SUBJECT:  News and Information about Purchasing
                     Related Issues - August 1999

Topics covered:

· Introducing Web-based Department Order Process
· Coming Soon: Web-based Requisitions and streamlined IFIS Purchasing training
· Modification to Department Order Process to disallow cancellation prior to completion
· New commodity codes
· $1500 equipment threshold now in effect

The following information is provided to campus business administrators and their staff about some important purchasing process issues. We have combined these issues into one flyer for your convenience. We invite you to visit the Purchasing web site at http://www-bfs.ucsd.edu/pur/index.htm to view a copy of this information for future reference.

1. Introducing Web-Based Department Order Procurement Process via Financial Link

As many of you learned at a recent DCTUG meeting and at the Sharecase99 event, Purchasing and ACT have joined forces to design and create a web-based Department Order product. After completing a significant pilot test of this process with some of our customers, we are now ready to release it for use by the entire campus.

The new web based Department Order process allows you to create low value purchase orders (LVPO), view a summary of your transaction, complete/approve your low value orders, and print departmental and vendor copies of the order to your local printer. Every LVPO entered utilizing the web-based Department Order process will become part of the active IFIS database, just the same as if you were entering this activity into the traditional character based IFIS purchasing module.

Access to the web-based Department Order tool is available by using your Internet browser, Netscape (Version 3+ required, Communicator 4+ preferred) or Microsoft Internet Explorer. Access to the department order process by new users requires an IFIS security access and buyer code which are obtained after attending the Purchasing Online Training course. For those customers who already have security access to the Department Order screen and have attended Purchasing Online Training, you are all set to try-out the new web-based Department Order process. Here's the location:

https://www-act.ucsd.edu/cgi-bin/webifis.pl/1/
Click on "Establish a Department Order"

To help you be successful, we encourage you to first view the helpful tips and instructions by clicking on ?HELP located at the top of the Department Order page. There is an email link on the web-based Department Order process titled "Did You Get What You Wanted?" We welcome your comments and suggestions via this communication method so we can address any issues that may arise. If you have urgent questions or concerns that require immediate assistance, please contact the Purchasing customer service representatives at X43084.

2. Coming Soon: Web-based requisitions and streamlined IFIS Purchasing training course

The purchase requisition process is also being developed into a web-based tool and will be introduced to the campus within a month. The implementation of these two streamlined web-based procurement processes (Department Order and Requisitions) gives us the opportunity to modify our IFIS Purchasing training course from the current format that lasts four hours each for two days to a single four-hour streamlined course. We will keep you posted on the progress towards implementing the web-based requisition process in addition to the development of a new streamlined Purchasing process training course.

3. Modification to Department Order Process to disallow cancellation prior to completion

An edit has been added to both the IFIS and web-based Department Order process that will allow for the use of the cancel feature for a Department Order but only after the transaction has been completed. A text feature is included with this functionality allowing for a description to be entered explaining the cancellation. In the past, a Department Order could be canceled prior to completion, therefore removing the transaction from the IFIS database. This action deleted the order without providing an audit trail that is often necessary for identifying invoices when suppliers inadvertently reference the canceled rather than a reissued order. If you have any questions regarding this new edit, please contact the Purchasing customer service representatives at X43084.

4. New Commodity Codes for High Value Requisitions

C2597-Software Maintenance and Support Services (account code 637642.) M5024-Maintenance Services- Property, Machinery and Facilities (account code 637200)
These new commodity codes are valid for processing by the professional buyers via a purchase requisition. They are not authorized for use on low value purchases.

5. $1500 Equipment threshold now in effect

Campus departments are reminded that the 1 year phase-in period for the new capitalization threshold of $1,500.00 expired on June 30, 1999.

To qualify as equipment, an item must meet the four-part definition: 1)non-expendable tangible personal property, furniture included, 2) have a useful life of more than 1 year, 3) is free standing, and 4) has an acquisition cost of $1,500.00 or more.

Departments are also reminded that they can utilize the Express Card, Express Order and low value purchase order processes for items that do not meet the definition of equipment

For more detailed information customers are invited to consult the Equipment Management web site http://www-bfs.ucsd.edu/pur/EquipMgmt/.

                                                Linda Collins
                                                Purchasing Manager