To properly pay authorized invoices in a timely and accurate manner by processing and auditing, for payment, 100% of all City invoices. To adhere to state and federal guidelines, City codes, purchasing authorization and propriety of accounts.
Objective
To make payment on special and employee invoices no later than five business days of receipt of all required documents by the Accounts Payable Division or in accordance with the purchase terms, whichever is the later. Accounts Payable will continue to maintain a system of prompt detection and correction of improper acquisition of goods and services for official City use. To ensure that expenditures are in accordance with approved budget and provide excellent customer service to our internal and external customers.
Responsibilities
The Accounts Payable Division is a centralized area with responsibility for processing and auditing authorized invoices. Fund verification for commitments on contracts; on line approval of commitments for the appropriateness of account numbers used to purchase goods or services; semi-annual review and update of the vendor file; year-end 1099 misc. tax reporting; create vendor files; retainage on construction contract; fund exceptions; approve releases; travel and training advances; reimbursement; reconciliation’s and controls; provide training for Mars/G applications, year end close out, accounting and financial reporting.
Accounts Payable is responsible for the establishment and maintenance of vendor numbers with the prefixes:
- W- (Commercial)
- Z – (Special)
- E – (Employee)
Questions relating to vendors with other prefixes must be referred to the Procurement Department.
Requirements for setting up a vendor:
- Signed Authorization Vendor Maintenance Form:
A. Name and correct address of vendor
B. Tax Identification Number
· Name changes require one of the following documents:
1. Copy of marriage license
2. Copy of divorce decree
3. Copy of death certificate
4. Certified letter from vendor
Requisition Approval Requirements:
- Requirements for Procurement and Blanket Purchase Orders:
A. The account number used for the requisition of goods and services must be specified within the City of Atlanta Chart of Accounts.
- Requirements for Contracts:
- Copies of signed executed contracts are required for the approval of contract requisitions exceeding $100,000.00
- The dollar amount of the contract must be the same as the dollar amount in the system.
Routing Formal Contracts:
- Requirements for formal contracts:
A. Fund availability
B. Funds have been committed in the Mars/G System with a requisition.
Disbursement Request Form Requirements:
- Signed authorized Disbursement Request Form
A. Appropriate account, within City of Atlanta Chart of Accounts, for goods or services purchased
B. Original invoice with new adjustment made by the user department
C. Availability of funds
Payment Authorization Preparation
- The City of Atlanta Form DR 2002-2, “Disbursement Request Form", is the official disbursement authorization notification from user departments to Accounts Payable for the payment of goods and services other than travel. The form will be used for initiating payment for direct purchases and from funds encumbered on a purchase order. Only one payment type per single DR Form is allowed. The maximum number of invoices allowed is thirty (30). Detailed, by line, instructions may be found on the back of the form.
A. Accounts Payable is authorized to approve ONLY invoices, which are original and itemized for goods or services. Balance forward amounts or statements will be processed for payment only in instances where individual purchases are referenced on the statement and include quantities, unit prices, and total cost.
B. Invoices received by department designee(s) should be sorted, matched, entered into the Mars/G System, if required, and forwarded to Accounts Payable within five (5) business days from date entered into Mars/G.
C. The Special Pay Entity is not for regular procurement items and may require legislative action. These pay requests should be forwarded to Accounts Payable for processing.
D. The Employee Pay Entity is for travel & training, workers compensation payments, petty cash reimbursements, uniform allowances, mileage/parking reimbursements, incentive awards and contingency payments to employees.
E. Each individual invoice to be paid must be listed on DR Form.
F. Pay Requests from grant funds IB01, 1B02, 1B04, 3P02, 3P05, and 3P06 must be forwarded to Grants Accounting for review before they are submitted to Accounts Payable.
G. Checks are issued daily and mailed.
Payment Restraints:
- The following payment processing restraints will impact the payment of citizens, vendors and employees.
A. Pay requests that do not meet the City of Atlanta payment requirements according to the City Charter and Finance Department policies and procedures will not be processed. The Payment request will be returned to the user department to correct any discrepancies
B. Levies, liens, bankruptcies and garnishments
C. Contractor’s default
D. City of Atlanta accounts receivable settlements
E. Employees' delinquent Authorization for Advance of Business, Training or Convention Expense (F2) Form
The following forms may be obtained from the Finance Department, Accounts Payable:
- Disbursement Request Form
- W-9 Form – Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certificate
- State of Georgia Department of Revenue Sales and Use Tax Certificate of Exemption of Georgia Purchaser or Dealer
- Authorization for Advance of Business, Training, or Convention Expense – Schedule F1, Schedule F2 and Schedule F3
- Petty Cash/Cashier’s Change Fund Establishment and Modification Request
- Contingency Account Advance/Reimbursement Request Form
- Authorization to Pay Relocation Expenses