News


GURU News Announcement for week ending May 30, 2025

GURU News Announcement for week ending May 30, 2025



FORMS



The Non-Employee Travel Reimbursement form has been converted to an Adobe Sign electronic form. Please contact the Adobe Sign Team for access to the Adobe Sign website and for training. The PDF form will continue to be available while end-users receive access and training; however, the PDF will be decommissioned at the end of this calendar year (December 31, 2025). Please arrange for access and training before the end of the calendar year.



Fiscal Year-End Close Deadlines



The Year-End Closing Process is a set of timely activities that are necessary to close out the fiscal year. Fiscal Year-End Closing activities begin in May and will be completed in July. Meeting the deadlines noted in each section is crucial. See the 2024-2025 SIMBA Fiscal Year-End Closing Schedule for complete dates and deadlines.



5:00 p.m. Monday, June 2



2024-2025 PRs less than $25,000 for non-catalog items  




  • Completely through the departmental approval path and received by Central Procurement.    

  • PRs less than $25,000 for non-catalog items received after this time may not be finalized by June 30.



ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE FISCAL YEAR-END GUIDELINES:



June 26th




  • All invoices will need to be entered into SIMBA by 4:00 PM for Fiscal Year 2024-2025.  (Central A/R invoices do not go through workflow - if you have an invoice that is parked, please make sure to have it posted before 4:00 PM!)



June 27th




  • All Credit Memos/Reversals will need to be completed/submitted to Central AR by 2:00 PM for processing.



June 29-30th




  • SIMBA lockdown-no entries into SIMBA!!



July 1st




  • SIMBA automatically switches to Fiscal Year 2025-2026 on July 1st, and all invoices entered will reflect on Fiscal Year 2025-2026. 



July 1st-8th




  • If you find you need to enter an invoice for the prior Fiscal Year - SPECIAL PROCESSING MUST BE DONE.  Before making the entry, you MUST reach out to CentralAR@psu.edu before 2:00 PM on July 7th, to ensure proper entry/approval into SIMBA!



July 10th




  • All invoices entered will be on the next Fiscal Year - no special entries permitted. 



If you use the “mass upload function” to upload invoices, and have not been contacted directly by Kelly Heaps, please contact CentralAR@psu.edu.



 


News Published: 2:13 PM - 05/30/2025


GURU News Announcement for Week Ending May 16, 2025

GURU News Announcement for Week Ending May 16, 2025



The following documents have been updated and published on the GURU website:



FORMS:



Property Loss Report - The Property Loss Report is a new form to be completed in the event of a property loss such as fire, water damage, burglary, etc,.



University Guest Presenter Agreement - As previously announced, the University Guest Presenter Agreement has been converted to an electronic form. Please contact the Adobe Sign Team for access to the Adobe Sign website and for training (see the Adobe Sign Electronic Form information below). The PDF form will continue to be available while end-users receive access and training; however, the PDF will be decommissioned at the end of fiscal year (June 30th, 2025). Please arrange for access and training before the end of the fiscal year.



MASTER DATA:



The following changes to General Ledger Accounts are effective May 16, 2025:




  1. 52632200 - GL has been decommissioned. The General Ledger Account Decommissioned List has been updated to reflect this change. The Procurement Search Tool has also been updated and end-users are to use 52632210 as a replacement for 52632200.

  2. 52632210 - name changed and is now to be used in placed of 52632200. This is to allow for burdened F&A for all sponsors. The Procurement Search Tool has also been updated to reflect this change.



FISCAL YEAR-END GUIDELINES:



The Year-End Closing Process is a set of timely activities that are necessary to close out the fiscal year. Fiscal Year-End Closing activities begin in May and will be completed in July. Meeting the deadlines noted in each section is crucial. See the 2024-2025 SIMBA Fiscal Year-End Closing Schedule for complete dates and deadlines.



ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE FISCAL YEAR-END GUIDELINES:



June 26th




  • All invoices will need to be entered into SIMBA by 4:00 PM for Fiscal Year 2024-2025.  (Central A/R invoices do not go through workflow - if you have an invoice that is parked, please make sure to have it posted before 4:00 PM!)



June 27th




  • All Credit Memos/Reversals will need to be completed/submitted to Central AR by 2:00 PM for processing.



June 29-30th




  • SIMBA lockdown-no entries into SIMBA!!



July 1st




  • SIMBA automatically switches to Fiscal Year 2025-2026 on July 1st, and all invoices entered will reflect on Fiscal Year 2025-2026. 



