Frequently Asked Questions
Procurement: Routine Ordering
General
If FMS automatically logs me out, what will happen to my requisition if I didn't save it?
Can items in iProcurement be charged to a principal’s American Express account?
Can reading specialists order through FMS?
What is the process for purchasing magazine subscriptions in iProcurement?
Will requisitions from this current year be archived and available in the future?
Can I use multiple accounts as funding for a single item?
OfficeMax Orders
Where is the OfficeMax catalog located in the shopping area?
Do items requisitioned from OfficeMax need to be received in iProcurement?
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Order Items
Is there an online catalog for teachers to know what is available to order?
What do I do if I cannot find a textbook in iProcurement that I want to order?
Purchase Approval
What is the process for purchasing books that MCPS has not yet approved?
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Shipping and Delivery
Are shipping rates displayed on the requisition?
Is there a delivery date for when requisitioned items will arrive from the warehouse?
Do we still have WOW deliveries? If so, should the need by date be noted when placing the order?
Vendor Orders
Should items for different vendors be on the same requisition?
If FMS automatically logs me out, what will happen to my requisition if I didn't save it?
The requisition will not be saved, but all items that were placed into the shopping cart to create the requisition will still be in the shopping cart. Items in a shopping cart are cleared out automatically only if a requisition has completely gone through the checkout process and has been submitted for approval, or after clicking on the New Cart button after saving a requisition for future use.
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Can items in iProcurement be charged to a principal’s American Express account?
No, the American Express expenses will be entered through the Controller's Office from a file from American Express.
Can reading specialists order through FMS?
If reading specialists take either the OnDemand training or attend voluntary iProcurement training, their FMS accounts will be activated and they can use iProcurement to create requisitions.
What is the process for purchasing magazine subscriptions in iProcurement?
Order through the magazine category in iProcurement.
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Will a user’s Personal Favorites shopping lists be maintained from fiscal year to fiscal year, or will they be deleted at the end of each fiscal year?
They will not be deleted and can be recalled in future years.
Will requisitions from this current year be archived and available in the future?
Yes! One of the best things about FMS is that, next year, requisitioners can find the requisitions they created this year for early ordering and simply copy the contents of the old early ordering requisitions, modify them as needed, and submit them for approval. This process is quicker and easier than searching for the same items again individually. To make searching easier for next year, in the requisition description, type the text “FY##" (without the quotes), where ## is the last two digits of the current fiscal year. For example, if the current fiscal year were 2020, you would type "FY20."
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Can I use multiple accounts as funding for a single item?
Warehouse items cannot be funded by multiple accounts, but you can use multiple accounts as funding for non-warehouse items.
Where is the OfficeMax catalog located in the shopping area?
OfficeMax is its own store in FMS.
Do items requisitioned from OfficeMax need to be received in iProcurement?
No.
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Is there an online catalog for teachers to know what is available to order?
The majority of teachers will receive the same paper copy of warehouse materials they have always used in the past and will identify other items they’d like to order from non-warehouse catalogs (for example, Oriental Trading). Some teachers who have taken the OnDemand iProcurement training will have access to the online catalogs through FMS. In the future, we envision more classroom teachers having access to FMS to prepare their own requisitions.
I am unable to locate the instructional material I am looking for when I search in the Instructional Materials Store. Should I create a non-catalog request for the item?
Before you create a non-catalog request, search in the Main General Store for the item. A few instructional materials items are not found in the Instructional Materials Store but are in the Main General Store. If you still are unable to locate the item in the Main General Store, then proceed with creating a non-catalog request.
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I am unable to locate the portable 2-way radio and accessories commonly used by school staff. What is the best way to search for this item and the accessories?
Description: Two-Way Radio, 16 channel, 4 watt power with desktop charger, battery, belt clip, antenna. Frequency 464.375/464.550, Brand: Vertex. *Three year parts/labor warranty.
- Search in the Main General Store.
- Type "Two-Way Radio%" in the search box.
- Click the Go button.
- Sort the results by selecting Relevance and Descending order.
- Click the Go button.
What do I do if I cannot find a textbook in iProcurement that I want to order?
If you believe the textbook has been approved but is not showing up in iProcurement, search for the approval of the textbook in either the EPIC or DAE evaluation database, print screen it, and send it to Kathy Lazor. The Department of Materials Management will load the textbook into iProcurement. If the textbook has not been approved, you can initiate the process in the FMS using the non-catalog method. After the information has been entered, the request is routed to the coordinator of the subject chosen. The coordinator will decide if the textbook will continue down the approval path or not.
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This term indicates that an item in iProcurement has been approved for purchasing. Typically, items that have not been approved and appear with a “No” will not appear in iProcurement. If an item appears without a “Yes” or “No,” then it means the item is not one that requires any approval. For example, the purchase of pens does not require any approval.
When a book is added as a non-catalog request, how do we ensure it is approved at some point in the approval process?
You can view the approval status for the requisition on the Requisition tab (by clicking Status) and verify that all approvers have approved the requisition.
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What is the process for purchasing books that MCPS has not yet approved?
The policy for purchasing books that have not yet been approved is the same. The best way for any materials to be approved is by using the approval form or the DAE system. However, another option, which involves FMS, is to fill out a non-catalog request and add an approver in iProcurement. You can use this method instead of an evaluation form or DAE.
Are shipping rates displayed on the requisition?
No, shipping charges for non-contract items are unknown and are not displayed.
Is there a delivery date for when requisitioned items will arrive from the warehouse?
The delivery date for warehouse items is not determined by any information entered into iProcurement. Schools will get requisitioned items from the warehouse in the same manner and in the time frame as they have in the past.
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Do we still have WOW deliveries? If so, should the need by date be noted when placing the order?
Yes! WOW orders must have the “deliver to” address that begins with "WOW." The need by date is useless information. Ignore it!
If MCPS gets a discount from a vendor, will the correct amount (total - discount) show up immediately on the requisition?
Yes, the item price displayed in the shopping cart is the discounted contract price.
Should items for different vendors be on the same requisition?
Yes, multiple vendors can be on the same requisition. The Procurement Office will create separate purchase orders for different vendors.
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Updated December 20, 2011 | Maintained by Webmaster
