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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the AU Vendor Center?
A: The AU Vendor Center is an online information portal designed to reduce paperwork, eliminate manual procedures and streamline the procurement and payment process, making Doing Business at Auburn easier than ever.
Q: What is AU FastPay?
A: FastPay is a web based mechanism that allows AU Vendors to register to receive payment from Auburn University via EFT rather than by paper check and then access detailed information on those payments.
Q: What if I am not really a vendor and am only receiving payment for participating in a University function?
A: "Vendor" is a generic term for those companies and individuals (who are NOT AU students or employees) expecting payment from Auburn University. If you are an indivual receieving a one-time payment from Auburn, simply register, complete the payment verification and complete the online W-9 form.
Q: Why would I want to get payments from AU via EFT rather than by check?
A: Receiving payments electronically saves time and money! Using information provided by the vendor, payments are electronically deposited into the vendor's bank account. Thus the vendor receives their money more quickly and doesn't have to make a trip to the bank to deposit it!
Q: How do I sign up for AU FastPay?
A: Click on the "New User Registration" link on this web site. That link will walk you through the very brief on-line registration process. You'll follow up by mailing in an authorization document.
Q: Is my personal and financial information secure?
A: Your privacy and the security of your data is very important to us. Confidential information is transmitted using strong (128-bit) SSL encryption. You should see "https://" in the web address and the locked padlock symbol at the bottom of the web page's browser window when entering passwords or confidential data. Choose a secure password and do not share your access with others. Always begin at the Vendor Center home page, log out and exit your browser when you have completed your access to the site.
Q: Once registered, how will I know payments have been posted to my bank account?
A: AU FastPay will automatically generate an e-mail and send it to your designated contact every time a payment is made to your company. Then if needed, you can review all the detail associated with a particular payment through the FastPay web site.
Q: How do I find out my AU Vendor Number?
A: After all paperwork has been review and your payment information has been verified, we will assign your business an AU Vendor Number. This number can be found at the top of your Profile page. For expedited service, please include this number on all invoices, bids, and other correspondence.
Q: Who can I contact with questions about FastPay or the status of my Vendor Center account?
A: Call us at (334)844-3639 or email vendor@auburnuniversity.net.
Q. Why don't I receive notifications by email?
A. Sometimes email programs and web mail sites incorrectly think that an email message is SPAM. These errors can sometimes prevent important messages from being received. Such mistakes can cause delays or failures in the delivery of payment notices or other vital communication from the Auburn University Vendor Center. We have provided instruction that will
help you make sure that you are able to receive all the important information about your account.
Yahoo!
To ensure that Vendor Center notifications are delivered to your Yahoo
Inbox (not the Bulk Mail folder), you can instruct Yahoo to filter it to
your Inbox. Here's how: - Open your Yahoo mailbox.
- Click Mail Options.
- Click Filters.
- Next, click Add Filter.
- In the top row, labeled From
header:, make sure contains is selected in the pull-down menu.
- Click in
the text box next to that pull-down menu, then enter
auburnuniversity.net
- At the bottom, where it says Move the message to:,
select Inbox from the pull-down menu.
- Click the Add Filter button again.
Hotmail
If you are using Hotmail, you can ensure that your order information is
delivered to your Inbox by adding our "From" address to your Safe List.
Here's how: - Open hotmail.
- Click on Options (A link located on the right
side of the page)
- Click Mail from the choices.
- Click Junk E-Mail
Protection.
- Click Safe List.
- If you see the address you entered in the
Safe List box then you're done.
AOL
If you're using AOL, you can ensure that your order information is
delivered to your Inbox by setting your Mail Controls. Here's how: - Go
to Keyword Mail Controls.
- Select the correct screen name (the one you
are using with auburnuniversity.net).
- Click Customize Mail Controls For
This Screen Name.
- For AOL version 7.0: In the section for "exclusion and
inclusion parameters", include our domain: auburnuniversity.net
- Click
Next until the Save button shows up at the bottom.
- Click Save.
Earthlink
While viewing a message in the "suspect email" folder, click the button
to allow future messages from auburnuniversity.net to pass directly to
your inbox. Auburn University will not respond to automated messages
requesting to be added to your list of authorized senders.
Outlook and Outlook Express
If you are using Outlook or Outlook express please add us as a contact
in your address book. If you have any trouble receiving order
confirmations or other email from us, then please contact the Customer
Service Representatives at your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or email
service provider. Explain to them that order confirmations from
auburnuniversity.net are not being delivered properly. Ask them if they
can white-list auburnuniversity.net. They'll probably ask you for some
information about us. Here's what to tell them:- Sending Address:
vendor@auburnuniversity.net or fastpay@auburnuniversity.net
- Domain: auburnuniversity.net
Q: Who is the "vendor"?
A: If you expect to receive payments from Auburn University and are not an employee or student, you are considered a vendor. This includes providers of goods and services, membership organizations, publishers and others expecting payments from Auburn. If you work through AU Temporary Employment Services (TES), you are not considered a vendor.
Q: Who is the "Payee"?
A: The payee should be the "Pay to the Order of" name if receiving payment by check, or the account-holder name if you want to be paid by direct deposit.
Q: I am trying to put our remittance address in for check by mail but it will only let me do the actual business address. Our payments are sent to a P.O. Box address. What do I need to do?
A: In the Paperwork box on the page displayed when you login, select the Address Verification form. You may add additional business addresses with this form by selecting the ADD NEW ADDRESS link.
Q: I can't see recently processed payments. Is something wrong?
