Skip to content
Intranet

Finance and Administration Office

The Finance and Administration Office (FAO) supports College of Built Environments departments, units, programs, faculty, staff, and students with financial and administrative services.  Our teams coordinate transactions, operational support, and interdependent processes while ensuring consistent service and compliance with College and University requirements.

Explore the financial and administrative support available through FAO.

Financial Support

Administrative Support
Purchasing Goods and Services Course and Instructional Support
Reimbursements and Payments Meetings and Events
Travel Approval and Expenses Professional Advisory Committee Support
ProCard Administration Student Assistant Support
Service Agreements and Customer Billing Facilities Request Coordination
Budget and Payroll Questions General Administrative Coordination
Sponsored Award Support

Administrative requests should be sent to be-admin@uw.edu.

Use the UW Connect Finance Portal to submit most financial requests.  You must be logged in with your UW NetID to see the available forms.

When submitting a request:

  • Select the form that best matches the transaction.
  • Explain the business purpose and requested action.
  • Include the funding source or Worktags.
  • Attach itemized receipts, approvals, and other supporting documents.
  • Track updates and respond to questions through My Requests.

If you are unsure which form to use, submit a General Finance Help Request or email be-finance@uw.edu.

NOTE:  CBE requires itemized receipts for all transactions, regardless of amount.  The only routine exception is an employee’s own meal per diem, which is an allowance rather than reimbursement of an actual meal purchase.

Administrative Support

The CBE Administrative Team, also known as the “A Team”, provides coordinated administrative and operational support across the College.  A common request process allows work to be prioritized, assigned, and covered across the team.

Send requests to be-admin@uw.edu.  Requests submitted by email create a UW Connect ticket that can be tracked through My Requests.

Administrative Support

Administrative support may include:

  • Course materials and copying
  • Room and scheduling coordination
  • Guest speaker arrangements
  • Course related purchasing and payment coordination
  • Canvas or instructional logistics that require administrative assistance
  • Coordination of approved student support

Include the course number, quarter, requested completion date, and a clear description of the support needed.

Administrative support may include:

  • Meeting scheduling and room reservations
  • Invitations and attendance tracking
  • Catering and purchasing coordination
  • Event materials and preparation
  • Guest and vendor coordination
  • Event logistics
  • Payment and reimbursement documentation

Submit requests as early as possible. Include the date, location, expected attendance, business purpose, funding source, and requested support.

Administrative support for Professional Advisory Committees may include:

  • Meeting scheduling
  • Room or virtual meeting coordination
  • Invitations and attendance tracking
  • Agenda and material preparation
  • Catering and event logistics
  • Payment and reimbursement documentation

The faculty lead, chair, or program director remains responsible for committee leadership, meeting content, and decisions.  Refer to the CBE Professional Advisory Committee Support Guide for the responsibilities of the requester, Administration Team, and committee leadership.

Student assistants may be available for appropriate administrative and operational assignments.  Requests are reviewed and prioritized by the Administration Team in coordination with Facilities.

The employee requesting support should submit the request before assigning work directly to a student. Include the task, requested completion date, estimated time, required access, and the supervisor who will provide instructions and review the work.

Administrative support may include coordinating:

  • Building access
  • Repairs and maintenance
  • Furniture and space needs
  • Moves and office changes
  • Signage
  • Surplus property
  • Building related event needs

Include the building, room number, issue, requested timing, and photographs when helpful.  Emergencies and immediate safety concerns should be reported through the appropriate University emergency channel.

Use be-admin@uw.edu for administrative support that does not fit another category. Include the requested action, purpose, desired completion date, and relevant documents or approvals.

Financial Support

The CBE Finance Team provides coordinated support for purchasing, reimbursements, travel, payments, service agreements, budgeting, and related financial processes across the College. A common request process helps ensure transactions are properly documented, routed, and completed in accordance with College and University requirements.

Submit financial requests through the UW Connect Finance Portal whenever a transaction specific form is available. For general assistance, submit a General Finance Help Request or email be-finance@uw.edu. Requests can be tracked through My Requests.

Expense Submission Deadlines

Submit expenses as soon as possible so there is enough time to review, correct, approve, and process the request.

UW 60-Day Reimbursement Rule

Effective July 6, 2026, employee expenses must be submitted within 60 days.  The period begins on the purchase date for a non-travel expense and the travel end date for a travel expense.  A reimbursement submitted after 60 days may be treated as taxable income and processed through payroll with applicable taxes withheld.

Review the UW taxable reimbursement guidance for details and allowable exceptions.

