SESP Financial Services

The SESP Financial Services request form allows you to submit a variety of requests to the SESP Dean's Office financial support staff.

Please click the Request Service button to the right and choose the choose the appropriate "Type" for your request.

After you have submitted your request you will receive an email confirmation.  You may use the link in that email to view the status of your request.  Alternatively, to check the status of or update your request, please click here: View My Tickets

Information on updating or editing your submitted requests is available here: Updating a Ticket

For general purchases please note: Faculty and graduate students are automatically given “Shopper” access to use the iBuyNU Marketplace. Shopping from here allows direct charging your chart string and the purchase is sales tax exempt. You can shop here and “assign the cart” to Tina Foster (Net ID: TEF2406). You’ll be notified via email on the status of your order and there are no further steps (& no need to submit a request). Instructions 

General Things to remember: 

• Tax cannot be reimbursed* 
• Receipts must be submitted to portal within 30 days of purchase 
• If you are not the PI of the chart string, you must attach PI approval 
• Spending Limit Guidelines and NU Fixed-Price Menus 
• Meals including multiple individuals must be supported by listing names and relationship of individuals to the University and the business purpose of the meal (date and purpose)

Requirements for all attached receipts:

• Proof of payment (MasterCard xxxxxxxxx0456, your name and billing information)
• Date of purchase
• Itemized receipt

Details regarding the available requests are below.

Financial Inquiry

• Questions regarding remaining balances, funding sources, or general financial questions

Order Request

• Purchases on a grant (fund=600-650) required attachment - Sponsored Project Purchase

Pre-Travel Request

• Any questions concerning your upcoming travel can be submitted here. Expenses such as membership dues and conference registrations can be purchased using a corporate credit card that direct charges your chart string.
• You can book travel (hotel and airfare) directly by billing a chart string. Link here: https://www.northwestern.edu/procurement/travel/agencies/egencia/.  If you a graduate student who needs guest access, please contact Tina Foster. 

General Reimbursement

• Non-travel related reimbursements. IL sales tax is not reimbursable. Please see NU’s tax-exempt status page: https://www.northwestern.edu/procurement/policies-forms/tax-exempt-status.html 
• Attach purchase receipt(s) with detail of item & amount paid 
• If applicable, attach a list of attendees (if food/entertainment related) and description of event (date and purpose). 

Travel Reimbursement 

• For travel reimbursement, you must include the name of conference, travel dates, and dates requesting per diem. You must attach (if applicable) proof of conference attendance, flight and hotel receipts (even if you are not requesting reimbursement), mileage map.
• Northwestern allows per diem for meals and incidentals based on city and state visited and replaces meal receipts.
  • There are domestic and foreign per diem rates.
  • Trip duration must be greater than 12 hours.
  • First and last day of travel is based on official business only.
  • Attach per diem rates to your reimbursement request. 
• You must attach (if applicable): 
  • Proof of conference (i.e. flyer, agenda, name badge) 
  • Flight and hotel receipts (even if pre-paid using Egencia and not requesting reimbursement) 
  • Mileage map 
  • Primary Investigator (PI) approval
  • Benefit to grant if using sponsored funds
• Link to travel and ent policy: https://www.northwestern.edu/procurement/docs/travel-entertainment-policy.pdf 
• Link to GSA Domestic Per Diem:  https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates?gsaredirect=portalcategory 
• Link to GSA Foreign Per Diem:  https://aoprals.state.gov/web920/per_diem.asp 

Pay Vendor (a vendor is a company with a tax ID)

• Request to add new vendor should be completed before services are provided. The longest part is getting a new vendor set up, so an early notification will reduce time between the end of work and payment.
• Attach detailed invoice
• Attach W-9 (if new vendor)

Pay Individual

• In Description, provide as much information as possible- when the work will occur, what the nature is, approximate amount.
• Requests to hire/add new independent contractor(s) should be completed prior to services being performed to ensure payment.  
• In Description, provide as much as information as possible- when the work will occur, what the nature is, approximate amount.
• Attach detailed invoice
• Attach W-9 (if new payee)
• Attach Visitor's expense report (if applicable)

Reimburse Visitor (requests to reimburse a visitor that do not have a corresponding consulting payment) 

• Attach Visitor's expense report
• Attach detailed receipts

Research Subject Fees

• Review important policy information here: https://sesp.northwestern.edu/faculty-staff-resources/deans-office-services/business-administration/relevant-links-forms-and-documents.html
• University policy on payment: Human Subject Payments
• Attach if applicable - SESP Cash Advance and Stored Value Card (SVC) Instructions and Procedures
• Copy of IRB approval  
• To reconcile an existing advance, attach a log of every subject interviewed/studied (must include subject signature, printed name, date and $ amount of payment received), any applicable receipts, and any unused funds (check made out to NU).

Hire Student or Temp

• Person must be eligible to work in the US
• Minimum wage is $13.35
• If work-study eligible, must fill out authorization form online.  Hiring Authorization Form
• Employee cannot exceed 40 hours per week at all of Northwestern (in case of multiple jobs on campus)
• You must review and approve time sheets biweekly
• Please notify us as soon as the employee finishes work and the appointment can be terminated