A: If you were a FastPay vendor prior to September 15, 2005, all your online payment records are available. For vendors who registered on September 15, 2005, or later, all payments made after October 1, 2005, are available. During the first week of October each year, posting of payments may be delayed up to one week as the University closes the fiscal year.
Q: You require an EIN #...how do I know what that is?
A: Under law, each person or business expecting payments from Auburn University must supply a tax ID number (TIN) obtained from the Internal Revenue Service. If you are an individual or sole owner of a small business, this is usually your Social Security Number. Other businesses and foreign concerns should have an Employer ID Number (EIN). If you are unsure which number to supply, contact your business manager or tax advisor.
Q: The "User Name" has me confused. What kind of a name should it be?
A: The User Name must be at least two and no more than eight characters. It should be something easily remembered and made up of numbers and letters; the characters - (minus), +(plus), =(equal) and _(underscore); and contain no spaces. The User Name is case-sensitive and must be typed the same way each time it is entered. "JIM, " "jim," and "Jim" do not match.
Q: Well, what about the "Password"? What should it be?
A: The Password, which must be at least five and no more than eight characters, must conform to the same rules as the User Name and is case-sensitive. Select a password that you can remember, others can't guess, and cannot be found in any dictionary. Use a mix of UPPER and lower-case letters, number and other allowable characters, but remember, it also must be typed the same way each time it is entered.
Q: OK, I've registered. Am I finished?
A: After you have completed the initial registration, you will be prompted
to:
- Log in as Vendor (in left hand column of page)
(If you started the process then left the system, please return to the Vendor Center via http://vendor.auburnuniversity.net then Log in as Vendor)
- Log in there using the User Name and Password you created in the first registration step
- Enter the information requested as Basic Data--press enter when entry is complete
- Continue to the IRS Form W-9--complete data on it (don't forget to "sign" it at bottom of page by typing in your name)--press enter when complete
- Complete the required "Payment Verification" screen--if you prefer to have a check mailed to you click on Check by Mail and choose the correct address from the address box provided
- You may choose to skip entry of the "Supplier Information" if you'd like as that's not required
- Be sure to verify the information contained on the "Address Verification," "Contact Directory," and the "User Profile" Update screens
- Your part in the online registration process is finished when the above has been completed.
Q: I did not see a form for the W-9. Can I mail you one along with the signed authorization agreement?
A: No, all vendors must complete online all required information prior to receiving payment. You must complete the Basic Information form before the W-9 form option will be displayed.
Q: I did not find our product in the "supplier information". We sell widgets and gadgets.
A: If your product or service is not listed, please contact our office so that we may assist you in selecting the best category or define a new category, if necessary.
Q: I can't log on and it says my password/user name is invalid. What should I do?
A: Make sure your user name and password are being entered the same way time. Both entries are case-sensitive. If you still cannot login, try resetting your password. You should receive email within a few minutes. If you do not, make sure your email service is set up to receive email from the AU Vendor Center. If you have previously been able to login and submit paperwork, contact our office so that we can retrieve your information. If not, try re-registering as a new user. You may have to select a different User Name. If the problems persist, make a note of any error messages and contact our office.
Q: I have set up our company as a vendor on your website. I am, however,
having some difficulties filling out the W-9 Form since our company is actually a foreign based company. The W-9 form requires a signature from a U. S. person. Is there another form which I need to complete?
A: If your company has U. S. branches, it is treated as a U. S. company and must complete a W-9 which must be signed electronically by a responsible U. S. citizen or resident alien. If your company does not operate in the United States and you expect to receive payments from Auburn University, you must obtain a Tax ID Number from the U. S. Internal Revenue Service and complete the appropriate W-8 form by mail or fax. Read IRS Publication 15 for more information. FastPay payments can only be made to U. S. banks.
Q: As a freelance artist, I have never signed a W-9 form. Do I need to complete a W-9 form?
A: If you are classified as an independent contractor, you must complete a W-9 to receive payment from Auburn University.
Q: Can payment be made to a savings account with a printed deposit slip with name, and numbers?
A: Currently only Check-By-Mail and Direct Deposit to a demand deposit (checking) account are supported. Contact your bank to learn if they will accept ACH transfers for savings accounts.
Q: Do I still need to mail in a voided check and the agreement for automatic deposit if we choose to have payment by mail?
A: No.
Q: How do I edit contact information? When I setup our account, I was automatically entered as the contact for billing. I added our billing contact but need to change my contact information to reflect "sales" and "service", but not "billing". What is the easiest method to do this?
A: From the Fast Paperwork Management box select Contact Directory. You may add additional contacts for your organization. To edit any entry select the EDIT link associated with the entry you want to change.
Q: Can you correct our email address? I noticed an error when I entered it in the registration screen.
A: You may change or correct your email address by updating your Profile. Change the contact addresses for individuals in your organization using the Contact Directory form.
Q: Once we've registered, requesting checks by mail; can we change to direct deposit? If so, how do we do this?
A: Simply revisit the Payment Verification form and change your payment option. You will need to complete the FastPay Authorization form and return a voided check to complete the approval process.
Q: Can I change from direct deposit to checks by mail?
A: Because of an administrative mandate to reduce costs by moving to all-electronic financial transactions, that function is not available. However, you may request a change to check-by-mail service prior to receiving your first payment using the form below.
Q: Where do I send my bills?
A: If you normally bill for your services, invoice the department for which you did the work. Invoices are not generally required for travel reimbursements and other stipends and honoraria paid to individuals.
Q: What do I do if have not been paid?
A: Contact the department for which you did the work directly.
Still Have Questions?
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VENDOR CENTER