Inside Cal Poly Logo

CSUBUY Tips and Tricks


Since early spring, Cal Poly has had the opportunity to use CSUBUY, the California State University (CSU)’s new system-wide platform for procuring, receiving and paying for goods and services.

Although you — an intelligent and hard-working person — may already have a great grasp of the platform, we’ve created 15 helpful tips and tricks to make your procurement experience the best it can be!

  1. For Shipping/Handling Charges, it’s best to create a new line in the purchase order (PO). Once you are on the checkout screen, add any attachments, such as quotes and supporting documents, in the Attachments tab.
  2. For Cal Poly-branded item purchases, use the Hospitality Form and select “Promotional Items.” If the purchase is not hospitality-related, use the Goods and Services Form and select “Marketing or Branded Items” from the drop-down. Branded items used in advertising, printing, merchandise, apparel, signage and media/marketing services will be sent to University Communications and Marketing for approval in CSUBUY.
  3. Looking for a purchase order? POs will be emailed to suppliers from the CSUBUY system automatically to their pre-selected email address and will be coming from support@sciquest.com. Search for the PO and view the Status tab to check when and how the supplier received the PO.
  4. In general, purchases of goods will only require a Quantity receipt in the PO before the invoice can be paid. Services will need voucher approval once the invoice is uploaded to the system. Furniture purchases, since they are often paired with a service, are set up to route for voucher approval.
  5. Need to communicate with others about a request? Use the comment feature in the requisition. Anyone you select will receive an email, and a comments history will be kept in the system for reference.
  6. Use the Independent Contractor form when requesting that Cal Poly contract with an individual to perform services.
  7. Use the View Carts screen under the Quick Links to manage your various active shopping carts. You do not need to select your Buyer’s name in the requisition; the system will auto-route to your Buyer based on the chartfield used.
  8. If you receive an invoice for a CSUBUY P2P purchase, email the invoice along with the CSUBUY PO number to csubuy-payment@calpoly.edu. To reduce processing time, we encourage suppliers to submit their invoices directly through their CSUBUY supplier portal.
  9. Go to the Supplier menu to check if your desired supplier is in the system. They should be Active for shopping for Cal Poly (for SLXMP business units) and have a registration status of Complete. If they are not in there, use the Quick Link on the CSUBUY P2P main page to Request a New Supplier. For best results, provide a name and email address for the invitation of someone with the important tax ID, business structure and remit address information on behalf of that supplier.
  10. To purchase Dell computers, use the CSUBUY P2P punchout catalogs so the orders can follow the correct approval workflows and get successfully to Dell. Be sure to enter your default Ship To, Deliver To and Bill To addresses in your CSUBUY P2P profile before shopping the catalogs to ensure you are presented with the right catalog items.
  11. To purchase Apple computers, use an IT Hardware request form in CSUBUY P2P with a CDW-G quote generated from the CSUBUY e-Marketplace. The CDW-G catalog has yet to be available in CSUBUY P2P.
  12. The former software and furniture waiver processes are now handled in CSUBUY.
    • For software, use the IT software form, select Supplier Not Known in the supplier field and provide your quote and request. ITS will be automatically included in the requisition workflow to review and approve your request in the system, before it gets to procurement. Procurement will review and decide if the purchase can be made on a ProCard and will reject the requisition if a ProCard purchase is authorized. The requisition number will be the software waiver number to use on your ProCard reconciliation report.
    • For furniture, use the Goods & Services form, and identify what you are buying as furniture. Facilities will be automatically included in the requisition workflow to review and approve your request in the system before it goes to procurement. Ideally, a PO will be used for these purchases, and a PO will be used if services are a part of the purchase. But suppose a ProCard purchase for products will be required. In that case, Supplier Not Known can be selected in the requisition, and procurement can reject the requisition with the requisition number being your ProCard waiver number.
  13. When creating a requisition, the Prepared For person will become the PO Owner and be tasked with voucher approvals in the system. They can also initiate a change request on the PO, if needed. In the change request, describe what you want to add or change in the description field, attach any updated documentation, and select any CSUBUY user you’d like to copy on your request.
  14. Sole Source or Brand selection in a form requisition will trigger a workflow for requesting approvals through the Senior VP of Administration and Finance and the Chief Procurement Officer of the Chancellor’s office, depending on the amount. Please select only Yes for Sole Source or Sole Brand when procurement policy would mandate a public, formal bid for the purchase. Please do not use it if your purchase is still in the informal purchase range. If you have any questions on whether your purchase requires Sole Source to be completed, check with your procurement specialist.
  15. For further assistance with CSUBUY, you can find help on the CSUBUY website, in the “CSUBUY Help” Quick Link in CSUBUY, by talking to your procurement or payment team, by emailing csubuy@calpoly.edu or by entering a Service Now ticket in the Quick Link section.
CSUBUY