Financial Operations
1314 S Mt. Vernon Avenue
Williamsburg, VA 23185-1310
Ph. 757-221-4573 / Fax 757-253-1304
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Department Business Managers
FROM:
Ruth Gilliam, Director Accounting Operations
SUBJECT:
General Accounting News and Updates
DATE:
July 1, 2014
General Accounting Operations
Here we are again, another year has gone by, and it was a challenging year. However, together we did
accomplish quite a bit.
The Accounts Payable reorganization (AP and Travel) has been a success! This split allowed us to decrease
processing times in both offices, improve customer service, implement the direct deposit program, provide fall and
spring training sessions to the campus, implement the BOA online reconciliation process and now we are working
closely with Procurement to aid in their business process changes.
This upcoming year appears to be equally challenging, as the Procurement business changes become effective
today, July 1, 2014. I want to thank you in advance for your patience during this transition. While we don’t have
all the answers yet, the Procurement, HR and Accounting offices will work diligently and collaboratively to provide
answers to your questions within a reasonable amount of time.
As we move forward this upcoming year; we are focusing our energies on improving processes, increasing
collaboration with our campus customers, and providing additional training throughout the year.
NEWS
Procurement Business Changes and the impact to AP
The Procurement business process changes become effective July 1st, 2014. The Accounts Payable technicians
both at VIMS and WM have been given specific training in how to handle invoices that are outside compliance
with our new policy requirements.
All vendor payment voucher requests that come to the AP office that are outside compliance will be pulled from
queue and given to the AP manager for review. The AP technicians will not be able to process out of compliance
vouchers unless they receive written approval from Procurement and General Accounting.
 If a voucher from your department is pulled from the queue, you will receive an email from the AP
manager explaining the finding and the suggested resolution.
 The main things to remember:
o Payment for invoices of $5,000 or less will be sent back to the department with instructions that
payment must be made with the SPCC card. If the vendor does not accept the SPCC card or the
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vendor charges a fee for credit card payments, it is the department’s responsibility to provide AP
with an email from the vendor stating that fact. The AP office will call the vendor to verify this
information.
o All goods and services vouchers payable to a vendor that include independent contractor
payments must be entered into eVA prior to sending the Vendor Payment Form to AP.
o The only direct pays and reimbursements that will be made (if no exception has been granted)
are for goods and services approved by Procurement. The list of all approved direct pays and
reimbursements can be found on the Procurement website.
If you have any questions about the Procurement new policies and procedures, please visit the Procurement
website: http://www.wm.edu/offices/procurement/procurement_processes/index.php or contact the Procurement
management team.
W-9 Requirement and eVA Processing
As a result of the Procurement business process changes, we are expecting an increase of eVA purchase orders,
thus it is very important that you provide all new vendor W-9 Forms in a timely manner. The AP office will have to
process the W-9 first, in order for the eVA information to upload to Banner. Delays in providing the W-9 Form will
delay payment processing.
Changes to Vendor Records
Please remember that Employee and Student records can only be changed by HR and the Registrar’s office,
respectively. A W-9 Form should not be sent to AP to change the names on these types of records.
Direct Deposit is Mandatory for all employees (even students employees)
Accounts Payable and Travel payments to employees (even student employees) will be deposited in the
employees’ payroll primary direct deposit account. The Accounts Payable staff can’t override this process in
Banner.
Payments for Non-Resident Alien
The IRS is increasing its focus on payments made to nonresident aliens and foreign vendors. Making payments to
foreign individuals and vendors can be confusing. The agency is faced with complex tax, immigration, treaty, and
reporting obligations. We rely on campus departments to provide accurate and timely information to our office
that would facilitate compliance when processing payments to foreign nationals.
The department must contact the Payroll Office PRIOR to sending the vendor payment form. The department
must obtain the TAX LETTER from the Payroll Office and attach the form to the vendor payment form.
Under the Vendor Type, the department may inform AP that the payee is a NRA and the tax letter is attached.
If the vendor must pay taxes, the additional tax line must be entered in the vendor payment form. If you have any
questions, please contact Sandra Druitt in the Payroll Office.
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Accounts Payable Form Update
An updated form has been posted on our website. The changes include:
(1) Designated area for department to communicate Special Handling Request. All departments must use
this area to provide the reason for request, a department contact and phone number. Failure to use this
designated space may result in the staff missing your request.
(2) Designated area for department to communicate that the accounting distribution on the Vendor Payment
Voucher Request is different from the eVA purchase order. All departments must use this check box to
communicate with the AP staff. Failure to use this designated space will result in the payment being
processed as it was entered in eVA. All JV corrections to correct accounting distribution in this case will
be the responsibility of the department. No exceptions.
Signature Cards
Tanya Gillis, our AP manager has distributed to the campus the FY15 signature cards. All signature cards were
due by May 23, 2014. Due to the overwhelming increase in new faculty and staff, the deadline has been
extended to July 15th.
Honorariums
An honorarium is a one-time payment, made to an individual who is not an employee of the College of William and
Mary for a special and non-recurring activity or event for which no remuneration is collectible by law. Honorariums
are typically paid to persons of scholarly or professional standing with the intent of showing appreciation for
participation in the College educational, research, or public service activities.
If payment is negotiated and agreed upon, this is considered a contractual agreement, and should be processed
as a payment for professional services, not as an honorarium.
Many of you are using Honorarium as the description for service payments. If you have a contract, the payment is
not an honorarium and you must complete a purchase order in eVA before submitting the vendor payment form
request to AP.
Others:
New Team Member: We have a new team member; Ms. Ladonna Jarvis has joined the Travel Office team.
Ladonna comes to WM with many years of experience in the accounts payable field. If you stop by the office
please say hello!
AP Team Fiscal Technician Changes: The AP office has completed a reassignment of duties amongst its
technicians. A number of departments will be assigned a new Fiscal Technician beginning July 1, 2014. The data
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entry of all payments will be processed by JoAnn Debro. Enclosed please find our new department assignment
listing. If you have any questions, please contact Tanya.
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