide
Things to remember:
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Review the PO distribution setup (i.e. how the PO will be sent to the supplier) - See step 4 of the Non-Catalog Quick Reference Guide.
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If preferred defaults are not included in the supplier profile then the distribution will default to Manual. However, the shopper/requestor can edit this so that the email can be automatically sent via the system to the vendor. - Please note by selecting “manual” distribution, the system will not send the PO to the supplier, this must be then done by the Shopper/Requestor to place the order.
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Ensure quotation product descriptions and costs match to the PO.
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Exclude shipping costs from the PO
Checkout Process
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For Shoppers
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For Shoppers, it will allow them to enter further details in their cart, such as Chart of Accounts, Requisition Description or Business Purpose, and Standing Amount Based PO checkbox. They will then be prompted to Assign Cart, which routes the cart to a Requestor.
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For Requestors
- For Requestors, it allows them to enter all required details and then submit the request into the approval workflow.
Post PO Creation
After a PO is created there are some additional actions required by the Shopper/Requestor:
- Receiving - All POs created for $2,500 or greater, must be received against in B2P by the Shopper or Requestor when invoiced - See the tab below on how to Receive items in B2P.
- Clearing Invoice Holds and Match Exceptions - Holds occur when one or more of three scenarios apply. Shoppers and requesters should take action in B2P to resolve all Holds - See the tab below on how to Identify and Clear Holds and Match Exceptions in B2P.
SEAS Specific Aids
Payment Request (PR) forms are a way to initiate invoice payments and process specific nonstandard transactions that cannot be handled through the standard Purchase Order process. Common examples are requests for payment of awards, honoraria, and fellowships.
Quick Reference Guide
This Quick Reference Guide outlines the steps for creating a Payment Request in B2P.
Things to remember before submitting:
- Ensure all necessary forms are completed:
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Vendor Justification Form (Federal Purchases > $50K)
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Debarment Form (Federal Contracts ≥ $35K)
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As relevant - Approved Independent Contractor documents (ICQ Exception Attestation form or Independent Contractor Questionnaire (ICQ) – prior authorization to be obtained from HR, signed contract
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Wire Authorization Transfer Form (if needed)
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Ensure Invoice is attached and Invoice Number and Date match to B2P entry
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Verify Supplier Information is Correct
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Ensure Remittance Address is correct
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Authenticate Coding
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Ensure complete and accurate Business Purpose (including 5 w’s) is in the Item Description field
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Ensure any Special Handling Requests are properly made
Checkout Process
Here is a Quick Reference Guide on the Checkout Process in B2P. The Proceed to Checkout button is available to Shoppers and Requestors but the next steps to take in the workflow differ slightly.
For Shoppers
For Shoppers, it will allow them to enter further details in their cart, such as Chart of Accounts, Requisition Description or Business Purpose, and Standing Amount Based PO checkbox. They will then be prompted to Assign Cart, which routes the cart to a Requestor.
For Requestors
For Requestors, it allows them to enter all required details and then submit the request into the approval workflow.
Follow-up on PR Submission
Wire Transfer Process
- Determine if wire payment is needed based on guidance from the vendor or if indicated on the invoice –wires are required for most foreign vendors, as many do not have the ability to accept checks in USD
- Prepare your Wire Transfer Authorization Form
- For PRs and NRs –PR/NR# and Tub Approver signatures are NOT required on the wire authorization forms. This is because all the signoffs and approvals are within B2P.
- For POs –PO# and Tub Approver signatures ARE required on the wire authorization forms. This is because the documentation is being emailed to AP outside of B2P.
- USD Wires must be sent internationally. Domestic wires are NOT allowed.
- Link to forms:
- Add item to cart in B2P
- Write “WIRE TRANSFER” at the beginning of the business purpose
- Note: For Foreign Currency Wires, add a 10% buffer to the amount of requisition. Do not add 10% if sending USD equivalent.
- If paying an invoice that is in a foreign currency, we need to convert to USD and pay with a buffer.
- If paying an invoice that is in USD but needs to be paid in a foreign currency, we just put the USD amount.
- Click Proceed to Checkout.
- On the Summary tab, scroll down to the Special Handling & AP section and click the pencil icon to edit.
- Select FX Wires or US Dollar Wires in the Wire Transfer Request field and click Save Changes.
- Note: If you are creating a Purchase Order, indicating “Wire” on the Special Handling & AP section will impact all future payments against this PO. You cannot change this designation later, even with a change order.
The next steps differ depending on the requisition type.
Wire Transfer Process –Final Steps for PRs/NRs
- On the Summary tab, scroll down to the Internal Notes & Attachments section and click Add. Select the fillable .pdf form that you completed in step 1, label it “Wire Form” and attach it.
- Note: Do not send any copies separately to AP or OTM (Cash Management).
- Reminder: Your supplier invoice (or support documentation) would have been attached during step 3 above.
- When you have completed all other updates, click Submit Request. (Note: If you are a Shopper, click Assign Cart and identify your preferred Requestor who will submit the request on your behalf.)
