How To Make Purchases
Types of purchases in the Department of Chemistry
- Catalog requisitions: Purchases from catalog vendors will start in Workday but utilize the ShopUW+ punch-out method that is similar to the system currently in place.
- Non-catalog requisitions will not use ShopUW+ and will be entirely created, submitted, and approved in Workday.
- P-card purchases (AESTIVA): The department will temporarily continue the use of Aestiva for vendors that only accept credit card (p-card) purchases. We anticipate moving to an alternative system in a couple months or less.
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If your vendor is not available on ShopUW, make your purchase request through the Department of Chemistry online purchase request system, Aestiva, purchasing@chem.wisc.edu. Vendors can be added to ShopUW; however, a W9 must be obtained from the vendor if they are a US company, or a W-8Ben-E if they are an international company.
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You must be on the VPN to log in to Aestiva every time.
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If you need access to Aestiva, contact purchasing@chem.wisc.edu.
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- 5th Floor Research Storeroom – will temporarily continue without any changes. We anticipate adopting a new point-of-sale-system in a couple of months that will interface with Workday. See below for more information on purchasing from the research store.
Business Purpose
Business Purpose: A statement on the business purpose is required for all purchases. It is not only a UW rule, but is required by many funding agencies. It is difficult to close out a grant when we need to go back and rewrite all of the business purposes from the last 3 years. PLEASE use a complete and thorough description. A business purpose answers the 5-W’s (who, what, when, where, why). Workday doesn’t have a good section to include the business purpose, so please put the business purpose in the INTERNAL MEMO SECTION of the purchase request.
Work Tags (Workday)
IMPORTANT: Funding strings must be converted to the new Workday format effective July 7, 2025. Orders without the proper funding format will be returned to shoppers. Use the conversion tool to find the new funding format: https://fdmmapping.atp.wisconsin.edu/Crosswalk
Worktags are required on all transactions: Cost Center, Fund, Function, and a Driver Worktag (Grant, Gift, Project or Program).
The example below shows the difference between the old SFS system and the new worktags. You can use the Crosswalk tool to convert the old funding strings.
General purchasing guidelines
For purchases under $5,000
We can normally approve and process these requests without needing anything additional from the requester. A business purpose is always required. There may occasionally be other barriers, such as the intended vendor being prohibited by the university, but this is rare. For questions on purchases in this area, email purchasing@chem.wisc.edu.
For purchases from $5,000 to $49,999
Anything over $5,000 must be placed on ShopUW, and we require one of the following:
- That the vendor and the items being purchased are already on contract with the university. Search vendors currently on contract.
- Simplified Bid: Three comparative quotes, from which the lowest responsible quote is chosen to make the purchase, and a completed copy of The Simplified Bidding Record form; or
- Proper justification to waive the need for the simplified bid/three quotes, submitted on the Non-Competitive Purchase Request Form(.doc).*
*Non-Competitive Waivers over $25,000 require a governor’s waiver, which is very time-consuming and often unnecessary. In these cases, it generally makes most sense to prepare the simplified bid. If three relevant vendors are contacted, but two of the three cannot provide the requested items with the required specifications, those two still count as bids as long as there is documentation.
*Documentation for any vendors that aren't able to provide a quote is required for the simplified bid.
For purchases of $50,000 or more
Purchasing Services will prepare an Official Sealed Bid or a Request for Proposal (RFP) depending upon the type of items and/or services needed.
Our main contact for these is Mike Marean at mike.marean@wisc.edu.
View a list of vendors who are not eligible to do business with UW-Madison.
Credit Cards
- Anything that requires a credit card for the purchase of supplies must be placed through Aestiva. If a credit card must be used for an event or travel, contact your research group's administrative assistant.
- Any purchase over $5,000 must be placed on ShopUW+
Research Storeroom
When should I use the Research Storeroom?
- Visit the Research Storeroom Inventory List
- Research Storeroom is open Monday-Friday, 8 am – 4 pm
Set up a Research Storeroom Account
- Visit the Research Storeroom website.
- On the left-hand side, you’ll see the header Research Storeroom Customer Forms.
- Select the second document from the top, Chemistry Research Assistant Storeroom Account Application.
- Complete the starred fields and email the document to Andrew Arndt.
Contact Andrew Arndt with questions.
Request an Expense Reimbursement
Link to L&S Intake form: Expense Request
Purpose of the form
Use this form to:
- Request reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses related to UW business
- Reconcile charges made on a UW purchasing card, department card, or shared liability card.
Refer to the following KB for documentation requirements: Expense and Purchasing Card Attachment Requirements - L&S
Next steps after submitting the ticket
- You will receive a confirmation email.
- The finance initiator will review the information for policy compliance and accuracy and will follow up with any questions by responding to the ticket.
- Once entered in Workday, you will receive a second confirmation email with instructions for attesting to the expenses.
- You will need to log into Workday and attest to the expenses. This will appear in the Tasks section of Workday (additional instructions).
- Review the following information on the report and approve:
- Header tab: displays the total reimbursement amount, dates, business purpose, and memo.
- The individual expense lines include the expense item, description, amount, date, and worktag (funding).
- You will also be able to view the attachments.
Contact Us
Email purchasing@chem.wisc.edu for assistance.