PURCHASING
70.14
Revised 5-10
Central Receiving
335-5575
OVERVIEW
Most equipment and supplies purchased from outside vendors are received by the campus central receiving unit. The central receiving unit also logs received shipments into the online Purchasing/Accounts Payable/Receiving Application (PAPR).
See below for procedures for notifying the applicable central receiving unit if the shipping company delivers items directly to the department that placed the order.
Receiving Orders
WSU Pullman
At the WSU Pullman campus, Central Receiving usually delivers the merchandise to the requisitioning department.
WSU Spokane
At WSU Spokane (WSUS), the Mail Services, Shipping and Receiving department receives shipments from outside vendors. Mail Services, Shipping and Receiving delivers the merchandise to the requisitioning department.
WSUS departments are to follow the "direct receipt by department" procedures below to log received shipments into PAPR or notify WSU Pullman Central Receiving of received shipments.
Mail Services, Shipping and Receiving is located in the South Campus Facility, 412 E. Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane, WA 99202.
WSU Tri-Cities
At WSU Tri-Cities (WSUTC), the Shipping and Receiving department receives shipments from outside vendors. In addition to inspecting and logging received shipments into PAPR, the WSUTC Shipping and Receiving department maintains a database which includes received shipment information, e.g., date received, tracking number, receiving person, and/or department.
WSUTC Shipping and Receiving notifies departments by e-mail when packages arrive and are available for pickup.
WSU Vancouver
At WSU Vancouver, the Mailroom department receives shipments from outside vendors, completes receiving reports, and logs received shipments into PAPR.
The Mailroom department usually delivers the merchandise to the requisitioning department.
Other Non-Pullman Locations
Shipping companies deliver merchandise directly to other non-Pullman units. As such, unit personnel are responsible for checking-in merchandise.
Notifying Central Receiving
Non-Pullman units are to follow the "direct receipt by department" procedures below for notifying WSU Pullman Central Receiving of received shipments.
Problem Shipments
Central Receiving is available upon request to assist non-Pullman units with problem shipments.
Paying for Orders
Accounts Payable is authorized to pay an invoice when goods are received and recorded in PAPR. In addition, the department must reconcile the goods purchased by purchasing card in the purchasing card company's online statement system. (See 70.08.)
Authorized department or campus central receiving unit personnel must input receipt of goods information in order to ensure that invoices are paid.
Accounts Payable matches the information in PAPR with the vendor's invoice.
Accounts Payable attempts to take advantage of all incentives offered by vendors for prompt payment.
If only part of an order is received, Accounts Payable pays for items actually received only.
CAMPUS CENTRAL RECEIVING UNITS
Inspecting Shipments
The campus central receiving unit checks incoming shipments for the number of packages indicated on the freight bill.
Damaged and Unsatisfactory Shipments
If it is obvious to campus central receiving unit that a shipment is damaged, central receiving personnel notify the carrier and make the appropriate claims. Immediate action is necessary to comply with the time limits set by carriers for filing damage claims. The campus receiving department must be notified of damage within 10 days of receipt of purchased goods in order for damage claims to be processed in a timely fashion.
If the damage is not discovered until after delivery to the requisitioning department, the department must notify the campus central receiving unit within 10 days of receiving the merchandise. The department is to preserve all portions of the container and wrappings which will be inspected by the delivery carrier before the claim is filed.
Receiving Shipments Through the Central Receiving Department
Upon receipt through the campus central receiving unit, the requisitioning department is to immediately check all merchandise. The department verifies that the merchandise meets the specifications of the order and has not been damaged in shipment. If the merchandise is acceptable, a departmental representative reports the receipt of merchandise. Verifying the receipt of the merchandise indicates to the central receiving unit that the shipment was received in good condition.
See below regarding direct receipt by the department.
Department Order / Department Requisition Purchases
Access to PAPR
For items purchased with Department Orders or Department Requisitions, department personnel who have received PAPR access authorization record the receipt of order information in PAPR. See 85.33 regarding access authorization and training.
Without Access to PAPR
Department personnel who have not received PAPR access authorization notify the campus central receiving unit.
WSU Pullman Central Receiving
Department personnel without PAPR access authorization at WSU Pullman, WSU Spokane, WSU Vancouver, or other WSU locations which do not have a central receiving unit may notify Central Receiving of receipt of items purchased on a Department Order by:
- E-mail rdands@wsu.edu, or
- Telephone 335-5575, or
- Submit the information through the Central Receiving Completion of Purchase Orders website at:
WSU Tri-Cities
WSU Tri-Cities department personnel who have not received PAPR access notify WSUTC Shipping and Receiving of receipt of items purchased on a Department Requisition by:
E-mail copyctr@tricity.wsu.edu
Purchasing Card Purchases
The cardholder is responsible for inspecting the shipment. See 70.08 for information regarding disputes/discrepancies. See 70.08 and below for information regarding damaged shipments and returning merchandise.
