Non-Catalog Purchases

What is a Non-Catalog Purchase Order?

A Non-Catalog Purchase Order is the process of placing an order in Workday with a supplier when the goods and/or services are not available in a catalog. 

Who can Order?

A UW employee with a "Requisition Requester" security role in Workday. This role allows a user to create requisitions and will also be the role that allows for receiving, if receiving is required for the incoming invoices. 

How does the process work?

It all begins with a Requisition. All Non-Catalog orders start with a Requisition. By starting a Requisition you will have a handful of Requisition Types to choose from:

  • Blanket Request (will become a Blanket Purchase Order)
  • Goods and Services
  • Capital Asset
  • Multi-Component Capital Asset
  • Construction Capital Projects
  • No Cost Request
  • Equipment/Product Evaluation Request

Once you have chosen your Requisition Type and entered a number of header fields, you will choose Request Non-Catalog Items. All requisition have the option for line item entry:

  • Request Goods (entered by Quantity)
  • Request Services (entered by Amount and adding Service Dates)

Training:

In the UW Connect Finance Portal you will find:

Supplier Requirements

Suppliers must be registered with the UW as a supplier. You can check Workday for a supplier with the report Find Suppliers.

Approvals

All non-catalog requisitions are reviewed by:

  • Shared Environment Requisition Specialist
  • Funding Approver (Grant Manager, Cost Center Manager, Gift Manager etc)

Central Office may be included for certain spend categories:

  • IT Procurement Specialist 
  • Buyer (over Direct Buy Limit)
  • Business Asset Tracking Specialist
  • Environmental Health and Safety Specialist

Special Field Considerations in Requisitions in Workday:

  • Internal Memo field: use to communicate any internal information, including alerts to the purchasing staff 
  • Attachments field: attach all necessary documents, including certificate, quotes, agreements, sole source justification documents etc.
  • Financial Treatment Flags: See the UW Connect Finance Portal for guidance on entering M&E Tax Exemption and other related worktags.

Best Practices

  • Check the How to Buy page for guidance on planning your purchase.
  • DO NOT sign any contracts with the supplier. Review the Signatory Authority policy.
  • Before placing an order, obtain:
    • Current, correct item pricing item
    • Part number(s) 
    • Full item description
    • Quote number (if applicable)
    • Contact name
    • Email address and/or fax number for supplier
  • DO NOT place the order with the supplier prior to creating and submitting a Non-Catalog order. 
  • Do not split purchase orders to circumvent the competitive process.