Departments must consider using UB's preferred purchasing methods such as a purchase order, ShopBlue or Procurement Card for business transactions. Using these methods ensures contract pricing, liability and tax exemption requirements are met. When requesting reimbursement, you may be asked to explain why one of these preferred methods was not utilized.

Ownership of all items acquired with state, Research Foundation (RF) or UB Foundation (UBF) funds is vested with the respective entity and not the individual faculty or staff member. This includes items purchased:

• By an individual for which the cost was reimbursed.
• Using a university procurement method such as a purchase order, Procurement Card (PCard), or any eProcurement method.

Departments must also ensure appropriate asset management requirements are met.

• List the UB business purpose for the expense on the expense report or voucher.
• UB employees must get preapproval from their supervisor before traveling overnight. An approved request report must be attached to the expense report in the travel and expense reimbursement system (Concur).
• Attach original receipts to the expense report or voucher.
• Verification of payment. Depending on how the purchase was made, additional information may be requested to substantiate that the purchase of goods or services took place.
• For vouchers, the payee and the authorized individual must sign it. For expense reports, the payee must accept the electronic agreement. For more information, review the UB Approval Authority Policy.
  

The Allowable Use of Funds policy governs payment and reimbursement for food, beverage and related expenses associated with official university functions. Documentation (invoice, receipt, conference meeting agenda, etc.) is required to support and justify the business-related purpose of the expense.

Every effort should be made to obtain New York State sales tax exemption. If the vendor did not accommodate UB's tax-exempt status, you may be required to provide an explanation. Tax paid will not be reimbursed to the individual.

Reimbursement is typically requested for food purchases and registration costs for vendors that may not accept credit cards or purchase orders. Registration costs related to travel should be included on the expense report or voucher.

Not all items can be reimbursed on an expense report or voucher. The following expenses cannot be requested:

• Supplier payments
• Honoraria (State, Research Foundation)
• Student tuition and scholarships

The Research Foundation of SUNY's policy for unrestricted funds identifies valid business purposes for non-compensation expenses and the types of expenditures permissible for payment or reimbursement by the RF. The policy provides criteria for determining a permissible expense and provides examples of common expenses.