July 1st-8th




  • If you find you need to enter an invoice for the prior Fiscal Year - SPECIAL PROCESSING MUST BE DONE.  Before making the entry, you MUST reach out to CentralAR@psu.edu before 2:00 PM on July 7th, to ensure proper entry/approval into SIMBA!



July 10th




  • All invoices entered will be on the next Fiscal Year - no special entries permitted. 



If you use the “mass upload function” to upload invoices, and have not been contacted directly by Kelly Heaps, please contact CentralAR@psu.edu.



 



 


News Published: 3:06 PM - 05/16/2025


GURU News Announcement for Week Ending May 9, 2025

GURU News Announcement for Week Ending May 9, 2025



The following documents have been updated:



PROCEDURES



Procedure CR2079 Values Added Tax (VAT) Reclamation - This procedure has been placed under review and had been temporarily removed from the GURU website. The VAT Reclamation business process is changing and until the new business process is developed, the collection process has been halted. An announcement will be made when the new business process has been developed.



FORMS:



As previously announced, the University Guest Presenter Agreement has been converted to an electronic form. Please contact the Adobe Sign Team for access to the Adobe Sign website and for training (see the Adobe Sign Electronic Form information below). The PDF form will continue to be available while end-users receive access and training; however, the PDF will be decommissioned at the end of fiscal year (June 30th, 2025). Please arrange for access and training before the end of the fiscal year.



The The Non-Employee Information Form has been converted to an electronic form. Please contact the Adobe Sign Team for access to the Adobe Sign website and for training (see the Adobe Sign Electronic Form information below). The PDF form will continue to be available until the end of the calendar year 2025 while end-users receive access and training. Please arrange for access and training ASAP.



Uploading PDF forms into SAP Concur



It has been brought to our attention that there is an issue with uploading PDF forms into SAP Concur. The following steps should be followed to create a document that can be uploaded:




  1. Click the form download button on the GURU main page

  2. Click the download arrow in the upper-right corner of the screen on the form page in GURU

  3. Save the document to a location where you will be able to find the document

  4. Close all open documents

  5. Open the file from the location where you saved it in step 2

  6. Complete the form

  7. Click the printer icon in the upper right corner

    • Printer = Microsoft Print to PDF

    • Click Print



  8. Rename the document and click save

  9. Verify the document is not password protected

    • Click Menu in upper left hand corner of the document

    • Scroll down and select Protection

      • Security properties = no security

      • Click ok



    • Upload the document into SAP Concur





FISCAL YEAR-END GUIDELINES



The Year-End Closing Process is a set of timely activities that are necessary to close out the fiscal year. Fiscal Year-End Closing activities begin in May and will be completed in July. Meeting the deadlines noted in each section is crucial. See the 2024-2025 SIMBA Fiscal Year-End Closing Schedule for complete dates and deadlines.



Effective: May 9, 2025


News Published: 6:20 PM - 05/09/2025


GURU News Announcement for Week Ending May 2, 2025

GURU News Announcement for Week Ending May 2, 2025



The following documents, having been vetted and approved, have been updated and published.



FORMS



Non-Employee Information Form - The Non-Employee Information Form has been converted to an Adobe Sign Electronic Form. Please contact the Adobe Sign Team for access to the Adobe Sign website and for training. The form template on the GURU website will continue to be available until the end of the calendar year 2025 while end-users receive access and training. Please arrange for access and training ASAP. The form instruction page has complete details for the Adobe Sign process.



Travel Reimbursement Checklist CONUS and the Travel Reimbursement Checklist OCONUS - These forms have been updated to reflect current business processes. The Travel Reimbursement Checklist Form Instructions have also been updated. The word "SIMBA" has been removed from each of the file names.



Any "saved as favorites" or books need to be refreshed to access the updated forms.



FISCAL YEAR END CLOSE



OUTSTANDING TRAVEL ADVANCES



Sent on behalf of the Office of the Controller



As the end of the academic calendar for the spring semester is quickly approaching, we would like to remind faculty and staff that all outstanding travel advances having a travel end-date occurring before June 30, 2025 must have expense reports submitted in SAP Concur and any unused funds deposited in a University designated bank account as part of the fiscal year-end close process.



The SAP Concur expense report and corresponding Cash Deposit Journal Entries in SIMBA need to be completed. The SAP Concur expense report should be submitted and fully approved by Tuesday, July 8th by 4:30 p.m. The cash should be deposited by June 30th and the Cash Deposit Journal Entry entered in SIMBA and fully approved by Tuesday, July 8th by 4:30 p.m.



