In this issue:

• PO Closure Initiative | BruinBuy Plus Form POs (Part 1)
• Irregular Invoices | Upcoming Resolution Deadline
• Invoice Submission | Best Practices
• Work Stoppage | Campus Delivery Impacts
• Next Week's Forecast | Office Hours & Other Important Events
• In Case You Missed It... | A Glance At Previous News

The PO Closure Initiative is dedicated to streamlining the PO closure process through enhanced system functionality, improved reporting, and expanded training materials.

To kick off this effort, we’re focusing on the stale PO backlog that has accumulated since BruinBuy Plus’ initial launch: Up next: BruinBuy Plus form POs.

Background

The timely closure of POs is critical to limiting overspending, maintaining accurate financial records, and ensuring efficient campus operations. At this time, only catalog and After-the-Fact (ATF) POs are automatically closed once exhausted (stay tuned for exciting updates to this process!).

Currently, there are approximately 80,000 BruinBuy Plus form POs* that 1) have not been invoiced against in at least three months AND 2) have a negative or $0 PO balance. 

*excludes subawards / subcontracts

PO Clean-Up

We want to make this clean-up process as easy as possible!

Given the high volume of POs in this category, this effort will be completed over several phases. Starting November 18, UCLA Campus Purchasing will begin to close Part 1 POs on your behalf.

All you need to do is: 

1. Review the BruinBuy Plus Form PO Clean-Up (Part 1) file (optional).

• Use the Summary tab to quickly view PO volume by organization and department.

• If your organization or department is not listed, you aren’t included in this round of clean-up.

  NOTE: Since these POs are fully exhausted AND haven’t been utilized in at least three months, your review is optional.

2. Request an exception (if needed).

• If you have a valid business justification for keeping a listed PO open, submit the PO Closure Exception form by end of day Monday, November 17 (exceptions are not guaranteed). 

• If your unit’s PO(s) are ready to be closed, no action is required.

  IMPORTANT: If a listed PO receives an invoice after this message is distributed, it will remain open until the invoice(s) has been paid. Exceptions don’t need to be submitted for these scenarios.

Irregular invoices with a hold date of October 13, 2025, through October 31, 2025, must be actioned by departments no later than Friday, November 14.

If the necessary department action(s) is not taken by this deadline, impacted invoices may be rejected or pushed to payment. Additional information on how unactioned invoices are centrally addressed can be found on the Irregular Invoice Resolution Calendar web page.

Need help? Join an upcoming office hour.

Once an invoice is submitted to UCLA, it is scanned by Digital Capture, an optical character recognition (OCR) tool that maps invoice information (e.g., invoice number) to the associated purchase order (PO).

Some invoice formats are easier for Digital Capture to read than others, so check out these best practices for expedited processing!

• Avoid handwritten PO numbers: BruinBuy Plus can’t read handwritten invoice details. If the PO number is missing or incorrect, ask the vendor to update the invoice directly versus writing it in yourself. Ideally, the typed PO number should match the font used throughout the invoice. Black font is preferred; neon and red are not supported.
• Keep formatting simple: Make sure the PO number matches what you see in BruinBuy Plus – no spaces or extra characters! It should also appear in its own invoice field separate from other information.  
• Remove file protections: Locked invoices can’t be read by the system. Remove any file password protections prior to submission.
• Submit one invoice: If you’re submitting an invoice on behalf of your vendor, double-check that it hasn’t already been submitted. Duplicate submissions delay processing.

Check out the Electronic Invoicing web page for a complete list of submission requirements.

Earlier today, Mail, Document & Distribution Services (MDDS) sent the below message to all UCLA employees:

UCLA Employee & Labor Relations has informed us that the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE), and California Nurses Association (CNA) are planning a work stoppage on Monday, November 17, and Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at all UC locations. This will likely affect delivery services, as drivers for companies like UPS, FedEx, and Amazon may choose not to cross picket lines. To mitigate any disruptions, we encourage all departments to implement their continuity plans and stock up on essential supplies immediately.

Complete details can be found in MDDS’ November 7 communication. 

Linde Gas Punchout

BruinBuy Plus now has a Linde Gas catalog! As one of UCLA’s highest volume vendors, this enhancement will streamline your order experience and expedite processing. 

Here’s what you need to know:

• The Linde Gas punchout is now the preferred method for placing orders. While you can still submit non-catalog orders via the Purchase Request form, the punchout ensures faster processing.
• Need an item added to the catalog? Reach out to KKen.OConnor@linde.com or Leonard.Sanchez@linde.com.
• There is no disruption to existing orders or services – this update only enhances future purchasing.

Upcoming System Maintenance 

To support monthly and quarterly system maintenance, BruinBuy Plus may be unavailable during the following periods: 

Please plan your transactions and activities accordingly. If you have any questions or experience issues, submit a ticket to our Service Desk.

TIP: Add BruinBuy Plus planned outage events to your calendar!

Recap Mailing List Form

Would one of your colleagues benefit from receiving the weekly BruinBuy Plus Recap? Have them complete our mailing list form!

NOTE: If you already receive the BruinBuy Plus Recap, no action is needed.

The BruinBuy Plus hub continues to be updated with new resources! For Service Desk support, create a ticket:

• Email: help@it.ucla.edu
• Phone: (310) 267-HELP (4357)
• ServiceNow Portal: tinyurl.com/bruinbuy-plus-support