The Alternative Payments Solution project provides an easier, faster, more efficient and secure way to reimburse Stanford visitors for their expenses. The project replaces the time-consuming payee setup process, which uses Stanford's Supplier and Payee Request Portal to collect confidential data securely from individual payees. The new solution allows visitors to receive faster payment from a nationwide digital payment network governed by U.S. banking regulations.
Phase 1 of the project focuses on streamlining domestic, non-tax reportable visitor travel reimbursements. This phase includes a new Digital Payments form in the Expense Requests System. The form can be used to reimburse domestic, non-tax reportable visitor travel through a nationwide digital payment network governed by U.S. banking regulations.
The Digital Payments form is designed to address feedback received through the FMS client satisfaction survey and calls to the Financial Support Center (FSC) requesting a more efficient process to complete visitor/payee payments. Future project phases may include refining and expanding the program to cover other payment categories and add more robust reporting.
About Procurement Services Strategic Initiatives
The Alternative Payments Solution project is part of a broader Procurement Services transformation initiative. The goals of this transformation initiative are to serve the university community through:
- Engaging with our clients to balance the four-way scale and deliver value-add programs, products and services.
- Building a dynamic and highly-skilled workforce that serves as trusted advisors to our clients.
- Streamlining systems and processes that enable and empower our clients.
Alternative Payments Solution Project Goals
- Reduce risk by limiting use of the Secure Portal for collecting/storing sensitive data of visitors/payees
- Increase visitor/payee satisfaction by significantly reducing payment processing times
- Gain efficiencies for central staff and campus clients by reducing unnecessary steps to onboard and maintain individual visitor/ payee records
Estimated Project Engagement Timeline
As part of the project engagement process, the project team is working with user groups to develop a process and tool that meets the needs of end users and to develop change readiness toolkits to ensure a smooth transition for all impacted users.
During Phase 1, the project team is also working with stakeholders to assess potential payment categories to include in Phase 2. The estimated go-live for the new payment process is June 2021.
Project Team
- Nini Cruz and Isabel Alvarez-Valdez, Business Owners, Business Expense, Travel, and Payment Services
- Lori Snow and George Hopkins, Subject Matter Experts, Office of the Treasurer
- Elizabeth Ibrahem, Laura Cabrera and Judy Feron, Payment Services
- Satarupa Banerjee, Business Implementation Lead, FMS Business Architecture and Delivery
- Jay Virk, Business Expense Management
- Helen Duong, Change Management and Engagement Lead, FMS Marketing and Communications
- Laurie Bouck, Communications Lead, FMS Marketing and Communications
- Avni Vyas and Jayne Bell, Learning and Support Leads, FMS Financial Learning Solutions
Questions and Comments
Please contact Nini Cruz for more information about this project.
Subscribe to Expense Request System (ERS) Updates to receive email news and announcements.
Participate in User Experience (UX) Review of the Digital Payments Form
We’re inviting early adopters of the Digital Payments form to attend an orientation session to view a demonstration, review the change readiness materials and toolkit, and ask questions and share their feedback. If you would like to join this User Experience review, please use this form to sign up. To learn more about the sessions, please visit the Digital Payments User Experience (UX) Review Orientation webpage.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Digital Payments Form
Review frequently asked questions about Phase 1 of the Alternative Payments Solutions project, the new Digital Payments form in the Expense Request System.
Do Stanford's travel policies still apply to domestic travel processed through the Digital Payments form?
Yes, Stanford's travel policies still apply.
Do I still need to set up the payee in Stanford's Supplier and Payee Request Portal (Secure Portal)?
If the visitor/payee meets the criteria to use the Digital Payments form, they can be reimbursed with a digital payment through this form. If the visitor/payee wants to be reimbursed by check, preparers must set up the visitor/payee in the Secure Portal.
Can I use the Digital Payments form to pay an honorarium?
Honorarium payments are out of scope for Phase 1 of the project.
