Financial Policies

Workday

Workday is the system used by advisors to track real-time spending for university programs (accounts). Students are not authorized to access this software, so strong communication between club leaders and advisors is essential to ensure funds are tracked accurately.

Treasurers should begin with the starting balance and record all spending and deposits, regularly comparing their records with the Workday balance. Detailed documentation of all event-related expenses should be maintained and shared with the organization’s advisor.

Funds may only be spent on items allocated by SAFAC and may not be used for anything illegal under university, local, state, or federal law. SAFAC funds may not be used to purchase alcohol. Misuse of funds—whether misfeasance or malfeasance—is a violation of University of Miami policy and may result in disciplinary action.

Types of Accounts

There are different types of student organization accounts, referred to as "programs" (PGs):

Access to Programs (Accounts)

A Workday Program Form, signed by an organization’s advisor, can grant viewing access to Workday under the advisor’s login and allow them to generate Supplier Invoices (eCheck requests) and purchase requisitions (POs). This form is completed by the advisor when they begin their role with the organization. Advisors experiencing difficulty accessing programs should contact sasofinance@miami.edu for assistance.

Methods of Payment for Outside Vendors

Sudent organizations have several payment methods available for goods and services. It is the advisor’s responsibility to identify and select the appropriate payment method before any purchase is made. For questions about payment options, advisors can contact Purchasing at purchasinghelpdesk@miami.edu or by phone at (305) 284-5751. Additional resources are available at purchasing.miami.edu.

For detailed information, the Accounts Payable payment matrix can be found at http://controller.miami.edu/_assets/pdf/documents/pymt_matrix_by_pymt_type.pdf. 

Non-Employee and Student Expense Reimbursement Form

The Expense Form is used to reimburse students and non-employees for expenses incurred on behalf of the university or a student organization. All spending should be pre-approved by SAFAC and/or the organization’s executive board and advisor, depending on which program is being used. Because this method requires a student to pay for supplies and materials in advance, other methods of payment—such as Supplier Invoice, Purchase Order, or Purchasing Card—are preferred and should be explored. Faculty and staff seeking reimbursement are required to generate an expense report through the Workday system. 

The Expense Form should only be used to reimburse students for the purchase of goods or conference/travel expenses. Please note that graduate student travel will not be reimbursed through SAFAC. These expenses can be reimbursed through a Non-SAFAC program or funded through GAFAC. The form should not be used to reimburse expenses for performers (DJs, bands, comedians, etc.), equipment rentals (lighting, golf carts, etc.), or space rentals (banquet halls, etc.).

Workday allows the advisor to split the reimbursement among multiple programs, enabling costs to be divided between two or more programs when necessary—such as when both SAFAC and Non-SAFAC funds are being used.

Once a reimbursement is fully approved in Workday, a check is mailed to the student based on the address provided in the online reimbursement form. Processing can take up to fifteen (15) business days, depending on the volume of requests in queue. For more information on reimbursements, contact the Disbursements Office at 305-284-3569 or disbursements@miami.edu.

Effective March 1, 2025, the University has implemented an updated Travel & Expense Reimbursement Policy in alignment with IRS guidelines, all expenses must be submitted and reconciled within 60 days of the date they were incurred or paid. Expenses submitted after 60 days will not be eligible for reimbursement.

Purchase Requisitions/Purchase Orders (PO)

Purchase requisitions and purchase orders are used to facilitate payments to vendors approved by the University of Miami. Advisors are responsible for completing purchase requisitions through the Workday system. Once a requisition is fully approved, a purchase order is generated and sent to the vendor as a formal commitment to pay, with the corresponding funds reserved.

Purchase orders are paid only after the university has received the goods or services and the final invoice has been submitted to Accounts Payable. It is important to generate purchase requisitions before any services are rendered or goods are received. A purchase order represents a contractual agreement between the university and the vendor, confirming that payment will be issued once the order is fulfilled. If the final invoice exceeds the purchase order amount, the original purchase order must be increased before payment can be processed.

