Comments
110 Total
1		I didn't even now that there was an AP website.
2		Payments to individuals are not being posted to the purchase orders so that when we view the payments screen on the purchase req, we cannot tell if the person has been paid.  Some payments happen and the req never changes to final check stage.
3		Thank you for the opportunity to participate in your focus groups.
4		I have always received outstanding, courteous service from AP, with very few exceptions.
5		I hope A/P can do easy tracking for check requests received.
6		I would like to see pictures of the invoices.
7		Accounts Payable should strive to work better toward custmer service to internal customers.
8		Due to heavy volumne of work at Payables,, copies sent by the respective departments seem to get lost often via fax or campus mail.  We have to re-send copies. A few times payments were duplicated with the same invoice numbers.
9		I agree with most of the statements, except for the check request payment process.  It would be helpful if inquiry can be made thru the PAS system about the status/history.
10		I have found AP to be very helpful when ever there was an issue.
11		I initiate check requests for honorariums and will in the future be sending the requests and documentation directly to AP, but I do not have on-line access to track payments/transactions.  I send a copy of all documents  and communications with AP to our fiscal office where budgets are tracked and reconcilled.
12		I'd like to get a timely email/phone reply and follow-up from AP staff especailly when AP made an error on duplicate payments, usally we had to keep asking for the status and correction.
13		ONE person (or a team of two), should handle our divisions account payables.  Not whomever happens to get it on their desk!
14		Overall, I believe A/P is improving the process last few years.  If you could maintain webpage to reflect updated information, that will be a great help.
15		Some of my payment I have requested send the check to me because I need to attach the importance document to the check . However some checks went direct to the vendors.
16		(1.) A big thank you to all the helpful and efficient people in Accts Payable who have helped us many times in dealing with lost/misplaced/urgent invoices, lost checks, checks needing to be reissued, currency problems, etc. We appreciate being able to reach a live person and getting knowledgeable customer service.  (2.) One thing that we would like to have improved if possible: There is gap in the system when it comes to tracking Invoices and Invoice Vouchers that we send to you for payment on on-going/open Purchase Orders. We have zero on-line access to information on their progress until a check is "scheduled to be paid". Before then nothing shows up in the PAS system. We would like to be able to see something on-line that indicates that you have at least received the Invoice Voucher, etc. (Like the History entries that appear for regular Purchase Orders and TEVs.)
17		*need information on FIN regarding wire transfers.  *would like email notice (perhaps just a po number, prompting me to look on PAS for status) versus hard-copy RIPs.  ***need clearer communication between travel/AP; recent example; which form to use for campus parking for HMC employee-travel says petty cash or TEV, AP says check request, i've even been told to use an invoice voucher...??
18		I know when I called a specific person, any transactions at AP will be taken care of immediately and accurately. When I called and talked to anyone (not all)I will be given a run around, telling me she was not the person who handles it or will ask for  specifics of the transaction and promised to get back to me but never did. Overall AP has improved a lot.
19		1. Quite a few RIP invoices were missing.  I have to request a lot RIP's from PA frequently. 2. Some invoices were paid on the wrong PO#'s even though the correct PO#'s were listed on the invoices.  You are doing a lot better lately.
20		a/p scans all invoices, why not make these available to the departments for there use.  why not make the rip notices electronic and send them to the contact persons and also whoever the department (by org codes) sets up to review them.  Like the payroll perms.
21		Accounts Payable is doing an outstanding job!  I give the team an A+  Thanks for all your hard work!
22		Accounts Payable needs better trained staff who can help staff in the units.   I think there are a lot of problems because AP doesn't really understand the issues and processes in departments and AP doesn't help departments develop good practices.
23		Accounts Payables had made a remendous effort to improve the process of payments.  Just a few more glitches to go, and complaints will be non-existent.
24		After looking at the website, and cannot find or don't understand the procedures. I call A/P for more help and they will just refer me to the website and not be able to reslove my problem
25		After working at the UW for 15 years, AP remains a mystery to me.  I would like tours offered periodically and also a flow chart of the process and defininitions of terms and roles of the different sections spelled out clearly.  For example, what is Vendor Control and when do they become involved?  Also, when making payments to small organizations whose president changes every year, it is it not at all clear what to do.  Some AP staff have said use the old record, and some have told me to make a new one.  I have often received conflicting information from different staff. AP really is mysterious to most of the campus, I think.  Sometimes things are explained in jargon which is not understandable to those outside.  I would really like to see a concerted effort to make it all more clear.
