P-Card Best Practices & Card Program Resources

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Procurement Card Best Practices

Card Program Resources

How can I find information on Card Program Resources?

Click on the below link.

This is our Procurement Card landing page where almost any information about our card program may be found, including a recently published p-card procedure document. We believe this procedure document will be especially helpful for verifiers, as it walks through the entire reconciliation process step-by-step. We also hope that it will help with training new verifiers across all campuses and extensions.

You will also find program forms, training, card request links, and other helpful information on this page. Here is the link: https://acctspayable.tennessee.edu/procurement-card-program/

Important Dates for Procurement Cardholders

1st – Statements are available and IRIS Documents are loaded for reconciliation. In other words, all IRIS documents are loaded for reconciliation.

5th – Receipts should be turned in to verifier, missing receipts should be identified. In other words, cardholders should have turned in all receipts and reported any missing receipts to the verifier

20th – Documents should be distributed, reconciled, and marked as complete in IRIS to begin workflow. In other words, verifiers should be done with reconciliation, and all documentation should be attached in IRIS. The document must be marked as COMPLETE in the system by the 20th to allow the approver a few days to review the document in their workflow.

25th – Last day for workflow approval of card documents in IRIS. In other words, the 25th is the last day for workflow approval. After the 25th, UT System Office will initiate the automatic clearing process, which removes all documents from the workflow. No further changes can be made to the document after clearing.

What is the Cardholder responsible for?

Ensure that all purchases are compliant with relevant policies
(Even if the purchase was made by someone else).

Review statements and submit receipts at the beginning of each month.

Respond to requests for additional information in a timely
Fashion.

Obtain original, complete, itemized receipts for all purchases.

If a receipt is missing or incomplete, reach out to the vendor to obtain an appropriate receipt.

Provide appropriate business purpose for all purchases.

Make sure sales tax is not being charged at time of purchase.
The cardholder is responsible for all purchases made on the card issued in their name, even if the purchase was made by someone else. Many departments share cards between staff and authorized personnel, but the cardholder is still ultimately responsible for making sure that charges are compliant since the card has been issued in their name. Any inappropriate purchases or purchases that the cardholder does not recognize should be immediately investigated and, if necessary, disputed with the bank.

What are Acceptable Receipts?

Acceptable receipts include vendor invoices, charge slips, cash register receipts, packing slips, or print out of E-mail or web page transaction confirmation, provided they include the following information.

A complete receipt includes itemized detail description of goods or services purchased, including unit purchase price, transaction detail (showing that the p card was processed) the vendor’s name, the date of the transaction and transaction total.

The cardholder should have brief business purposes prepared for each receipt, especially
for charges that may seem questionable to someone outside of the department. Simply
listing the name and date of an event, name of the grant, or the class that something will be used for can be very helpful during an audit by the state or internal audit.

What is not an Acceptable receipt?

Generally, order forms are not acceptable as receipts. For subscriptions, a copy of the renewal notice or initial subscription request is considered a receipt.

The Verifier: What is the Verifier Responsibility?

The Verifier should not be the cardholder unless there is not enough staff to have both a cardholder and a verifier.
Do not sign a cardholder statement if any of the charges violate policy in any way until you have questioned or reported the charges. Make sure you keep this documentation until resolved. By signing, you are acknowledging that the purchases are legitimate and appropriate to your knowledge, or that you have questioned charges.
Obtain a signed monthly statement and all receipts from the cardholder each month.

Organize and match all receipts to the statement, confirming that all receipts are present and complete and that all purchases appropriate and compliant with policy.

Report any questionable purchases to the department head, campus coordinator, program administration, or campus internal audit department.

Sign the card statement verifying that all of the above steps have been completed
Distribute charges in IRIS.
Scan and upload all receipts to the IRIS document.

Mark the document as COMPLETE in IRIS by the 20th of each month to allow time for the approver to review and approve.

Maintain a file of signed statements with original receipts for six years.

The Approver: What is the Approver Responsibility?

No cardholder should be their own approver. If you notice this issue in workflow, please
report it to the program administrator.

The approver is typically the final step in the workflow- the approver will not see a
document in workflow unless it has been marked it as complete.

An approver should not blindly approve documents without reviewing the charges.
Inappropriate charges should be investigated promptly when noticed by the approver and
reported to either the program administrator, campus coordinator, or internal audit as
appropriate.
Select appropriate employees who are eligible to be cardholders or verifiers and ensure that they receive appropriate training.

