Resources | Business Operations

What is a business/public purpose? The justification for a purchase that clearly identifies the public purpose and how the expenditure of University funds supports the University’s mission. – ASU Business/Public Purpose Guide

What is the process for procurement? Procurement process is categorized and differentiated by the dollar amount of the purchase. – Procurement Quick Reference Guide

Does ASU pay sales tax? Scientific equipment may be tax-exempt if used solely for research and development purposes. This policy applies to capital equipment and fabricated components to build a more extensive system. The tax exemption is applicable for capital and fabricated purchases in the hard sciences. ASU does pay sales, TPT, and use tax on other purchases.

How can I buy items from Amazon? Amazon orders are required to be processed through Sunrise via Workday, and all deliveries must be to an ASU Campus location.  Complete the Purchases and Reimbursements Request Form to initiate the request.

How do I purchase/renew my software license(s)? Complete the Purchases and Reimbursements Request Form to initiate the request; be sure to attach any relevant documentation (i.e. quote, invoice, etc).  Software licenses should be restricted to no more than one year in length; our team will assist you with annual renewals as they arise.

How do I set up my My ASU Trip/Concur profile? Navigate to Traveler Resources, and follow the steps under “My ASU TRIP — Getting started”.  For students completing the form to request a Student Travel Profile, the main Supervisory Organization code for SHESC is X0213050M, and the Cost Center ID is CC0640.  Select Michael Campos as approver.

How do I book my airfare? Prior to booking airfare, a trip request in My ASU TRIP/Concur must be fully approved.  ASU recommends booking through My ASU TRIP/Concur or working with ASU’s travel agency, Anthony Travel.  If needed, the Business Operations team can purchase airfare on a traveler’s behalf using a Purchasing Card (aka PCard).

What is the University policy on tips and gratuities? Any tips and gratuities paid for and/or being reimbursed with University funds must not exceed 20% per FIN 420-02.

• Business Meal Form
• Independent Contractor Determination Checklist
• Independent Contractor Expense Reimbursement Form
• Mileage Reimbursement Form
• PCard Transactions Form
• Purchases and Reimbursements Request Form
• Supplemental Travel Information Form
• Travel Request Form

• FIN 401-03: Prohibited Transactions
• FIN 420-01: Faculty and Staff Reimbursements
• FIN 420-02: Business Meals, Food, and Related Expense
• FIN 421-01: Guest Lecturers, Consultants, and Other Independent Contractors
• FIN 501: ASU Travel Policy
• FIN 501a: State of Arizona Mileage and Lodging Reimbursement Rate

1. Complete the Purchases and Reimbursements Request Form.
   1. Provide any supplemental documentation (quotes, emails, receipts, weblinks, etc).  Be sure to indicate any shipping requirements under additional comments.
2. You will receive an email confirmation once the form is submitted.  Another email is sent confirming that the request has been reviewed and approved.
3. Business Operations will follow up once the order is placed or PO has been issued.
4. Delivery of item:
   1. ASU’s central mail team delivers packages to the designated location's Front Office/ Receiving Center.  You will be notified by your location’s staff for pick up.  Business Operations will investigate any delays and follow up if items are back-ordered.
   2. Confirm your receipt as soon as your order arrives.  Email all packing slips to [email protected].

Packages are delivered to Tempe campus locations by the ASU central mail team.  Freight orders may be delivered directly to the campus location.  The most common locations are:

• SHESC Building
• IHO at WCPH
• SOLS in LSE
• CEM in LSC
• Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve – Couriers can deliver directly to Deer Valley.

Deliveries to home addresses are generally not allowed.

Business Operations will contact suppliers as necessary to ensure order fulfillment.  Our team will determine the best way to place an order – Workday or PCard.

• Workday orders are placed with a purchase order issued by ASU; purchase orders can be amended as necessary with a change order.
• PCard orders are placed instantly just like a regular credit card purchase.  See PCard Purchases section below for more on the PCard.

Orders made to individual service providers may need to be approved by Tax Services via the Independent Contractor Determination Checklist. Tax review is needed if pay will be over $600 total in any calendar year.  A quote is required if pay will be over $10,000.  Contractors must provide an invoice billed to ASU, upon service completion, in order to be paid.

Purchases from new suppliers and service providers may be required to register as a supplier with ASU.  Business Operations will be in contact with the supplier and/or service provider to get them set up.

