by Tracey L Besemer | Apr 3, 2020 | Business, Coronavirus, COVID19, Finance, Purchasing |
Hey, all you cool cats and kittens,
I’ve been watching Tiger King on Netflix (along with everyone else), and I have to say I’ve found it incredibly therapeutic. I feel a whole lot better about my life choices overall. I think the main lesson we can all take away from this show is this – never get a tattoo of your boyfriend’s name. It never ends well.
And now that I’ve parsed out that sage wisdom, it’s time to talk shop.
How many of you have used the super-convenient Pcard Submission Portal yet? It’s certainly making my life easier these days. Let’s take a moment to thank Kim G. and Dave B. for hustling to get this up and running so quickly. (Have I mentioned recently how amazing this department is?)
If you haven’t used it yet, please do! It’s helping us keep things running smoothly from home. Simply upload the completed pcard form and the relevant receipt or invoice. If it’s a FedEx purchase, don’t forget the Mail Tracking Form and if it’s something involving a group meal (do you remember when we used to eat together in groups??? Insanity!) make sure you’ve got that group meal form as well.
Two things to keep in mind:
- Please make sure you are sending invoices, not quotes.
- If you are unable to sign the forms, you MUST send an accompanying email to both Kim (kag22@psu.edu) and Lori (lfb5141@psu.edu) with the following information:
- the vendor
- the amount of the charge
- the budget/fund to be charged
- a statement saying you authorize payment.
Remember, we are here to help each other out. If you need help, reach out and ask. We are in this together, and we’re going to make it through together.
by Tracey L Besemer | Feb 12, 2020 | Finance, Purchasing |
What, whaaaat? Is it truly Wednesday already? Yes, yes it is.
Happy Half-Friday BMB’ers!
After our last post about using eBuy to make purchases from the stockroom, a reader suggested a post detailing how to acces the VWR Stockroom Catalog on eBuy. You know, so you can actually use eBuy and not your pcard as mentioned in the previous post.
Let’s look at how that magical transaction takes place.
After logging in and getting that super exciting invitation to, “Go shopping!”, you will end up on the homepage. (It always takes me a moment to remember it’s only for things like pipette tips and printer paper. Dang.)
From there click the VWR button.
This beautiful button right here.
![](https://sites.psu.edu/bmbbuzz/files/2020/02/vwr-button.png)
Clicking the button will take you to the page below. To place an order for items you wish to pick up at the stockroom, click on Custom Catalogs.
![](https://sites.psu.edu/bmbbuzz/files/2020/02/VWR-landing-page.png)
Which brings you to this page.
From here you can click that lovely green PSU/VWR Stockroom text and it will take you to the full catalog OR if you already know the catalog number you can search for it in the VWR Catalog# box.
![](https://sites.psu.edu/bmbbuzz/files/2020/02/Custom-Catalog-page-1024x557.png)
To search for a specific item within the VWR Stockroom listing do a CTRL + F to search by word on the page.
Add items to your cart and check out as you normally would. Then print out your order and take it with you when you go to see Rob and Tom.
Easy, and no pcard paperwork.
by Tracey L Besemer | Jan 8, 2020 | Finance, Purchasing |
Imagine a world without pcard paperwork. Just picture it for a moment.
It’s beautiful, yeah, I know, I need a tissue as well. *sniff*
While that day isn’t here yet, we can cut down on pcard paperwork when it comes to VWR orders.
Imagine if you could log into eBuy, order everything you need from VWR. And then print out your order, walk over to the VWR Stockroom and pick up everything you just ordered.
No pcards, no paperwork.
Just lab supplies, beautiful, beautiful lab supplies.
Guess what my friend, that day is here.
If you’re going to walk over and get something at the VWR stockroom, order it from eBuy first. Then print out your order, and go pick it up. Doing it this way means you have no paperwork to fill out. None. Zilch, zero, nada.
And no paperwork makes everyone happier.
![made at imgflip.com](https://i.imgflip.com/3ljme6.jpg)
Give it a try and let us know what you think!
by Tracey L Besemer | Jun 12, 2019 | Business, Finance, Purchasing, Travel |
Happy Half Friday BMB!
Have you seen the weather out there? If not I strongly suggest a walk to the HUB for a sugary caffeinated beverage from Starbucks. As my great grandmother used to say, “You need to go out and get the stink blown off you.”
Yeah, I don’t get it either. My grandma Ralph was a bit odd.
We have a special blog post this week. I’ve been asked to cover some best practices for handing in paperwork at the office.
It’s a Paperwork Extravaganza!
Only with less confetti. And more paperclips.
We would like to make a few requests that will help things run a little more smoothly in the main office.
- If you can avoid printing travel paperwork double-sided this would be immensely appreciated. Think airfare, conference itineraries; all of that stuff should be one-sided. Of course, we all want to do our part to help reduce our carbon footprint, but unfortunately when it comes to ERS reports we have to make scans. Lot’s of them. And that gets pretty interesting when you have a couple of things printed one-sided and others double-sided.
- No staples. Paperclips are your friends. Remember the scanning? Now that you’ve gone to the trouble to staple your nice stack of paperwork and bring it to us, the first thing we do is pull the staple out because we need to scan the paperwork. So much scanning. Yeah, this applies to just about everything; travel paperwork, pcard paperwork, you name it. No staples. Take that Swingline stapler and chuck it right out the window. Okay, maybe don’t do that. But at least put in an eBuy order for a few boxes of paperclips. Kim and Joyce will thank you.
