Standing Orders

A standing order is a type of purchase order (PO) issued to establish an account with a specific supplier to obtain specific services during a specified time period.  Once your PO is processed by the Purchasing department, you can place your order directly with the supplier as needed.

On this page:

Advantages of a Standing Order

A standing order facilitates your order process by:

  • Reducing processing costs, because only one eReq is required for each supplier.
  • Quickening the ordering process, because you place your order directly with the supplier.
  • Providing immediate notification of the availability of your item, if you ordered through an online account.

How to Establish a Standing Order

1. Create an eReq for the specific supplier. Be sure to encumber it with a Not to Exceed dollar amount.

  • When ordering items on state contract, there is no dollar limit. Check to see if your supplier is on state contract.
  • Orders with a non-contract supplier are limited to $10,000.
  • Any outstanding encumbered funds will be liquidated at the end of the fiscal year or when the grant ends. 

2. Specify the start and end date of your order.

  • State funds date range can be up to one year within the fiscal year, July 1— June 30.
  • Research Foundation (RF) funds date range can be up to a one-year period.  The end date should be in accordance with your grant-ending date.
  • UB Foundation (UBF) funds date range should be for no more than 12 consecutive months.

 3. Limit the PO to one account number when possible due to business system limitations.

  • If multiple accounts are necessary, indicate the exact dollar amount to charge to each account.
  • One PO can have multiple authorized users.

Using a Standing Order

  • Change orders are not allowed on standing orders, so if you need to make a change to the PO, then contact the buyer, who will determine the best course of action.
  • When you create a replacement standing order for the new fiscal year or grant year, you should reference the old PO that is being replaced.
  • Be sure to use a valid PO number when ordering from the supplier and update the online account with the new PO number, when applicable.

Related Guides and Training

Training