Amazon Business Procedure

Amazon Business Account Registration Process

For staff and faculty members with Purchasing Authority who would like access to the Amazon Business account, there are two ways in which you can be invited:

  1. Ask your supervisor for an invitation

  2. Reach out directly to Finance (amazonbusiness@spu.edu)

Once you have received an invitation through your SPU email, click the orange "Join Amazon Business" button to enter the account. If you have already used your SPU email for a personal Amazon account, then follow the steps in this Registration Roadmap to transfer your personal account to a different email address. Once you complete these steps, you will be automatically sorted into your department's Amazon group.


How to Access the Account

There are two primary ways to access the account:

  1. Go to spu.edu and follow these steps:

    1. Click “mySPU” at the top right of the screen

    2. Click on the “Faculty & Staff” tab

    3. Scroll down until you reach the “Administrative Tools” section

    4. Click on “Amazon Business”

  2. Click on the link at the top of the Amazon Business homepage


How to Place an Order

Once you have selected an item and placed it in your cart, click on your cart and proceed to checkout. Once you arrive at checkout, you must complete the following steps:

  1. Select your department (e.g., Athletics)

  2. Complete the Business Order Information (Follow the red text below for further guidance)

  1. Choose a Shipping Address

image-20240216-063925.png
  1. Choose a Payment Method

  1. Review Items and Shipping


How to Approve an Order

When a requisitioner in your group who does not have Purchasing Authority places an order, you may be required to approve the order. Approval requests are sent from Amazon.com via email, and require a simple click of a button to confirm.

Here are the two approval scenarios:


How to Receive an Order

If you follow the How to Place an Order guide, then your orders will be delivered to Falcon’s post. Please reach out to Mailing Services if your order is not delivered within two days of the expected delivery date.


Accounting for Purchases

Finance will record fulfilled Amazon transactions as a part of its Month-End processes.


How to Resolve a Dispute

Reach out to amazonbusiness@spu.edu for assistance.


How to Return an Order

SPU does not process on-campus Amazon returns at this time. For the time being, all Amazon returns must be delivered to an Amazon Dropoff or UPS location. In order to return an order, you must complete the following steps:

  1. Click on “Your Orders” under Account Details

  1. Select “Your Orders - Paid By Seattle Pacific University”

  1. Click on “Return or Replace Items”

 

  1. Select the item you want to return, respond to the adjacent prompts, and click “Continue”

  1. Select “Refund to your original payment method” and then click “Continue”

  1. Select one of the listed drop off methods

Here is a link to find a UPS store near you: https://theupsstore.com/tools/find-a-store

Here is a list of nearby Amazon Dropoff locations near SPU:

  1. Click the yellow “Confirm your return” button


Refunds

Fulfilled Amazon invoices and credits are posted to department accounts on a monthly-basis. Finance will record any refunds as a part of its Month-End processes.


How to Place a Furniture Order

All furniture purchases must be reviewed and approved by the Facilities department. If you encounter the following error message, then please complete the following steps:

  1. Email workcontrol@spu.edu and include the following information:

    1. The product that you wish to purchase

    2. The Fund/Org/Account codes that the purchase should be charged to

    3. The business purpose of the purchase

    4. Whether or not the purchase uses grant funds

  2. Once Facilities has reviewed and approved your purchase, they will place it on your behalf and deliver the product to you


How to Place a Computer-Related Order

All computer or computer-related purchases must be reviewed and approved by the CIS department. If you encounter the following error message, then please complete the following steps:

  1. Place the order as you normally would with the following information:

    1. The product that you wish to purchase

    2. The Fund/Org/Account codes that the purchase should be charged to

    3. The business purpose of the purchase

    4. Whether or not the purchase uses grant funds

  2. Your order will be “locked” for approval by a member of the CIS department. Once your order has been reviewed and approved, you will receive an email notification informing you that your order has been placed.


Reports & Business Analytics

Business Analytics is a tool that gives our faculty and staff the ability to create and download reporting on any purchasing inquiries.

Account Admins are required to review their department’s expenditures on a monthly basis.

Here is a step-by-step process for building a basic order history report:

  1. Select “Business Analytics” under the account details listing

  1. Click on “Orders” under the Reports tab

  1. Click on “Organization Specific Info” under “Adjust Columns”

    1. This step ensures that the SPU-unique accounting information is included in your report. Here is a key for the custom fields under Organization Specific Info:

Amazon Business Organization Specific Info Key

Custom Field 1

Fund

Custom Field 2

Org

Custom Field 3

Account

Custom Field 4

Activity Code

Custom Field 5

Business Purpose

Custom Field 6

Is this a Grant Purchase (Yes / No)

 

  1. Select the time range of your report under the “Time Period” field

  2. Press the orange “Generate Report” button to download your report to excel

For other questions related to Business Analytics, please consult this Business Analytics guide or contact Finance.


Student Purchases

Students are not allowed to join the Amazon Business account or make purchases on behalf of a faculty or staff member. If you have a student who needs to make an Amazon purchase with SPU funds (i.e., Resident Advisor or ASSP club member), then Finance requests that you use the “list” function to ensure that all purchases are ultimately approved and completed by a staff or faulty member with purchasing authority.

How to Create a List (For Students)

Here is a step-by-step process for students who wish to create a list:

  1. Hover over your name and select “Create a List”

  1. Click on the yellow “Create a List” button

  1. Name your list

    1. Example: Finance Office Supplies

Once you have created your list, you will be directed to this screen. After this process is completed, you can begin adding items to your list.

  1. Add items to your list

    1. Your lists will appear underneath the far right column (the bottom right corner of the image below)

  1. Once you add an item to your list, you will be prompted to view your list or continue shopping. Once your list is complete, click “view your list”

  1. Invite your supervisor to your list

    1. Once you have created your list, you can send the list to your supervisor by clicking on “view and edit”

  1. Click on the yellow “Create your profile” button

  1. Click the yellow “submit” button

  1. Return to your published list

  1. Click on “Copy Link”

    1. At this step, you can copy a published link and send it to your supervisor.

How to Approve a List (For Faculty/Staff)

Here is a step-by-step process for faculty or staff member who receives a list from a student:

  1. Open email invitation link

  2. Click the yellow “Accept and join the list” button

  1. Click the yellow “Add all to Cart” button

  1. Click the yellow “Proceed to Checkout” button

  1. Complete the “How to Place an Order” steps (See table of contents)

For other questions related to Student orders, please contact Finance (amazonbusiness@spu.edu).