- Don’t tape receipts to a sheet of paper for travel reports. I know, I know, you’re trying to be helpful. But remember the scanning? When we process a travel report if there is any superfluous backup included we are asked to remove it from the report. That means that your coffee and donut receipt from the airport that’s taped next to your parking receipt and your taxi receipt has to be pried ever so gently and slowly off of your carefully taped up Sheet o’ Receipts. It’s a bit like trying to pull a price tag off of a gift and still having the price glaring at you after the fact. Again, for this, paperclips or an envelope are your friends.
- Please begin using the Portrait Pcard Support form and discontinue using the landscape version. The portrait pcard support form actually gives you more character space in the description areas. And since we’re on the whole portrait/landscape debate let me give you a bit of smartphone advice–friends don’t let friends take videos in portrait mode. Portrait for pcard, not for video. You’re welcome.
And that’s it! Nothing super crazy to change up. Just a few small adjustments that will help us run a bit more efficiently. To recap: my grandmother was odd, paperclips are awesome, and portrait mode is for pcard forms. Now go pick up your stapler, I was only kidding about throwing it out the window.
Hit me up in the comments with suggestions for new BMB Buzz topics. Share with me your plans for the summer. Or tell me what you prefer for phone videos: portrait or landscape.
by Tracey L Besemer | May 22, 2019 | Finance, Purchasing |
Happy Half-Friday Everyone
How’s your week going?
Yeah?
Huh.
Well, that’s no good.
So, then what did you do?
Wait, are you serious?
That’s a bummer, I mean, who puts lettuce in the freezer in the first place?
Anywho. Did you know that when you use eBuy there is no paperwork to file afterward?
I know, right?
(I’m great at smooth segues, no?)
Well, yeah, you could use your pcard but then there’s paperwork to fill out and you know, you get busy and forget about it until Kim sends you a reminder and then you have to rush to get to Althouse to avoid it auto-posting. And let’s face it, wouldn’t you rather be back in the lab doing super cool science?
VWR is a common pcard transaction we see, but we have a VWR punchout in eBuy. No paperwork! Super cool science! No brainer!
Yes, sometimes you can find an item cheaper elsewhere online, but always check your total once shipping is added. You don’t pay for shipping when you use eBuy and oftentimes that’s enough to tip the scales in favor of eBuy.
Plus, did I mention no paperwork?
So yeah, eBuy punchouts are your friend, and let’s just not talk about the whole freezer salad incident ever again. What a waste of perfectly good radicchio.
by Tracey L Besemer | May 15, 2019 | Business, Finance, Purchasing |
Hey gang, did you know we have a spiffy new Purchase Order Request Form?
Well, if you didn’t know, you do now. Created to streamline the purchasing process for your lab, the business staff in Althouse cooked up this helpful form for requesting POs. I’ve got the keys, so let’s take it for a test-drive.
You can find it parked on the BMB website. Click on the ‘Resources’ tab, then ‘Finance Office’ in the dropdown menu and the form is towards the bottom of the page. Or, you can click this link and bookmark it for future reference. You’re welcome.
![](https://sites.psu.edu/bmbbuzz/files/2019/05/Untitled-design-1.png)
Let’s do a walkthrough of filling out a request, shall we?
It’s an easy form so I’m only going to add a few minor notes here and there. Please note at the top of the form, depending on the dollar amount being ordered or if it is Software or IT peripheral over $100 you may also need to fill out one or both of the forms mentioned.
The first part of the form is about you.
Who is placing the order, contact info, and the shipping address. (Bet y’all didn’t know I had my own lab, did ya?)
![](https://sites.psu.edu/bmbbuzz/files/2019/05/Screen-grab-PO-request-2.png)
Next, we move on to the type of PO and Purpose & Justification.
Here is where you can upload the two additional forms if either is needed for this purchase. (2a & 2b)
![](https://sites.psu.edu/bmbbuzz/files/2019/05/Screen-grab-PO-request-3.png)
![](https://sites.psu.edu/bmbbuzz/files/2019/05/Screen-grab-PO-request-4.png)
I mean, I think it’s a good justification…
And of course, you will need to provide payment info. If you are splitting the cost over more than one budget you will need to provide the percentages or dollar amounts and your reasoning for doing so.
I’ve filled this one in as an example.
![](https://sites.psu.edu/bmbbuzz/files/2019/05/Screen-grab-PO-request-5.png)
And finally, we get to the Vendor Information
Don’t forget to upload your quote or merchandise order form.
#10 is a good place to upload pictures of your dog or cat. Just sayin’.
#11 is vital, and I don’t know if we can still be friends if you disagree.
![](https://sites.psu.edu/bmbbuzz/files/2019/05/Screen-grab-PO-request-6.png)
So there you have it!
Easy-peasy, right? Once you hit the ‘Submit’ button at the bottom of the form you will receive an email with a copy. And as always if you have any questions about your PO or the form you can reach out to Joyce Greslick, who will be happy to help you! If you have been using this form already please leave a comment below letting us know what you think about it or if any improvements can be made. Or maybe leave a comment with your favorite pizza toppings. Now I’m hungry.