Fiscal FAQs & Policies

What is an Itemized Receipt? Bank and Credit Card Statements $75 Supporting Documentation Waiver Policy Confirmation Receipt Quick Links & Resources

What is an Itemized Receipt? 

A receipt is a written acknowledgment of having received, or taken into one's possession, a specified amount of money, goods, etc. A receipt is not a confirmation notice or quote. The information on a receipt should include:

• Vendor Name
• Description of Purchase
• Amount Paid
• Method of Payment
• Date Paid

Receipts should be itemized to show exactly what was purchased. For example, if a meal is being reimbursed, include the itemized receipt showing the food and beverages purchased at that meal.

Detailed purchase documentation should be maintained on file to support the expenditure of public funds for which the UW has fiduciary responsibility. Purchase receipts and supporting documentation (ie. proof of receipt of goods or confirmation receipt, business purpose, itemized list of what was purchased and pricing information) are required for all transactions over $75. Visit the Documentation Guidelines page for more information.

IMPORTANT: You should make every effort to obtain invoices and receipts for your expenditures. If it appears as if the vendor is not going to provide an invoice or receipt at the time of purchase, be sure to ask for one.
If a receipt cannot be collected, you will still need supporting documentation such as a bank statement, confirmation email of purchase, packing slip, etc, along with the following options:

• Obtain a duplicate, scanned, or photocopied receipt from the vendor
• An image of the receipt (via a smartphone or photographic device)
• A written description of the items/services purchased, name of the person or business where purchased from, date of purchase, and signed/dated by the vendor or from the person which received the items/services
• If a meal was purchased, include a list of attendee names (first, last) as well as a statement if alcoholic beverages were included in the purchase
• Purchases made by a bank or credit card (personal, ProCard), should always include a copy of the Statement.  Please highlight the purchase(s) and redact personal information.

References: Travel Services Receipts & Record Retention, Procurement Services Receipt Policy Information 

Bank and Credit Card Statements

When asked for provide a Bank or Credit Card statement for supporting documentation, it will need to include all of the following:

• Your Name
• Bank/Card Name
• Transaction
  • Date
  • Business Name
  • Amount

Please remember to redact any personal information before sending. For any questions or concerns, contact HCDEfiz@uw.edu.

$75 Supporting Documentation Waiver Policy

HCDE uses the following $75 Supporting Documentation Waiver Policy to support purchasing and reimbursement requests, and to comply with Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) regulations. 

This policy is not a blanket waiver of all receipts $75 and under.  The purpose of the waiver is to ease administrative burden when no receipt is found after a reasonable effort was made to obtain a receipt from the vendor (Missing Vendor Receipts).

Supporting documentation is required regardless of the funding source and the Department reserves the right to request additional documentation if questions arise. See the College of Engineering policy on the Engineering Shared Environment (ESE) Document/Forms information page.

What to do when a receipt cannot be found/obtained

Along with a statement about efforts made to obtain the receipt(s), include the following supporting documentation information: 

• Business Purpose
• Vendor Name
• Description of Service or Item(s)
• Date of purchase
• Cost (ie. unit cost, tax applied, total)
• Payment Method (if bank or credit card used, provide a statement)

If food was purchased, there needs to be a clear business purpose and include an itemized list of all food and beverages ordered, a list of attendees (first, last names, or if public event, describe), and required, a statement about whether alcohol was purchased. 

Additional resources:  Receipt Policy, Documentation Guidelines

ProCard High Risk Transactions Excluded - Cannot Be Waived

• Food/Meals
• PayPal
• Fuel/Gas Station
• Travel

Travel-related expenditures requiring receipts, regardless of cost 

See the Travel Office Receipts Policy for reference.

Federally Sponsored Budgets

Federal auditors may ask you to provide supporting documentation for all transactions, regardless of the purchase price. If sufficient documentation is not available, the department is responsible for reimbursement for these charges. Refer to the grant or contract for specific requirements.

Confirmation Receipt Policy

Confirmation of the receipt of goods/services is an important part of the UW procurement and reimbursement process. Verification needs to be noted, either by email or signature, on any of the following documents that contain an itemized list of the goods or services received:

• Packing slip
• Itemized vendor invoice
• Written request for purchase of goods or services
• Other itemized list of goods or services signed by a responsible individual
• HCDE Receiving form - for deliveries at the main office

This applies to all purchasing of goods/services, when purchased by the department on your behalf or if you purchased out of pocket and are submitting for a reimbursement.

Quick Links & Resources

Policies

• Travel Services Receipts & Record Retention
• Procurement Services Receipt Policy Information
• Post Award Fiscal Compliance Documentation Guidelines

Forms

• Engineering Shared Environment (ESE) Guide to Forms
  • Non-Travel Reimbursement
  • Travel Reimbursement
  • Non-Employee Reimbursement
  • General Finance Help Request

Resources

• Travel Services