To process payment through a purchase requisition/purchase order:

1. Obtain an estimate in writing from the vendor. An “Invoice” or “Bill” is not acceptable. The document should say “Estimate” or “Proposal.”
2. Using the estimate, the organization’s advisor creates a new purchase requisition in the Workday system.
3. The organization’s advisor must also approve the purchase requisition once it has been submitted.
4. Once approved (typically within 48 hours), a purchase order is generated. The advisor can view the PO number in Workday and is emailed when it’s created.
5. The student or advisor shares the PO number with the vendor as confirmation of payment. A copy of the purchase order can also be obtained by contacting the Purchasing Department directly.
6. Vendor provides goods or services.
7. Vendor sends an invoice to the student or advisor.
8. Send an email with the PO # in the subject line and attach the invoice. Send this email to APOCR@miami.edu. Invoices are automatically processed by the system (AI); Therefore, all invoices must have a valid PO# referenced on each invoice image. This serves as confirmation that the good or services were received and begins the payment process. If this step is not completed, the supplier will not get paid. Do not add or CC multiple recipients to emails sent to APOCR@miami.edu.
9. Vendors are paid according to the terms of their vendor agreement with the university. Some are Net-60 (paid 60 days after receipt of an invoice), while others are Net-30 or Net-15.
10. Vendors may negotiate their payment terms with Purchasing directly.
11. All advisors should follow up with the vendor to ensure the payment has been processed. This should reflect a paid status under the corresponding purchase order number on Workday. Once the payment is processed and services/goods are received, the advisor should close the purchase order on Workday prior to the fiscal year end date. For more information on purchase requisitions/purchase orders, please contact the Purchasing Department.

For more information on purchase requisitions/purchase orders, please contact the Purchasing Department on the web at Purchasing Department.

Supplier Invoices (eChecks)

Check Requests are used under extremely limited circumstances to pay one-time charges on behalf of a student organization. One-time charges include performance fees, honoraria, and charitable contributions. To generate a Check Request, a final invoice from the company is needed. If the payee is a performer, a copy of the fully-executed contract for the event can be used in place of an invoice. For performers, a W9 (dated in current calendar year) is required along with the copy of the contract. The name and address on the W9 must match check payee.

Check Requests can be requested by the organization’s advisor through the Workday system. Once the request has been fully approved, it can take up to three days for the check to be generated by disbursements. Checks are mailed directly to the address in the system.

To have a check re-issued or to request a stop payment, an organization’s advisor must fill out a Stop Payment Form.

For more information on Check Requests, please contact the Accounts Payable Department.

If you do not have access to create a Check Request in Workday, please contact SASO Finance at sasofinance@miami.edu to verify your security roles.

Purchasing Card (P-Card) and Travel Card (T-Card)

University of Miami faculty and staff are eligible to apply for a purchasing card and/or travel card that can be used for certain types of expenditures. The user must agree to the terms of the card, and must follow a strict reconciliation policy each month. Temporary employees and students are not eligible.

For more information on P-Cards and T-Cards, please contact the Corporate Cards office.

Venmo

Student organizations are not permitted to use Venmo or any similar third-party applications/websites to collect money. This includes funds for dues, t-shirt sales, or admission to organization events. It is recommended that student organizations utilize the Student Organization Store to collect funds (please see “Student Organization Store” section below).

Groups may also collect cash or checks, which must be deposited at the cashier’s window at the Student Services Building by the end of the next business day. Students may not deposit organization funds into their personal bank accounts at any time. If money collected is being used to pay for approved organization activities, the money should be deposited into the organization’s account and then withdrawn in accordance with the University of Miami’s Purchasing Policies.

Financial Systems Training Resources

The Controller’s office offers trainings and tutorials for Workday and Purchasing related matters at Supply Chain Training and Resources and at ULearn. At the SASO website under the Advisor tab there are resources for the financial piece of the role. The direct link to the financial section can be found by clicking here.

More in-depth information about University Financial Systems can also be found in the Finances section of the Student Organization Handbook at the following link: umiami.policystat.com.