Acquisitions Department

FIRM ORDERS ORDERING PROCEDURES

Introduction

Handling purchase orders is among the most important jobs in the department. Alertness and attention to detail is required of all persons in the department's order division to avoid unnecessary duplication of holdings, to ensure that what is ordered is truly that which is desired, and to be certain that the financial records are clear and accurate. It is the responsibility of the Department Head to screen all request cards for accurate searching, to check the prices and financial requirements, and to select the most appropriate source of supply. To fulfill these responsibilities the following procedures have been instituted.

Initiating New Orders

1. The Department Head removes request cards from the file of "searched" cards and "revises" them to be sure that:
1. The exact or a comparable work is not already available in the library holdings.
2. All the information required for ordering the book is available.
1. If price or availability is in question then a phone, FAX, e-mail or mail inquiry will be made.
2. If the item is out-of-print, then the request card is marked "O.P." and placed in a designated file. At the beginning of each month the items in this "out-of-print" file are reviewed to see if an O.P. search should be instituted; if not the requests are returned to the requesting department.
3. A thorough search has been made to locate Library of Congress cataloging copy.
2. Any additional searching that is necessary is done at this time.
3. If much time has elapsed since the request cards were initially searched, then they should be re-checked in the online catalog.
4. Requests designated "rush," "rush order," or "notify" will be handled quickly according to the stated departmental policy.
5. When all searching has been reviewed then the request cards are sorted according to the most appropriate vendors:
1. U.S. direct orders
2. U.S. publishers selected for direct orders
3. U.S. jobbers, general
4. U.S. jobbers, specialized
1. University presses
2. Small presses and associations
3. Reprint
4. Juvenile
5. Science and technical
5. U.S. government or U.N. publications
6. Foreign direct orders
7. Foreign jobbers
8. Orders requiring prepayment
6. As groups of orders are prepared for the Clerical Assistant:
1. They are banded together by vendor with a "P.O. Instruction Form" (blue).
2. If the vendor is not in the departmental supplier/vendor file it is written on the form for the designated library assistant to enter in the supplier/vendor file.
3. When more than one order is to be sent to a vendor, the request cards should be arranged alphabetically by title.
7. The Clerical Assistant alters the request card to become the "vendor card" by:
1. Erasing, applying correction fluid, or placing a white self-adhesive label over any writing in the upper left corner.
2. Typing the vendor's name in the upper left corner, utilizing the established "vendor ID".
3. Write below the vendor's name the purchase order number.
4. Stamping between the vendors name and the purchase order number the date on which the orders are prepared.
5. Noting any special procedures.
1. Pro-forma invoice on hand
1. Purchase order:
1. Prepaid: Y
2. Library note: PRO-FORMA INVOICE
2. Material on hand, no invoice
1. Purchase order:
1. Memo: MATERIAL ON HAND: SUPPLY INVOICE ONLY
2. Vendor card: give with material to Materials Receipt Assistant [FO] to place on "HOLD" shelf
3. Material and invoice on hand
1. Purchase order:
1. Prepaid: Y
2. Library note: MATERIAL & INVOICE ON HAND; DO NOT MAIL P.O.
3. Date rec: Same as order date
2. Vender card: clip to invoice; give with material to Materials Receipt Assistant [FO]
4. University Bookstore: material on hand
1. Purchase order:
1. Prepaid: Y (U of M Transfer Voucher should accompany material)
2. Library note: MATERIAL ON HAND; DO NOT MAIL P.O.
3. Date rec: same as order date
2. Vender card: clip to Transfer Voucher; give with material to Materials Receipt Assistant [FO]
5. Supplementary obligation
1. Purchase order:
1. Library note: SUPPL. OBL. TO P.O.#______;DO NOT MAIL P.O.
2. Vendor card & any correspondence: give to Materials Receipt Assistant [FO] to file
6. Untitled collection of material on hand; no invoice
1. Purchase order:
1. Library note: MATERIAL ON HAND: SUPPLY INVOICE ONLY
2. Vendor card: place in material; give to Materials Receipt Assistant [FO] to place on "HOLD" shelf
7. Untitled collection of material & invoice on hand
1. Purchase order:
1. Prepaid: Y
2. Library note: MATERIAL & INVOICE ON HAND: DO NOT MAIL P.O.
3. Date rec: same as order date
2. Vendor card: clip to invoice; give with material to Materials Receipt Assistant [FO]
8. Videocassette license renewal
1. Purchase order:
1. Title: after title add: LICENSE RENEWAL, MO/DAY/YR to MO/DAY/YR
2. Supplier note: MATERIAL ON HAND: SUPPLY INVOICE ONLY
2. Vendor card: Pencil on card: Clear files on receipt of invoice
9. Confirming order to O.P. vendor
1. Purchase order:
1. Supplier note: CONFIRMING ORDER FOR QUOTATION OF MO/DAY/YR
2. Vendor card: Pencil on card: Confirming order for quotation of mo/day/yr
10. Microforms order to be paid from 8550
1. Log in: No (if logged in, fill out LOG BOOK CHANGE FORM to subtract $)
2. Purchase order:
1. Format: mfm (microfilm), mfc (microfiche), etc. as appropriate
2. Cat. for: six digit identifier, e.g. 011401 (Microforms Stks)
11. Software/CD-ROM/site license ordered by Purchasing Dept.
1. Purchase order:
1. Format: com (computer file), cdm (CD-ROM), etc. as appropriate
2. Cat. for: dept. that will house material, e.g. 010201 (REF)
3. Library note: ORDERED BY U of M PURCHASING DEPT.
4. Supplier note: Add all items expected, e.g. [1 CD-ROM disk, 1 diskette, + manual; or site license]
2. Vendor card: write in red caps: ORDERED BY U of M PURCHASING DEPT
3. Prepare 8-1/2" x 11 memo with from Head, Acquisitions to Associate Dean of Libraries: "Please prepare an U of M Purchase Requistion for the title on our attached purchase order. Also attached are other pertinent documents, e.g. price quotation, license agreement."
4. Write P.O.# and order date on copy of memo.
8. Clerical Assistant enters information into DRA system.
9. Acquisitions Assistant proofreads entries and makes corrections.
1. Log onto VAX (Name and Password)
2. Select D <RETURN> (DRA)
3. Select A <RETURN> (Acquisitions)
4. Select O <RETURN> (Ordering)
5. Select F <RETURN> (Find Order)
6. Select 1 (Find order by P.O. No.) <RETURN><RETURN> (To see list of P.O. numbers)
Enter P.O. Number
7. Enter SO (Sort multiple Orders) or PO (one Purchase Order)
8. Check entry against numbered list
9. Enter record number to see Order Record
10. Enter E to edit fields if needed
11. Enter F <RETURN> to see Fund Record
12. Enter P <RETURN> to return to list
13. When list finished; Exit <F10>
10. Sending the purchase orders:
1. Clerical Assistant:
1. Blue P.O. Instruction Form indicates which method the P.O. is to be sent to vendor, by circling the order method;
2. Places a long check by method ordered, date and initial when sent;
3. After the reports are prepared and posted, places the vendor cards and obligation forms in the IN basket of the Materials Receipt Assistant [FO] for filing in the vendor file;
4. Places the orders on the desk of the Department Head.
2. Department Head:
1. Checks the order to be sure the forms are going to the correct vendors; and
2. Sends order.

Send questions/comments/suggestions to Foster Bunday Acquisitions Department | The University of Memphis | University Libraries 126 Ned R. McWherter Library | Memphis, TN 38152-3250 Phone: (901) 678-2203 | Fax: (901) 678-8218