Officer Resources

Who needs to be paid?

A Student Officer for reimbursement.

Are you an NU student registered with your advocate authority as an Officer of the student organization?

If you are not registered, and think you should be, please check with your advocate authority to be approved and added to the list.

First: Check if you have access to Expense Reports to submit your own reimbursement.

If You Have Access to Expense Reports

• Try to login using netID and password
• Follow Expense report guide on how to enter expense report.
• If officer wants to be paid electronically ensure you have enrolled in direct deposit. If officer is not enrolled in direct deposit at time of payment, a check will be sent to the address Northwestern University has on file

If You Do Not Have Access

If you do not have access to Expense Reports, submit reimbursement through SOFO Transaction Form. Please complete this checklist:

• Include name of person being reimbursed on SOFO Transaction Submission Form.
• Include all receipts for reimbursement.
• Receipts must be itemized.
  • Signed credit card receipts, with the total purchase amount but without an itemization, are not acceptable forms of backup. This ensures that Illinois sales tax and purchases of alcohol or tobacco are not reimbursed.)
• Receipts must have vendor name, date, location, proof of purchase, i.e. the last four digits of the card used.
  • Method of payment must be listed. (Credit card or Cash)
• If receipts are unavailable – attach bank statement and policy exception form.
• Illinois state taxes cannot be reimbursed.
  • The only exception is dine-in or out of state taxes.
• Tips can be reimbursed only up to 20% of the subtotal.

Who needs to be paid?

A NU Student who is not an Officer for reimbursement.

• If student is being reimbursed more than once, a W9 will be required.
• Only Officers can submit transactions to SOFO. Please ask an Officer to submit on your behalf and use the list below, or check if you can submit expense reports through
• If you do not have access to Expense Reports, submit ask student officer to submit reimbursement through SOFO Transaction Form.
  • Include name of person being reimbursed on SOFO Transaction Submission Form.
  • Include all receipts for reimbursement.
  • Receipts must be itemized.
    • Signed credit card receipts, with the total purchase amount but without an itemization, are not acceptable forms of backup. This ensures that Illinois sales tax and purchases of alcohol or tobacco are not reimbursed.)
  • Receipts must have vendor name, date, location, proof of purchase, i.e. the last four digits of the card used.
    • Method of payment must be listed. (Credit card or Cash)
  • If receipts are unavailable – attach bank statement and policy exception form.
  • Illinois state taxes cannot be reimbursed.
    • The only exception is dine-in or out of state taxes.
  • Tips can be reimbursed only up to 20% of the subtotal.

Who needs to be paid?

A Graduate Student

First: Check if you have access to Expense Reports to submit your own reimbursement.

If You Have Access to Expense Reports

• Try to login using netID and password
• Follow guide on how to enter expense report - Expense report guide.
• If officer wants to be paid electronically ensure you have enrolled in direct deposit. If officer is not enrolled in direct deposit at time of payment, a check will be sent to the address Northwestern University has on file.

If You Do Not Have Access

• Include all receipts for reimbursement.
  • Receipts must be itemized.
  • Signed credit card receipts, with the total purchase amount but without an itemization, are not acceptable forms of backup. This ensures that Illinois sales tax and purchases of alcohol or tobacco are not reimbursed.)
• Receipts must have vendor name, date, location, proof of purchase, i.e. the last four digits of the card used.
  • Method of payment must be listed. (Credit card or Cash)
• If receipts are unavailable – attach bank statement and policy exception form.
• Illinois state taxes cannot be reimbursed.
  • The only exception is dine-in or out of state taxes.
• Tips can be reimbursed only up to 20% of the subtotal.

Who needs to be paid?

An NU Faculty or Staff member – Special Pays

• Special Pay and DCFS Form
  • A Personal Data Form must be included if the individual does not have an Employee ID, or if the individual's address has changed since the last payment.
• Contract (For services rendered)
  • Contract must be signed by Northwestern contract authority
    • SOFO cannot process payments until contracts are signed by a Northwestern Contract authority.
• Memorandum (For stipends or awards)
• W9
  • Must be most recent form (March 2024).
  • Signature must be a wet signature or a digital signature – no electronic signatures.

1. W9
   • Must be most recent form (March 2024).;
   • Signature must be a wet or digital signature – no electronic signature.
   • Form must be complete.
     
     • All required boxes must be filled in.
2. Invoice/Contract
   • Contract must be signed by Northwestern contract authority.
     
     • SOFO cannot process payments until contracts are signed by a Northwestern contract authority.
3. Conflict of Interest (COI) Form
   • Student organization officer completes the COI form, they answer the Yes/No questions and sign under "Individual(s) who selected or directed the vendor to be added to NUFinancials".

• Contract must be signed by Northwestern contract authority.
  • SOFO cannot process payments until contracts are signed by a Northwestern contract authority.

1. W9
   • Must be most recent form (March 2024).
   • must be a wet or digital – no electronic signature.
   • Form must be complete.
     • All required boxes must be filled in.
2. Invoice/Contract
   • Contract must be signed by Northwestern contract authority
     • SOFO cannot process payments until contracts are signed by a Northwestern contract authority.
3. Conflict of Interest (COI) Form
   • Student organization officer completes the COI form, they answer the Yes/No questions and sign under "Individual (s) who selected or directed the vendor to be added to NUFinancials:".
4. Contracted Series Form
   • Individual completes information under "Contractor Information" and signs under contractor signature and dates the form.
   • SOFO staff completes the rest of the form.

Documents needed to submit Corporate Card payment through SOFO Transaction Form:

1. Invoice and/or Contract
   
   1. Invoice should not be an estimate.
   2. Contract must be signed by Northwestern contract authority
      • SOFO cannot process payments until contracts are signed by a Northwestern Contract authority.
2. A link to make the payment.

Corporate Card Payment to Book Flights and Lodging

1. Screenshot of flight itinerary or lodging:
   • Must include prices.
   • Prices are subject to change upon booking
2. List of information needed for students that are flying or staying at lodging:
   1. Full legal names
   2. Date of birth
   3. Gender
   4. Contact information – Phone number and email address
3. Appointment with SOFO Manager to complete booking.

For Group Flights Only

student organization must register the trip through Northwestern University risk management. Information can be found on the Student Organizations and Activities website.

For more information regarding student organization travel, visit the SOA website.

As of Fall 2026, SOFO has a new system for managing change requests for account approvers of registered student organizations under Campus Life. Please read the following instructions carefully. If you are representing a graduate organization or a department-sponsored organization, please do not fill out this form and contact your advocate authority to inquire about next steps. 

1. Campus Life representative
2. The RSO advisor or chapter coach as reflected on the org's 'Cats on Campus roster
3. Student Organization Finance Officer representative
4. Campus Life Admin representative