Payments

The policy has been implemented to increase efficiency in the procurement process across Swansea University. The benefits to suppliers include a streamlined process for payment of invoices within terms of trade (if a PO number is quoted) and reduced processing costs for the University.

Standard payment terms are 30 days from date of invoice. However, invoices received without a valid PO number quoted will not be paid and will be returned. This may lead to a delay in the payment process.

All valid PO numbers for Swansea University start with 2 and are 8 numbers in length.

As a result of formalising our purchasing arrangements, all financial commitments for goods and / or services must be made using a Purchase Order. As part of the ‘No PO, No Pay’ policy the supplier is expected to put the valid PO number on their invoices, otherwise it will be returned.

You should contact the member of staff who gave the original instruction to supply the goods / services and ask them to provide a valid PO number. When obtained, you should send a replacement invoice quoting the valid PO number to invoices@swansea.ac.uk.

Some individuals who have received payments/grants from the University in the past have been recognised in our accounting system as suppliers. If you have received a letter and do not provide us with goods and/or services, please disregard this letter and accept our apologies for the inconvenience.

All Schools and Professional Services within Swansea University are covered by this policy.

You will be paid promptly and reliably when you supply goods or services to the University as the Purchase Order will be a formal confirmation of the University’s requirement and will show the correct address for invoicing.

No, Purchase Orders will usually be emailed to the email address provided in your supplier details, however they can be mailed if necessary. Purchase Order numbers can also be confirmed over the phone, but for your own records you should ask for a copy of the order.

Contact the person who placed the Purchase Order initially (details will be quoted on the order) and ask for clarification. If necessary, the original Purchase Order can be cancelled and a replacement issued.

Contact the person who placed the verbal or email order and ask for a written Purchase Order, or as a minimum, a Purchase Order number.

Purchase Orders will only be produced by our system once authorised by the appropriate person.

Contact the person who placed the order or is named on the Purchase Order. Invoices may be disputed for any of the following reasons, and will always be sent back to the supplier address they were received from with an email stating why they have been disputed.

• No Purchase Order number quoted on the invoice
• Multiple Purchase Order numbers are quoted on one invoice. Please send individual invoices for each Purchase Order number
• Multiple invoices in one PDF document. Please send one invoice per PDF file
• No invoice number quoted
• No invoice date quoted
• Not addressed to Swansea University
• Not detailing Swansea University's Address
• No VAT amount or VAT registration number (if VAT applies)
• No total amount owed
• No clear description of what you are charging for

All invoices must quote an official University Purchase Order number. If this is not provided, the invoice will be returned to the sender and may result in a delay in payment.

The requestor (who will likely have discussed the order with you in advance) will issue the Purchase Order to you. The Purchase Order will usually be emailed over to you, to the address provided by yourself in the new supplier set up details, which would have been requested by us. If necessary, the Purchase Order can also be sent via fax or post.

The requestor will view the Purchase Order before it is issued so can attach anything necessary to it, so that it reaches you complete. If you believe there to be anything missing from your Purchase Order, please contact the requestor.

You will need to query it with the person named on the Purchase Order as requesting the goods and/or services.

Yes. However, you need to ensure that a Purchase Order number is quoted and you would still have to quote the Purchase Order number on your invoice.