Record and Documentation Retention

Record Retention

Departments and schools must maintain copies of all documentation related to purchases, in accordance with the University record retention guidelines. Procurement and Payment Services reserves the right to request and review any document related to a particular purchase decision.

The entire Retention of University Records policy is available for download on the University Policies website.

Documentation

Transactions processed in the financial system with all pertinent documentation that are approved by responsible unit approvers, expense supervisors and Accounts Payable, are archived centrally as the official University record. AP maintains its records for 8 years in compliance with University retention policy. 

• All original documentation that has been scanned and attached to the electronic transaction record (expense reports, payment requests, journals, or requisitions) should be retained for three months, at a minimum, to ensure processing and system archiving of the transaction has been successful.
• Expenses without a receipt (unobtainable or lost) that exceed the published amount set by the U.S. General Services (GSA) guidelines, referenced in the Spending Limit Guidelines, may be approved on an exception basis following the accountable process established by respective Deans and Vice Presidents. The use of an Expense Policy Exception Form may be utilized as part of the supporting documentation for approvals of the transaction.