The finance coordinator assists faculty and staff with purchasing goods used for UC business and that are paid for using UC funds. Some goods can be purchased using the campus purchasing system BearBuy. Flights, Airbnbs, and some other ground transportation can be purchased through ConnexUC. Other goods can be purchased using the department’s BluCard and Events card. Purchasing items through the department avoids faculty and staff needing to pay out of pocket for expenses and allows the department to ensure its members are compliant with UC policies.
To determine the best payment method for the goods/services you’re purchasing, check the Payment Methods for Goods and Services spreadsheet.
We do NOT have delegated authority to sign any contracts or agreements—regardless of dollar amount—especially where terms and conditions are presented. Anytime you see “terms and conditions,” a buyer must be involved!
UC highly recommends using purchase orders and the UC Agreement for the acquisition of goods and services and will usually not sign supplier agreements.
If a supplier insists on using their own agreement, they must provide the document in Word format and our buyer will ask for more information to determine the best route to complete the purchase (e.g., incorporating UC terms into the supplier's contract or choosing a different supplier).
BearBuy
is the primary application used for making direct purchases (office supplies, computer equipment, books, and more). BearBuy allows staff and faculty to avoid using personal funds to make purchases and to proactively manage our purchasing activity.
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You can shop for goods from contracted vendors using BearBuy by adding items you would like to purchase into your cart. Once you’re finished shopping, you can assign your cart to the financial coordinator who will process and submit it. To assign a cart to the financial coordinator search for them by name, the current financial coordinator is Kimmie Szeto. Orders will be delivered to the department unless otherwise requested. Note that if you are working from home, you will need to connect to a VPN to be able to log into BearBuy. While you can only shop from one vendor (Amazon Business, CDW electronics, Blaisdells etc.) at a time, your shopping cart can include items from multiple vendors.
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Although a bit dated, this video provides an overview of some of the ways that you can shop using BearBuy.
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This department guide provides a step-by-step tutorial on how to shop and assign a cart in BearBuy.
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Contact the financial coordinator if you would like a more detailed tutorial for how to shop on BearBuy.
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Since all purchases made with UC funds are the property of UC Berkeley, the department tracks some items such as higher value items, furniture, and technology (e.g. computers, tablets). Some items, such as furniture, are only allowed to support work on campus. All purchased items must be returned upon separation from UC Berkeley.
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Items over $5000 need to be inventoried by the Property Management Office. Contact the financial coordinator if you’re planning to purchase items over $5000.
Departmental Credit Cards
Some goods that are not available on BearBuy may be purchased using one of the departmental credit cards. The financial coordinator is authorized to use both the department BluCard and the department Events card. Contact the financial coordinator if you would like to make a purchase using a departmental card.
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BluCard— Allowed for purchases including conference fees, professional memberships, and supplies not available on BearBuy.
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Events Card— Allowed for purchases related to departmental events including catering.
Note that all purchases made with departmental credit cards require the following supporting documentation:
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What was purchased and how much it cost (itemized invoice, receipt, or similar documents from the vendor)
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Business purpose (a description of how the item will be used to forward the mission of your work in the Music Department)
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What was received (packing slip, in-house receiving system, or an email or note from the receiver indicating what was received).
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Order approval (request or approval for a purchase from an individual responsible for the fiscal management of the chartstring used)
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Guest list (for food related purchases)