Purchase Authorizations

A new Purchase Authorization should be created before a purchase is made.

Creating a New PA

In the PA system:

1. New
2. General
   A. Program # (committee number)
   B. Vendor (who check will be made to)
3. Add
   A. Title (i.e. office supplies, movie rental, etc.)
   B. Description
   C. Sub-account (i.e. 5641 - advertising; 4010 - office supplies)
   

   Who	the name of the speaker, exhibit, show, etc.
   What	was bought, used, rented, etc. (How many - approximate # in attendance)
   When	the date(s) the event took place
   Where	the event is going to take place
   Why	the reason for the event; not why something was purchased

   
   D. Skip Quantity if not priced individually
   E. Skip Unit Cost if not priced individually
   F. Extended Price (estimated)
4. Print a copy to take along to make purchase

Each advisor creates a PA on the system to "ENCUMBER" a purchase. (An Encumbrance Batch, which includes all PAs created for that day, is posted to the Fund Accounting system each day at 3:00 by the MSC Accounting Office.) When the invoice is returned to the advisor, he or she should then go back into the system and modify the PA to reflect the right amount (less tax and tip where applicable).

The Invoice should then be stamped, signed by the advisor, and have the PA# written on it. The Invoice and two copies should then be taken to the MSC Accounting Office.

The PA will then be Invoiced (when looking at a PA on the screen, the date by "INVOICED" is the date of the invoice) and Approved. An Approval List will be created and given to the MSC Director for approval to pay. Once this list is returned to the MSC Accounting Office, a voucher will be worked up and taken over to the TAMU Fiscal Office to be paid. This process takes approximately 2 days from the day the invoice is given to the MSC Acocunting Office by the advisor.

Overview of PA Process

1. PA created by Advisor
2. Goods received or charged
3. PA modified (if necessary) by Advisor
4. Copies made and turned into Accounting
5. PA Invoiced and Approved by Accounting
6. Approval List printed and given to Director
7. Vouchers created by Accounting
8. Vouchers signed by Director
9. Vouchers taken to Fiscal by Accounting