University of Illinois System
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Vendor Setup

University Payables (UPAY) is responsible for establishing and maintaining vendor profiles in Banner. A permanent vendor setup is required before a purchase order or payment can be issued except in the following situations:

  • Refunds of any kind
  • Non-employee reimbursements
  • Payments to human subjects totaling less than $200.00 in a calendar year

A Vendor Information Form must be completed:

  • If the payment request does not meet the above criteria  
  • To add a vendor to Banner  
  • To update vendor information (i.e. address corrections, etc.) on existing vendor profiles.
    • Departments who are notified of a change within a Vendor should follow instructions listed under the Department Procedures accordion below to request changes to an existing Vendor ID.
  • It is the responsibility of campus units to look-up vendor identification numbers in Banner.
    • Find directions for this in the How to Access the Vendor Address Data in Banner accordion below.
  • If you do not have access to Banner, please contact your Unit Security Coordinator (USC) to request query access to Banner Finance forms.

Please see Adding a Banner Vendor to iBuy job aid if you need to add an existing vendor to the iBuy requisitioning system.

Department Procedure for Updating Vendor Information in Banner

It is important that vendor information in Banner is accurate and current:

  • If the Department is aware of a change in vendor's name, Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), or type (legal status such as limited partnership, corporation, or individual), follow the steps the steps below.
  • If the vendor address or contact information has changed, follow the steps below.

Follow the steps below to update a vendor ID in Banner

  1. Updating a vendor can be a complex process. Plan ahead to avoid delays.
  2. Find the Banner vendor number in Banner. For step-by-step instructions, consult the Banner Vendor ID and Address Query job aid.
  3. If you receive notice of an invalid or new vendor address, and the vendor ID has been updated within the past two years, please email documentation (invoice, quote, etc.) along with vendor name and Banner ID number to uivendor@uillinois.edu. If you do not have any documentation from the vendor, are requesting an address update for an individual, or requesting an update to a vendor whose ID has not been updated in over two years, a new Vendor Information Form will be required before their vendor record can be updated.
  4. When UPAY receives the email they:
    • Confirm that the new information applies to a current Banner vendor record.
    • Validate the TIN.
    • Confirm there is a Vendor Information form on file within the last 2 years.
    • Ensure the vendor is not listed on any of the required exclusion lists.
  5. UPAY updates the vendor in Banner on a first-in, first-out basis. Incomplete information will delay the process.
  6. Due to the confidentiality of tax identification numbers, documents containing this information, or banking information, should not be transmitted via email.
  7. To determine when a vendor address was last updated, check the Tax Form Status Date under the Additional Information tab on the Banner Vendor Maintenance Form (FTMVEND). This is the date the last Vendor Form was received. If this field is blank, it has been over three years since a new form has been received.
  8. Note: University Payables only handles updates to vendor addresses. To report invalid or undeliverable addresses for students, employees, account receivable entities, or grant agencies, please contact the appropriate OBFS unit.
  9. UPAY sends an email to the unit confirming the vendor has been updated in Banner.

Instructions for Completing the Vendor Information Form

The Vendor Set-up process must be initiated by a University of Illinois System department.

  • Download the most recent version of the smart Vendor Information Form. This form requires Adobe Acrobat Reader and will not work with some browsers' default built-in PDF viewers. Click link and choose 'Open With... Adobe Acrobat' or 'Save File' to save the form to your computer and open with Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  • The department must complete the information in the box labeled "UI Department Requesting Information" and email the form to the vendor for completion and signature. The department should not fill in any requested information outside of this box.
    • Please ensure the recipient is using Adobe Reader or Adobe for Mac version 9.0 or higher. If a vendor has difficulty opening the form then send them this link to instructions for updating their Adobe Reader:
      Acrobat, Acrobat Reader - Display PDF in browser Instructions. If the vendor has the appropriate version of Adobe Acrobat Reader and cannot open the form, instruct them to click the link and choose 'Open With... Adobe Acrobat' or save it to their computer and open directly in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  • Foreign Vendors must complete the Vendor Information Form and also complete and sign the appropriate W-8 form (embedded within the Vendor Information Form). This form requires Adobe Acrobat Reader and will not work with some browsers' default built-in PDF viewers. If the vendor cannot open the form in their browser, instruct them to click the link and choose 'Open With... Adobe Acrobat' or save it to their computer and open directly in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  • If a vendor does not have computer access to complete the smart Vendor Information Form, they may use the Paper Vendor Information Form. Smart forms will receive priority processing over other forms received.

Submission of Form by Vendor

The vendor may mail the completed and signed form to:

OBFS UPAY Vendor Maintenance Group

Illini Plaza Building Suite 210, MC-660
1817 South Neil Street
Champaign, IL 61820

The University of Illinois will not disclose the vendor's TIN without the vendor's consent to anyone outside the University except as mandated by law.

Questions regarding this process may be emailed to: uivendor@uillinois.edu.

Processing by UPAY

University Payables will perform the following functions before processing the form:

  • Ensure the form is complete and signed
  • Validate the tax identification number with the IRS database
  • Ensure the vendor is not listed on any excluded parties lists
  • Perform other actions deemed appropriate by State or University policy

Once validated, the information will be entered into Banner and a vendor number will be assigned and emailed to the requesting department.

Processing is handled on a first-in, first-out basis. Please view Payables Processing Status to see what date is currently being processed.

How to Report an Invalid Vendor Address

If you receive notice of an invalid or new vendor address, and the vendor ID has been updated within the past two years, please email documentation (invoice, quote, etc.) along with vendor name and Banner ID number to uivendor@uillinois.edu. If you do not have any documentation from the vendor, are requesting an address update for an individual, or requesting an update to a vendor whose ID has not been updated in over two years, a new Vendor Information Form will be required before their vendor record can be updated.

Due to the confidentiality of tax identification numbers, documents containing this information, or banking information, should not be transmitted via email.

To determine when a vendor address was last updated, check the Tax Form Status Date under the Additional Information tab on the Banner Vendor Maintenance Page (FTMVEND). This is the date the last Vendor Form was received. If this field is blank, it has been over three years since a new form has been received.

Note: University Payables only handles updates to vendor addresses. To report invalid or undeliverable addresses for students, employees, account receivable entities, or grant agencies, please contact the appropriate OBFS unit.

How to Access the Vendor Address Data in Banner

The following document provides information on how to use Banner to query vendor information (including addresses):

Who to Ask

If you have questions about vendor address updates, you may use any of the following contact methods:

Mailing Address:
Illini Plaza Building Suite 210, MC-660
1817 South Neil Street
Champaign, IL 61820