READ FIRST
DO NOT use the Check Request form if making a PAYMENT to a Vendor, Lecturer, Speaker or Entertainer; instead:
- Complete the Standard Engagement Contract (SEC) OR
- Follow the steps to pay an Invoice
Use the CHECK REQUEST form ONLY for:
- Refunds
- Reimbursable expenses for Contractors, Vendors, Lecturers, Speakers or Entertainers after their engagement as defined in the Standard Engagement Contract (SEC)
- Stipends and Donations to Nonprofits
- Reimbursements for Students (over $50)
- Reimbursement for Faculty and Staff without a Pcard
Guide for REIMBURSEMENTS for Students, Faculty or Staff:
| under $50 | over $50 | |
| Students | Petty Cash Form | Check Request (link below) |
| Faculty & Staff without Pcard | Petty Cash Form | Check Request (link below) OR
Expense Report (helpful if reimbursement is for Travel) |
| Faculty & Staff with Pcard | Pcard Out-of-Pocket – preferred | Pcard Out-of-Pocket – preferred |
- First, click on Macalester Check Request Form (PDF) Be sure the form DOWNLOADs to your computer, noting where you have downloaded the file.
- Next, open the file (Most systems are configured to automatically open the Check Request PDF with Adobe Acrobat Reader, see How to open, fill and sign a PDF document).
- Complete the form.
- List the FOAPAL to be charged and the amount.
- If all of the receipts are for the same FOAPAL, only one FOAPAL row need be completed.
- Enter splits to multiple FOAPALs on separate lines.
- The FOAPAL is all numbers – see What is a FOAPAL? for more information.
- Determine who has approval of the FOAPAL(s) listed, if your Check Request is for more than your approval amount, you must cc: the approver who has approval up to the amount you are requesting to be paid. See Macalester Finance Approvals Explained for a full explanation.
- List the FOAPAL to be charged and the amount.
Find your Accounts Payable approval level:
Finance Approval Look-Up Tool (Macalester Log in Required, may require an Chrome / Incognito window) to look up who will need to approve the expenditure OR
If you have access to Finance Reports via Argos go to > My Finance Access and Approval report OR
contacting Accounts Payable
-
- An individual CANNOT approve their own Check Request.
- Check Requests payable to a Department Chair should be approved by the Assistant Provost.
- To Sign the form, follow how to Sign a PDF with an existing Digital ID using Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.
- Save the completed Check Request.
- Finally, Email the completed Check Request and attach the corresponding receipts to the:
- Approver (see “Find your Accounts Payable approval level” above)
- Copy / cc: [email protected]
- If the Check Request is Grants Related copy / cc: Grants Accountant
- Any request of $15,000 or more requires approval of the VP of Admin & Finance and requests over $100,000 requires the approval of the President.
- For missing receipts, first complete the Accounts Payable Missing Receipt Declaration and attach PDF instead of the receipt.
- Once the Approver has acknowledged their approval via email, the request will be processed by Accounts Payable. If the completed Check Request is received by 4:30 pm on Thursday, the payment will be processed the following week.
- NOTE: Macalester DOES NOT REQUIRE a W-9 for reimbursements.
Contact Accounts Payable at [email protected] with form questions, contact ITS Help Desk with any Adobe Acrobat Reader or technology questions.