“AP/CAR”, an acronym for “Accounts Payable/Controlled Analytical Review”, is the University’s automated invoice processing system. Conceived by John Muscarella, Director of Accounts Payable Systems, AP/CAR was designed by the University’s Administrative Information Systems Department in coordination with Accounts Payable staff. It provides a user-friendly, real-time environment for departmental users to electronically submit invoices to the AP Department, improving their ability to control and track the processing of invoices.

Processing Time Saved

AP/CAR was specifically designed to eliminate the wasted time spent tracking down unpaid invoices. Although the departmental user of AP/CAR takes on the responsibility of entering the data, in return he or she gains near total control of the invoice payment process. Before AP/CAR, many departments entered invoice information into local manual or PC-based financial systems. With AP/CAR, the data entry step need only occur once. With training and a little practice, a processor can enter a typical invoice into AP/CAR in less than one minute. Once entered, the processor may track and influence the electronic invoice at every significant point as it follows a path to payment. Phone calls and delays for information between vendors, the department, and AP are reduced dramatically, and in many cases may be entirely eliminated. It now takes a week or less, providing the invoice passes all audits, to process an invoice.

Training Available

Training sessions are conducted on a regular basis in the Accounts Payable training room, located in the Office of the Controller 615 West 131st Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10027. Refer to the AP Training Schedule at for more information about trainings and how to register for a session.

GET TRAINED!

Click here to learn how to process travel and business expenses

Click here to learn about using AP/CAR

Instructional classes on basic AP procedures and compliance issues and on how to use the AP/CAR payment system are offered on a monthly basis. For a complete list of financial system training classes, visit our Training page.

Installing AP/CAR Software on Your Desktop

In order to install AP/CAR onto your PC, go to: http://www.ais.columbia.edu/car/cardownload.htm.

If you have problems with installation or if you have a MacIntosh computer, contact the Help Desk, 854-1919.

Logging On

Double click on the CAR Production icon on your desktop.

Note: Icon names may be changed. Your “CAR Production” may appear with a different name.

Both the “Columbia Applications” and the “Logon” windows appear.

Enter your User ID in the “Logon” window. Hit the <Tab> key to move the cursor to the Password field, and enter your password.

Click on the Logon button or press the <Enter> key.

Note: A dark frame surrounding a button indicates that it has been set as a default. To select a dark framed button, you may press the <Enter> key instead of clicking on the button.

A successful logon will close the logon window. The message “Logon and session initialization successful” appears.

DOWNLOADING THE LATEST VERSION OF AP/CAR

If the “Columbia Applications” window displays the message “You are running an outdated AP/CAR application” when you are logging on, it means that the AP/CAR software has been updated since you last logged on and you need to download the newest version.

Exit the AP/CAR application.

Double click on the Get CAR Production Image icon.

The Transfer Status window will appear. The transfer process takes approximately 4 minutes and should not be interrupted. Canceling will cause corruption in the data being transferred, and the process will have to be re-started.

When the transfer is complete, continue logging on.

Note: The Transfer Status window will appear behind any windows that are open. To view the progress of the transfer, you must minimize or close other open windows.

Need more help?  Contact us: AP Service Center, AP Staff Directory.