Visitors (non-SU payees) are invited to Stanford to speak, collaborate and study. Visitors who are U.S. citizens or non-citizen residents can be reimbursed for eligible expenses that meet university criteria through the Digital Payments process.
The Digital Payments form in the Expense Requests System is used to reimburse domestic travel expenses for these visitors quickly and efficiently. These reimbursements are routed through JPMorgan Chase Bank using Zelle, a secure nationwide digital payment network governed by U.S. banking regulations, or paid via an Automated Clearing House (ACH) bank transfer.
The Digital Payments form saves time and effort for preparers, ensures a faster payment for visitors, and reduces risk for Stanford because preparers do not need to collect sensitive information from visitors in order to reimburse them.
Preparers can use Digital Payments to reimburse visitors who meet all of the following criteria:
- The visitor is a U.S. citizen or non-citizen resident.
- The reimbursement is for domestic travel.
- The visitor has a U.S. bank account that will be used for the reimbursement.
- The total trip reimbursement amount is $1,000 or less in non-tax reportable travel expenses for each visitor (see threshold guidance below).
- Digital Payment requests must be submitted within 60 days of the expense incurred date.
Digital Payment Limits/limitations
Digital Payments may be processed for reimbursements of travel expenses that total $1,000 or less per individual for a single trip. If expenses for an individual total more than $1,000 for one trip, the reimbursement must be processed as an Expense Report for Non-SU Payee in the Expense Requests system.
Digital Payments may be used to reimburse for specific expense types: airfare, ancillary airfare fee, car rental, conference registration, lodging, other transportation, and meals. Multiple expense types may be processed in one transaction. The total trip expenses should be processed in one transaction and may not be split across multiple reimbursement requests.
When multiple Digital Payments are allowed:
- Preparers can process multiple payees with one digital payment transaction if the Business Purpose is the same for all payees and the total expense per person is $1,000 or less.
- Preparers may submit multiple digital payment reimbursements for one individual if the Business Purpose and Expense Dates are different, and the total is still $1,000 or less per trip.
Approvers will examine transactions ensuring there are no multiple payments to one payee that are greater than $1,000. Violations of this policy, or misuse of Digital Payments, may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
Digital Payments is a sub module within the Expense Requests System (ERS). In order to view and use the Digital Payments form, preparers must first gain access to the Expense Requests System then be granted the additional "SU Expense Request Digital Payments" privilege in Authority Manager and complete FIN-0505: Digital Payments training in STARS. Access to the Digital Payments form is enabled on the ERS home page following completion of these pre-requisites. Pre-requisite courses are listed in the FIN-0505: Digital Payments learning path.
All Expense Requests System users as of June 18, 2021 will automatically be granted the “SU Expense Request Digital Payments” authority privilege in Authority Manager by the implementation team. Effective June 21, 2021, new Digital Payments authority privileges will be granted by authorized school/department grantors.
The steps to prepare and approve a Digital Payments reimbursement follow an alternative process in the Expense Request System.
Reimbursing a visitor through the Digital Payments form does not require the visitor to be set up using the Stanford Supplier and Payee Request Portal. Necessary information is obtained directly from the visitor by JPMorgan Chase Bank.
Submit Digital Payments Request
Preparers
After preparers complete the Digital Payments form in the Expense Requests System, they must check a box to attest that the required receipts are attached and the information they have provided complies with Stanford Business Expense policies.
Because Digital Payments are real-time, the payments may not be retrieved if they are sent to the wrong person.
Verify Name and Contact Information
Verification System, Preparers
Important to know: After the transaction is submitted for approval, an automated verification system reviews the visitor’s legal name, email address, phone number, and mailing address. If the verification process flags an issue, the transaction may be returned to the preparer for review or validation of information with the visitor, or rejected outright. If no issues are flagged, the transaction is routed for approval.
Approve Transaction
Approvers
Important to know: The Business Expense team in Financial Management Services does not review every Digital Payments transaction prior to payment. Approvers must carefully review and verify the information on the form and attest that the information is correct.
Pay Visitor
JPMorgan Chase Bank
Once the transaction receives a clear verification code and is fully approved, a digital payment request is sent directly to the vendor, JPMorgan Chase Bank, who then pays the visitor and sends a payment confirmation back to Stanford.
Note: If there are any issues accessing payment from JPMorgan Chase Bank, please contact the bank at:
Chase Payments
Telephone: 855-267-0428
Hours: 5 a.m. - 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, Monday - Friday