Ensure that cardholders and verifiers abide by current policies and procedures.

Review all p card documents prior to the 25th of each month.

Check receipts for items that may require additional clarification or violate policy in some way.

Reject statements that require further information and include explanation for rejection (ex: missing receipts, item should be disputed, unclear business purpose, incorrect distribution of charge).

Verify that receipts are being turned in in a timely fashion and that cardholder documents are being processed and marked as complete as quickly as possible to allow time for workflow processing.

P-Card FAQs Best Practices and Policy

P Card Training

Do I have to complete training before getting a Procurement card (P-Card)?

Yes. Training is required for all prospective cardholders. All cardholders are required to successfully complete the procurement card training and questionnaire in the K@TE learning management system Procurement Card Training and Questionnaire.

Please complete training and card requests on the same day.
This is a two-step process. Complete the Card Requests in Concur (It is a different system than the K@TE training (pronounced “Kate”). Kate training results are valid for 6 months. We want our cardholders to have up-to-date knowledge and cardholder agreements, so we require that training is completed within the prior 6 months of the card application approval.
Cards will be ordered after “BOTH” requirements have been met. Once the request has been submitted and fully approved and we confirm the training completion, the card will be requested from the bank.
Cards are mailed via USPS to the primary office address provided on the card application (7-10 business days).

Where do I find instructions on how to create a P-Card Request in Concur?

Click on the below link.

How to Create a Card Request in Concur

Who is required to complete the refresher training? How often am I required to complete refresher training?

P-Card refresher training is required for active cardholders typically once every two or three years. An e-mail notification will alert you when it's time to complete the online training and provide a deadline. The training should be completed by the deadline in order to ensure that the card account remains active.
Cards are automatically renewed. However, the employee must complete the K@TE training at each renewal period before they can receive a new card

Can I complete the training if I am interested in learning more about the P-Card program, but not interested in getting a card at this time?

Yes, the online training is available to any UT employee who wishes to learn more about the program. You can complete/take the training. You will only receive a card if you complete a Concur application. You will still receive an automated message from KATE letting you know that you have completed the training, but this will not initiate a card request in any way.

What do I need to complete the online training?

You will need your UTC Net user ID and password to access and complete the training.

How long does the training take?

The training takes approximately 45 minutes to complete.

Where do I find training on reconciling my P-Card?

For training on the reconciliation process, including adding an asset to a p card document, please click here: Procurement Card Training

Applying for the Card

How do I apply for the P-Card?

To receive a card, employees must request a card in Concur and complete the procurement card training and questionnaire in the K@TE learning management system. The Concur request is routed to the department head and program administrator for approval. Cards will not be ordered until the Concur request is approved, and the required training has been completed. The card will be issued in approximately two weeks after completion. The new card will be sent to the campus or unit coordinator for distribution, who will notify the employee when the card is ready. Cards are automatically renewed. However, the employee must complete the K@TE training at each renewal period before they can receive a new card.

When applying for the P-Card, to whom do I send the original signed Cardholder Agreement?

The original signed Cardholder Agreement is no longer a requirement everything you need is online.

Who is eligible to obtain a card?

University employees who have the responsibility for making purchases on behalf of their departments and have the approval of their department head are eligible for a procurement card. If possible, the cardholder should not be the verifier. Cards may not be issued to independent contractors, temporary employees, students, or any non-employee without permission from the Chief Financial Officer. Card holders are responsible for the charges on their card, and they shouldn’t be loaned to students.

Will my personal credit history be checked when I apply for a P-Card?

No. Your personal credit history will not be checked or affected when applying for or using the P-Card.

How long does it take to get a P-Card once the application has been submitted?

After. Once your application has been submitted for processing to the bank, and the cardholder has successfully completed the procurement card training & questionnaire in the K@TE learning management system your card will arrive in 7 to 10 business days to the cardholder’s address. Cards are mailed via USPS to the primary office address provided on the card application (7-10 business days). In other words, it takes approximately 10 business days for the bank to process the request and send the card.

What are my card limits?

Your card limit is located on the top right side of the “Your new card is here!” letter. The normal limit is $20,000.00. Purchases are charged to the cardholder's department. Each card has specific spending limits: $9,999.99 per transaction and a preset maximum for each 30-day billing cycle, typically $20,000. Each time the card is used, an electronic process verifies that the purchase is within these predetermined limits. If a purchase violates these limits, the vendor will not accept the order. Changes to the spending limits will be considered upon approval of the department head and campus business officer.

