FAQ

• What does KUPPS stand for?

  KUPPS is an acronym for the KU Procure to Pay System, built on a SciQuest platform.

• Why are we moving to this central purchasing?

  The current business process of the university is paper based model that is outdated. This application will allow us to better coordinate our spending practices and integrate that with our financial payment system.

• Who is mandating that we use KUPPS?

  The University of Kansas Provost Office.

• Do we really have to use KUPPS with all our purchases?

  Not yet. During Phase 1, departments will be expected use the nine punch-out vendors found on the KUPPS homepage and shopping with those suppliers. Other vendors are available through KUPPS but departments are not currently required to shop using those suppliers during phase 1.

• What does Phase 1 mean? What are the other upcoming phases?

  Phase 1 will last through approximately the calendar year 2011. It is an electronic replication of our current paper process. During this time, almost all campus departments will be trained and using basic KUPPS functionally. Additional phases are planned that incorporates expanded credit card usage, DEMIS reporting and a greater variety of supplier availability.

• Doesn’t this add steps and redundancy to our current processes – such as entering financial details into both KUPPS and PeopleSoft?

  No. The workflow in KUPPS electronically formalizes the approval processes that currently exist in most departments except the approval is required before we place an order instead of after the fact. This does change the sequence of the shopping, receiving and approval of purchases on campus for many departments however, requiring this approval before committing to spend university funds is considered a better business practice.

• Does this replace the BPC?

  No. Only during phase one will departments be required to pay for punch-out orders with vouchers. In phase two, a credit card option will be available for purchases made through KUPPS. Look for credit card functionality in 2012!

• Why are we paying with vouchers instead BPC’s?

  Using automated voucher payments allowed KU to roll out this application earlier than if we had waited for credit card integration. This was never considered a long term requirement, only a means that will allow KU to gain experience with the application earlier in the roll out.

• Does KUPPS replace PeopleSoft financials?

  No, FSKU is the financial system of record. KUPPS allows us to integrate our purchasing with the financial system.

• What vendors are mandatory through KUPPS?

  Fisher Scientific, Invitrogen, Sigma-Aldrich, VWR, CDW, Dell, Office Max, Staples & Grainger. These suppliers are called our punch out vendors because we have a direct business to business (B2B) connection with them. Once trained, departments are expected to use KUPPS to place their orders with these suppliers.

• What vendors can order through using KUPPS?

  All contracts suppliers are available through KUPPS. There are approximately 250 suppliers that we can place non-catalog orders with. Non-catalog shopping is a feature that is covered in KUPPS training; it is not required during Phase 1.

• What if I need to buy something right away - can I still use my BPC at a local retailer?

  Yes. KUPPS was not meant to prevent you from getting what you need in a timely manner.

• How do I know when vendors get my orders?

  Just like today, suppliers will send confirmation statements.

• How do I know when vendors have shipped my orders?

  Vendors will send us an electronic invoice back to KUPPS at the time they ship your order.

• How do know when to look in PeopleSoft for the pending voucher entry?

  After KUPPS receives the electronic invoice for your order, a pending voucher will be created in PeopleSoft to pay for the invoice received by KUPPS. It typically takes about one business day for the voucher to be created.