Order Documentation Requirements:

• Quick Reference Guide
• $10,000 to $25,000 -- 1 quote
• $25,001 to $100,000 -- 3 quotes from different suppliers
• $100,001+ -- Request for Proposal (RFP)

Review the prohibited transactions list to ensure that your request is allowable.

For purchases requiring physical payment or to avoid outlaying personal funds for reimbursement, a PCard can be borrowed from the Business Operations team.  PCards may be used for purchasing low-dollar goods and services that serve a public purpose.  Purchases must abide by the Restricted PCard Purchase List.

To purchase items using the Business Operations PCard:

1. Review PCard Restricted Items to ensure your purchase is allowed
2. Request PCard from Business Operations team
3. Make purchase
4. Return PCard to Business Operations team
5. Complete PCard Transactions Form to allocate expense to your account 
   1. If food is involved, complete, sign, and attach the Business Meals Form to your request form along with the complete attendee list and/or original RSVP list if it is too long to fit on the meals form. 
   2. Any food that is brought onto ASU Campus to be consumed – such as catering and take-out -- must have a recent, acceptable Food and Safety rating with no violations as deemed by the Maricopa County Restaurants Rating Tool.

To request a purchase for chemical items:

1. Complete the Purchases and Reimbursements Request Form.  Be sure to indicate if the items are temperature-sensitive and/or considered hazardous chemicals or biologicals under additional comments.
2. You will receive an email confirmation once the form is submitted.  Another email is sent confirming that the request has been reviewed and approved.
3. The request will be ordered and tracked by Business Operations.  Business Operations will prioritize tracking temp-sensitive orders to ensure safe delivery.  We will investigate any delays and follow up if items are back-ordered.
4. Chemical orders will be delivered to ASU Materials Management – Chemical Receiving.  Chemical Receiving will log the chemical in the Chemical Environmental Management System (CEMS).
5. The requester will be notified by CEMS team for pickup at the designated receiving center.

Chemical and Biological purchases, including items containing traces of DNA, for use in ASU laboratories must be purchased in ASU’s FMS Workday.  Payment with a PCard may increase turnaround time.  Chemical order deliveries are first received and logged by the ASU Environmental Health and Safety department.  EHS will then deliver items to the designated campus location, or contact the requestor for pickup.  Staff within the respective departments will reach out or deliver accordingly.

The most common locations are:

• Chemical Receiving at PSG (for SHESC labs)
• IHO at WCPH
• SOLS in LSC

Best practice is to be in contact with Business Operations prior to initiating an agreement with a vendor. This allows us to ensure the best payment method and to register a supplier in advance when necessary. ASU prefers to initiate a purchase order prior to being invoiced for goods or services.

1. Complete the Purchases and Reimbursements Request Form.
   1. Provide a copy of the invoice or supplemental documentation (emails, order confirmations, etc).
2. You will receive an email confirmation once the request has been approved.
3. Business Operations will review the request and will process payment to the vendor.  We will follow up if more information is needed.
4. Business Operations will confirm with you when payment has gone through.

1. Software, keyboard, mouse, monitors, and printers
   1. Complete the Purchases and Reimbursements Request Form
   2. Software requests – Business Operations will submit VITRA (Vendor IT Risk Assessment) for the procurement of software 
   3. User will receive email confirmation once the request has been approved. 
   4. User will receive email confirmation once purchase has been ordered by Business Operations.
2. Computer and tablet purchases – Email your request to [email protected] for support from our Front Office team.

1. Complete the Purchases and Reimbursements Request Form and include all attachments below.
2. Attach the itemized/detailed receipt and payment confirmation.  Tips must not exceed 20%.
3. Complete, sign, and attach the Business Meals Form along with the complete attendee list and/or original RSVP list as a separate/additional attachment if it is too long to fit on the meals form.
4. Any food that is brought onto ASU Campus to be consumed - such as catering and take out - must have a recent, acceptable Food and Safety rating with no violations as deemed by the Maricopa County Restaurants Rating Tool. 

1. Complete the Purchases and Reimbursements Request Form.
2. Attach all pertinent documentation with your request form (i.e. receipts, quotes, contracts/agreements, etc).

1. Complete the Purchases and Reimbursements Request Form and include all attachments below.
2. Complete and attach the Reimbursement for Mileage/Parking Expense Form after obtaining your supervisor’s approval and account/worktag information.
3. Attach Google map printouts to support the mileage being claimed – round trip, if applicable.
4. Attach itemized/detailed receipt(s) for parking expenses, if applicable.

