Change Roadmap: Upcoming Projects and Enhancements Posted January 9, 2026

• PCard module simplification: New enhancements and functionality streamline the PCard verification process.
• Approve PCard transactions on the go: Approvers can use the Stanford Mobile Approvals app to review and approve PCard transactions.
• Enhancements to eReceipts: Improvements to user interface speed up the process to submit and view receipts through this mobile-friendly tool accessible via the Stanford Mobile App.

• New tool supports supplier selection: After a successful pilot, FMS has expanded access to the Supplier Explorer Tool, helping departments to source potential suppliers, including those already onboarded with Stanford, that meet a variety of criteria such as local, small, and sustainable.

• Status labels for supplier setup clarified: On September 22, the status labels for non-SU payee (supplier, visitor, and independent contractor) record requests were updated to help departments identify next steps in the process.
• Simplified recertification requirements for key financial courses: The recertification timelines for two certification courses have been extended, reducing the number of times that staff will be required to retake the course
• OBI Finance Authority Dashboard: New dashboard provides an improved, simplified user interface and report format to help users efficiently search for information and create authority reports.

• New report supports stewardship of expendable gifts: FMS designed and launched the Expendable Gift Fund Management report, which identifies underutilized gift funds for review and potential use and to monitor that funds are spent in a timely manner.
• Approve self-service PTA changes on the go: As of July 14, approvers can use the Stanford Mobile Approvals app to review and approve purchase order PTA change requests submitted through the self-service Requisition and Purchase Orders Query tool.
• Add attachments faster in ERS: As of July 21, new ERS functionality lets preparers upload multiple attachments to a transaction and easily assign them to a specific transaction line or to the header of the transaction; the option to fax attachments to ERS or the PCard Module has been removed.

• The upgrade of Stanford’s Oracle Financials system was completed as part of the long-term program to leverage and extend current investments in enterprise systems and infrastructure.

• FMS reduces central review of purchases with new threshold: On March 24, FMS increased the central review threshold to $250,000 for non-catalog purchases. Per federal requirements, the micro-purchase threshold will remain at $50,000 for federally-funded non-catalog purchases.
• Stanford Easy Pay: A new, faster, and more efficient way to process payments to visitors for reimbursements and honoraria, eliminating the supplier setup step.

• Save time on ERS reimbursements and PCard verifications: Updates within the Expense Requests System (ERS) and the PCard Module, made in response to campus feedback, will increase user efficiency.
  • Beneficiary process: Beneficiary information will only be required for expenses with specific tax implications such as relocation expenses, STAP expenses and gifts. For ease of use, the beneficiary field will be moved to the end of the transaction, and some related fields, such as the beneficiary attestation box, will be removed or updated.
  • User experience: Pages and fields within ERS transaction processing and PCard verification will be updated to make them more intuitive.
• Stanford Travel Connect: Access travel discounts and benefits when booking directly: The Stanford Travel Connect portal enables travelers to link multiple personal airline loyalty accounts to the Stanford Travel Program. Once linked, travelers can book directly on the airline’s website or app and access Stanford-negotiated discounts and exclusive university benefits. At launch, Stanford Travel Connect will include three major airlines, with plans to add more in the future as they come online.
• Approve requisitions on the go with a new mobile app: After a successful pilot phase, the Stanford Mobile Approvals app is now available for purchase requisition approvals on supported devices.
• Claiming incoming funds just got easier: The Deposits and Receipts Manager (DRM) now offers multiple claiming and allocation options, including claims to multiple PFOs/PTAEs, partial claims, and unclaim (reverse) a completed claim. These enhancements save time, improve accuracy, and streamline financial processing and reporting.
• Removal of PO Suppression functionality: Suppression functionality has been removed from the Requisition and Purchase Orders Query tool. Departments should use PO management best practices to reduce risk risk and support accurate financial reporting.
• Updates to one-time registration system for new domestic suppliers: On Feb. 14, Oracle upgraded the system used by new domestic suppliers (Stanford Supplier and Payee Registry) with a redesigned user interface. There is no change to the change request system that new and existing domestic suppliers use to add or edit their profile details.

• ERS attachment improvements: Recent updates to the Expense Requests System (ERS) now allow preparers to more easily upload multiple attachments at once. Earlier this year, several related changes also rolled out: an expanded list of allowable characters to use in file names, and a specified range of file formats for attachments, to ensure that auditors can open a file. These changes reduce the number of steps needed to attach multiple files; prevent unreadable files from becoming stuck in the system, returned, or rejected; and provide guidance on allowable file formats and characters within Oracle.
• ERS rejection reasons consolidated: The Business Expense team consolidated and clarified the ERS transaction rejection reasons for local financial approvers. This change will provide clearer transaction rejection reasons for preparers, and allow approvers to more easily analyze, and take steps to decrease, transaction rejection rates.
• New contract status in SmartMart Contracts: To increase transparency and support more efficient reviews of contracts, a new status “External Review” now displays in SmartMart Contracts. The status appears because a supplier requested changes to Stanford’s standard contract language that must be reviewed and approved by the relevant policy stakeholder. This status supports contract requestors in tracking the review and approval steps in the workflow.
• Ability to add unique justifications to bulk fund transfers: Those who have bulk fund transfer authority and submit requests to Fund Accounting by uploading a template in iJournals can now add unique justifications to the individual line level (when needed). This enhancement provides more accurate transaction data for iJournals approvers and financial report users.
• WalkMe expansion to support all users of Oracle Financials: After a successful pilot, FMS expanded access to a new learning solution (WalkMe) that provides helpful tips and guidance to users as they navigate the Oracle Financials systems. 

Enhancements to increase procurement efficiency
FMS will continue to release a series of enhancements that streamline purchasing activities while preserving effective risk mitigation. In July, the improvements focus on:

• Updating the Supplier/Payee Request form to support independent contractors (ICs) and non-PO contract setups
• Reducing the number of invoices requiring department approval
• Including frequently needed invoices and payment details in the Requisition and Purchase Orders Query tool
• Implementing automatic line item cancelation for Amazon for Business POs