Financial Processes for Safekeeping Accounts

Step 1: Complete the Safekeeping Account Form. You will be asked for the group's sponsor, office contact and student representative's first and last names, myWSU IDs, phone numbers, email addresses, department and campus box number.

Note: The group's sponsor is the WSU faculty or staff advisor. The office contact may be the same person as the advisor, or may be another faculty or staff member. The student representative is the organization's treasurer.

Step 2: Submit the form in person to Accounts Receivable in Jardine Hall, Room 201, by mail to campus box 38, or email to wsuaccountsreceivable@wichita.edu.

Step 3: Accounts Receivable staff will create or update the account. This process can take up to three business days.

Step 4: The sponsor, office contact and student representative will be sent an email confirming that the account has been opened for use or has been updated as requested.

Note: If you would like a green locked deposit bag, please send a request to wsuaccountsreceivable@wichita.edu.

All money collected must be delivered to Accounts Receivable within one business day.

Note: Tax will be remitted on all payments to a Safekeeping Group.  Be sure to collect sales tax when cash is taken as a payment method.

Note: When a safekeeping group sells an item and makes money on the sale, then there is responsibility for complying with all applicable tax laws. Sales tax may be collected from the deposit and remitted to the State of Kansas. Payment tender (cash, check, credit and debit cards) is beside the point.

To make a deposit in person:

Step 1: If your group has been assigned a check stamp, please be sure all checks have been stamped on the back.

Step 2: Bring all cash and checks collected, along with a completed deposit form, to Accounts Receivable in Jardine Hall, Room 201. If you need help completing the deposit form, Accounts Receivable can assist you.

Step 3: Accounts Receivable will process the transaction and provide a receipt to the group. Allow two business days for the deposit to be credited to the group's account.

To make a deposit via campus mail:

Step 1: If your group has been assigned a check stamp, please be sure all checks have been stamped on the back.

Step 2: Place all cash and checks, along with a completed deposit form, in the green locking bank bag assigned to your group.

Step 3: Be sure the bank bag is locked and the label on the bag shows box 38.

Step 4: Drop the bag in the campus mail.

Step 5: Accounts Receivable will process the transaction and send a receipt back to the group with the green bag. Allow two business days for the deposit to be credited to the group's account.

Safekeeping groups have the opportunity to check out card readers for events to accept cash/checks, credit and debit card payments.

Note: Tax will be remitted on all payments to a Safekeeping Group.  Be sure to collect sales tax when cash is taken as a payment method.

Note: When a safekeeping group sells an item and makes money on the sale, then there is responsibility for complying with all applicable tax laws. Sales tax may be collected from the payment and remitted to the State of Kansas. Payment tender (cash, check, credit and debit cards) is beside the point.

There is also an online storefront option available for sales of products, event tickets, etc.  If you are interested in setting up an online storefront or using one of our payment options you can submit a ticket by visiting myWSU and going to the myFinances tab in the green box of Account Receivable links.  There you will find a link to Submit A Ticket (Access, CME, Marketplace, POS Issues).

A person or organization may wish to make a contribution to a safekeeping group to help fund the group's activities. Contributions should be deposited just like any other cash receipts (see the section above, Make a deposit into your safekeeping account), and are not subject to sales tax. Under no circumstances should a safekeeping group issue a receipt for tax purposes. Contributions are not tax-deductible.

Safekeeping groups are not nonprofits and cannot hold raffles, per state law. Safekeeping groups can hold prize drawings if they make it clear on the tickets and promotional materials that a contribution is requested but not required. Safekeeping groups may list a suggested contribution amount for tickets, but must not require people to pay to receive a ticket. This includes 50/50 drawings.

Ticket purchases for safekeeping groups' prize drawings are not tax-deductible for the purchaser.

Each winner of the drawing must complete a W-9, which should be returned to Accounts Receivable in Jardine Hall, room 201, or campus box 38. Completed W9 forms must be accompanied by information about the prize value.