Faculty

1. Complete the SHESC Travel Request Form.
2. For international travel with a risk level 4 or 5, complete the College Supplemental Travel Information form and include it with your Travel Request Form.
3. Indicate if you require a cash advance for your eligible travel expenses.
4. If you also require a cash advance for other eligible expenses not related to your own direct travel expenses, complete the Spend Authorization Request Form (Faculty).

Students

1. For international travel, you must first obtain approval through the GEO’s Registration System prior to preparing your travel request in My ASU TRIP/Concur.
2. Prepare your travel request in My ASU TRIP/Concur and include the approval email from GEO.
3. Review the GEO’s “ASU Student International Travel Registration System Overview” training module.

With students:

1. Receive initial approval to travel internationally through GEO prior to preparing a travel request in My ASU TRIP/Concur.
2. Review GEO’s “ASU Student International Travel Registration System Overview” training module.  You can access this training in Workday; refer to the Enroll in a Course guide for more details.

Without students:

1. Complete the Travel Request Form.
2. For international travel with a risk level 4 or 5, complete the College Supplemental Travel Information Form and include it with your Travel Request Form.

Submit all travel receipts upon returning from your trip to [email protected] so that Business Operations can assist you in creating your expense report. Report must be completed within 30 days of your return.

Purpose:
Effective August 2025 and contingent on budget flexibility in future years, SHESC is pleased to support attendance at a professional conference by providing up to $500 in travel assistance to SHESC doctoral students and SHESC employed Postdoctoral Research Scholars who will either be presenting or who have had their paper(s) accepted. This funding is intended to help cover essential travel expenses related to participating in a professional conference hosted by a formal discipline-related organization.

Eligibility:

• Actively enrolled SHESC doctoral students.
• Actively employed SHESC Postdoctoral Research Scholars.
• Attendance must be for a professional conference hosted by a recognized academic or professional organization within a formal discipline-related organization.
• The prospective traveler must be presenting their paper or research results at the conference.
• Attendance at research meetings, data collection trips, fieldwork, non-travel related purchases, etc. are not approved uses; no exceptions will be granted.
• Funding is available once per fiscal year (July 1st through June 30th) per student/postdoc. The approved travel allowance of up to $500 must be applied to a single conference and cannot be divided across multiple events.
• Access to conference funds will be prioritized for those with no other sources of funding.
• The Business Operations team will be checking with the Manager of Graduate Academic Advising to determine if a doctoral student has recently received their First-Year or Candidacy Research Award that are meant to support professional development activities.

Allowable Expenses (up to $500 total):
Funding may be used for:

• Conference registration fees
• Transportation (airfare, train, ground transportation, mileage reimbursement based on approved rate – see State of Arizona Accounting Manual for current Arizona mileage rate)
• Lodging
• Meals (per diem based on approved rates – see ASU’s Traveler Resources page, under the Additional Resources section for links to view current rates)

Funding Process:
1.  Pre-Approval

• Submit a travel request through the SHESC Travel Request Form a minimum of two weeks prior to departure date.
• On question 9, please indicate “SHESC Conference Travel Support” and skip questions 10 & 11.
• Question 21 (populates only after question 20 is answered) is where you are asked to attach acceptance of your paper to the conference or confirmation from your faculty advisor that you are presenting research results at the conference.
• The SHESC Business Operations Team will acknowledge receipt of your travel request and assist with creating your travel request in My ASU TRIP.
• Students traveling internationally must obtain additional approval from the Global Education Office (GEO). Students will submit registration with GEO directly and include the approval notification from GEO with their SHESC Travel Request Form submission.

2.  Approval Notification

• You will be notified by email that your travel request has been approved. Please note that you must receive a fully approved travel request before making any travel arrangements.

3.  Post-Travel Reimbursement

• Submit all itemized receipts within 10 business days of return to [email protected].
• SHESC Business Operations Team will draft your My ASU TRIP Travel Expense Report. Once completed, you will then be notified to review and approve it.

Please Note:
For students, if this is your first time using the My ASU TRIP/Concur, you must create a Travel Profile at least 5 weeks before you travel. Use the My ASU TRIP New/Updated Profile Request Form to request a travel profile. It usually takes 3-5 business days for your travel profile to be created.  After your travel profile has been activated, you will be provided with directions to add certain Business Services staff as your delegates.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].