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Supplier / Miscellaneous Payees

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Supplier / Miscellaneous Payees

A miscellaneous payee is an individual requiring payment from Brown University who does not meet the requirements to become a supplier.

Miscellaneous payees are typically individuals who are not providing goods or services to the university.

Some examples of miscellaneous payees: visiting researcher/scholar, guest speakers, an individual who receives an honorarium, or an individual who receives reimbursement for visitor travel. Students receiving prizes, fellowships, or award payments would also be considered miscellaneous payees. All miscellaneous payees would usually be engaged with Brown University for limited durations.

Suppliers are typically businesses or individuals registered to do business with the university by providing goods or services, and they often require a purchase order if their payments exceed the threshold of $3,000.

Miscellaneous Payment Process

The miscellaneous payment process is a streamlined business process used to pay miscellaneous payees/individuals who are not suppliers. The process routes through all of Brown’s required approvals and is visible in University reporting.

Who Can Request a Miscellaneous Payment

Financial coordinators can initiate a miscellaneous payment on behalf of their department for a miscellaneous payee. Please use “Find Miscellaneous Payee” in Workday to confirm the payee is available for payment.

If the individual is not yet set up as a miscellaneous payee Financial Coordinators may set up a miscellaneous payee by completing the Supplier/Miscellaneous Payee Request process in Workday. The Supplier Management team will review the request and then send registration information to the individual to become a miscellaneous payee. The Financial Coordinator will be notified when the payee has been sent the registration information.

Please review “Find Miscellaneous Payee” to confirm the individual has completed the registration process to initiate payment.

Miscellaneous Payments Versus a Supplier Invoice Payment

The miscellaneous payment is used to issue prizes or awards to students or individuals, reimburse a visitor for travel expenditures or issue an honoraria or guest speaker payment.

If a payment is required for a current or new supplier, the supplier invoice process should be used.

Miscellaneous Payment FAQ

Please contact suppliermanagement@brown.edu for guidance on how to proceed.

No, all wage payments will continue to be paid through jobs for students or positions for staff, faculty, and postdocs at the university.

If the requested payment is to be issued to a company, such as an LLC, and not an individual, it should be processed as a supplier invoice payment and the company should provide an invoice.

Yes, in order to proceed with the accurate payment process.

No. A PSA represents a contract between the individual and/or company and Brown University. If a contract (i.e. PSA, contract or purchase order) is required, the individual will be paid as a supplier.

While we are transitioning to the miscellaneous payment process, it is possible for an individual who may have been classified as a supplier in the past to now be a miscellaneous payee. Also, it is possible for someone to be paid as a supplier now and then come back as a miscellaneous payee in the future and vice versa. That's why it is important to understand the type of payment to ensure you use the proper payment process. Since the process is new, there will be a transition period and times where we will need to come together to discuss where the payment belongs. Please contact suppliermanagement@brown.edu for guidance on how to proceed.

If the total amount to be paid (over $3,000) reaches the criteria to require a purchase order, this should be considered in how the payee should be set up. Total number of payments is not a determining factor; however, if Brown University engages the individual in an ongoing project, the engagement should be reviewed to determine payment according to the university's policies.

Many factors should be considered when issuing payment outside of the US. Please contact accounts_payable@brown.edu for guidance.

Payment Decision Tree

The payment decision tree is a tool used to help determine what process should be used for payment as we have many different ways to process payments at Brown University.

Payment Decision Tree