Finance Offices are requested to assist faculty members, with outstanding travel advances, process expense reports before they depart for the summer. The SAP Concur systems sends out an automated email bi-weekly to business area Financial Officers with the Accounting Operations Cash Advances Not Reconciled Report attached. This report displays all outstanding travel advances and can be sorted by “Travel End Date.”



Thank you for your invaluable support in ensuring a smooth and efficient fiscal year-end close for the University.



FISCAL YEAR-END GUIDELINES



The Year-End Closing Process is a set of timely activities that are necessary to close out the fiscal year. Fiscal Year-End Closing activities begin in May and will be completed in July. Meeting the deadlines noted in each section is crucial. See the 2024-2025 SIMBA Fiscal Year-End Closing Schedule for complete dates and deadlines.



Effective: May 2, 2025


News Published: 2:33 PM - 05/02/2025


GURU News Announcement for Week Ending April 25, 2025

GURU News Announcement for Week Ending April 25, 2025

The following document has been vetted, approved, and published:

PROCEDURES

RA2066 Program Income (formerly FN2070) has been renumbered to reflect the proper ownership of the procedures. Research Administration updated the document and all revisions were approved by the Senior Vice President for Research.

FISCAL YEAR-END IMPORTANT DATES

See the Procurement Fiscal Year End 2025 Submission Deadlines for the dates/deadlines to follow to ensure a smooth end-of-year closeout.

Effective: 4/25/2025


News Published: 2:01 PM - 04/25/2025


Accessing GURU documents with Google Chrome

Accessing GURU documents with Google Chrome


It has been brought to the attention of the Office of Systems & Procedures that fill-and-print forms on GURU created with Adobe Acrobat, do not function appropriately when accessed using Firefox and/or Microsoft Edge. After some research, it has been determined that a work-around is not currently available.


In order to access any of the forms on GURU and have the fill-and-print functionality available, the end-user must access the GURU website using Google Chrome.


If, upon opening a PDF in Google Chrome, the "Fill & Sign in Acrobat" bar does not appear in the upper right-hand corner of the screen, it will be necessary to enable Adobe Acrobat extension on that computer.


Please visit the Enable Adobe Acrobat extension for Google Chrome webpage for instructions to enable individual computers.


Please submit a GURU Technical Support Form for additional assistance.


Thank you, in advance, for your understanding and patience.


Effective 4/7/2021

News Published: 2:31 PM - 04/07/2021


Functionality of forms when using "Print to PDF" option

Functionality of forms when using "Print to PDF" option



It has been brought to the attention of the Office of Systems & Procedures that the functionality of the “print to pdf” option (clicking the printer icon and select PDF) when a form contains fill-and-print form fields has changed. When a document is saved using the “print to pdf” option, the “fill-and-print” form fields on the saved version are inactive. If you entered information on the web-version, saved the document, and now need to add or modify the information saved, that functionality is unavailable. Also, if you selected “print to pdf” by clicking the printer icon on the web-document page, before entering any information, the document contains the same issue (i.e., unable to add information).



The good news is that the “download” icon (arrow pointing down) option is working appropriately. To create a version in which entering information is possible, complete the following steps:



  1. Open the desired form

  2. Click the arrow pointing down (upper right-hand corner) and download the document

  3. Open the document that you just downloaded

  4. Before entering any information on the form, Click File, “Save As” and rename the downloaded document

  5. Open the renamed version of the form

  6. Complete all information and click “Save”



If you continue to encounter any issues with saving forms, please submit an AskGURU HelpDesk ticket

.

News Published: 1:59 PM - 02/25/2021


Enabling Adobe Acrobat extension for Google Chrome

Enabling Adobe Acrobat extension for Google Chrome


The Office of Systems & Procedures is in the process of adding signature boxes to forms appearing on the GURU website. It has been brought to our attention that no all computers across the University are configured to allow for applying digital ID's or electronic signatures.


If, upon opening a PDF in Google Chrome, the "Fill & Sign in Acrobat" bar does not appear in the upper right-hand corner of the screen, it will be necessary to enable Adobe Acrobat extension on that computer.


Please visit the Enable Adobe Acrobat extension for Google Chrome webpage for instructions to enable individual computers.


News Published: 3:21 PM - 02/05/2021


Unsubscribe from GURU Listserv

Unsubscribe from GURU ListServ


Follow the steps below to unsubscribe yourself from the GURU Listserv:



1.) Click the link below.

Unsubscribe from GURU Listserv

2.) Leave the subject of the email blank.
3.) Leave the body/message of the email blank.
4.) Send the email.

You should receive an email confirming your removal from the list.

