Procurement Newsletter August 2025
UC Santa Barbara
Procurement NEWS | August 2025
Table of Contents
- Shared Carts
- Purchase Order Updates
- Flexcard Timeline Extension
- Commodity Codes and Account Changes
- Updated Small Business First Guide
- Fifth EPEAT Purchaser Award
- Office Hours
Shared Carts
Shared Cart Groups can allow Shoppers to share a cart with the group rather than assign to an individual. For departments with many Shoppers and just a few Requesters this allows the Requesters to share and balance the workload of carts to finalize and submit to workflow.
Shared carts can also be leveraged to combine orders within the unit to take advantage of volume pricing with the Supplier. Members share the cart and unlock when done editing so that other members may access to add items or complete the Requisition required fields.
Request a Shared Cart Group for your unit by submitting the Shared Cart Group Request form in ServiceNow.
Note - Do not use draft carts that were created before the FMM Cutover, because the Supplier fulfillment address codes are no longer valid. If one is used accidently, you'll need to go back to the cart state and select "Change Supplier", to select the supplier again. This will refresh the fulfillment address code.
Purchase Order Updates
We have several important updates regarding the processing and handling of Purchase Orders post-transition:
| 1) | Procurement can no longer edit the chart string mid requisition; we would have to return the requisition if any changes to the CCOA are needed. However, we can add funding to match the quote or contract without returning the req. |
| 2) | No one is able to use, update, or reopen the Purchase Orders that now have an "X" in front of them (XGW000012345). These are the legacy PO's for viewing purposes only. |
| 3) | Procurement is unable to reopen any converted PO that came over as Closed. |
| 4) | Converted VBs or Contracts cannot be changed in any way (no extension, no addition or reduction in funding, and no change to the CCOA). For any changes, please submit a new VB or Contract Request Form, and then submit a ticket to close the Converted PO so your lien is released. |
| 5) | A worksheet of all converted purchase orders with both legacy and current CCOA values is now available. This resource may be helpful to quickly confirm mapped CCOA values. Departments should also review the worksheet of purchase orders that did not convert, because some of the orders may need to be recreated in order to process future invoices. Read full instructions on the FMM Gateway Updates Page. |
| 6) | To close or cancel a PO, submit a request via the Procurement ServiceNow Portal. |
Flexcard Timeline Extension
Effective immediately, the Campus Controller has approved an extension to the FlexCard transaction timeline. FlexCard Invoice Allocators and Approvers now have 30 calendar days —up from the previous 14— to allocate and fully approve transactions in Gateway. This change is intended to ease administrative pressures and provide more flexibility in managing FlexCard expenses.
Please remember that when a FlexCard transaction appears in Gateway, the expense has already been posted to the card’s default CCOA. The allocation and approval process in Gateway serves to reallocate that expense as needed. We hope this update is a helpful improvement for all.
Commodity Codes and Account Changes
We are all adjusting to the updates in Gateway. Many defaults for Commodity Codes are now set to "Inventorial Equipment," whereas the default was previously "supplies."
Therefore, we are asking all departments to verify that the correct Account is being used. Additionally, we understand that the changes in the line items can be confusing. You'll need to edit the screen twice to make the necessary updates. Please find below these steps:
1. In the line items, click the pen to edit and select the Commodity Code and save your selection.
2. Then, go back to the little pen again and select the correct Account, and save it once more. The Expenditure Type will update automatically after these steps.
Updated Small Business First Guide Now Available
As part of our continued efforts to streamline the Small Business First (SB First) compliance process and reduce administrative burden, several new improvements have been implemented in Gateway:
- Requisitions that meet certain criteria, such as being federally funded or submitted through designated forms (e.g., Confirming PO, Contract Amendment, VB Revision, etc.) now automatically bypass SB First review, reducing the steps required for those purchases.
- A new system validation now requires a selection from the SB First dropdown menu before a requisition can be submitted. This replaces the previous warning message, ensuring requisitioners must indicate how their purchase complies with the policy.
- The SB First Team will no longer review “Exempt” selections made in the SB First dropdown menu during requisition submission. Departments are now fully responsible for selecting the appropriate SB First category and ensuring policy compliance.
- Quarterly compliance reviews will be conducted and any violations will be reported directly to departments for follow-up.
To support these changes and help departments navigate the updated process, we’ve released a fully updated SB First Requisition Guide. This resource includes clear instructions, definitions, and guidance on exemptions, waivers, and finding certified suppliers. Please take a moment to review the updated guide and share it with your purchasing teams. For questions or support, contact Jen Bowser, Small Business Officer.
UCSB Receives 5th EPEAT Purchaser Award for Sustainable Electronics Leadership
UC Santa Barbara has been honored with its fifth EPEAT Purchaser Award from the Global Electronics Council, recognizing our campus’s continued leadership in sustainable electronics procurement.
EPEAT-registered products include computers, displays, printers, servers, and more that are designed to be more energy-efficient, longer lasting, and easier to recycle. They also meet important criteria around labor practices and supply chain transparency.
As part of the University of California’s systemwide commitment to sustainability, all campuses are expected to purchase electronics that meet EPEAT environmental standards. This achievement reflects the collective efforts of staff across UCSB departments who prioritize electronics that support both environmental and social responsibility. Thanks to your continued commitment, UCSB remains a leader in sustainable procurement across higher education.
The 2025 EPEAT Purchaser Awards ceremony took place on Thursday, July 24, and a recording of the event is available on YouTube, featuring UCSB’s award acceptance from Jen Bowser, Sustainable Procurement Program Manager.
If you have any questions about EPEAT or sustainable purchasing, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Jen Bowser.
Office Hours
| Gateway & Procurement | Invoicing Q & A |
|---|---|
| All Hands - Daily, M-F, 9-10am: Zoom link | Tuesdays 3:00 - 3:30pm Zoom link |
| Thursdays 1:30 - 2:00pm Zoom link | Thursdays 3:00 - 3:30pm Zoom link |
| Equipment Management | FlexCard |
|---|---|
| Wednesdays 10:00am - 11:00am Zoom link | Tuesdays 2:00pm - 3:00pm, and Thursdays 10:00am - 11:00am Zoom link |
Use Our Helpdesk!
Submit requests and track inquiries directly through our online portal.
UCSB Procurement Processing Times
Standard turnaround times for purchase orders and contracts are available here:
bfs.ucsb.edu/procurement/processing-times
Where is my order?
After pulling up your requisition, locate the "What's Next" section on the right side. The current status will appear in a green checkmark. You can also use the Comment tab to get in touch with the person assigned the requisition.