Purchasing Methods

Choosing the Right Purchasing Method

This page provides a general guide to the primary methods available to purchase goods and services or process certain supplier payments at the University. Use the information below to determine the most appropriate method based on the type of purchase, dollar value, supplier status, and applicable procurement requirements.

The primary purchasing and payment methods available to faculty and staff include:

Requisition / Purchase Order
Workday Strategic Sourcing (WSS)
P-Card
Supplier Invoice
Travel Card / Expense Report

For a general overview of purchasing methods, procurement thresholds, requisitions, Purchase Orders, receiving, invoice processing, and request tracking, refer to the Procurement Basic Workday Training. This training is required for new employees before access is granted to requisitioning and approval roles.

Purchasing Method Quick Guide

If you need to…	Use this method	Key guidance
Purchase goods or services through the standard University purchasing process	Requisition / Purchase Order	Standard process used for purchasing most good and services through Workday.
Initiate sourcing, waiver, BOT approval, or a contract requiring signature	Workday Strategic Sourcing (WSS)	Used for sourcing events (bid solicitations) managed by Procurement Services, Waivers of Advertising, BOT approval requests, and procurement contract routing.
Make an eligible low-dollar purchase	P-Card	Used only for eligible purchases permitted under the P-Card Program; intended to simplify approved low-dollar purchases and reduce requisition, PO, and invoice processing.
Pay an eligible non-PO supplier invoice	Supplier Invoice	Managed by Accounts Payable and limited to approved non-PO spend categories and applicable dollar limits. If the purchase exceeds the permitted spend category limit, it should be processed by requisition.
Pay or reimburse approved travel-related expenses	Travel Card / Expense Report	Managed by Accounts Payable and used for approved travel-related expenses, Travel Card activity, and employee reimbursement processes.

Procurement Services

Purchasing Methods

Please select from the list below to discover purchasing methods through Procurement Services:

Requisition / Purchase Order Process

The Requisition / Purchase Order process is the University’s standard method for purchasing most goods and services through Workday. A requisition is submitted by the department and, once fully approved, is converted into a Purchase Order issued by the University to the supplier.

The Purchase Order authorizes the supplier to provide the approved goods or services. Departments should not allow work to begin or goods to be delivered until a Purchase Order, fully executed contract, approved change order, or other required authorization is in place.

For detailed guidance, refer to the Requisitions & Purchase Orders page.

Workday Strategic Sourcing (WSS)

Workday Strategic Sourcing (WSS) is the University’s electronic platform for certain procurement-related requests, including sourcing events, Waiver of Advertising requests, Board of Trustees approval requests, and procurement contract requests. WSS provides a standardized intake process, transparent approval workflows, status visibility, and a centralized location for procurement and contract documents.

WSS is used for the following request types:

Sourcing Events - Used to initiate bidding activities managed by the Procurement Services Strategic Sourcing Team, including Goods & Services Sourcing and Construction Sourcing requests. Goods & Services Sourcing is generally used for procurements at or above the goods and services bid threshold, while Construction Sourcing is used for applicable public works/construction procurements. Refer to the Bidding & Sourcing page for additional guidance.
Waiver of Advertising / Board of Trustees Requests - Used to initiate department-managed Waiver of Advertising requests exceeding the applicable bid threshold, or procurement-related Board of Trustees approval requests for procurements at or above $850,000 that are not directly managed by Procurement Services. Refer to the Waiver of Advertising page for additional guidance.
Procurement Contract Requests - Used to initiate procurement-related contract requests, including new contracts, renewals, amendments, or increases, except when the contract is part of a sourcing event or Waiver of Advertising / Board of Trustees request. This process includes contract review, routing, approval, and signature. Refer to the Contracting page for additional guidance.

Instructions for Accessing WSS

In Workday, search for “Workday Strategic Sourcing Link” and select the report. This will open the WSS home page, called 'Business Purchases." From here, select the appropriate category and complete the intake form as required. Alternatively, WSS can be accessed from the following link.

For detailed instructions, refer to the Workday Strategic Sourcing Stakeholder Job Aid.

P-Card (Purchasing Card)

The University Procurement Card (P-Card) Program is intended for eligible low-dollar purchases and provides an efficient alternative to the traditional requisition and Purchase Order process by combining ordering and payment into a single transaction.

The P-Card Program helps departments make approved routine purchases more efficiently while maintaining appropriate controls and compliance requirements. The P-Card should only be used for purchases permitted under the program and should not be used when a Purchase Order, contract review, or another procurement method is required.

For more information, including eligibility, spending limits, and related resources, please visit the P-Card Program page.

Accounts Payable

Purchasing Methods

Please select from the list below to discover purchasing methods through Accounts Payable. Additional resources can be found on the Finance Job Aids page:

Supplier Invoice

The Supplier Invoice process is managed by Accounts Payable and is used to pay suppliers for approved expenditures that do not require a Purchase Order.

This process is limited to approved non-PO spend categories and applicable dollar limits. If the purchase exceeds the permitted spend category limit, it should be processed through a requisition.

For the list of eligible Supplier Invoice spend categories, including spend limits and descriptions, refer to:

Finance Job Aids → General → Workday References → Spend Categories for Supplier Invoices

For step-by-step instructions, refer to:

Finance Job Aids → Office of the University Controller → Accounts Payable → Supplier Invoice

Travel Cards / Expense Reports

Travel Card and Expense Report processes are managed by Accounts Payable and are used for approved University travel-related expenses, Travel Card activity, and employee reimbursement requests.

Travel Card Program: The Travel Card Program provides authorized faculty and staff with a University-issued card to pay for approved expenses while traveling on official University business.

For additional information, refer to the Travel Card Program page or contact Accounts Payable at travel@montclair.edu.

Expense Reports: Expense Reports are used to request reimbursement for authorized University business expenses.

For eligible expense item spend categories, refer to:

Finance Job Aids → Office of the University Controller → Accounts Payable → Expense Items for Expense Report Usage

For step-by-step instructions, refer to:

Finance Job Aids → Office of the University Controller → Accounts Payable → Spend Authorizations and Expense Reports