Problem Shipments
Incomplete
If the packing list indicates a partial shipment, indicate the items received in PAPR or notify the campus central receiving unit to indicate what was received. PAPR automatically creates a back order. The vendor is paid for items actually received.
If the packing list indicates a missing item was shipped, the department is to indicate in PAPR or to the campus central receiving unit what was actually received and what item the vendor indicates as shipped.
The department corresponds with the vendor to correct the discrepancy.
Do not throw anything away. Save the outer box with the shipping label (especially UPS tags) and the inner packing material. Call or e-mail the campus central receiving unit.
- On the packing list, star the damaged item(s), indicate the damage, and the action being taken.
- Contact the vendor to report the damage and request a Return of Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number.
- Complete a Request for Shipment of Merchandise form. See 80.15. Enter the RMA number on the form where indicated.
- Put the original or a copy of the packing list with the Request for Shipment of Merchandise and the damaged items. Call the campus central receiving unit for pickup.
- The campus central receiving unit calls the delivery carrier and ships the damaged order back to the vendor.
Wrong or Defective Merchandise
Indicate in PAPR or to the campus central receiving unit which items were received and whether any items are defective or wrong. Indicate whether replacement or cancellation of the order is desired.
- Prepare any wrong items for shipping and fill out a Request for Shipment of Merchandise form (see 80.15).
- Put the mail-ready merchandise, a copy of the packing list, and the Request for Shipment of Merchandise form together and call the campus central receiving unit for pickup.
- Correspond with the vendor regarding replacement.
Overage
An overage is the shipment of more items than requested by the department.
If the packing list indicates an overage, the campus central receiving unit whether or not the overage is to be retained.
If the overage is not to be retained, prepare the excess items for shipment and complete a Request for Shipment of Merchandise form. See 80.15. Put a copy of the packing list, the Request for Shipment of Merchandise form, and the mail-ready overage together. Call the campus central receiving unit for pickup.
The department corresponds with the vendor regarding return of the material.
If the packing list does not indicate the overage, indicate in PAPR or to the campus central receiving unit whether or not the overage is to be retained. If the overage is not to be retained, prepare the shipment as described above.
If the overage is to be retained, indicate this in PAPR or to the central receiving unit.
The department contacts the vendor to request invoicing.
Assistance
The campus central receiving unit assists departments with problems upon request.
Sometimes a shipping company delivers items directly to a department or department personnel pick up items from a vendor.
The department must promptly report receiving any orders sent directly to or picked up by the department. The department promptly indicates receipt of the items in PAPR or notifies the campus central receiving unit by telephone or email.
Departments at WSU Pullman, WSU Spokane, WSU Vancouver, or other WSU locations which do not have a central receiving unit notify Central Receiving by:
- E-mail rdands@wsu.edu, or
- Telephone 335-5575, or
- Submitting the information through the Central Receiving Completion of Purchase Orders website at:
WSU Tri-Cities departments notify the Shipping and Receiving department by e-mail to:
Department personnel or the campus central receiving unit record the information regarding receipt of merchandise in the online application, PAPR.
Departmental Requisition Purchases
If the merchandise is originally purchased through Purchasing with a regular Departmental Requisition (see 70.10), follow the procedures below.
PAPR Authorization
- Department personnel who have received PAPR access authorization record the receipt of items purchased on a Departmental Requisition in PAPR.
No PAPR Authorization
- Department personnel who have not received PAPR access authorization notify the campus central receiving unit.
Department personnel without PAPR access authorization at WSU Pullman, WSU Spokane, WSU Vancouver, or other WSU locations which do not have a central receiving unit may notify Central Receiving of receipt of items purchased on a Department Order by:
E-mail rdands@wsu.edu, or
Telephone 335-5575, or
Submitting the information through the Central Receiving Completion of Purchase Orders website at:WSU Tri-Cities department personnel who have not received PAPR access notify WSUTC Shipping and Receiving of receipt of items purchased on a Department Requisition by e-mail to:
Invoice
- Enter the Purchase Order number onto the vendor's invoice. A departmental representative signs the invoice indicating receipt of the merchandise. The department routes the invoice directly to Accounts Payable for payment.
Blanket Order Purchases
If the merchandise is originally purchased from an off-campus vendor using a blanket requisition (see 70.19):
- Enter the blanket requisition number and the appropriate WSU account coding on the vendor's invoice.
- An individual with expenditure authority for the indicated account signs the invoice and routes it directly to Accounts Payable.
Purchasing Card Purchases
Follow receiving procedures in 70.08 when using a department purchasing card to purchase from a non-University vendor.
Department Order Purchases
Follow receiving procedures in 70.07 when using a Department Order to purchase from a non-University vendor.
Confirming Requisition Purchases
Complete a confirming requisition to receive and pay for items not originally purchased using other standard purchasing procedures. See 70.20.