News Published: 2:14 PM - 06/12/2018





GURU News Announcement for week ending March 7, 2025

GURU News Announcement for week ending March 7, 2025

Forms:

The following form revisions have been vetted and approved:

Non-Employee Information Form - the telephone and zip code form fields have been expanded to allow for additional characters. This is to allow for international telephone number formatting and complete zip code information.

Research Participant Cash Payment Exception Form - a general review of this form occurred. 

University Guest Presenter Agreement - The University Guest Presenter Agreement has been converted to an electronic form. Please contact the Adobe Sign Team for access to the Adobe Sign website and for training. The PDF form will continue to be available while end-users receive access and training; however, the PDF will be decommissioned at the end of fiscal year (June 30th, 2025). Please arrange for access and training before the end of the fiscal year.


News Published: 03/06/2025


GURU News Announcement for Week Ending January 31st

GURU News Announcement for Week Ending January 31st

FORMS

The following Payroll forms have been removed from the GURU website:


  • Exemption from Withholding 8235

  • Foreign National Information Request Form

  • Revenue Procedure Statement 87-8

  • Revenue Procedure Statement 87-9

  • W9 Attachment Form

  • W9 Request for Taxpayer Identification

These paper forms have been replaced with electronic business process as implemented by Payroll. Any questions regarding the business processes should be directed to Payroll

 


News Published: 01/31/2025


GURU News Announcement for week ending January 10, 2025

GURU News Announcement for week ending January 10, 2025

The following documents have been revised and approved for use:

Procedures:

FN2032 Processing and Controlling Prenumbered Receipts - the supply of University Park receipt books has been replenished. The price per book has increased to $10.50 per book and the minimum order requirement has been removed. To order University Park receipt books, please follow the instructions as outlined within the procedure.

FORMS:

Group Meal and Meeting Support Form - the Group Meal and Meeting Support Form has been updated to remove all extraneous sigantures in accordance with changed to Policy FN10 Other Business Expenses and Activities.

Effective: January 10, 2025


News Published: 01/10/2025


GURU News - PCard Support Form revisions

Changes to the Purchasing Card Support Form

The Purchasing Card Support Form, an optional usaged form, has been revised. If the form is utilized, all receipts are to be uploaded to the expense report in SAP Concur. Do not tape the receipts to the form. As part of these revisions, the file name has changed (SIMBA has been removed). Any "saved as favorites" or bookmarks will need to be updated.

Effective: 12/10/2024


News Published: 12/11/2024


New Business Resource - 2024 Calendar Year-End Dates

New Business Resource available on GURU

2024 Calendar Year-End Dates

The 2024 Calendar Year-End Dates is a set of timely activities that are necessary to close out the calendar year. Meeting the deadlines noted in each section is crucial. Contact information is included within each section.

Any one wishing to add information to this document is asked to submit a GURU Technical Support Request form and include the information to be included. 

 


News Published: 12/03/2024


GURU News Announcement for week ending November 22, 2024

GURU News Announcement for week ending November 22, 2024

Credit by Exam and Credit by Portfolio Assessment changes:

Credit by Exam – this is now an electronic business process.

Credit by Portfolio Assessment – this is now an electronic business process. Also, the file name has changed; therefore, any “saved as” or bookmarks will need to be updated to access the new electronic form.

Procedure RC2006 Credit by Examination has been replaced with a link to the new electronic business process.
 

Risk Management Forms:

Risk Management Forms – the following forms have been updated to reflect the Office of Risk Management’s new office location/mailing address:

•    Vehicle Accident Report

•    Incident Report


 

Federally Funded Preacquisition Screening Certification:

Federally Funded Preacquisition Screening Certification PDF is being decommissioned at the end of the calendar year. Contact Property Inventory to schedule training on the usage of the new electronic form.

University Guest Presenter Agreement:

University Guest Presenter Agreement - Effective October 21st the University Guest Presenter Agreement has been converted to an electronic form. Please contact the Adobe Sign Team for access to the Adobe Sign website and for training by submitting the e-Signature - ServiceNow Request form. The PDF form will continue to be available on the GURU website while end-users receive access and training; however, the PDF will be decommissioned at the end of fiscal year (June 30th, 2025). Please arrange for access and training before the end of the fiscal year.

The J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School name changes:

The J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School name changes – the following documents have been updated to reflect the graduate school name change:

•    English Fluency Certification for Graduate Assistants form

•    Terms of Offer of a Graduate Assistantship form

•    Procedure FN2012 Endowment Spending Stewardship

•    Procedure GS2001 The J. Jeffrey and Ann Maire Fox Graduate School Application Fee

•    Procedure GS2003 Thesis Charges

•    Table of Stipends for Graduate Assistants


 

Procurement Search Tool Updates:

The following general ledger accounts (GL) having no identifiable procurement methods (i.e., PO, Pcard, Out-of-Pocket reimbursement, and/or Non-PO Invoice) have been removed from the Procurement Search Tool. Each of these GLs are only permitted for use with the direct billing process (i.e., journal entries).

