Vendor Onboarding

External companies and individuals engaging with Columbia Law School must complete the vendor onboarding process to establish a vendor profile in Accounting & Reporting at Columbia (ARC), the University's financial system. This includes creating a PaymentWorks account and completing vendor registration to connect with Columbia University and become eligible for payment.

Note: This process does not apply to CU staff or students receiving reimbursements through Concur, or to honoraria and award/prize recipients receiving payments through Candex.

How It Works
  1. Onboarding Request — Upon receipt of a vendor onboarding request, the Business Office sends the vendor a PaymentWorks invitation.
  2. Registration & Review — The vendor submits their registration to Vendor Management, which reviews and works directly with the vendor to complete the process.
  3. Vendor Number Assigned — Once onboarding is complete, the vendor is assigned a vendor number in ARC, and the requestor is notified to proceed with the next steps.

After onboarding is complete and a vendor number has been assigned, ensure that any required prerequisites are in place before work begins or payment is requested:

Submitting Payment
  • For standard vendor payments, submit a payment request through the appropriate process.
  • For domestic guest reimbursements, submit an expense report, as applicable.

Vendor Profiles

​Vendors should complete their registration within 24 hours and respond promptly to any follow-up questions or correction requests from Vendor Management to prevent onboarding delays. For international guests, confirm payment eligibility by visa type before proceeding. Refer to the Allowable Payments by Visa Type chart for details.

Payment Categories
  • Goods and Services – Invoice payment issued to an individual or company for goods or services rendered, including reimbursements for event support or co-sponsorship.
  • Expense Reimbursement – Reimbursement of eligible expenses paid from personal funds by a Law School guest or outside individual.
  • Fellowship/Scholarship – Financial support for students or scholars to fund academic pursuits, research, or professional development.
  • Refund – Return of funds to an individual or entity due to overpayment, cancellation, or other credit adjustments.
  • LRAP – Loan Repayment Assistance Program for eligible participants, administered through the Office of Financial Aid.

Request Vendor Profile

Submit a request to [email protected] with the subject line: 
Vendor Onboarding: [Payee's Name]

  • Payee’s Name: Legal name of the individual or business.
  • Email Address: Email address of the payee completing the PaymentWorks process.
  • Payment Category: Select the appropriate payment category from the list above.
  • Business Purpose: Describe what the vendor will provide or do for your department.
  • On-Campus Status: Is the vendor coming on campus? (Y/N)
  • International Status: Indicate if payee is domestic or international. If international, provide the visa type to confirm payment eligibility
Payment Eligibility for Foreign Individuals

Payment eligibility for non-resident aliens is determined by immigration status, in accordance with tax and immigration regulations. Adhering to these regulations is essential. Please review the chart of Allowable Payments by Visa Type and verify the recipient's eligibility before extending an invitation or promising payment.

Vendors with legacy or inactive profiles must complete the PaymentWorks onboarding process as new vendors to restore active status. The same requirements apply to vendors who have never completed onboarding. If you're unsure whether a vendor is already registered or has an active profile, submit a vendor inquiry.

Once onboarding is complete, vendors are responsible for managing their own accounts, including updating banking and remittance information. Only the vendor can submit these changes through PaymentWorks, where updates are automatically routed to Vendor Management for review and approval.

Vendor Inquiry

Submit an inquiry to [email protected] with the subject line: 
Vendor Inquiry - [Payee's Name] and include the following details:

  • Payee’s Name: Legal name of the individual or business.
  • Email Address: Email address of the payee completing the PaymentWorks process.
  • Payment Category: Select the appropriate payment category from the list above.
  • Business Purpose: Describe what the vendor will provide or do for your department.
  • On-Campus Status: Is the vendor coming on campus? (Y/N)
  • International Status: Indicate if payee is domestic or international. If international, provide the visa type to confirm payment eligibility

To update and share a remittance address with Columbia University, vendors should log into their PaymentWorks account and navigate to the “My Payee Profile” section. Vendors can use this section to edit existing information, add new addresses, and select Columbia University as the customer with whom the updated remittance address should be shared. Vendors experiencing issues logging into their PaymentWorks account should contact PaymentWorks Support for assistance with regaining access.

Follow the instructions provided in the link below to help ensure that all required steps are completed, including the “Share Remittance Address” step. This is a critical part of the process, as it allows Central Vendor Management to receive the update request, review the submitted information, approve the change, or provide guidance on any additional steps needed: PaymentWorks Remittance Address Update and Share Instructions

To check the status of an update request, vendors should submit a ticket with the Finance Service Center or call +1 212-854-2122 for assistance from Central Vendor Management.

Important: If a vendor is not registered in PaymentWorks or is not linked to Columbia University, a vendor request must be submitted to send a PaymentWorks invitation. The vendor must complete the registration process and connect their account with Columbia University before updates can be processed.

Choose a vendor from the list of approved vendors licensed to use Columbia trademarks for promotional items: Approved Promotional Vendors

Promotional purchases requires a Purchase Order (PO) prior to commencing work and before invoices can be submitted to the Business Office for payment processing. The only exception applies to purchases under $2,500, which may be paid using a department P-Card without a PO, provided the vendor is listed as an approved promotional vendor.

The following vendors have already been vetted and approved by Columbia University. We strongly encourage you to choose from one of these vendors when organizing meetings and events: Pre-Approved Agreement Vendors