Invoice Requirements
A valid UC Berkeley Purchase Order number is required on all invoices. All UC Berkeley POs start with "BB" and are 10 digits in total (for example, BB00120075). Invoices without a valid UC Berkeley purchase order number will not be processed and you will not be notified. Please be sure that your invoiced items match those on the Purchase Order. If the quantities differ, or if lines on a purchase order have been combined on your invoice, the transaction will require additional research which may cause a delay in payment.
Please obscure or remove any sensitive or confidential information, including Social Security Numbers or Bank account numbers.
How to Submit Invoices
Preferred and Fastest Method: Sign Up with Transcepta to Deliver Invoices Electronically
The quickest method of submitting invoices for processing is via UC Berkeley's invoicing partner, Transcepta. There are no fees to register or use Transcepta and there are multiple ways to submit your invoice using Transcepta, including by sending an email with a PDF of the invoice. Invoices submitted via Transcepta are automatically applied to Purchase Orders in UC Berkeley's procurement system. This usually happens on the same day they are received with real time feedback confirming if the invoice went through, or if there was a problem that prevented it from being transmitted so that it can be corrected quickly.
To sign up with Transcepta, or learn more about how Transcepta works, please visit UC Berkeley Connect Now. If your organization already uses Transcepta to submit invoices to other customers, send an email to disburse@berkeley.edu and we will be happy to help link your existing Transcepta account to UC Berkeley.
Alternate Options
If you’ve attempted to sign up for Transcepta and cannot, or have some other circumstances preventing you from submitting using that method, send us an email at disburse@berkeley.edu and we will contact you to discuss alternate arrangements for invoice submission. Please note that these alternate arrangements will add as much as two to three weeks to the payment timeline for your invoice.
Under no circumstances are paper invoices accepted via US Mail. We do not have a physical address at which to receive paper invoices. Any invoices sent via US Mail to any UC Berkeley campus address will be automatically recycled.
Invoice and Payment Inquiries
Suppliers who go through our BearBuy Purchase Order process can register with our supplier portal for self-service, 24/7 inquiries, including payment status. To request access, please send an email to disburse@berkeley.edu and include in the subject line "requesting access to supplier portal." One of our team members will respond with instructions on how to sign up and help resolve any issues you may run into with signing up for or using the portal.
Credits and Refunds
Credit memos should be submitted via Transcepta for automatic processing; make sure the PO number related to the credit is listed on the credit memo. Refund checks should be sent to our lockbox address for processing:
UC Berkeley
PO Box 744693
Los Angeles CA 90074-4693
Refund checks must include a note indicating the payment and PO that is being refunded.
Payment Terms
Suppliers providing goods and services to UC Berkeley are expected to transact invoices and payments with us electronically. We have standardized the channels through which we receive invoices and issue payments and the extent to which suppliers support electronic transactions directly impacts payment terms.
Effective July 1, 2023, the following payment terms will be implemented on all new and existing supplier records unless other payment terms are explicitly stated in an active contract held with UC Berkeley Supply Chain Management.
Net Zero Calendar Days: Payment via Payment Plus
Our preferred method of payment is via US Bank’s Payment Plus program, which fulfills approved invoices via a one-time use virtual credit card number sent by US Bank. Originally designed for suppliers who accept credit cards, this program is also an option for suppliers who are not set up as credit card merchants. There are no additional fees for this method of payment, but any credit card fees that a supplier may have in place with their bank would apply. Accepting payments via Payment Plus qualifies UCB vendors for an elevated support tier, which can help resolve payment issues very quickly.
New vendors can request payment via Payment Plus during their account setup in our Supplier Registration Portal. For existing suppliers, if you would like to sign up for payment via Payment Plus, please email our Card Program at creditcard@berkeley.edu.
Net 30 Calendar Days: Payment via EFT
Vendors seeking payments deposited directly into their bank account can sign up for payment via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) with Net 30 terms and payments are issued via EFT on a daily basis. A remittance email will be sent to the address provided, detailing the payments included in each EFT. New vendors can request payment via EFT during their account setup in our Supplier Registration Portal. If you are an existing vendor, and would like to sign up for payment via EFT, you can do so by visiting the Update Existing Suppliers page.
Net 90 Calendar Days: Payment via Check
Vendors seeking payment via check will receive payment on a Net 90 basis. Checks are printed only one day a week and are sent via US Mail and can only be sent to US addresses.