1.    52574000 IRB Fee Expense

2.    52610100 AG Related Services – Internal

3.    52610700 Health – Medical Services – Internal

4.    52611000 Staffing Services – Internal

5.    52611100 Training Services – Internal

6.    52611400 Clinical Trial Pass Thru Fee

7.    52612100 Internal Services – Events

8.    52641000 Specialized Service Center Costs

9.    52641100 SVC Research Animal Care – Bill to User

10.    52641200 SVC Research Animal Vet Service – Bill to Use


 



 

News Published: 11/22/2024


PSUbuy - Goods Confirmation Reminder

Goods Confirmation

Today (11/5) is the last day to complete Goods Confirmations before the PSUbuy Go-Live blackout period begins.  You are able to complete your Goods Confirmation up until 4 p.m. today in Shop OnLion.  

If you are unable to complete your Goods Confirmations today or receive your goods after 4 p.m. today, please HOLD and WAIT until after go-live on November 12. After go-live, we will share information with instructions on how to complete a Goods Confirmation in PSUbuy if your Purchase Orders (POs) converted as well as a reminder on how to complete a Goods Confirmation in Shop OnLion if your POs did not convert. 

The Shop OnLion tile will remain in SIMBA for a while so that activities like Goods Confirmations can be completed/closed out but all new activity will be completed in PSUbuy after November 12th. 

Important Dates:  


  • Nov. 5: Carts must be converted into purchase orders, and Goods Confirmations are due by 4 p.m. 

  • Nov. 6-7: System and Procurement cleanup activities are completed.  

  • Nov. 8-11: Conversion and implementation activities are completed. 

  • Nov. 12: PSUbuy launches.   

If you have questions, please do not forget to tag Support - PSUbuy in your replies in the PSUbuy Change Network TEAMS channel. 

 


News Published: 11/05/2024


GURU News Announcement for week ending November 1, 2024

GURU News Announcement for week ending November 1, 2024

The following updates have been made to the GURU website for the week ending November 1, 2024:

PROCEDURES:

Procedure AA2011 The Arts Ticket Center Ticket Sales has completed its required review and has been published.

Procedure UL2006 Inactive Records Center – Non-Permanent Records Storage (formerly LI2006) underwent a complete review and was renumbered to better reflect process ownership.

FORMS:

Federally Funded Preacquisition Screening Certification PDF is being decommissioned at the end of the calendar year. Contact Property Inventory to schedule training on the usage of the new electronic form.

BUSINESS RESOURCES:

SIMBA Chart of Accounts – Research Administrators updated. Any business area not having an identified Research Administrator may submit an GURU Technical Service Request form to identify the RA for that business area.

GL 52390301 Event Costs – Employee Only name changed to removed “Direct Bill Default” and Procurement Search Tool payment methods updated.


News Published: 11/01/2024


GURU News Announcement for week ending October 18, 2024

GURU News Announcement

PROCEDURES:

FN2005 Processing Cash Revenues - The check endorsement information has been updated to reflect the current requirements for endorsements appearing on the back of checks issued to the University. Treasury Operations and Financial Accounting and Reporting vetted and approved the changes. Any business area having an endorsement stamp will need to purchase a new stamp reflecting the updated necessary information.

FORMS:

University Guest Presenter Agreement - Effective October 21st the University Guest Presenter Agreement has been converted to an electronic form. Please contact the Adobe Sign Team for access to the Adobe Sign website and for training by submitting the e-Signature - ServiceNow Request form. The PDF form will continue to be available on the GURU website while end-users receive access and training; however, the PDF will be decommissioned at the end of fiscal year (June 30th, 2025). Please arrange for access and training before the end of the fiscal year.

Federally-Funded Preacquisition Screening Certification Form - The Federally-Funded Preacquisition Screening Certification form is an electronic form with interactive form fields and built-in workflow. After the form has been reviewed and approved, the end-user will receive a PDF version of the completed form via email. Please contact Property Inventory (email CCOpropertyInv@psu.edu) to schedule training on the use of the electronic form. The PDF version will be available until the end of the 2024 calendar year, after which it will be decommissioned.

PSUbuy Updates:

PSUbuy Web-Based Training Now Available - 

You can see information about web-based training, quick reference guides and more on the LRN landing page for PSUbuy.   Content directly from this page was copied below to provide a preview of what is available on the site. 

