Petty Cash & Small Business Expense Reimbursement

Reimbursements to Individuals

If an employee of ¹ÏÉñÍø uses personal funds to purchase goods for departmental use, he/she can be reimbursed using the Petty Cash Expenditure Reimbursement form (PC-1) from a departmental petty cash fund or by inputting an Expense Report in the Chrome River System.

Reimbursement of small business expenses via Chrome River or petty cash (departmental petty cash funds) requires adherence to all applicable University and Commonwealth policies and procedures.

The Office of Finance does not maintain a petty cash fund to make cash reimbursements for individual business-related expenditures for University departments that find it impractical to maintain a departmental petty cash fund. Any reimbursement requests not paid via a departmental petty cash fund must be submitted in Chrome River and will be reimbursed via direct deposit (to the checking or savings account as directed on the AP Direct Deposit form).

If a department chooses to authorize reimbursement via departmental petty cash or electronic reimbursement to an individual's bank account, the reason for not using the PCard must be provided for each expenditure submitted for reimbursement.

There are three procedures that govern petty cash/small business expense reimbursements at ¹ÏÉñÍø.

If a department chooses to authorize reimbursement via departmental petty cash or electronic reimbursement to an individual's bank account, the reason for not using the PCard must be provided for each expenditure submitted for reimbursement.

There are three procedures that govern petty cash/small business expense reimbursements at ¹ÏÉñÍø.

The total reimbursement for one expenditure (to a single vendor) cannot exceed $200. For a single acquisition of goods or services that exceeds $200 you must complete a purchase order.

Petty cash funds should not be used to circumvent State purchasing requirements or as a substitute for the normal processing of vendor payments. When petty cash is used for vendor purchases, it must not be used as a means of bypassing the established purchasing procedures in order to avoid State contract items.

Petty cash reimbursements cannot be issued for the following expenditures. Normal purchasing procedures should be followed to obtain any of the items on this restricted list. Please contact Procurement Services at 3-3105 to discuss procurement of these items.
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  • All expenditures for capital outlay projects
  • Expenditures over $200
  • Equipment costing more than $100
  • Travel expenses, including meals while in travel status
  • Payments for personal services including Independent Personal Services Certification Form (IPSC)
  • Furniture
  • Food and/or beverages, on campus, over $50
  • Radioactive or hazardous chemicals and materials
  • Contractual payments (maintenance services, consultants)
  • Narcotics or dangerous drugs
  • Firearms and ammunition
  • Purchases from foreign countries
  • Purchases from State employees (not to be confused with the reimbursement to an individual)
  • Items available from University contracts (i.e., University's contracted office supply vendor)
  • Items available on State contract
  • Recurring costs like monthly service charges or lease payments

There are two ways to be reimbursed:

Paper Process to Departmental Petty Cash Fund (if applicable) - Submit the original Petty Cash Reimbursement Form (PC-1) to your departmental petty cash fund custodian for reimbursement of petty cash expenses. If applicable forms, receipts and documentation submitted properly, the petty cash custodian will reimburse the individual from the departmental petty cash fund.

Automated Process (if applicable) - Submit an automated Expense Report in Chrome River to request reimbursement of small business expenses.
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  • If applicable receipts and documentation are submitted properly, the expenses submitted via the automated process will be reimbursed via direct deposit as authorized by the payee's Direct Deposit Form.
  • All petty cash reimbursements must be electronically deposited into the employee's checking or savings account as directed on the Direct Deposit Form.
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Deposit of Your Reimbursement

If a department authorizes employees to make frequent small purchases for departmental business needs, the department may wish to request a departmental petty cash fund. All established purchasing restrictions apply to departmental petty cash funds. Departmental petty cash funds MAY NOT be used to cash checks under any circumstances.
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Departmental Petty Cash

Procurement Services

Contact

Accounts Payable

757-683-3105 Office
Directory
Accounts Payable Forms