Payment Requests (PRs)

Whenever possible, a quote should be obtained and a Purchase Order (PO) generated prior to actually purchasing an item.

When you are unable submit a pre-commitment requisition (e.g. when the vendor does not accept Purchase Orders or you are paying for a service/order that has already been completed) you will need to pay the invoice using Payment Request (PR).

Most PRs fall into the following categories (object codes):

• Copyright/Royalty/Licensing Fees (8570)
• Donation (8450/8454)
• Fellowship/Grant (6460-Students/6455-NonStudents)
• Honoraria/Performer/Lecturer: Inside Massachusetts (8690/8692) *
• Honoraria/Performer/Lecturer: Outside Massachusetts *
• Prize/Award (6462-Student/8693-NonStudents)
• Refund
• Other (Not Identified Above) – will need to be explained in the Buy-to-Pay text field; typical “Other” have been:
  • Membership/Dues
  • Reader/Research Fees
  • Sponsored Subcontract
  • Stipends
  • Visa Fees (HIO)
  • Utilities
  • FedEx Expenses

Invoices are attached directly in the B2P system and no longer need to be mailed (either via inter-office or email) to AP for remittance. 

Note on Virtual Events and Honorarium Payments: Generally, the location of the activity would be where a service is being performed, property is being rented, or the location where fellowship income is expected to be utilized in support of one’s scholarship or research. Example: Spain would be the location of activity when paying a speaker located in Spain who participated on a Zoom panel. This would mean it is not subject to Massachusetts withholding or the Performer Tax. You would select 8692 as the object code and include the exception attestation form with the payment request. Please see the below for additional details/guidance : https://nratax.oc.finance.harvard.edu/usor-foreign-source-income (has some scenarios that can help in the determination) and https://nratax.oc.finance.harvard.edu/faq/what-“location-activity”-when-processing-payment-accounts-payable-and-why-it-important

8690 – Lect Perf Automated MA WH – honoraria/svc pmt/fees to visiting lect/perf – Lecture fees, honoraria and other service payments to nonemployees, whether individuals or entities, for lectures before audiences or classes or provision of services connected with a performance, should be charged here EXCEPT for those payments that should be charged to 8692. Massachusetts tax withholding on this object code will begin when aggregate payments by the University to the vendor to object codes 8690 and 8692 during the calendar year exceed $5,000. (See object code 8692 comment for information on exceptions to automatic tax withholding.)

8692 – Lect Perf Exception MA WH – honoraria/fees to visiting lect/perf (pmt holds) – Lecture fees, honoraria and other service payments to nonemployees, whether individuals or entities, for lectures before audiences or classes or provision of services connected with a performance, should be charged here when one of the following exceptions to MA withholding is sought: (i) aggregate payments for all personal services provided in connection with an event are AT MOST $10,000 or (ii) event is held OUTSIDE OF MASSACHUSETTS regardless of event payment total. In addition, departments may choose to charge payments here when a lecturer or performer has applied to the Massachusetts DOR to waive or reduce withholding. Payments charged to this object code will be placed on hold until A/P receives documentation supporting the relevant exception, in accordance with relevant A/P processes. For waiver or reduction of withholding, the payment hold will be released only after DOR approval is received by the University. To avoid unnecessary Massachusetts tax withholding, departments should comply with relevant A/P processes.

More information can be found on the Administrator FAQs website

Guides/Resources:

• FAS PO’s vs. PR’s
• Processing a Payment Request (Guide)
• Payment Request Guidance (B2P Overview)
• Payment Request (Video Tutorial)
• Processing a Non-Employee Reimbursement Request (Guide)
  • B2P Resources & Forms including the B2P Non-Employee Reimbursement Form
• Non-Employee Reimbursement Guidance (B2P Overview)
• Non-Employee Reimbursement (Video Tutorial)
• Wire Transfer Authorization Form – US Currency (to be used when transferring USD and receiving USD) – limited to wires > $1,000 USD
• Wire Transfer Authorization Form – Foreign Currency (to be used when transferring USD to a different currency OR when transferring foreign currency to foreign currency – NON-USD)
  • To note: if you need to create a Standing PO that is in a foreign currency and will be invoiced/paid in a foreign currency: the PO should be created with a 10% inflation based on the currency conversion from FX to USD on the date of the quote. The receipts created when invoiced should be in USD with 10% inflation to allow FX conversion rate shifts and the OANDA currency conversion sheet must be included in both the receipt and sending to ap_invoices.
• Policy Service Announcement (PSA)​​​​​​​: Indicate Location of Activity country when processing payments to Foreign Individuals and Foreign Entities
• Generalized Business Purpose Document
• How does B2P Correlate to HART (Detail Listing)?​​​​​​​