All users are strongly encouraged to complete the PSUbuy Overview course before completing any additional training. The PSUbuy Overview course provides an overview of the procurement features in PSUbuy and will introduce you to key concepts related to the new system. 



If you are going to be a Shopper in PSUbuy, you must complete the Guided Buying courses to gain access to the system. This set of courses will walk you through the purchasing process, starting with the creation of a requisition to the receipt of goods. Completing the Final Knowledge Check will confirm your completion of the Guided Buying training. 

Guided Buying

For other roles, such as Buyers, Approvers, and AP/Invoice/Accounting, select from the list of Central Procurement courses to gain proficiency in your job functions within PSUbuy. Completing the Final Knowledge Check for each of these trainings will demonstrate your knowledge of the requisite topic.

Approvers are encouraged to take the Requisition Approvals course but it is not required to have approver access in PSUbuy

A limited number of live sessions were offered to pre-identified users, any remaining spots are now available for anyone to register for.  You can search for live (virtual or in-person at TSB - University Park) sessions by utilizing the LRN search function.   

Example: If you are looking for live PSUbuy Guided Buying courses.  Start typing PSUbuy in the search field and it will start to populate options. You can filter using the calendar icon to show "events" which includes these live courses.   NOTE: Waitlists are available for live sessions but joining a waitlist does not guarantee a spot. You will be notified if you are taken off of a waitlist and added to a course

Additional live training sessions will continue to be offered after go-live. 

 


News Published: 10/18/2024


GURU News Announcement for week ending September 27, 2024

GURU News Announcement for week ending September 27, 2024

Forms:

The Request for Cash Advance form has been updated to allow the form to be completed electronically when an advance is returned. The new version has an effective date of 9/26/2024.

PSUbuy:

Important Dates


  • Oct. 9: Live training session invitations will be distributed via email.

  • Oct. 14: Web-based training courses open on the Learning Resource Network (LRN).

  • Oct. 30: Shopping closes — no new carts can be created after 4 p.m. EST.  

  • Nov. 5: Last day to process carts into purchase orders. No new purchase orders (POs) can be created after 4 p.m. EST.  

  • Nov. 6-7: System and Procurement cleanup activities are completed.

  • Nov. 12: PSUbuy Launch.

To prepare for the transition:


  • Shop proactively before the blackout period begins at 4 p.m. EST on Oct. 30.

  • If necessary, check purchasing card limits and request an increase by submitting a “Request for P-card Services” in SAP Concur.

  • Join the PSUbuy Change Network to stay informed about announcements, events, and other important information.

  • Watch for email communications from procurement@psu.edu or the Shop OnLion Listserv about training, important dates, pre-launch actions, cleanup activities, and more.  

  • Suppliers will continue to receive information from Penn State Central Procurement and SAP.  

Policy Site Migration:

We are excited to announce that testing of the latest version of the policy site has gone well and has been completed. The new site will go live on Wednesday, October 2.

In preparation for the production migration, the admin section of the website (i.e., staff login) will be unavailable for revisions on Monday September 30th and Tuesday, October 1st. The site will be available for the public to view but no changes to the policies will be permitted during this time. The production migration will take place on Wednesday, October 2nd between 5:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m. After the migration is complete, you may login to make edits. 

 


News Published: 09/27/2024


GURU News Announcement for week ending August 30, 2024

GURU News Announcement for week ending August 30, 2024

The following documents have been revised and are available for end-users:

 PROCEDURES:

FN20270 Program Income (formerly CR2070) - this procedure was completely rewritten to document SIMBA business processes. The document and the file have been renumbered from CR2070 to FN2070. Any associated "saved as favorites" or bookmarks will need to be updated to access the new version of the procedure.

FORMS:

Gift Reporting and Transmittal Form Instructions - the form instruction page has been updated to reflect the Office of Gift Acceptance address change.

 


News Published: 08/30/2024


GURU News Announcement for week ending August 16, 2024

GURU News Announcement for week ending August 16, 2024

PROCEDURES:

The following procedures have been reviewed and published:

EM2002 Processing Official Transcripts (formerlly RC2008) - this procedure underwent a complete review to update current business processes and the document was renumbered and renamed from RC2008 Sale of Official Transcripts and Other Registrar Office Income to EM2002 Processing Official Transcripts to more accurately reflect the process owner (Enrollment Management) and the contents of the document.

FN2016 Processing Long-Term and Short-Term Advances - this is a new procedures detailing the business processes for requesting long-term and short-term advances.