26		Agree' and 'Disagree' don't work very well for the survey.     'Usually' and 'Not always' describe my experiences better.  It's not so cut and dried.  'Usually' things go well, but in some instances, e.g., checks for students, student organizations, past employees, etc., I often get the run-around.  Nobody wants to process certain kinds of requests and I get passed back and forth until finally one unit manager wins out.  I think that AP does a MUCH better job than it did in the past not letting problem P.O.'s fall through the cracks and I'm grateful for that.
27		All forms that need to be sent to Financial Services should have the UW Box number added in the instructions at the top of each page.  Currently I have to fill out the form, then go to a directory to get a box number for the envelope.  The lookup step is an unneccessary aggravation.
28		AP has been very helpful working with us to process invoices for various large vendors (Cerner, Epic, Eclipsys), and establishing work-around processes so we review the invoice for accuracy before it is goes to AP.
29		As only an occasional user of AP (less than 20 times a year, and mostly for travel reimbursement), I have been satisfied with customer service.
30		At this time my interactions with AP are limited to wire transfer payments for a subcontract in Portugal and an occasional check request.  The wire transfers work well but the percentage of problems with check requests is high considering how few I touch.
31		Check Request services are great--on time & accurate.  I would like to see electronic/web-based Check Requests eventually, instead of using so much paper.
32		Check requests with errors have been held rather than sent back for further information or clarification; we weren't aware of the error until the check didn't show up when expected.
33		Communication needs to improve, i.e., if there is a problem, please call or email, don't just send form back to payee who doesn't prepare form, or know what to do with it. Send back to Preparer.  Also, vendor payment issues need to also go back to preparer so we know what's going on, vendors should not have to try to figure out how to work the UW system. They should just get paid.
34		Communications originating in AP and Purchasing to the department are rare.  Far too rare.  When a problem comes up they seem to wait for the department to find the problem and ask AP/Purchasing to fix it.
35		Customer service has varied.  We have had situations where standing order expired.  Sometimes AP will hold up the invoices and then later will pay another invoices.  We have had a number of situations where the invoices are not properly distributed among the budgets.
36		Custumer service phone lines are always on voicemail for a long period of time especially early morning 7:30-9:30am.  All invoices (especially with attachments) or payments to individuals that are sent from my unit are lost (98% of the time) so payments are made late.  Thanks
37		Due to communication problems with A/P when problems arise, the process of correction issues is frustrating and time consuming.  When there are issues with invoices, A/P does not adequately follow-up with the department, leaving us to deal with angry vendors when invoices are not paid timely.  Then when I call A/P it's difficult to get the issue resolved.
38		During the past year several check requests submitted have been lost. Usually the check recipient calls to alert us they have not been paid. It is not until then that we are aware there is a problem.  Adding on the time it takes to fax a duplicate, etc., - the payment time is often 6 - 8 weeks.
39		for the majority of the time, things are processed accurately and in a timely manner.  However, whenever there is a problem it seems to turn into a drawn-out affair.  We've had to resend copies of "lost" invoices several times over.  When duplicate payments have been made to vendors, it has been left up to our unit to recover the overpayment from the vendor without help from AP.  Many times invoices containing errors have been paid before the RIP notice is received, again leaving it up to the unit to recover the payment from the vendor.  On the plus side, AP has been fabulous when a last-minute check request was made.
40		For the most part it seems like service is good.  I do Travel and Check Requests so some of the items in the survey didn't relate.  Check requests do seem like they take a while to process compared to Travel who has a one week turn around time on travel reimbursement checks.
41		Forms do not have a box number for where to submit them.
42		Full integration of purchasing dept and AP should pursued
43		Generally your work is very good.  The biggest problems we have are 1) lack of communication and 2) things that go missing.
44		Get rid of the old computer systems (FIN & PAS) and replace them with a new system.  They don't suit the needs of the University any longer.  My Financial Desktop is a step in the right direction and provides more complete and easily accessible information.  Review old systems like R.I.P. invoices - these should be changed and are not working effectively.  No to sound too negative, thanks for all of the work that you do - it is a big job, and thanks for asking because it is extremely important to check with the UW staff about what works and what doesn't.  I appreciate being asked.
45		I am certain that those in the Accounts Payable are doing a great job and have always been very helpful.  It would be great  if we could see the payment status on check requests.  This would save your's  and our time in communicating over the telephone to obtain this information.  In my work experience with Accounts Payable, I would honestly state that they are a great bunch of hard working folk and I am glad to know most of them personally.
46		I am not closely involved in the day to day operations of AP.  However, I do know we have problems getting invoices paid in a timely manner.  Other times payments are made ahead of schedule.  There is no pattern.
