Adding a Supplier (Vendor) to Harvard’s system

Financial Office
1575 Massachusetts Ave.
Hauser Hall 030
Cambridge, MA 02138

617-495-4607

Supplier Portal Process

The B2P Supplier Portal system replaces the old Vendor Request process. An invitation to your supplier contact is the simplest, most efficient way to get started in the supplier portal, followed by you ‘inviting’ the supplier into the system and they provide information online to become a Harvard Supplier.

Check to see if this supplier is already in the system

  1. Go to the Financial Applications page
  2. Click on the Buy-To-Pay Supplier Portal
  3. In Supplier Tools list, click on Search for a Supplier
  4. If they are not already there, invite them!

Invite a supplier

  1. Click on Invite New Supplier
  2. Supply their name, their legal name, and their email

That’s it! Central Finance will invite them to self-register online and you will be notified when they are set up and ready.

Adding a site to a supplier / making other changes

We didn’t find this part of the system very intuitive so please review a short instruction sheet. We hope you find it valuable and useful.

Exceptions

There are a few cases in which you may need to use a different process because a simple invitation is not possible. All Harvard students are an exception! In these cases:

  1. Click on Request New Supplier.
  2. Answer several additional questions: name of company or individual, legal name, remit-to address, email address, citizenship, and possible additional information depending upon the type of supplier.

Exceptions are only to be used in the following cases:

  • Business Expense Reimbursement only (BER’s) – If a foreign national is only being reimbursed for expenses and NOT paid for a service (including honoraria or fees), they can be set up using this designation. Additional documentation will be required.
  • Temporary vendors – one-time refunds
  • Harvard students (U.S. or Permanent Resident only)
  • Foreign Nationals – These individuals will have to complete Sprintax and will get an email directing them to Sprintax at the same time as they get their Supplier Invitation.

In the event that it is impossible for a supplier to respond to an invitation (no internet access, VIP, etc.) there is a third option: Proxy Request. You answer questions on their behalf (e.g. tax and visa information) and submit the request to Central. This is also called “white glove registration” and is used only when absolutely necessary.