References: Kansas Department of Revenue Raffle Amendment

Safekeeping groups may conduct silent auctions as fundraisers. Please contact Accounts Receivable for assistance prior to the event at wsuaccountsreceivable@wichita.edu.

Because safekeeping groups are not nonprofits, no part of silent auction purchases are tax-deductible for the purchaser.

Silent auction purchases are subject to sales tax on the value of the item sold. Amounts over and above the item value are considered a gift and are not subject to tax. Accounts Receivable can assist with calculating and remitting sales tax on silent auctions.

In addition to cash and checks, safekeeping groups can accept credit cards as payment for silent auction purchases. For more information on accepting credit cards, please see the section above on accepting credit card payments.

Note:  If your group is interested in making a donation to a non-profit organization, work directly with the non-profit, as well as use the non-profit organization’s resources to collect funds.

Safekeeping groups can request a cash box for fundraisers or events by completing and returning a Cash Box Request Form to Accounts Receivable.

Policies:

• Generally, WSU recommends that the request for a cash box does not exceed $150.00. If more than $150.00 is needed, an additional approval process will be required due to our cash limits.
• Accounts Receivable must be notified at least one business day prior to the event or fundraiser that a cash box is needed to ensure there is one available.
• All payments-cash, check, or credit cards, MUST be processed through the iPad with tax associated with each transaction. Please keep this in mind when making cash box requests.
• Any shortages must be made up by the organization.

Safekeeping groups are not nonprofit groups and are not exempt from paying sales tax on purchases of items for the group. No one, regardless of non-profit status, is exempt from collecting and remitting sales tax to the State of Kansas on the sale of tangible items (t-shirts, mugs, etc.) or event admissions. You must ensure that sales tax for your group's activities is collected and accounted for as required by WSU’s Office of Financial Operations & Business Technology.

If your group sells items for which sales tax should be charged, please coordinate with Accounts Receivable prior to the sale so that sales tax can be properly collected and remitted to the State of Kansas. There is no need for groups to remit their own sales tax.

When purchasing products to resell, we suggest using a Resale Exemption Certificate so that sales tax is only paid on the final part of the transaction (the purchase of the item by the end buyer).

Purchases for the group's use, not for resale, are subject to sales tax. For example, sales tax would be owed when ordering food from Chartwells or going bowling. If the invoice you receive does not include sales tax, ask for a new one that does include it. As part of the check request process, Accounts Receivable will verify that sales tax is correctly applied.

Contributions to safekeeping groups are not subject to sales tax. Please note that contributions are not tax-deductible for the giver, as safekeeping groups are not nonprofit organizations. For more information on contributions, please see the section above on accepting contributions.

For more information on sales tax, please review our page on Reporting and Remitting Sales Tax.

Your group may wish to make a purchase with safekeeping funds, reimburse a member for something paid on behalf of the group, or pay independent contractors or artists. A completed W-9 or W-8 BEN form is required for all new Payee/Vendors and for all income related requests.  This includes, but is not limited to, independent contractors, artists, etc.  Form W-9 is used to prepare a range of various informational returns to the IRS.  The most common situation occurs when an artist receives payments.   If that artist receives more than $600 in a calendar year, they are required to be sent a Form 1099-MISC and self-report their own taxes.  Failure to submit a W-9 will result in not receiving payment.

Step 1: Get a check request form, unless your organization is paying a WSU department or another safekeeping group. In that case, instead use the transfer to/from a safekeeping account form. You may also use a prepaid Visa card to make purchases with group funds, rather than using personal funds and requesting reimbursement.

Step 2: Complete the form by filling the information required. You may wish to refer to these detailed instructions on how to complete the check request form. If you need assistance, please visit Accounts Receivable in Jardine Hall, Room 201.

Step 3: Submit the completed form to Accounts Receivable, Jardine Hall, Room 201 with all documentation. The check request and documentation can also be sent in campus mail to box 38. Please allow 3-4 days for Accounts Receivable to process check requests.

Step 4: Receive your payment.

