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Submit an Invoice to Accounts Payable

Stanford Suppliers are recommended to email their invoices to Accounts Payable.

Submit an Invoice to Accounts Payable

Suppliers may submit invoices by email (refer to Supplier Instructions for Submitting Invoices for acceptable invoice requirements) or mail invoices directly to Accounts Payable via the United States Postal Service (USPS).

The department responsible for a Purchase Order (PO) may upload an electronic invoice directly to the PO. Only Stanford personnel are authorized to upload invoices, and departments may designate a staff member to do so. Learn more in the  Topic Overview: Purchase Order Invoice Processing and the How To: Upload an Invoice.

If a department receives an invoice directly from a supplier,  ensure the invoice is not already listed on the PO and that it meets Stanford's invoicing requirements before submitting it to Accounts Payable.

For invoices of $5,000 or more, the department should complete receiving in iProcurement before processing the invoice, or clearly indicate departmental approval on the invoice. Doing so prevents Accounts Payable from placing the invoice on hold and the requisition originator notified requesting department approval.

  1. Write special handling request on invoice (e.g. Will Call, Rush or Wire)
  2. Specify a non-sponsored charge account (PTAE) for the fee for special handling  

    For handling options and fees, learn more in the Resource: Payment Handling Methods and Processing Times.

Email invoice to Accounts Payable

a. The supplier can email invoices in individual PDF files to: @email 

PDF files containing multiple invoices will not be processed but several pdf files with one invoice per file can be sent in one email message).
Each invoice should have the Purchase Order Number written on the invoice and must meet Stanford’s invoicing requirements found here, Purchase Order Invoice Requirements)

Mail invoice to Accounts Payable

a. The supplier can mail invoices to the following address:

  • Stanford University
    Financial Management Services
    MC: 8440
    415 Broadway
    Redwood City, CA 94063-3133
     

Each invoice must clearly display a valid Purchase Order (PO) number and comply with Stanford’s Purchase Order Invoice Requirements. Invoices that do not list a valid PO number will be discarded.

What Happens Next?
  • If the invoice meets specified criteria, Accounts Payable will process the invoice and schedule payment per the terms specified on the purchase order (e.g. Net 30 days from date of invoice). Learn more in Resource: Payment Handling Methods and Processing Times for more information.
  • If the invoice does not meet specified criteria, requisition originators will be notified of an invoice hold, the reason, and required action.
Last Updated: Mar 18, 2026

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