Accounts Payable Overview

Who’s Who

Lesa Gold (254-1212)
Accounts Payable
lkg42@cornell.edu
Check Requests, Travel, Mailroom Assistance, Phone & Copy Codes, Invoices

Kelli Monce (254-1238)
Accounts Payable
ksm84@cornell.edu
Petty Cash, Parking Permits, Mailroom Assistance, Purchase Orders, Invoices

Check Requests View

Check Requests must be accompanied by an original receipt and completed Check Request form signed by the Principle Investigator or Supervisor. Sales Tax is an unallowable expense and cannot be reimbursed through Federal funds.

Accounts Payable generally processes a weekly check run. Completed Check Request Forms must be submitted to Accounts Payable by 1:00 P.M., Wednesday, prior to the next check run day as identified in the Calendar of AP Check Run Dates on this page. Check requests submitted after 1:00 PM Wednesday will be paid in the following week’s check run, (normally, 7 business days later.)

• Form: Check Request
• Calendar of AP Check Run Dates 2009
• Calendar of AP Check Run Dates 2010

Travel Authorization & Reimbursements View

Before embarking on BTI work related travel, employees are expected to submit a Travel Authorization form to the Business Office and to review BTI’s policies regarding reimbursement of travel expenses. It is suggested that the approved Travel Authorization Form be submitted at least 15 days before the anticipated departure date to ensure timely receipt of advance. Upon return, the employee must submit a completed Travel Voucher including all travel receipts and other expense documentation.

Two forms are required for reimbursement of BTI work related travel expenses. For each trip, travelers must complete both of the forms below:

• Travel Authorization
• Travel Voucher

Petty Cash View

($100.00 Maximum) Reimbursement requests must be accompanied by a receipt and an approved Petty Cash Requisition Form. If requested, employees will be reimbursed for out-of-pocket business expenses of $100.00 or less from a petty cash fund maintained in the Business Office. Otherwise, reimbursement will be made by check through the regular payment process.

Credit Cards

To ensure complete reimbursement, BTI strongly recommends individuals NOT to use personal credit cards for work related purchases. Please contact the BTI Stockroom Manager if a credit card is required for the purchase of supplies. Administrative Assistants hold credit cards for travel purposes, (i.e. Airline/ Hotel reservations, conference registration fees, etc…)

Sales Tax

Accounts Payable Staff members will make every reasonable effort to avoid the payment of NY State sales tax. In New York State, these taxes can add upwards of 8% to the cost of goods and services and sponsors will not reimburse the cost of tax compensated for by the Institute.

To avoid incurring sales tax:

• Purchase Orders are to be used to acquire goods or services whenever possible
• When the Purchase Order process is not a reasonable option, every effort should be made to use preapproved vendors known to accept tax exempt certificates

Deliberate use of BTI Sales Tax Exempt Certificates for personal use expenses may lead to actual loss of tax exempt status, is a punishable offense and grounds for dismissal.

If an employee requests reimbursement of sales tax for out-of-pocket institute expenditures, the sales tax amount may never be charged to sponsor funds. An approver may authorize reimbursement for diminutive sales tax amounts incurred on local purchases if the sales tax amount is charged to a valid BTI disallowed expense account.

Approvals

All payments and reimbursements must be accompanied by appropriate approval signatures. Larger expenditures require higher-level approval. Accounts Payable reviews all invoices and reimbursement requests to verify that the following approval criteria are met:

Expenditure Amount

• Expenditures up to $1,000 require approval by: Project Leader, Supervisor or Designated Signer
• Expenditures over $1,000 require approval by: Project Leader or Authorized Supervisor
• Capital Equipment Expenditures over $5,000 require approvals by: Project Leader or Supervisor, and VP for Finance & Operations
• Contracts require approval by: VP for Finance & Operations

Unallowable Expenses

Certain categories of expenses may never be charged to federal grants. Some expenses not eligible for reimbursement through federal funds include, but are not limited to: sales tax, (Tax Exempt Certificates are available in the Business office,) fines, penalties, parking or speeding tickets, any unnecessary costs or personal preference items such as first-class travel, alcoholic beverages, drugs or tobacco.

The determination of which expenses are allowable, which are not, and the proper accounting treatment for them, is specified in the federal Office of Management and Budget,
(OMB) Circular A-122: OMB Circular No. A-122