- Note: If the requisition is under $2,500 you will need to add a FinOps approver as an ad hoc approver
Wire Transfer Process –Final Steps for POs
- When you have completed all other updates, click Submit Request. (Note: If you are a Shopper, click Assign Cart and identify your preferred Requestor who will submit the request on your behalf.)
- Note: If the requisition is under $2,500 you will need to add a FinOps approver as an ad hoc approver
- Submit the following in an email to AP_Invoices@Harvard.edu:
- Completed Wire Transfer Authorization Form (from step 1 above)
- Supplier invoice (or support documentation)
- Ensure required payment details are included, such as: Supplier Name on invoice that matches B2P, Purchase Order Number, Payment Amount, Location of Activity, Currency, etc.
- *** The email MUST include the subject line: “WIRE Invoice”. ***
A Non-Employee Reimbursement Request (NR) is a request for payment of valid University business expenses that were incurred by non-employees and Harvard individuals in certain payroll categories. The categories of people who can be reimbursed are:
- Non-employees
- Temps
- Less-than-half-time (LHTs)
- Harvard Students
- External Postdocs
- Harvard Teaching Fellows
The types of reimbursements often include out-of-pocket and travel expenses.
Reimbursees must follow Harvard and IRS accountable plan rules in order for the reimbursement to be excluded from their gross income.
Quick Reference Guide and Tutorial
This Quick Reference Guide and Video Tutorial walk though the steps for how to complete a Non-Employee Reimbursement Request in B2P.
Things to remember:
- Non-employee reimbursements are not subject to Special Handling. Special handling should not be used or your NR will be rejected.
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A document must be attached at each line level
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Non-employee reimbursement form (NERF) may be signed either physically or digitally
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Travel expenses should not be reimbursed until after the travel has occurred (e.g. A conference fee should not be paid until after the conference was attended)
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Shoppers can submit their own NERF to Requestors
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This is encouraged for all non-employees who have B2P access
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The system NR number will be generated after all AP approvals are complete.
To Claim Reimbursement
Reimbursees must submit to SEAS:
- Receipts, required for all purchases greater than $75 (preferred and strongly encouraged for receipts less than $75)
- Completed B2P Non-Employee Reimbursement Form,
- Signature (physical or digital) on the B2P Non-Employee Reimbursement Form or e-mail attestation.
The Supplier Portal provides self-service capabilities for companies and individuals to upload and maintain their supplier information including contacts, addresses, tax documentation, service offerings, diversity status and more. The portal offers transparent workflow to make supplier management easier. An invitation to your supplier contact is the simplest, most efficient way to get started in the Supplier Portal.
Invitations allow a direct communication between the Harvard representative and the company or individual. The invitation requires a company name (or individual name) and an email address. The recipient of the invitation email will be guided through an account creation process for the Jaggaer Supplier Network, and then a Harvard registration questionnaire that includes collection of the following types of information:
- Company or Individual Information
- Address and Contact Information
- Diversity Classification
- Tax Information
- Payment Information
Once a registration has been completed by a company or individual, the completed registration is immediately routed through a standard workflow process prior to approval. In the event an original invitation was not received or acted upon, the invitation can be easily resent by a Supplier Portal user (or the supplier onboarding team). Each invitation is historically recorded within the supplier profile to document the time, date, and user that initiated the invitation.
The invitation is the preferred method of onboarding a supplier to ensure accurate information is collected directly from the representative. Additionally, the registration contains necessary confirmation and attestation statements to ensure the company or individual is certifying the accuracy of their own information. Registration in the Supplier Portal will also prepare the company or individual for upcoming B2P functionality including payment status inquiries, electronic invoice submission, electronic order transmission, and much more.
Supplier Requests
Supplier Requests facilitate exceptions, internal requests, and other scenarios that otherwise cannot follow an invitation process, including:
- Foreign Individuals with complex Visa documentation requirements
- Harvard Registered Students
- Recipients of Business Reimbursement Expenses
- Maintenance requests for complex organizations include site adds, deletes, and payment updates
- Internal data management (e.g. supplier type updates, submission of additional GLACIER documentation, etc.)
As stated, Invitations are the preferred method for onboarding a Company or Individual, however, several special processes can be accommodated to ensure the most efficient onboarding process is used. To help determine when it's appropriate to use an invitation (almost always!) vs a request form, you can utilize this decision tree.
Supplier Search
To minimize the chance of adding a duplicate supplier, it is best practice to search the supplier directory before inviting or requesting a new supplier. The Supplier Portal features two options for performing searches:
- Simple search – Enter search terms such as Legal Company name or Supplier ID.
- Advance search – Options for additional search terms such as type, class and diversity status, among others. In each case, the Supplier Portal search does not require wildcard or case-sensitive searching.
Searches can be saved for future use as well as shared with other users.
For additional information about the Supplier Portal in B2P, check out these tips and tricks or the trainings and quick reference guides on this page.
Once a requisition is submitted by a Requestor, the request must be reviewed and approved by one or more Approvers before it can be processed. Approvers are responsible for evaluating submitted orders for compliance, accuracy, completion, appropriateness, and consistency with University and TUB‐specific policies and guidelines.
