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Location

University of Pittsburgh

3309 Cathedral of Learning

Pittsburgh, PA 15260

 

Got Questions?

Try our FAQ or contact us!

Q: Is PantherBuy replacing Clarus?

A: Yes! As of March 1, 2008, the Clarus system is no longer available. The SciQuest/PantherBuy System, is now the internet procurement system used by the University of Pittsburgh.

Q: What is the web address of PantherBuy?

A: https://solutions.sciquest.com/org/pittsburgh

Q: How do I contact the PantherBuy staff?

A: You can contact the PantherBuy Team by emailing them at pantherbuy@bc.pitt.edu. One of the team members will get back to you as soon as possible.

Q: How can I sign up for PantherBuy?

A: The first step to becoming a PantherBuy User is to fill out a User Profile Form. Once this form is completed with all appropriate signatures, you can send it in to the PantherBuy team either by fax (412-624-9339) or Intercampus Mail (3309 CL).  Once the PantherBuy Team receives your form, we will enter you into the system and then a team member will contact you regarding training.  Policy dictates that we cannot sign a user up for training if that user has not submitted a User Profile form.

Q: What is a "shopper"?

A: If you currently have others placing orders for you, the shopper role may be perfect for you! A shopper can log into PantherBuy, search the catalogs and punchouts and place items into a shopping basket. The order will then be sent to the appropriate Account Assigner for review, assignment of an account number, and submission to the Supplier.

Q: What is a Department Buyer?

A: A Department Buyer is someone who places orders in PantherBuy for themselves and other people working in the same department. There are three different spending levels that a Department Buyer can have: Level 1 ($0) spending, Level 2 ($500) spending or Level 3 ($5000) spending. Buyers with a Level 1 spending limit will have all of their orders routed to a Departmental Approver prior to the order being submitted to the suppliers. Level 2 Buyers will have any order over $500.00 routed to a Departmental Approver prior to submission of the order to the supplier. Buyers at a Level 3 will have any order exceeding $5000.00 routed to a Departmental Approver prior to submitting the order to the supplier.  All orders over $5000 will be sent to Purchasing Services for review after the Departmental Approver has approved the order before submission to the supplier.

Q: How do I change my password?

A: Changing your password in PantherBuy is quick and easy. When logged into PantherBuy, click on the word "Profile" on the top left side of the screen. When the screen loads, you will see a yellow "Change Password" button on the right side of the screen. Click it and change your password!

Q: How do Approvals work in the PantherBuy system?

A: For a full description of how Approvals can be set up for your department click HERE.

Q: What is $5000 "OK to Pay"?

A: As per University policy, purchase orders over $5000 are not to be paid until the funds are released by the department who placed the order. The $5000 OK to Pay feature in PantherBuy makes this process simple! Every department must have at least one designated $5000 OK to Pay Approver. When an order over $5000 is placed, the designated Approver(s) will receive an email informing them that there is a $5000 OK to Pay order pending their payment approval. The Approver can click on the link in the email to access the order, or they can also go to the Review Area of the PantherBuy Home Page and locate the $5000.01 - * folder. When the product arrives, the person who placed the order merely has to inform the designated Approver(s) and they can release the funds for payment in PantherBuy!

Q: How can I print my POs?

A: Printing POs in PantherBuy is simple! On the Purchase Order screen, there is a printer icon on the right side about ¾ up the page. Click on it to bring up a Printer Friendly version. On that screen, just click File, Print. For more information, you can also refer to the Training Manual, Chapter 3. Any screen that displays a printer icon can be printed. Simply click on the printer icon to launch the print function.

Q: What should I do when and employee is no longer working in our department?

A: When an employee is no longer working in your department, just fill out a User Profile form with the "User Termination" box checked. Fill out the top section and fax it over to the PantherBuy team at 412-624-9339.

Q: How do I take a credit in PantherBuy?

A: Users cannot create credits in PantherBuy.  The first step is to contact the supplier to schedule a pickup of the item(s) that you are returning. When talking to the supplier, you will request a credit memo for these items.  These credit memos should be sent to Payment Processing at einvoices@bc.pitt.edu.  They will process the credit.  Please CLICK HERE for our latest supplier contact information.

Q: What if I forget my password?

A: If you have a security question and answer set up in your PantherBuy profile, click here for detailed instructions on how to reset your password!  If you do not have a security question and answer set up in the system, please contact the PantherBuy Team via email at pantherbuy@bc.pitt.edu

Q: I don't know what my building abbreviation is. Where can I find it?

A: You can find the list of all Pitt buildings and abbreviations HERE

Q: Can I add comments to my orders?

A: Yes - you can add internal comments to an order that will only be seen internally by a University of Pittsburgh employee. You can also add external comments to an order that will be transmitted to a supplier. On the Review screen of the requistion, there are two sections listed below the Account Codes area. The area on the left is for Internal Notes and the right side is for External Notes.

Q: Why do some suppliers ignore the order comments I place on my order?

A: Some suppliers have automated order entry systems that will place the order into "exception" when a comment is received on an order. This means that an employee of the supplier may review the order for comments. However, some of the suppliers automated systems ignore all comments sent, thus they will fill the order as received and ignore any special instructions. Depending on the supplier and their capabilities, a comment may or may not be reviewed. If you have urgent instructions for an order please contact the supplier directly. You can visit our PantherBuy Suppliers page for contact information.

Q: How do account numbers get added to PantherBuy?

A: Account numbers are imported each day - once an hour between 8 AM and 5 PM, Monday thru Friday - automatically from the PRISM system. Once an account number is activated thru PRISM it will be automatically moved to PantherBuy within an hour of the activation. Depending on the time, some activation may take up to two hours.

Q: When do I need to notify the PantherBuy staff of a new address?

A: The only time you need to contact the PantherBuy staff regarding a new address is when you are moving into a new building that the University has not occupied previously. This means if the building was just constructed, or if the building or offices in the building are being rented by Pitt for the first time. We do not need to be notified if a new office is established in an existing Pitt building. Example: There was renovation done to Langley Hall, and as a result two new offices were constructed. If this is the case, the PantherBuy staff does not need to know the room numbers associated with the new offices.

Q: Will PantherBuy work on a MAC computer?

A: Yes, Pantherbuy is compatible with the Apple operating system and Safari web browser. For a list of all supported operating systems and web browsers click HERE.

Q: Can you tell me more about the University's 32 digit account numbers?

A: The University's account number is made up of 7 segments and is 32 digits long. For an in-depth explanation of the account numbers please click HERE.

Q. I need to activate an account number in PRISM before I can use it in PantherBuy. How do I activate the account number in PRISM?

A. To view instructions on how to activate an account number in PRISM click HERE.