When do P-Cards need to be cancelled?

Cards must be cancelled:

When the cardholder leaves the University
When the cardholder changes departments/fund centers. Prior to transferring from one department to another, you should e-mail the last 4 digits of the card and the name on the card to the campus coordinator or to [email protected] and request that the card be cancelled.
When the cardholder changes job position and will no longer be the primary purchaser
When the card is rarely used or carries a minimal balance from month to month
If the cardholder goes on leave of absence without pay

Cards should be reissued if an employee changes their name with the University

Problems with the Card

What do I do if my card is lost or stolen?

For questions on denied purchases or to report a lost, stolen, or compromised, call Bank of America at 888-449-2273 “FIRST”. Representatives are available 24 hours a day. Note the name of the bank employee who takes the call and the exact time called. Record this information on the LOST/STOLEN/COMPROMISED CARD NOTIFICATION FORM .

Then notify the UT Program Administrator at [email protected] and the campus or unit coordinator if a card is lost, compromised, or stolen.

Within two days of calling the bank send the completed form to the program administrator at [email protected]. The bank will block further use of the existing card and issue a new card and account number.

How do I cancel a card?

In the event it is necessary to cancel a procurement card, the cardholder should e-mail the last 4 digits of the card and the name on the card to the campus coordinator or to [email protected] and request that the card be cancelled.

I have recently changed my name. Am I required to get a new P-Card with my new name?

Yes. Cards should be reissued if an employee changes their name with the University. You will need to apply for a new card with your new name. Once the new card arrives, you should e-mail the Procurement Card Administrator with the last 4 digits of your old card number and indicate that the old card number should be canceled. Schedule a time to bring the old card UTC Procurement to dispose of the card properly.

What if I find charges on my card for purchases, I did not make?

Refer to the Disputed Transaction Form for instructions: Bank of America Forms

How do Bank of America online fraud alerts work?

You’ll report fraudulent charges to the bank. They will assist in issuing a replacement. Phone number is on the back of the card OR on the Notification from.

Why was my card declined?

Please see the below list.

There are a couple of reasons why your card may be declined. The first, and most common reason, is because the bank has flagged a transaction as fraud. Sometimes, this is an automatic process- and the filters aren’t always that intelligent.

The second reason is because you may be using a vendor that is blocked in our program. Sometimes this is because the vendor’s credit machines are programmed incorrectly, but more often it is because of controls that the University has put in place. Blocked merchants require an exception to policy by the campus CBO before payment can be made.

Call the bank first any time a card is declined. In most cases, the bank will be able to grant an immediate override for the purchase. Bank of American Phone: 888-449-2273

If the bank cannot allow the transaction, they will tell you the reason for the decline. Write down whatever information that they give you and reach out to your campus coordinator, or to the program administration with the information so that we can help figure out the best and quickest way to pay your vendor.

It is also worth mentioning that just because you call the bank about a vendor one time does NOT mean that the vendor will never be blocked again. Always call when your card is declined.

Call the bank to determine why the card isn’t working – If they cannot override the decline for you, write down the information they give you and reach out to us!

All p-card forms, and links are on the accounts payable website. For questions about policy or about a university card, contact either your campus coordinator or the system’s program administration at [email protected].

For questions about the Marketplace or procurement (purchase orders, framework orders, etc.), contact procurement services.

Is there a link to a form to submit to the Campus CBO to request/grant an override on the p-card account for a blocked item based on policy and risk factors?

There is not a form. It would be a written request that describes the purchase and business purpose. Email would be fine.

Documentation

I’ve heard that the Bank of America Global Access is an online card management tool that gives you access to your card information whenever, wherever, and however you need it?

Yes. From the dashboard, you can quickly check your credit limit, balance, available credit and recent card activity. Other features like View PIN, Change PIN1, Lock Card and Alerts1 help you keep your card secure. For added convenience, you can easily view or download your current statement and up to 12 months of historical statements.

Go to: bankofamerica.com/globalcardaccess (copy & paste into your browser) and choose Register now.

What kind of source documentation is required for P-Card purchases?

