Overview
The payment of invoices for library materials is managed cooperatively between the Acquisitions Unit and Library Administration. The procedure below details the workflows for paying invoices.
Limited Value Requisitions (LVRs) / Limited Value Purchase Orders (LVPOs)
LVRs / LVPOs are issued for invoices less than $5,000. Multiple invoices from the same vendor can be attached to a single LVR/LVPO, as long as the total amount remains under $5,000.
1. Acquisitions Unit staff obtain invoices for library materials.
Some invoices come from the Head, Acquisitions, with approval for payment.
Some invoices are obtained directly by Acquisitions Unit staff.
2. Invoices are posted in Alma by Acquisitions Unit staff per normal procedures.
3. When an invoice is ready to be entered into URI's accounting system for the creation of an LVR:
a) The Acquisitions Unit person (Lisa, Jen or Andrée) in possession of the invoice re-names the invoice PDF using this convention: Vendor_invoicenumber.pdf. For example: EBSCO_2003031.pdf, Gale_70093836.pdf, GOBI_ 395181.pdf.
b) The Acquisitions Unit staff member (Lisa or Jen) emails the invoice to Library Administration (Adrienne, Irene, and Patti) with a chartfield string and an authorization for payment. The authorization may be given by Lisa or Jen or, in some cases, an authorization email will be forwarded from Andrée. The wording of the subject line and body of the email is standardized. See the example below.
Email subject line: Invoice for payment via LVPO - GOBI_395181
Body of the email:
I approve this invoice for payment on 5324-100-3301-2564 dues/subs (continuing).
or
I approve this invoice for payment on 5432-100-3301-2564 Education/recreational supplies/materials (one-time).
Attach the PDF of the invoice to the email.
Each invoice will require a separate email.
If there are a number of invoices from the same vendor, send them at the same time so that they can be bundled into a single LVPO if possible.
4. Library Administration staff generates the LVR in URI's accounting system.
5. The Head, Acquisitions (Andrée) approves the LVR in URI's accounting system. The Chair, Department of Technical Services acts as a backup.
6. Once the LVPO is generated by URI's accounting system, Library Administration staff signs the PDF of the LVPO.
7. Library Administration emails the signed LVPO to URI Accounting for payment at aprec@etal.uri.edu. Copied on the email are all Acquisitions Unit people (Andrée, Lisa, Jen) and Library Administration staff (Adrienne, Irene, and Patti).
8. Acquisitions Unit staff files the signed LVPO in the Google Shared Drive "Acquisitions Invoices" under the appropriate Fiscal Year and Vendor.
Invoice Vouchers
Invoice Vouchers are issued for invoices greater than $5,000.
1. Acquisitions Unit staff obtains invoices for library materials.
Most large invoices originate from the Head, Acquisitions, with approval for payment.
Some invoices are obtained directly by Acquisitions Unit staff.
2. Invoices are posted in Alma by Acquisitions Unit staff per normal procedures.
3. When an invoice is ready to have an Invoice Voucher created for it:
a) The Acquisitions Unit person (Lisa, Jen or Andrée) in possession of the invoice re-names the invoice PDF using this convention: Vendor_invoicenumber.pdf. For example: Elsevier_M447970.pdf, EBSCO_2003031.pdf, Lyrasis_811025.pdf.
b) The Acquisitions Unit staff member (Lisa or Jen) emails the invoice to Library Administration (Michael Milkman, copying Adrienne, Irene, and Patti) with a chartfield string and an authorization for payment. In most cases, the authorization email will be forwarded from the Head, Acquisitions. The wording of the subject line and body of the email is standardized. See the example below.
Email subject line: Invoice for payment via Invoice Voucher - Elsevier _M447970
Body of the email:
I approve this invoice for payment on 5324-100-3301-2564 dues/subs (continuing).
or
I approve this invoice for payment on 5432-100-3301-2564 Education/recreational supplies/materials (one-time).
Attach the PDF of the invoice to the email.
Each invoice will require a separate email.
4. Library Administration staff creates the Invoice Voucher.
5. After the Invoice Voucher is signed by Library Administration, Library Administration staff (Adrienne) emails the signed Invoice Voucher to URI Accounting for payment at aprec@etal.uri.edu. Copied on the email are all Acquisitions Unit people (Andrée, Lisa, Jen) and Library Administration staff (Mike, Irene, and Patti).
6. Acquisitions Unit staff files the signed Invoice Voucher in the Google Shared Drive "Acquisitions Invoices" under the appropriate Fiscal Year and Vendor.
Vendor Inquiries
The Acquisitions Unit is the first point of contact for onboarding vendors and responding to their payment questions.
If a vendor contacts us with a question on payment information, the Acquisitions Unit staff goes to the Google Shared Drive "Acquisitions Invoices" and downloads the PDF file of the LVPO or Invoice Voucher containing the invoice. (If it does not exist, this is a sign that perhaps the invoice got lost or was somehow overlooked.)
The Acquisitions Unit staff sends the PDF to Library Administration along with the date the invoice was sent to URI Accounting for payment and lets them know that the vendor is inquiring about payment status (date paid, check number). Library Administration will respond, after checking with URI Accounting if necessary. When payment details are obtained, the Acquisitions Unit staff conveys this information to the vendor.