Candex

Compensating an individual for taking part in a VCU research study, survey, interview, focus group, or similar activity. Candex is VCU’s preferred method when compatible with the study design and payment type, and it can be used whether or not the participant is a VCU employee. Review the Payment Decision Tree to choose the right method. Whichever method you use, do not collect or transmit Social Security numbers or other sensitive participant information unless that process requires it.

Tax reporting and recordkeeping

Participant compensation is subject to tax-reporting and recordkeeping requirements — including current thresholds for payments over $250 and annual compensation over $2,000.

When an alternative method is used (One-Time Payment, gift cards, or the Office of Research prepaid card program), the Participant Payment Spreadsheet may be required for certain payments over $250 — send it to Accounts Payable through RealSource or via VCU Filelocker, depending on the method.

If a participant is unwilling or unable to provide required information, a Social Security Waiver may be requested for participants receiving under $2,000/year with a compelling reason (at-risk populations, minors, demonstrable hardship). Questions: controller@vcu.edu.

A token payment to an individual for services where payment was not required, agreed to, or expected up front — a guest speaker, lecturer, or peer reviewer. Use Candex when appropriate; otherwise submit a RealSource One-Time Payment.

Honoraria are for non-employees.

Candex

Monetary awards and prizes from random drawings or contests for students and non-employees are processed by Procurement Services. Use Candex or a RealSource One-Time Payment.

• Awards to employees go through Human Resources.
• Other student awards — contests open only to students or tied to a degree program — go through Financial Aid and are posted to the student account.
• Non-monetary prizes worth more than $75 to non-employees must be reported to Procurement Services on the Non-Monetary Prize form.

If the prize is a gift card, see Buy Gift Cards for the rules and purchase methods.

Candex

A stipend is a taxable fellowship or living allowance paid to a student, often as an incentive to attend a class or take part in a VCU program. It is never payment for services performed for the university.

• Paid directly to the student: Accounts Payable, through Candex or a RealSource One-Time Payment.
• Applied as a credit to the student account: Student Accounting.

One-Time Payment

Predoctoral payments go to VCU students paid as trainees on a training grant or other extramural source; postdoctoral payments go to degree-holders classified as fellows or trainees. Use the Stipend Payment process in RealSource — the One-Time Payment form — for new or changed postdoc, predoc, graduate assistant, and REU payments.

Candex

A token payment to an eligible medical professional who supervises VCU students in a clinical setting. Use Candex when appropriate; otherwise submit a RealSource One-Time Payment.

Pay a Vendor

Independent service providers without an active VCU contract who expect a one-time payment under the $10,000 delegated authority threshold. Independent contractor review and vendor setup happen before work begins. Do not use Candex or a One-Time Payment as a substitute for that review.

The independent contractor process is being updated. Until the new process is published, start on the Pay a Vendor page.

Start the Independent Contractor process

Chrome River

When an employee, student, or non-employee paid for an allowable university business expense with personal funds. Whenever possible, use an approved university payment method rather than personal funds. Submit allowable reimbursements through Chrome River with itemized receipts and supporting documentation — not the payment methods on this page.

RealSource

To return an overpayment or other revenue collected from an individual or organization (a conference registration fee, parking payment, lab deposit, or similar). Submit a Revenue Refund Request through RealSource. The refund recipient must generally be the same person or entity that made the original payment.

Treasury

Petty cash is a limited alternate payment method for small, incidental needs. Follow Treasury requirements and keep all required supporting documentation.

To replenish an established departmental petty cash fund, submit the Petty Cash Subaward Form and original receipts to Accounts Payable. Treasury Reporting establishes and oversees departmental petty cash funds.

Preferred

Candex is VCU’s preferred method for eligible payments to individuals — research participants, honoraria, awards, and preceptor payments — when the payment type, recipient, and business purpose are compatible. For eligible payments, Candex allows VCU to initiate payment using the recipient’s email address; Candex manages recipient onboarding and collects information required for its payment and tax-reporting processes, when applicable.

How it works

1. Create the payment through the Candex catalog in the Accounts Payable section of the RealSource shopping dashboard. Use a separate requisition for each payee.
2. Select requisition type “G. None of the Above.” (Other types won’t send the PO to Candex.)
3. Receive the purchase order. Don’t complete the receipt until services are rendered, so payment isn’t made early.
4. The payee gets an email from support@candex.com to complete a one-minute registration, then is paid — typically within several business days of accepting.

Good to know

• Dollar limit: follows standard RealSource thresholds — anything over $10,000 routes to Purchasing for review.
• Tracking the payee: all orders show “Candex” in RealSource and Banner. Put the individual’s name in the requisition description, and register with Candex to see your orders.
• Foreign payees: Candex can process wire transfers internationally, though some countries may be restricted. Checks can be issued as an alternative, but only to payees in the United States.
• Do not use Candex for: independent contractors, reimbursements, or any goods or services.
• To cancel: submit the Cancel PO Request form on the RealSource shopping dashboard; if possible, don’t create a receipt first.

Use a One-Time Payment when Candex isn’t appropriate and no other specialized process applies.

1. Confirm the recipient is set up as an active vendor in RealSource. Submit a vendor request if setup is needed.
2. For payments over $2,000, complete the VP Consent for Payments Over $2K form before services begin and attach it to the requisition.
3. Complete the One-Time Payment request and attach required supporting documentation.

Through Candex, payees are typically paid within several business days of accepting the registration email. One-Time Payments follow the Accounts Payable payment schedule once the request is complete. Missing vendor setup is the most common cause of delay.

The IRS requires VCU to report certain payments made to individuals. The number is collected securely by Candex during registration or through RealSource vendor setup. Departments should not collect or transmit Social Security numbers themselves.

No. Payments are made through Candex or by check through a RealSource One-Time Payment.

Student employee wages, assistantship pay, and Spot Awards go through Payroll. Scholarships and awards from student-only contests are posted to the student account through Financial Aid or Student Accounting. Every other payment type on this page works the same way for students. For help classifying a student payment, contact the Controller’s Office at controller@vcu.edu.

Candex payees update their details in their Candex account. RealSource vendors submit a vendor update request. Either way, tell the VCU department that requested the payment.