Approver Basics
Approver Notifications
- Approvers will receive an email and/or system notification when it is time to approve a request
- Users will need to log in to Buy-to-Pay to approve the request
Accessing Pending and Prior Approvals
There are multiple ways to access the approval queue:
- Option 1
Click Orders → Approvals; Select from the menu at right to view pending or prior approvals
- Option 2
Click the Action Items icon (flag), and select My Assigned Approvals or Unassigned Approvals
- Option 3
In the Action Items section of the dashboard, click the links under My Assigned Approvals or Unassigned Approvals
Tips & Tricks for Managing Approval Queues
Refer to the following blog post for Tips and Tricks for Managing Approval Folders. This includes information on how to filter your approval queues for easier identification of items requiring your attention.
Additionally, this helpful video tutorial demonstrates how to filter your approval queue.
Reviewing a Request
Under My Assigned Approvals, click the Requisitions to Approve folder to view details of requisitions assigned to you. You can also click the other approval folders to access unassigned requisitions that reside in your department queue. Refer to the Approving Requisitions Quick Reference Guide for more detail.
Additionally, you can also access this video tutorial on using Document Search to save a filtered view of requisitions pending approval
Approval Actions
Approvers access and take action on requisitions from a shared queue by:
- Assigning a requisition to themselves from the shared queue
- Approving a requisition, moving it through workflow
Approvers have several options for actions that can be taken when reviewing a document:
- Adding comments to clarify, provide context, or otherwise weigh in on a requisition
- Returning a requisition for edits
- Canceling a requisition
- Marking a requisition on hold while waiting for further information or follow up
- Adding another approver when required
- Forwarding to a different approver when required
Check out this video tutorial, which shows how to assign, review, approve, return, add comments, reject, forward, add an ad hoc Approver, and place on hold.
Quick Reference Guide Links
Click the Quick Reference Guide Links (QRG) to access associate quick reference guides. Visit the B2P website for more quick reference guides and training resources.
- Approver Quick Start Guide
- Checkout Process
- Setting up a Substitute Approver
- Returning and Rejecting Requisitions
- Rejecting Line Items on Requisitions
- Amount-Based and Standing Order Guidance
- Creating a Change Order
- Receiving and Returning/Adjusting
- Viewing Invoice and Payment Information
- Managing Notifications
- Creating Chart of Account Favorites
All POs created for $2,500 or greater, must be received against in B2P by the Shopper or Requestor. Receipts can be entered as soon as goods have been delivered or services provided. The Requestor and Shopper will receive a notification in B2P when a receipt is required.
All roles can initiate a receipt. A shopper can only receive against orders they participated in (or were invoked in as the Prepared For). Requesters and Approvers have access to all University activity.
General Considerations When Receiving
- You are not required to record receipt on orders of goods or services under $2,500 (Please note this is based on PO total, not invoice total).
- You cannot receive against a closed PO.
Check out this Quick Reference Guide and helpful video tutorial on the process steps for receiving an item in B2P.
Invoice Holds occur when one or more of three scenarios below apply. Shoppers and requesters should take action in B2P to resolve all Invoice Holds and Match Exceptions.
Mismatch Reason |
Actions Required to Resolve |
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Over Price |
If the price on the invoice is correct on a non-catalog order, process a change request to adjust the price of the item to match the invoice. If the price on the invoice is incorrect on a non-catalog order, you will need to follow up with the vendor and ask them to submit a credit memo for the price difference based on the original quote in your order. If there is any price discrepancy on a Punchout or Catalog order, please reach out to: procurementhelp@seas.harvard.edu. |
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Over Quantity |
If the quantity on the invoice is correct on a non-catalog order, process a change request to adjust the quantity of the item to match the invoice. If the quantity on the invoice is correct on a Punchout/Catalog order, please reach out to procurementhelp@seas.harvard.edu to request that the match exception be approved. If the quantity is incorrect on any PO, you will need to follow up with the vendor and ask them to submit a credit memo for the quantity difference. |
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No Receipt |
Confirm product was delivered, receive in the system |
Change Request
For assistance in processing a Change Request, utilize this Quick Reference Guide or helpful video tutorial.
Notification of Hold
Shoppers/Requesters will receive an email notifying them that an invoice is on Hold for Match against a PO that they created. Users should follow the link in the email to go to the invoice, research the issue, and resolve the Hold using the instructions above.
Invoice Holds Report
Users can also research all invoices that may be in any Hold for Match status by using the Invoice Holds report in the Manage Searches > B2P Reports section of Document Search - utilize this guidance for how to run an Invoice Holds Report.
Match Exceptions
A Match Exception occurs when a shopper/requester does not take action to resolve a Hold for Match before six days prior to the due date of the invoice (based on supplier payment terms). The hold is escalated via the Match Exception process to notify the Level 4 or 5 approver that action needs to be taken to resolve. While the approver is notified of the escalation, it is still the Shopper/Requestor's responsibility to clear the exception based on the suggested actions above.