CU Marketplace Tips and Best Practices
Policy, Training & Related Pages
This page offers guidance and tips for navigating and using the CU Marketplace at Columbia.
Document Tracking & Communication
Navigate to the Orders dashboard to view your Carts, Requisitions, Purchase Orders, and Vouchers. You can also view Action Items requiring your attention.
Use the Quick Search field at the top of the CU Marketplace screen to find documents related to Carts, Requisitions, Purchase Orders, and Vouchers. In addition, you can also search for registered Suppliers.
Use Reporting Tools to search and filter lists of documents based on your criteria.
Find Draft Vouchers using the Navigation Menu on the left side.
Training Guide: Searching for Documents and Running Reports in the CU Marketplace
Quick Guide: CU Marketplace Document Search
CU Marketplace Pro Tip: Use the New Search Mode on the Contracts Page
After you submit a Requisition or Voucher into workflow for approval, you can add a Comment that can be emailed to selected Approvers in order let them know you have a document awaiting approval or to request the document be returned to you for editing. In addition, when Approvers return documents to you for more information, you can view their comments and respond to their requests before resubmitting the document again.
CU Marketplace Tip: Use Comments to Notify and Communicate with Approvers
Check to see if any errors or messages are associated with your returned or rejected transaction. This will help you understand the status of your document. The History tab shows workflow progress, approvals, and any error messages for your requests or vouchers.
CU Marketplace Tip: How to Know When Your Requisition Received Departmental Approval
Processing Requisitions
Check if a supplier is Open for Ordering before submitting a Goods & Services Request Form.
To check, click the supplier name, click the link listed next to Website to go to an ARC page. If Open for Ordering is not checked you must onboard the supplier in PaymentWorks before submitting a Purchase Order.
If you attempt direct entry of Non-Catalog Requisitions without using the form they will be rejected by Central Purchasing and you will have to enter it again.
Job Aid: Creating a Non-Catalog Requisition in the CU Marketplace
You do not need to reach out to the Service Center or Purchasing. Create a Comment to request that the Requisition be returned by the Approver.
CU Marketplace Tip: Use Comments to Notify and Communicate with Approvers
CU Marketplace Tip: Approvers, Return Documents to Initiators for Edits Instead of Rejecting
Job Aid: Editing Non-Catalog Carts and Requisitions in the CU Marketplace
Instructions for closing POs are available in the Quick Guide.
DO NOT click the Add and Go to Cart button on the Review and Submit page because the items in the form will be duplicated in your cart.
Job Aid: Editing Non-Catalog Carts and Requisitions in the CU Marketplace
Requisitions with system validation errors must be returned to the Initiator. Create a Comment to request that the Approver return the Requisition to the Initiator.
Create a Comment to request that the Approver return the Requisition to the Initiator so they can make edits.
Voucher & Invoice Processing
The Accounting Date field should always be populated with the date you create the voucher. The Invoice Date field defaults to today’s date. However, you must update it to match the date listed on the actual invoice, even if it is today’s date.
If you select the Expedite option for your Voucher, you must enter a Justification. If the Justification field is blank, the Voucher will generate a validation error.
Navigate to the Payment tab in the Voucher to view payment status, method, and date.
Vouchers with system validation errors must be returned to the Initiator. Create a Comment to request that the Approver return the Voucher to the Initiator (Invoiced By).
CU Marketplace Tip: Use Comments to Notify and Communicate with Approvers
To make edits to a Voucher in approval workflow, create a Comment to request that the Approver return the Voucher to the Initiator (Invoiced By).
CU Marketplace Tip: Use Comments to Notify and Communicate with Approvers
You do not need to reach out to the Service Center or Purchasing to return something to you. The approver should always return the voucher to the “Invoiced By” individual rather than the “Voucher Owner.”
CU Marketplace Tip: Use Comments to Notify and Communicate with Approvers
Processing Change Requests
Change Requests are only allowed for Non-Catalog and only those POs that were created after July 1, 2025. No converted POs from ARC can be changed—they must be recreated.
Training Guide: Submitting Change Requests for Non-Catalog Purchase Orders
The voucher warning message reads as follows: "Take action and proceed. Unit Price is outside the allowed tolerance. Extended Price is outside the allowed tolerance."
You must first do a Change Request on the PO so that it matches the invoice associated with the voucher request.
Training Guide: Submitting Change Requests for Non-Catalog Purchase Orders