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MANAGEMENT
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MANAGEMENT
Accounts Payable

Direct Pay

CSUSM Direct Pay Guidelines

Effective March 9, 2026

These guidelines apply to all Business Units including CSUSM, CSUSM Corporation, CSUSM Foundation and ASI

With the implementation of CSUBUY Procure-to Pay (P2P) and Concur Optimization, Direct Pay can only be used to reimburse a non-employee or a student. Direct Pay cannot be used to pay a supplier or used for employee reimbursement. Employee reimbursements should now be processed in Concur.

Purchase Categories

Any purchases/payments must follow all applicable policies/regulations:

PURCHASING CATEGORIES AND ACCOUNT CODES
ACCT CODE CATEGORY CHANGE
604803

Cell Phone Reimbursement ($50)

 Concur

660944: Other Hospitality, (Awards/Honors)

Non-resident Alien (due to tax restrictions, non-resident aliens must receive an award or incentive in ACH payment or check form and not through a gift card).

 Direct Pay
660820: Other Hospitality, (Awards/Honors)

Hospitality (only payments to students like awards or reimbursements can go through Direct Pay).

 Direct Pay
660945: Incentives

Monetary awards to employees or student assistants must be paid through Payroll.

 Payroll
Varies

Other: (includes chargebacks, emergency loans, inter/intra-unit transactions, legal invoices pre-approved by CO and submitted by Risk, pass through expenses, reissue of stale dated/escheated checks, salary advances, tax return payments, uploads, etc.; may also require Procurement & Contracts/Corp approval).

 AP Manager Approval

Any purchases/payments must follow all applicable policies/regulations:

  1. Procurement Policy CSUSM or CSUSM Corporation
  2. CSUSM Hospitality Guidelines
  3. Property Control Policy
  4. Public Relations Funds Policy CSUSM Corporation
  5. Payments to Students Guidelines
  6. Cell Phone Reimbursement Guidelines

The following expenses are prohibited for Direct Pay:

  1. Payments for Agreements/Contracts
  2. Reimbursements to employees
  3. Travel (use a Travel Claim)
  4. Gift Cards (see business unit purchasing procedures)
  5. Payments against Purchase Orders
  6. Services (a PO/Agreement is needed)
  7. Space Usage off-campus (a Facilities Use Agreement is needed)
  8. Independent Contractors
  9. Software includes Software-as-a-Service, online services, online subscriptions and any information technology or interconnected system or subsystem that is used in the creation, conversion, or duplication of data or information. 

Direct Payments requiring supporting documentation:

  1. Student Awards - See CSUSM Hospitality Guidelines
  2. Reimbursements to Students - See Payments to Students

Documentation: Attach original receipts/documentation. (Please include additional copy of back-up to be sent with the check to vendor if appropriate). See“Direct Payments requiring pre-approvals/supporting documents” section above for additional documentation requirements.

Roles & Responsibilities

Roles & Responsibilities List
Role Responsibility

Requestor/Submitter
  • Certifies expenses are necessary, appropriate to the occasion, reasonable in amount and serve a purpose consistent with the mission and fiduciary responsibilities of the University.
  • Confirms the expense is allowable per the University Direct Pay Guidelines and applicable policies and procedures.
  • Certifies accurate approving authorities were entered in the Adobe Sign workflow.
  • Does not seek duplicate payment or a payment paid by another source.
  • Attaches required supporting documentation.

Approving Authority
  • Principal Investigator (if applicable): Ensuring expenses charged to funds authorized for the purpose.
  • One-up Manager/Supervisor or Department Chair: Substantiates expenses are necessary, appropriate to the occasion, reasonable in amount and serve a purpose consistent with the mission and fiduciary responsibilities of the University.
  • Approving Authority/Fiscal Authority: Confirms the expense is allowable per the CSU Direct Pay Guidelines and applicable policies and procedures.
  • Office of Sponsored Projects (if applicable): Ensuring expenses are an allowable expense per the grant agreement.
  • All involved in the review or approval routing:
    • Approving/denying the Direct Pay form in a timely manner.
    • Denying requests not directly related to official University business.

Accounts Payable
  • Validates fiscal authority.
  • Validates purchase is an allowable category.
  • Ensure appropriate supporting documentation is submitted.

Process

Timeline: Forms for reimbursement must be submitted within 90 days of original purchase or service date. Check PeopleSoft within 15 working days of submission for confirmation of payment.

  1. Complete the Direct Pay form (link below).
  2. Attach original itemized receipts and any other supporting documentation. (Please include additional copy of back-up to be sent with the check to vendor if appropriate). See “Direct Payments requiring pre-approvals/supporting documents” section above for additional documentation requirements.

Employees Only: If not already receiving direct deposit through Accounts Payable Employee Direct Deposit for AP Reimbursements Form (make the selection from the Adobe workflow drop down menu) This will only need to be completed once, unless banking information changes.

Complete the Direct Pay Form on Adobe Sign:  Direct Pay Form

Questions?

All forms will route automatically to Accounts Payable once completed in Adobe Sign. For any questions, please contact Accounts Payable at: