Vendor Responsibilities

Per the state’s requirements, vendors are required to register with the state in order to do business with the University and to receive payment for merchandise or service rendered to the college. Registration with the state begins with the submission of the CUNY Vendor Records Manage-ment Unit-Payee Registration Form.

Once the vendor is successfully registered with the state, the vendor will receive an email from the state with an invitation to join eSupplier Vendor Self Service. The State’s eSupplier Vendor Self Service portal allows vendors to manage vendor information, receive updates on procedures and support and view payment information.

Vendors can visit the State’s Statewide Financial System (SFS) website to gain knowledge about their responsibilities at www.sfs.ny.gov

The State’s contact information is available at (877) 737-4185 or helpdesk@sfs.ny.gov

Invoice Processing

The Accounts Payable Department generally receives invoices directly from the vendor via the U.S. Postal Service mail or email. However, occasionally, the ordering requester may receive the invoice directly from the vendor bypassing the Accounts Payable Department. In this event, the department requester must forward the valid original invoice to Accounts Payable to ensure that the payment process is adhered to.

In the event, you receive merchandise or if rendered services are completed, but you never receive an email to create a CUNYfirst receipt or never receive a copy of the invoice for your payment approval, please inform Accounts Payable of the situation.

In order for Accounts Payable to process payments to vendors for merchandise received or services rendered, the following are required:

• Creation of a CUNYfirst requisition (created by the requester).
• Valid CUNYfirst Purchase Order (issued by the Purchasing Office).
• Original valid invoice from the vendor (the vendor’s complete name and address stated on invoice).
• CUNYfirst receipt with attached signed and dated invoice and packing slip entered by the requester (see CUNYfirst receipt below).
• Hard copy of the signed and dated invoice and packing slip sent to Accounts Payable.

Note: All invoices and packing slips whose cost was paid instead by an issued college credit card must be sent to the Purchasing department for their records.

CUNYfirst Receipt

The creation of a CUNYfirst receipt should take place within five days of receiving a CUNYfirst match exception email to ensure that payment is made to the vendor in a timely manner. The requester will create a receipt only for the actual amount that was received and not for the entire PO if all of the merchandise was not yet received. Invoices will be received as the order is fulfilled by the vendor.

If merchandise was received and part of the merchandise is being returned to the vendor, please create a receipt for the amount that you are keeping. If all of the merchandise is being returned, do not create a receipt. For either scenario, send Accounts Payable an email stating the reason for return and provide the vendor name, PO number, item, quantity and the Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number within five days of receiving the merchandise. If you receive a credit memo from the vendor, contact Accounts Payable for further review and processing. (See Returns to Vendor below)

Note: When creating the CUNYfirst receipt, you must change the receipt date (click on “Header Details” hyperlink) to the date you actually received the merchandise or services. CUNYfirst automatically defaults the receipt date to the date you are creating the receipt.

Inspection of Merchandise Receipt

There are times when an Inspection of Merchandise is needed as part of the receipting process. The CUNYfirst Inspection Receipt is required for the following items:

• Technology — CIS Department
• Hazardous Material — Environmental Health & Safety Department
• Furniture — Campus Facilities

Note:

• CUNYfirst will automatically send a match exception email to the requester every day until the receipt and the Inspection of Merchandise receipt (if required) are created and matched to the invoice.
• CUNYfirst does not allow for invoice payments to proceed if a valid CUNYfirst receipt and the Inspection of Merchandise receipt (if required) are not created.

Returns to Vendor

Processing of merchandise returns to vendors require specific actions that must be adhered to to ensure that a replacement or a credit is received by the college. Merchandise returns should be processed immediately. The department requester should contact the Purchasing Office at 718-473-8960 for assistance.