Skip to main content

Finance

Purchases, reimbursements, department cards, research funds, consolidated accounts, and financial approvals.

Before You Spend

Before making a purchase or committing department funds, confirm these four things:

1. Allowable The expense is connected to university business.
2. Funding You know which account or fund will pay for it. See Research Funds & Grants.
3. Approval Required department, university, or sponsor approval is complete.
4. Method You are using the correct purchasing method.

Workday & Balance Reports

Log in to Workday

Financial Dashboard

Go to your Financial Dashboard in Workday to view your account balance and transaction history.

Monthly Balance Reports

You can also sign up to receive monthly email reports with your account balance. Contact Spencer Anderson for assistance in setting this up.

Purchases & Department Cards

Use an approved purchasing method for department, instructional, research, travel, and event-related expenses.

Choose the card that matches the purchase:
  • On-campus purchases: Use the department’s Campus Cards.
  • Off-campus purchases: Use your Corporate/Purchase Card. If you do not have one, use a shared Department Credit Card.

Department Cards

  • Check out a card through the secretary or with Carlisa Craft in room 276.
  • Use cards only for allowable university business expenses—not personal purchases.
  • Ask before making an unusual or uncertain purchase.

Corporate Cards

A BYU corporate card can be used for both travel and purchases.

Apply for a Corporate Card
Meal tips: Before leaving a tip, check that gratuity has not already been added to the bill.

After Spending

After every purchase, complete these steps:

1. Save the receipt Keep an itemized receipt showing the date, vendor, items, and amount.
2. Explain the expense

Record the business purpose or reason for the purchase.

Dining with fewer than 13 guests? Include the name of each guest.

3. Identify the account Note whether the expense belongs to a consolidated account, grant, or another fund.
4. Submit documentation Send the receipt and required documentation to the appropriate office promptly.

Campus & Department Credit Card Purchases

Return the receipt to Carlisa, or scan and email it to both carlisa@mathematics.byu.edu and accounting@mathematics.byu.edu. Include the business purpose and account information with your submission.

Personal Reimbursements

If you paid out of pocket for an allowable university expense, submit the required reimbursement documentation promptly. Travel and meal expenses may have additional requirements.

Send receipts and supporting information to accounting@mathematics.byu.edu so the expense report can be prepared and approved.

Research Funds & Grants

Grant and contract funds may have requirements beyond standard university procedures.

Before Charging an Expense to a Grant

  • Review the award terms and conditions.
  • Confirm that the expense is necessary and reasonable for the project.
  • Confirm that it is directly related to the sponsored activity.
  • Confirm that it is allowable under the sponsor’s requirements and university policy.
  • Ask accounting@mathematics.byu.edu about grant allowability before making a purchase.

Consolidated Accounts

Consolidated accounts must remain positive and may be used only for approved purposes.

Allowed

  • Student wages and part-time employees following standard BYU hiring procedures
  • Department operations, travel, student wages, and other approved business expenses
  • Approved carryover funds
  • Approved transfers when permitted

Not Allowed

  • Full-time employees without required Board of Trustees approval
  • Positions or funding designated for Church-appropriated full-time employees
  • Capital equipment or equipment normally purchased from university operating funds
  • Direct donations or other external income
  • Negative balances

Department-Funded Travel

For department-funded travel procedures, see the Travel page.

Need Help?

Use these contacts for financial approvals, purchasing, receipts, reimbursements, and account questions.

Spencer Anderson Business approvals, purchasing, department finances, and financial setup spencer.anderson@byu.edu
Accounting Office Receipts, reimbursements, expense reports, and financial processing accounting@mathematics.byu.edu