PP2005 Office of Physical Plant Project Requests and Billings - this procedure underwent a complete review to update current business processes.

The Office of Systems & Procedures thanks each of these review committee members for their dedication to these document reviews. Any "saved as favorites" or bookmarks need to refreshed or updated to access the current version of the documents.

A MESSAGE FROM CENTRAL PROCUREMENT:

As many of you know, the University is modernizing its procurement software, slated to replace Shop OnLion in October 2024. As indicated in recent communications, the new system will be powered by SAP Ariba and be known as PSUbuy.  

What are the benefits of PSUbuy? 


  • Simplified navigation with a unified window and customizable dashboard  

  • Direct processing of purchase order changes within the system  

  • Ability to attach goods confirmations to specific line items  

  • Real-time notifications for shoppers regarding shipments, invoices, and payments  

  • Automated alerts to suppliers when discrepancies arise between invoices and purchase orders  

  • Integration with SIMBA and Maximo (Office of Physical Plant application) 

  • And more! 

When is this change happening? 

Go-live is planned for October 2024.  

What do I need to do to prepare? 


  • Watch for communications from the PSUbuy project team and myself, your designated “Core Champion.” I’ve volunteered to be part of the PSUbuy Change Network and will be working to keep you informed.     

  • Subscribe to the SIMBA newsletter and Shop OnLion listserv (if you have not already). Project updates will be provided regularly via these publications.  

  • Be on the lookout for Role-Based Information Sessions. These sessions will highlight upcoming process changes and preview future state experience through the lens of key procurement roles (buyers, shoppers, approvers, etc.). Details will be available in early August. All sessions will be recorded and published for those unable to attend.  

Will there be training? 


  • Yes. All Penn State end-users will have access to self-paced learning, offered through a recommended learning path, and a library of reference and support materials. Frequent users may have the opportunity to participate in live training experiences. 

  • Materials will be published approximately three weeks prior to go-live, and live training will also occur during this time. 

  • Criteria are being developed to determine who will have access to live training before the go-live date. Frequent system users will be prioritized, and the project team will partner with business area representatives to confirm. 

Who do I contact with questions? 

If you have any questions, please email procurement@psu.edu


News Published: 08/16/2024


GURU News Announcement for week ending August 9, 2024

GURU News Announcement for week ending August 9, 2024

PROCEDURES:

The following procedures have been updated and published:

FN2027 Service Center Accounting is a new procedure providing accounting information pertaining to service centers. This new procedure has an effective date of July 30th.

FN2049 Reporting Moving Expenses Compensation (formerly CR22049) has been updated to reflect SAP Concur and SIMBA business processes. The document was also renumbered to reflect that it is a financial (FN) document.

Any "saved as favorites" or bookmarks will need to be updated to access the new documents.

Effective: August 9, 2024


News Published: 08/09/2024


GURU News Announcement for Week Ending June 28, 2024

GURU News Announcement for Week Ending June 28, 2024

The following GURU documents have been updated and added to the GURU website with July 1, 2024 effective dates:

Business Resources

Quasi Endowment Decision Tree – this is a new document which provides guidance for the establishment of new quasi-endowment funds, and additions to existing quasi-endowment funds.

SIMBA General Ledger Account List – this is a new searchable resource displaying the complete list of General Ledger Accounts use in the System for Integrated Management, Budget, and Accounting (SIMBA).

Table of Stipends for Postdoctoral Appointments – The FY 2025 information has been added to the table and FY 2022 information has been archived.

Forms

The following forms have been updated:

Foreign National Information Request (formerly Alien Information Request)

Promotion & Tenure 

Receipt for Petty Cash Expended

Refund Request

Request for Cash Advance 

Request for Travel Advance

Substantiation for Lost or Unobtainable Receipts

The following form has been decommissioned:

Alien Information Request Form – this form has been decommissioned and replaced with an electronic process.  Please see the Foreign National Information Request (above) or the Foreign National Employee Information webpage on the Payroll website for complete details.

Procedures:

The following procedures have been updated to reflect current business processes:

BS2013 Multimedia and Print Center

BS6001 State College Regional Airport Manual of Accounting Procedures

FN2012 Endowment Spending Stewardship

GS2003 Thesis Charges

IA2007 Football Program Sales

OE2001 Processing Contributions to WPSU (formerly CN2015)

PP2004 Physical Plant Maintenance and Operations Job Cost Systems and Payroll Procedures

RS2003 Stone Valley Recreational Area Sales and Accountability

RS2015 Collection of Fees at University Pools

Other

Procurement Search Tool – The Procurement Search Tool has been updated to display General Ledger (GL) Accounts that have been decommissioned. If a GL has been decommissioned, the title of the GL will display that information and provides the alternative for use. The Search Tool is also being updated to remove those GLs that may not be used with a procurement method. Only those GLs having a procurement method identified will now appear in the Search Tool. See the SIMBA General Ledger Account List business resource for a complete list of GLs available for use in SIMBA.