• If the person receiving the funds is a student and is current with their account in the current semester, the funds will go to the student. It will not reduce the student's bill. If the student has direct deposit, the refund will be automatically deposited in 3-5 business days. If the student does not have direct deposit, a check will be mailed to the local address on the student's account. This process can take 7-10 business days.
• If the person receiving the funds is a student and is not current with their account in the current semester, the amount of the check request will be applied to the student's outstanding bill.
• If the funds are going to a business, the check will be sent to the campus box listed on the check request form.
• If the funds are going to a WSU department or another safekeeping group, the transfer will be processed by Accounts Receivable and no further action is required.

When a gift card is awarded by a safekeeping group, the recipient is required to sign a W-9. Gift cards are taxable to the recipient.

For a reimbursement to be processed, the purchaser must fill out the check request form and it must be accompanied by the gift card receipt and the W-9 filled out by the recipient.

For a prepaid Visa card reimbursement to be processed, the documentation must include the gift card receipt and the W-9 filled out by the recipient.

Note: Gifts and prizes that total $600 or more during a calendar year must be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and may be taxable to the recipient (including students).

Step 1: Get a check request form. Alternatively, you may avoid the need for a cash advance by using a prepaid Visa card.

Step 2: Complete the form by filling the information required. If needed, see more information on how to complete the form. If you need assistance, please visit Accounts Receivable in Jardine Hall, Room 201.

Step 3: Submit the completed form to Accounts Receivable, Jardine Hall, Room 201 with all documentation (invoices, estimates, etc.). The check request and supporting documentation can also be sent in campus mail to box 38. Please allow 3-4 days for Accounts Receivable to process check requests.

Step 4: Receive your payment.

Step 5: Once the event, travel or other activity you received the cash advance for is complete and receipts are available, bring them to Accounts Receivable, Jardine Hall, Room 201 or send them to campus mail box 38 with a note stating that they are for a cash advance.

Step 6: If the total amount of funds requested was not used in full, you are responsible for depositing the remaining funds back in your safekeeping account. (For more information on deposits, see the section above, Make a deposit into your safekeeping account.) If the cash advance requested was not enough to cover all the expenses, submit an additional check request for the difference.

The group's sponsor/budget officer and office contact have access to the group's financial information in Reporting Services. If you are a sponsor/budget officer or office contact, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Log into your myWSU Portal.

Step 2: In the Quick Links Channel, click on Banner Reporting Services.

Step 3: Select the Organizational Financial Report for your group's fund and organization to view your group's cash balance.

Step 1: If there is a balance in the account, complete the Safekeeping Check Request Form to withdraw the funds. More detailed instructions on how to complete the form are available. Mail the completed form to box 38 or hand-deliver to Accounts Receivable in Jardine Hall, Room 201. If there is no balance, proceed to Step 2.

Step 2: Email wsuaccountsreceivable@wichita.edu to request the account be closed. Be sure to include the fund and org (organization) in the email.

Step 3: Return green bags or other items such as a check endorsement stamp to Jardine Hall, Room 201.

 Step 1: Get a prepaid Visa card request form. See more information on the prepaid Visa program and frequently asked questions here.

Step 2: Complete the form. If you need assistance, please visit Accounts Receivable in Jardine Hall, Room 201.

Step 3: Submit the completed form to Accounts Receivable, Jardine Hall, Room 201 or mail to campus box 38. Please allow 3-4 days for Accounts Receivable to process requests.

Step 4: Pick up your card from Accounts Receivable, Jardine Hall, Room 201.

Step 5: Once the purchase, event, travel or other activity you received the prepaid Visa card for is complete and receipts are available, bring the card and receipts to Accounts Receivable, Jardine Hall, Room 201 within 2 business days.

Step 6: If the total amount of funds requested was not used in full, remaining funds will be transferred back to your group’s safekeeping account. 

Accounts Receivable has developed extensive training tutorials that can benefit those individuals responsible for Safekeeping Accounts. To access available courses or sign up for training, please visit Road to Success located on the myFinances tab of the myWSU portal in the green box.