47		I am pleased with the service I receive
48		I appreciate the accuracy and efficiency of the Accounts Payable services department. They do an amazing job.
49		I appreciate the excellent customer service and quick response from AP when I have questions and issues.
50		I can find records of payment through PAS. However PAS is a dinosaur and we need a whole new sysstem. Maybe the Board should find money for that instead of giving the President another $200,000.00 per year.
51		I cannot see the status of an invoice in PAS. I don't know if it has been received, or if there is a problem with it
52		I didn't like the way the answer choices are done; too black and white, and the "no opinion" choice says nothing.
53		I don't like most of the questions asked in this survey. My answers are not always cut & dry with either agree or disagree.
54		I have many lost invoices and slow payments.  Have especially had trouble with check requests.  Also errors, not constant, but too many
55		I haven't been dealing with any of the issues stated in this survey.  These issues are mostly handled by our Dean's office.
56		I keep getting notices about how our department needs to use the Procurement card and not send over Check Requests for Reimbursments.  Is Accounts Payable suggesting that every person in our department obtain a Procurement card?
57		I occasionally have requests from travelers to have their TEV reimbursements issued in foreign currency. There is no clear-cut method of notifying AP of this request; Travel suggests writing it on the TEV, both copies, which I do and highlight it in both places. But at least 50% of the time the notice is never seen and the reimbursement comes in US funds.
58		I really appreciate the prompt attention when I email your office.  This helps me to do my job efficiently. Thanks,
59		I really enjoyed and learned from the focus group session. I tried to answer towards what I thought best reflected areas needing work but I want to say that overall the staff at payables is helpful and mostly timely.  Thank you for listening!
60		I receive notices suggesting I make certain purchases with my departmental ProCard rather than through check request.  While the check request generates more paper work, it is ultimately more convenient as I am unable to follow the large number of people involved in my program so I can make their purchases.  Reimbursing them through check requests is far easier.
61		I think the unit is doing a pretty good job.
62		I very seldom interact direclty with Accounts Payable staff; my responses are primarily based on information I receive from unit fiscal staff about their experiences w/AP and the resulting impact on their ability to complete their work efficiently and accurately.
63		I wish that forms are available on-line, for example Petty Voucher Form (uow 1243) instead of ordering from Store.
64		I work at the UWMC. The communication between the UWMC and UW A/P is sometimes lacking. UW A/P does a much better job of getting back to me than the UWMC A/P. Also the accounting practices of the UWMC A/P are not as easy to track or as accessible. Financial Desktop has made a real difference in the ease with which information can be reviewed. There have been some great improvements and I am happy to see them continue.
65		I would like to see A/P work more closely with the UW Purchasing Dept.
66		I would like to see clear evidence that a particiular invoice number has been paid without having go go through tunnels of click here, click here, click here.......
67		I would love it if I could see somewhere in PAS that I have increased a PO amount later.  For example on 9/1 it was $4000, but on 9/25 I increase to $8000.  I can't see that in there.  Also, I NEVER get the same info from different people.  It is very inconsistent.
68		I'm not saavy enough (i.e., don't do purchasing/paying often enough) to sometimes remember the difference between purchasing issues and payables issues.   While the info on your website is good, it isn't easy to get to.
69		I'm not sure if this survey is directed to UW depts., but since our department is affiliated with HMC some of the questions are not relevant.
70		In most of my responses where there is a disagreement it is usually because of one area, i.e. for payments on invoice vouchers, we have a hard time getting a hold of someone and/or they cannot find the paperwork that was sent in to AP.   Also there are certain individuals in AP that do not try to help when there is an inquiry. They try to "pass off" to someone else or they do not communicate to the fullest to satisfy us.  RIP notices are good when they get to us in a timely manner.  If a department/office is off campus, it can take more than 5 days to reach them.  For the Tax section for individual payments, on the website, why is there no guidelines, even just basic ones?
71		Instructions on handling invoices that come to the department are unlcear. Web page says forward to AP where it will be entered into PAS, but when I have done this, I've been contacted and insturcted to do the PAS entry myself.
72		It is hard for the departments to know what goes on within A/P, i.e. changes.  My paperwork was constantly lost for this individual and the thing is, is that he had been paid for one year late all the time.  Then when we renewed his contract, he is still being paid very late.  I cannot imagine how FAXED paperwork kept getting lost.  Even when I sent the paperwork in to A/P it still got lost.  This has been a very frustrating year and a half for both me, the individual and the PI who hired this person.  Checks in general seem to get cut in a timely but the NRA stuff has just been bad.