The business purpose of each transaction made with the P-Card must be supported by appropriate source documentation from the supplier. Acceptable receipts include vendor invoices, charge slips, cash register receipts, packing slips, or printout of E-mail or web page transaction confirmation, provided they include the following information

Itemized description of goods or services purchased, including unit price
Vendor name
Transaction date
Transaction total

Generally, order forms are not acceptable as receipts. For subscriptions, a copy of the renewal notice or initial subscription request is considered a receipt.

Using the Card

Is it ever acceptable to split a transaction to bypass the delegated purchasing limit per transaction?

No. Departments may not divide invoices to stay below the $10,000 threshold. When a department determines that they will spend $10,000 or more in a calendar year from the same vendor, they must initiate a purchase requisition and the items must be procured in a competitive manner. If the vendor requests a contract, regardless of the dollar amount, the contract must be routed through the contract review process in accordance with FI0420 - Contracts.

Can I use my Amazon Prime membership to make purchases on a P-Card?

No. Amazon Prime memberships are not permissible. The University pays for a System-wide membership and employees receive the free shipping on University purchases through the UT Market Place.

Can the P-Card be used for subscriptions?

Yes, the P-Card can be used for subscriptions. It can be harder to get valid receipts on a subscription, so a renewal notice is an acceptable receipt. Just make sure the dates for the subscription are noted. Other documentation for a subscription may include a subscription form or confirmation slip from the vendor. Generally, order forms are not acceptable as receipts. For subscriptions, a copy of the renewal notice or initial subscription request is considered a receipt.

Can I use the P-Card for Travel, including airlines, hotels, automobile expenses, and meals?

No. (see FI0705 - Travel for details). Note: Registration fees are acceptable. Receipts along with the conference agenda must be submitted with the employee(s) travel reimbursement request. Fees for events held at the university should be paid via transfer voucher and not through a procurement card.

What is the difference between a P-Card and the Travel Card?

The P-Card is used to purchase many of the same types of items that can be processed as a Purchase Order. The P-Card cannot be used as payment for any travel or entertainment expenses, as the policies regarding travel and entertainment expenses are different from the policies regarding delegated purchases.

The Travel Card is issued to employees for travel and entertainment-related expenses only (e.g., airline tickets, hotel charges, car rental, meals, etc.). Employees who regularly travel or entertain on behalf of the university are strongly encouraged to apply for the Travel Card (see FI0705 - Travel for details).

Can I use my P-Card to make online purchases?

Yes. Make sure that you use secure websites for online ordering. Secure sites have a website address that begins with “https”.

Can the P-Card be used for Purchasing club membership such as Sam's Club, Costco, and Barnes and Noble where the membership is in the name of the employee?

No, unless approved in writing by the chief business officer or designee. The savings to the university for such a membership should be documented in the request.

What are the restrictions on international purchases using a departmental Procurement-Card, if the cardholder is paying an international company or individual?

There are no restrictions on international purchases using a departmental Procurement – Card. If the P-Card is declined: Double check everything to be sure you entered correctly. If the problem persists, you may have to set them up as a vendor.

With the Bank of America procurement cards, an International Transaction fee for any international transaction will be assessed. This will include transactions with companies that are based outside the U.S. even if you did business with a location in the U.S. This is part of the University’s contract with Bank of America. The fee will be 2% of the total transaction and will be a separate line item on your procurement card statement. The previous provider lumped the international transaction fee in with the total transaction. You will not be required to have a receipt for this fee, but you will need to document which line item of the statement the fee is associated with. The fee should be coded with GL 446500.

What purchases are prohibited using my Purchasing Card?

The following purchases may NOT be made with the card and will result in the card being suspended:

On campus Parking. Parking citations or other Penalties, even those incurred on university business. In other words, using a university issued P- card to pay for citations and daily parking for student interns (student parking tickets), department employees is a substantial policy violation.

Gift cards and cash equivalents
Purchases from other University departments
Gifts and awards for students or staff
Items for personal use or personal gain including personal memberships
Snacks / Beverages
- Allowed for seminars, conferences, workshops, etc. per FI0715
- NOT allowed for working lunches, rewards, brief staff meetings, etc.

Gift cards are prohibited on the P Card, even with an approved gift card form. To purchase a gift card or any gift certificates or cash equivalents requires a separate exception approval from the campus CBO.

If the cardholder, student, or staff member has illegally parked, this is a personal citation, not a university issue and constitutes using the p card for personal gain.

Purchases from other University departments should be processed by an internal transfer.

Gifts and awards for students or staff- While some instances are allowable, these types of purchases are governed by several policies- Please refer to these policies prior to making any purchases, and always reach to our office with any questions.

