Business and Financial Policies and Procedures
University Controller’s Office

SECTION 3 – Check Requests
Download Check Request Form (Excel)

Effective Date: July 1, 2002

Business Function or General Statement
Check Requests provide departments with needed flexibility to make payments that are not subject to purchasing procedures. See Appendix A for transactions that are appropriate under this procedure and additional instructions.

Misuse of Check Requests
Check Requests should not be used to circumvent standard university purchasing procedures. Recurrent non-compliance will be referred by the Controller’s Office to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Financial Services.

Prompt Payment of Obligations
Sound financial practices and university policies require that all obligations be paid by the payee due date. The university also strives to time payments to maximize discount benefits and avoid early payment.

• Payments will be processed by the date required by the payee.
• Check Requests requiring payment earlier than the payee due date should be documented with an adequate reason for early payment.
• Requests for overnight or demand checks should be directed to the Accounts Payable Supervisor. Departments will be required to provide justification for such requests.

Mailing of Checks to Payee
Normally university checks are mailed to the payee. Justification must be provided on the Check Request if the check is to be returned to the department for mailing or if anyone other than the payee is to receive the check.

Procedures

Submission of Check Request
To process a request for payment under this procedure, submit a completed Check Request to the Accounts Payable Office. (317 HFR)

Attach sufficient documentation to support the reason for the expenditure and the amount requested. Refer to Appendix A for documentation requirements for specific transactions.

Submit the Check Request in sufficient time to allow the Accounts Payable Office to process the check by the payee due date. Five working days are normally required to process a check after receipt of the Check Request unless there is an extreme emergency. Emergency requests for overnight or demand checks (with sufficient justification) should be directed to the Accounts Payable Supervisor.

Check Requests that are not legible or not properly completed, signed, and/or accompanied by appropriate documentation will not be processed by the Accounts Payable Office and will be returned to the originating department for correction, thus delaying the processing of the Check Request.

Error Correction
If errors are found after a Check Request has been submitted to the Accounts Payable Office, but before payment has been made, notify the Accounts Payable Supervisor immediately at Ext. 3106.

To correct errors found in departmental reports after payment is made, send a memorandum or email to the Accounts Payable Supervisor.

Appendix A

Appropriate Use of Check Requests

Effective Date: July 1, 2002

General Documentation Requirements

• Attach an extra copy of any documentation that is to be mailed to the payee.
• Invoices and/or receipts provided as documentation must be originals. For prepayments, attach an official order form or price verification.
• If paying multiple invoices on one Check Request, attach an adding machine tape that equals the total amount of the Check Request.