73		It is unclear when sales are charged on a transaction and when they are not especially in Procard transactions. I found out that even when I check tax button some items are not taxed. I want to know when items exempt  from sales tax  and when they are not.
74		it would be really beneficial if we could view , download, and print stores invoices
75		It would be really helpful if there was a team approach utilized in AP, like the one implemented by GCA for departments. When an invoice is sent to AP you have no idea who is actually receiving it. This makes it difficult to follow up when there are problems.
76		I've always been pleased with the service
77		I've been away from direct interaction with AP for well over a year. So I don't have many strong opinions.
78		I've had problems several times regarding check requests.  It seems that if more information is needed, that is never conveyed to me and no contact initiated by AP.  I've requested the status and received no reply to numerous emails, then finally get a response that "so and so" is handling that and then they don't responded.  When I finally make contact and find out more info is needed and fax the information, somehow the faxed information is replaced or missing and then the whole process starts over.
79		Lately when we submit check requests, the preparer and claimant have received e-mails from AP telling us we should use Procard for the type of purchase that was reimbursed. We are well aware of the Procard program and we use it whenever possible, but there are reasons why not all staff have individual Procards, and they need to make occasional cash purchases.  For example, faculty in our unit do not make purchases often enough to have Procards, and they do not have the time to undergo Procard training and do the monthly reconciliation process.  They are encouraged to have our administrator and fiscal specialist make purchases for them, but this is not always possible.  If AP is going to continue to send these notes, please consider addressing it only to the preparer and not to the individual being reimbursed, because it can be confusing to them and it can undermine procedures established by the unit.  Thank you.
80		My "agree" and "disagree" responses on the prior page aren't always conveying what I wanted to convey.  The real answer is usually "sometimes" but that wasn't provided as a response option.
81		They are very good in expediting payments of my utility bills.  The only problem, when they are on vacation or not in the office, my utility bills are not paid on time and no specific info given to PSE or City of Seattle as to which account the payment is to be appplied.
82		My experience is that how well things go really depends on who you talk to and who gets the invoice. Sometimes it's great and other times not. What bothers me the most is when there is a problem, so the invoice is just set aside. Finally, I realize the vendor hasn't been paid and look into it, but I think I should be notified rather than just ignoring it.
83		My interactions with Accounts Payable have always been very positive.  Employees are always very helpful and quick to resolve any problem.
84		My job does not involve all functions mentioned in the survey, hence a number of & "no opinion" responses.  Certain of your staff could not be more helpful, but I call them because the rest engender a kind of dissociative feel, as though there are no concrete answers to questions, just today's answers.
85		My main problem with Accounts Payable services is in relation to sending checks out to individuals.  It seems to take about 2 months to get a check to a patient, as the paperwork always gets lost.  The staff are always helpful in processing the payment after I've faxed a copy of the request.
86		My negative comments are specically around our equipment purchases and lease arrangments
87		my only concern is that when I call I want to be able to speak to a live person that voicemail message that I always get.
88		My primary interactions with AP is for petty cash revolving funds.  The AP staff have always been great.  The reconciliations have always been processed in a timely fashion, although very recently it's been a touch slower.  I also manage a training grant with a parent and ~ 13 sub-budgets.  This gets trickier.  Trying to deal with RSTs or RTEs across units and with GCA and AP, nothing is simple and what seems like it should be an easy task turns into a nitemare.  I've ended up having to talk to several different offices and get different responses and it usually takes following a tree of 5-6 people to finally get a straight answer from someone willing to be held accountable for what they're telling me.  It'd be nice to have more direct access to 'the one who knows the answer.'  It really eats up a lot of time.  I've only had one dealing with paying a foreign resident and it was quite involved and difficult and cumbersome and problematic.  I imagine this resulted both from my ignorance of the process as well as shortcomings on the other end in being able to communicate effectively about the process. The BARs-MyFD interface is frustrating; why don't the numbers match for the same time period??? I often try to use MyFD to monitor our subs because it's more timely, but then when I get the BARs and try to reconcile, the numbers don't match.  This is particularly frustrating at budget closing time when you're feeling under time pressure anyway.  The fragmentation of the system - different units being responsible for micro-bits of different financial tasks and being clueless about how their task interacts with another unit's tasks - is a headache and inefficient.  I'm not sure what the answer is,  but having more staff who understand the intersection of tasks/units would be helpful.
