Accounts Payable

The Accounts Payable Office aims to provide:

Clear, concise and timely dissemination of accounts payable policies and procedures
A control to ensure proper approval of all expenditures
Prompt and accurate processing of invoices and check requests
Timely payment of invoices and check requests
Professional and helpful interactions with the College community on all accounts payable matters

Accounts Payable audits all payment and reimbursement requests before issuing payments in accordance with College and federal policies and regulations. As part of the auditing process, the department ensures appropriate documentation is in place to support the business purpose of an expense in accordance with IRS regulations.

Cash Advance

The purpose of this procedure is to provide accurate controls of cash advances. This process will ensure the accuracy of expenses reported on financial statements. A travel advance is money paid to an employee in advance of a College business trip that will be applied toward actual travel expenses.

Cash Advance Reconciliation form must be submitted to the Accounting Department no later than 30 days after the completion of the activity (e.g., trip) in order to clear advances. Only in extenuating circumstances will receipts be accepted more than 60 days after the date of completion. If receipts are not submitted by 60 days after the completion of the activity, cash advances will be deducted from an employee’s next paycheck and the advance recipient will not be eligible to receive any future advances. Students with outstanding cash advances will be charged to their student account will not be eligible to receive any future advances.

Employees may not approve their own expenditures, nor may they approve expenditures for their supervisor or otherwise normal approving party. Every advance request must include the second signature of the approving party.

Gift Card Recipient Acknowledgement Form

Automated Gift Card Acknowledgement Form

Corrective Action Opportunities

1st Notification: A written warning will be issued to the requestor.
2nd Notification: A written warning will be issued to the requestor, supervisor/budget manager, and cabinet member.
3rd: Notification: Advance violating charges will be deducted from the requestor’s next paycheck

For additional information on cash advances please review Cash Advance Procedure.

Check Run Schedule

Accounts Payable runs checks once a week, on Thursday morning, and checks are normally mailed on Fridays. Check Request and Invoices need to be submitted to the Business Office by 1pm on Tuesday in order to be processed in the current week's check run. All documentation must meet college polices and guidelines in order to be processed; otherwise requests will not be processed until the appropriate documentation is received. During holiday weeks or inclement weather, the check run schedule may be changed. The campus community will be notified in advance when the schedule is changed.

Expense Reimbursement

Centenary College of Louisiana is committed to establishing and maintaining an environment that embraces the highest standards of ethical conduct and behavior. As stewards of its resources and reputation, faculty and staff share an important responsibility for upholding the standards of excellence that define the College and strengthen the community’s trust and confidence in its integrity. As such, in all cases and situations, reasonableness and sound business judgment is required and expected, as well as proper approvals and auditable documentation.

Expense reports should be submitted to Accounts Payable within 30 days after travel expenses have been incurred. Expenses older than 60 days when submitted for payment are subject to forfeiture of payment. Reimbursement checks/direct deposit for properly completed and authorized Expense Reimbursement Statements are typically paid within 10 business days. Accounts Payable generates payments each Thursday, with the direct deposit being posted on the following day.

Corrective Action Opportunities

1st Notification: A written warning will be issued to the requestor.
2nd Notification: A written warning will be issued to the requestor, supervisor/budget manager, and cabinet member.
3rd: Notification: Expenses will not be reimbursed.

For additional information please review Expense Reimbursement Policy.

Lost or Stolen Checks

If a Centenary College check is lost or has not been received, contact Business Office at (318) 869.5125 or business_office@cenenary.edu so that a stop payment can be placed on the check. Please allow at least two weeks from the check date before requesting a stop payment, unless there is reason to believe the check has been stolen or misappropriated. Please know the vendor name, check amount, and approximate date the payment request was sent, so that we may identify the check more readily.

Payments to Students & Employees

It is extremely important that any payment for work done by a student or employee of the college be processed through Payroll rather than through Accounts Payable. Failure to properly report these individuals as employees and remitting the appropriate portion of employer's tax puts the college and the individual at risk of incurring severe financial penalties from the IRS. If you are unsure as to the proper handling of payments to be made to an individual please contact the Human Resources department.

Mileage Reimbursement Policy

The rate of 53.5 cents per mile is to be used for reimbursement requests for all mileage incurred on or after January 1, 2017.

The College will reimburse employees for the use of their personal vehicle used for College business. Reimbursement will be at the effective date and rate published in this policy. The business mileage rate covers all costs of operating the vehicle including gasoline, oil, insurance and repairs, etc. Receipts for tolls and parking fees are reimbursed separately and not included in the business mileage rate.

Mileage reimbursement is meant to cover only those miles incurred above and beyond the employee’s normal commute to his/her place of business. For example, if the normal commuting round trip is 20 miles, and the employee goes on a trip that covers 75 miles, only the incremental 55 miles are reimbursable. The number of days should also be taken into account. If the 75 miles in the above example were incurred over three business days, then the incremental reimbursable miles would be 15 (75 – (3 * 20)).

Reimbursement requests should indicate the points of travel and the miles eligible for reimbursement. Mileage reimbursement requests should be sent to Accounts Payable either separately or as part of a larger travel reimbursement request.

Human Resources will update the policy website to reflect this change in rates.

Purchasing Policy
Purchasing Card Policy
Purchase Order Policy

Accounts Payable Vendor Creation Procedure

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide for the maintenance and control of an accurate vendor master file within the Banner System. This procedure will help maximize efficiency within the Accounts Payable (AP) function so that the occurrence of duplicate vendor payments and inaccuracies in vendor information is avoided.

Creation and maintenance of vendor files in the Banner system is a process solely controlled by Business Office. The Business Office is responsible for receiving the appropriate documentation from the requestor to establish a new vendor, changing vendor’s information and for ensuring that each vendor has only one master vendor file.

Before requesting a new vendor, check the current vendor list. Please allow 5 days for setting up new vendor.

Definitions

DBA – doing business as
W-9 form required for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification for US companies
W-8BEN form required for foreign vendors

Procedures

If the vendor does not exist in Banner, Business Office will create a new vendor number using the information provided on the Vendor Request Form.
The Vendor Request Form should be completed by an employee/requestor and should be approved by their Budget Manager with W-9 form attached for US vendors or form W-8BEN for foreign vendors. This form will ensure that the new vendor has a valid tax identification number and will also provide their legal name and business name if applicable along with their street address.
A vendor will not be created until a Vendor Request and W9 forms are received.
The complete paperwork can be faxed to 318-869-5722 or return to the Business Office
Creation of or changes to vendor numbers related to remittance of payment are made by the Business Office.

To view the vendor list visit https://apps.centenary.edu/vendors.

Centenary College of Louisiana

Accounts Payable and Purchasing Cards