News Published: 06/28/2024


GURU News Announcement for week ending June 7, 2024

BUSINESS RESOURCES

Fiscal Year-End Close – as a reminder, please consult the 2023-2024 SIMBA Year-End Closing Schedule for upcoming deadlines. Deadlines for next week include:


  • Friday, June 14th by 5 P.M. - All invoices to be charged to the 2023-2024 fiscal year are due in Central Procurement.

  • Sunday, June 16th by 5 P.M. – All Purchase Order Change Forms for existing orders are due in Central Procurement.

Decommissioned General Ledger Accounts List – Please note that a GL cannot be blocked for use in SIMBA if the GL has open commitments (i.e., PO, GRIR, incomplete Parked Document, or Funds Commitments). When completing transactions, please verify that the GL does not appear on this list. Once all transactions have cleared on a GL, the SIMBA Team blocks the GL from use in the system. The more diligent end-users are with not using the GLs and clearing up open commitments, the faster the GL can be blocked. The following GLs still have open commitment items preventing the block from being applied:


  • 52210110 - use 52210100

  • 52210111 – use 52210101

  • 52213080 - use 52213081

  • 52241010 - use 52241011

  • 52241020 - use 52241021

  • 52241060 - use 52241061

  • 52241080 - use 52241081

  • 52241100 - use 52241101

  • 52241180 - use 52241181

  • 52241280 - use 52241281

  • 52241320 - use 52241321

  • 52241360 - use 52241361

  • 52242000 - use 52242001

  • 52361600 – use 52361601

  • 52361670 - use 52361671

  • 52390100 - use 52390101

  • 52571030 – use 52571031

  • 52601230 – use 52601231

  • 52571030 - use 52571031

New GL – GL 52301400 IT Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been added. Use this GL when purchasing integration of AI capabilities or products (for example, natural language processing [NLP], cognitive systems, and analytics), applications, or systems, as well as licenses for AI. All requirements with accompanying contracts must be sent to the Office of Central Procurement for review and signature.

PROCEDURES

Procedure GS2001 Graduate School Application Fee has been updated to reflect current SIMBA business processes.


News Published: 06/07/2024


GURU News Announcement for week ending May 31, 2024

GURU News Announcement for week ending May 31, 2024

BUSINESS RESOURCES:

Fiscal Year-End Close – as a reminder, please consult the 2023-2024 SIMBA Year-End Closing Schedule for upcoming deadlines.

Decommissioned General Ledger Accounts List – the Decommissioned General Ledger Accounts List has been updated. Please use the identified replacement GL. Please note that a GL cannot be blocked for use in SIMBA if the GL has open commitments (i.e., PO, GRIR, incomplete Parked Document, or Funds Commitments). When completing transactions, please verify that the GL does not appear on this list. Once all transactions have cleared on a GL, the SIMBA Team blocks the GL from use in the system. The more diligent end-users are with not using the GLs and clearing up open commitments, the faster the GL can be blocked. The following GLs still have open commitment items preventing the block from being applied:


  • 52210110 - use 52210100 or 52210101

  • 52213080 - use 52213081

  • 52241010 - use 52241011

  • 52241020 - use 52241021

  • 52241060 - use 52241061

  • 52241080 - use 52241081

  • 52241100 - use 52241101

  • 52241180 - use 52241181

  • 52241280 - use 52241281

  • 52241320 - use 52241321

  • 52241360 - use 52241361

  • 52242000 - use 52242001

  • 52361670 - use 52361671

  • 52390100 - use 52390101

  • 52390140 - use 52390141

  • 52571030 - use 52571031

OTHER:

Ask an Expert: Purchase Order Change Form – As the end of the fiscal year approaches, Central Procurement invites shoppers to pop in to Ask an Expert: Purchase Order Change Form.


  • Between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. Fri., May 31

  • Zoom Link

Connect with a buyer in a breakout room to determine what service to request and how to complete the form fields.


  • Decrease/Release Encumbrance: Change one or more lines without canceling the purchase order.

  • Modifications to Account Assignments: Cost Center or Intern Order Cost Objects.

  • Cancel: All lines and the entire order.

To ensure an efficient and effective submission, shoppers can also connect with the buyer listed on the purchase order to determine the proper form selection before submitting.


News Published: 05/31/2024