89		Our department's biggest problem with AP services is that when payment on an invoice is held up and we need to take action to get it released for payment, we are never informed that the payment has been held up, so we never know that we must take action. Which means that the invoices don't get paid until the vendor complains to us and we have to find out why.  It would also be nice if there was some sort of flow chart depicting the path/process of an invoice through Purchasing/Payables, including contact names at each point of the process so that I don't have to call people at random and hope one of them can answer my questions.
90		Payments to foreign vendor seem to be "slow", e.g. a payment submitted in June took more than a month to be paid and did not post to the BAR until August.
91		AP Staff members have been fantastic in helping to resolve several foreign vendor problems my department has encountered. Their knowledge has been invaluable and I have appreciated their time and efforts.  In addition, two have been of great help in problem solving FedEx accounting issues that my department has experienced. Their follow-through to ensure we reach a solution has been extraordinary.
92		Purchasing and A/P do not work well together to resolve issues regarding PO status.  Especially problematic is the issue of A/P staff holding invoices due to problems and NOT notifying department fiscal specialist, thereby causing late fees.  Because some of my vendors receive commissions, when invoices are not paid within 30 days, they LOSE their commissions!
93		Recently we had received e-mails from AP telling us that we should use the Procard program for purchases because of our recent requests for check request reimbursements.  My problem with the e-mail sent is because AP sent it to both the preparer and claimant simply because we had requested a check request reimbursement.  We are well aware of the Procard program and we use it whenever possible, but there are reasons why not all faculty/staff have individual Procards, and they need to make occasional cash purchases.  For example, faculty in our unit do not make purchases often enough to have Procards, and they do not have the time to undergo Procard training and do the monthly reconciliation process.  We have procedures already established in our unit. They are encouraged to have our administrator and fiscal specialist make purchases for them via Procard, but this is not always possible.  If there is a change in policy for check request reimbursements then this should be duly made public to everyone.
94		recurring payments for our ADT security are an ongoing issue.  I often receive phone calls from ADT and/or their collection firm that payments are behind.
95		reworking PAS to show better updates or getting rid of PAS altogether for a more interactive system.
96		Some of the areas asked about I don't use, so I didn't respond; the instructions said to answer for current activites, which has been limited since we changed the way processed, as recommended by AP and so far it's working well, but past experience had been troubled.
97		The AP staff seem to be hard working and try to be diligent.  It's sometimes difficult to find out precisely what to do when a problem arises due to clear directions.  Invoice vouchers seem to disappear fairly frequently.  It's hard to get someone to answer the phone.
98		The most problematic for our department is invoices that have been sent to A/P with approval and they are never found or processed.  There have been many, many times that we have to resend the invoice more than twice, eventually getting a person on the phone and faxing to that person to take care of it and following up to make sure that it truely happens.
99		The problems I have had with foreign vendors involves the need for the federal grant I work with to pay in advance of a training course that is set to take place prior to its completion.  This activity has been approved by the federal training grant but the UW only wants to pay once the event or class has completed.  The countries the grant works in do not have the resources to cover the expense of the training course and bill the UW after its completion.  This problem needs to be addressed.
100		The synchronization of systems and knowing when an invoice will be paid is the biggest problem.  There's signficant lag time in knowing if an invoice isn't paid because purchasing haven't agreed to pay the invoice, whether the invoice is wrong or insufficient funds remain on the PO.  We've also come across the issue where invoices weren't processed after sending the approved invoice to A/P; A/P said they didn't have the invoice.
101		Very good to see the customer service ethic in Accounts Payable.
102		Very much improved in the last five years!  Especially with regard to timely payment of vendors in general.
103		We receive excellent service when the technician is familiar with our invoices.  When someone new or a back-up technician handles things, we do not get any feed-back to help identify and solve problem invoices.
104		We use Procards a lot in my present department where I have been for five years, therefore, I have fewer interactions with A/P, and could not produce an opinion about many of these questions.
105		When an invoice is received indicating sales/use tax is charged, but PO indicates no tax due to M&E exemption, amount on the RIP sticker should NOT include tax (even though you don't intend to pay the tax, it's unnecessarily confusing to send a document saying you will pay something other than the correct amount!)
106		When I found out how many items per day are processed by AP I realized they do an excellent job! I think just a few things need to be fixed. They might need more people.
107		When there is a problem with one of my requests for payment, it takes much too long to hear about it from payables. Since the ones which are problems are most often not routine transactions (and we usually need them on an expedited basis for that reason), this actually results in some very unhappy service providers for us.
108		Your customer service on the phone is terrific.  Courteous, knowledgeable and efficient.
109		Your website should have a way to request missing source documents, either an online submission form or one main contact.