Winter Closure Financial Deadlines and Support Posted November 4, 2026

Purchasing and contracts

Questions: Submit a purchasing/contracts support request. 

• Nov. 14: Approve purchase requisitions associated with procurement contracts so they can be sent to the supplier for review and signature.
• Dec. 4: Submit new supplier, independent contractor, and visitor requests so Vendor Services can send the onboarding email invitation.
• Dec. 15: Submit non-catalog purchase requisitions that need validation of competitive supplier selection, as these purchases require approval from a central procurement buyer, which may increase review and processing time.
• Dec. 19: Deadline to receive supplier shipments, per purchase order (PO) instructions to suppliers. Refer to the Deliveries section for supplier guidance.

Note: All university purchasing systems (e.g., SmartMart Catalog Suppliers and Contracts, Amazon Business, and Non Catalog Requests) will be available for ordering during winter close.

Business Expense (BE) review

Questions: Submit a support request.

• Dec. 5: For guaranteed review by BE: Submit and obtain department approval of Expense Requests System (ERS) transactions (e.g., expense reports, non-PO payments, and Stanford Easy Pay).
   
• Dec. 12: For guaranteed review by BE: Submit and obtain department approval of ERS transactions with rush or will call processing. 

Note: After BE review, transactions proceed to payment processing.

Payment processing 

Questions: Submit a payment/reimbursement support request.

• Dec. 5: Upload or submit AP invoices to guarantee standard invoice processing before winter close.
   
• Dec. 12: Submit AP invoices for rush or will call processing.
   
• Dec. 18, 5 p.m.: Obtain full approval of all AP payments (expense reimbursements and supplier invoices, including those with applicable additional action) for standard payment processing (check run and wire transfer requests).
   
• Dec. 19:
  • Obtain full approval of AP payments (expense reimbursements and supplier invoices, including those with applicable additional action) for rush/priority wire transfers. Departments must confirm full approval by 11 a.m. for same-day processing.
  • Last day to pick up will call checks (by appointment only). Remaining checks will be held until Jan. 5. Payment Services will coordinate with the requester if the check needs to be mailed out upon return.

Note: If AP payments (expense reimbursements and supplier invoices) are approved and validated after Dec. 19, they will be paid during winter close except on university holidays: Dec. 24, Dec. 25, and Jan. 1. Exception: Will call checks and foreign currency wires will be held until regular processing resumes on Jan. 5, 2026. 

Timecards and pay 

Questions: Submit a Payroll support request.

For more information on timecards, refer to the Time Reporting and Payroll section.

• Dec. 11: Supervisors submit web forms for terminations effective Dec. 12-19.
• Dec. 15: Employees submit timecard entries (Dec. 1-15 pay period).
• Dec. 16, noon: Supervisors approve timecard entries (Dec. 1-15 pay period).
• Dec. 17:
  • Online pay statements available in Axess (Dec. 1-15 pay period)
  • Supervisors submit web forms for terminations effective Dec. 22-Jan. 7.
• Dec. 19, 5 p.m.:
  • Payday
    • Direct deposits post (Dec. 1-15 pay period).
    • Paper checks will be mailed. Payroll will not be able to reissue any paper checks until after winter close.
  • Submit stop payment requests and off-cycle payment requests.
• Dec. 19: Employees submit timecard entries (Dec. 16-31 pay period).

Jan. 1, 9 p.m.: Supervisors approve timecard entries (Dec. 16-31 pay period).

Deposit and cash management 

Questions: Submit a cash/check deposit support request.

• Dec. 19, 22, and 23: Donor gift checks are collected from campus drop boxes and will be processed during winter close except on Dec. 24-26 and Jan. 1. (During the closure, donor gift checks can be placed in drop boxes at the Arrillaga Alumni Center or Edwards Building.)
• Dec. 25; Jan. 1 (bank holidays): Deposits made on these days post the next business day.
• Dec. 31, 5 p.m.: Cash/check deposits must be made through the JPM mobile app, at a Wells Fargo branch, or via the Wells Fargo desktop. Deposits made after this date will be posted on Jan. 2.
  • Note: If depositors have checks that do not belong to them, either: 1) deposit each check individually at a Wells Fargo branch so it will go to the Unidentified Receipts website within the Deposits and Receipts Manager system for claiming, or 2) send to the Office of the Treasurer via Stanford mail code (MC) 8440, noting the sender.
• Jan. 5:
  • PTA correction assistance resumes; deposits made in the previous calendar year will retain their original post date.
  • New JPM Access user requests made during winter close are processed.

Financial systems 

Questions: Submit a support request for OBI, CMS, or FFIT.

• Dec. 20: Last data refresh for OBI Financial Reporting, CMS, and FFIT before winter close (reflects data as of Dec. 19.).
• Jan. 5: Data refresh resumes.

Emergency support during winter close: Refer to the Emergency Contacts section.