CBE 90-Day Maximum

CBE reimbursement requests must be submitted no later than 90 days after the purchase date or travel end date.  Requests received after 90 days will not be routed for payment unless a documented exception is approved.  Expenses from a prior fiscal year are not eligible for the one time exception.

If an exception may be warranted, obtain the required Dean’s approval and attach the approval email as a PDF to the UW Connect request.

Grant and sponsored research expenses must also comply with sponsor requirements and award dates.  Delayed submissions may jeopardize allowability or available funding.

Additional financial guidance and request information are organized by topic below.

Financial Support

Review the University’s Procurement Services Quick Guide before committing funds. It covers buying methods, sourcing, sole source purchases, contracts, and unauthorized purchases.

Before making a purchase:

  1. Confirm the business need and available funding.
  2. Submit the purchase request or obtain approval to use a ProCard.
  3. Allow Finance to determine the appropriate purchasing and payment method.
  4. Do not sign a vendor contract, accept online terms on behalf of UW, or direct a vendor to begin work before authorization is complete.

UW Procurement must sign purchasing contracts. Faculty, staff, chairs, directors, and the Dean do not have delegated signature authority for these agreements.

Common purchasing requests:

Finance will determine whether the transaction should use a catalog order, ProCard, noncatalog requisition, supplier invoice, or miscellaneous payment.

Faculty and staff with an ongoing business need may be eligible for a UW Procurement Card, also known as a ProCard.  CBE FAO determines eligibility and manages card issuance, account changes, compliance oversight, and closure.

A ProCard may be used only for authorized UW business purchases.  Cardholders must follow all purchasing, receipt, documentation, and reconciliation requirements.

See the CBE Procurement Card Roles and Responsibilities for cardholder and administrative expectations.

Obtain approval before committing funds or making travel arrangements.  Review the UW Travel policies for current requirements.

  1. Complete the CBE Travel Approval Request Form.
  2. Obtain approval from the appropriate reviewer:
    • Chairs: Dean
    • Faculty: Department Chair
    • Research Staff: Unit Manager
    • Staff and Student Employees: Supervisor
  3. Initiate or request a Spend Authorization in Workday and attach the approved travel form.
  4. Book travel using allowable methods and retain itineraries, itemized receipts, proof of payment, and records of changes or cancellations.
  5. Submit expenses promptly after travel and within the applicable 60-day and 90-day deadlines.

Prepaid expenses such as registration, airfare, and prepaid lodging may be submitted before travel.

Use the Travel Spend Authorization and Reimbursement Request for assistance.

Expense Reports are used to reimburse UW employees (faculty, staff and student employees) for allowable travel and non-travel expenses paid on behalf of UW.

CBE requires itemized receipts for all transactions, regardless of amount.  An employee claiming their own meal per diem does not need a meal receipt because per diem is an allowance.

Frequent travelers and employees who support travelers should review training available through UW Travel Services.

Miscellaneous Payments may be used to reimburse or make certain one-time payments to individuals who are not UW employees. Examples include honoraria, awards, prizes, royalties, research subject payments, scholarships, and allowable travel reimbursement.

Submit a Nonemployee Payment Request.

If payment will be made to a company or other entity, it must be established and paid as a UW supplier. Contact be-finance@uw.edu for assistance.

Foreign national payments may require additional tax, immigration, and payment documents.  Contact Finance before inviting the individual or promising payment.  Honoraria cannot be paid in advance and cannot be used for teaching or instruction.

Do not attach Social Security numbers, passport numbers, banking information, or completed tax forms to a Workday business process or ordinary email thread.  Advise the payee to send required tax and banking documents directly to be-finance@uw.edu.

A Service Agreement is used when CBE faculty or staff provide defined services to an external customer outside a sponsored program. Examples include testing, training, program evaluation, conference hosting, consultation, field work, presentations, and technical assistance.

Review the CBE Service Agreements Policy. If you are unsure whether the activity is a sponsored program or a service, use the University’s Sponsored Program or Service guidance.

Complete and include all applicable documents:

Send the completed package to be-finance@uw.edu as soon as the project is contemplated. Work should not begin until the agreement is reviewed, approved, and fully executed.

Contact Finance for assistance with College and unit budgets, Worktags, financial reports, payroll costing questions, and transaction review.

Include the applicable employee, unit, award, Worktags, reporting period, and requested action. Do not include sensitive employee information unless Finance provides secure submission instructions.

Useful Payment and Purchase Forms

To request additional help that cannot be fulfilled by any other transaction-specific request forms, please go to the UW Connect Finance Forms page: General Finance Help Request (login is required)

Campus Wide Resources