Items for personal use or personal gain are also prohibited – this also includes memberships or other subscription services that are in the name of the individual.

Snacks and beverages are allowed for seminars, conferences, and workshops under policy FI0715, HOWEVER, catering and restaurants are blocked on our program, even for events, so only refreshment type items are able to be purchased for permitted events.

Snack and drink purchases are NOT allowed for working meals, rewards, brief staff meetings, office treats, etc. When in doubt, please reach out to our office to determine if the purchase is allowed on the p card.

Items prohibited by FI0530:

Payment of sales tax
Cash advances or transfers
Travel expenses
Entertainment greater than policy limits

Personal expenses

Gift Cards
Restaurants/catering
Splitting transactions to avoid transaction limits.
- Transactions that violate the university’s bid limit. Consult Fiscal Policy FI0405 – Procurement for more information regarding the bid limits, the prohibition of split transactions, and purchases of $10,000 or more from the same vendor in one calendar year, (unless the items being purchased are from an existing framework order or term contract).
- Assets totaling $5,000 or more are NOT permissible. Assets costing between $1,500 and $4,999 ARE permissible provided that an “ASSET RECORD” is created and linked to the transaction during the procurement card reconciliation process.

Other items prohibited by FIO530

Click here to learn more about Unauthorized Purchases

Original receipts must be retained

What do I do if a merchant charges a sales tax to my purchase?

Make sure sales tax is not being charged at time of purchase.

Sales tax should not be charged for purchases made with a p-card

Look for a vendor in the Marketplace first
If charged sales tax, reach out to the vendor to receive a refund
Mark the item as disputed until a tax refund is received

Can I request to have my spending limit increased on my P-Card?

Changes to the spending limits will be considered upon approval of the department head and campus business officer.

Purchases are charged to the cardholder's department. Each card has specific spending limits: $9,999.99 per transaction and a preset maximum for each 30-day billing cycle, typically$20,000. Each time the card is used, an electronic process verifies that the purchase is within these predetermined limits. If a purchase violates these limits, the vendor will not accept the order.

Can I buy a printer that’s less than the $1,500.00 threshold?

Yes. Make sure you have reviewed the maintenance agreement with the vendor. The University does not provide maintenance.

Controller’s Office:

The current tax-exempt certificate/tax exemption number is available
List of other states that recognize our tax-exempt status

https://controller.tennessee.edu/

MARKETPLACE - If we have a vendor in the marketplace, all purchases from that vendor must be made through the marketplace- this will also assist with sales tax in most case since our marketplace vendors have specific guidelines for pricing and billing. For assistance using the marketplace, reach out to the Procurement department. Please provide a business explanation for any purchases made from vendors outside of the marketplace.

Our current tax-exempt certificate is available
They also manage a list of other states who recognize our exemption as well as instructions for processing tax exemption in those states
All of this information is available on their website - controller.tennessee.edu

What should we do in the case that we have a lost procurement card receipt?

If a receipt is missing or incomplete, reach out to the vendor to obtain an appropriate receipt.

If the receipt is missing or incomplete, the cardholder must make every effort to obtain replacement receipts in the event of a missing or damaged receipt. Document these efforts to the best of your ability and use the supplemental receipt form as a placeholder while you attempt to replace the receipt with the vendor.

If the receipt cannot be replaced, then supplemental receipt form should be retained, along with any available documentation such as the incomplete receipt, emails between the department and vendor, and as much detail as possible about the charges on the missing or illegible receipt. The supplemental receipt form is not intended to be a stand-alone replacement for a receipt.

Is a Supplemental Receipt Form an acceptable substitute for a missing receipt?

Supplemental receipt forms are NOT an acceptable substitute for a missing receipt.

The cardholder must make every effort to obtain a new receipt from the vendor.

If a complete, itemized receipt is not available, then all available documentation should be provided with the supplemental receipt form.

Attachments

Attachments assist in both the workflow process and in the auditing process

What to attach in IRIS when reconciling P-Card

Complete, itemized receipts in the order that they appear on the statement
Explanations of business purpose
Exceptions to policy as needed

What “shouldn’t” I attach in IRIS when reconciling P-Card?

Please do “NOT” attach:

Blank pages
Packing slips, unless being used with supplemental receipt form
Internal purchase requests or order forms
Email threads other than those providing business purpose or policy exception approval
- Please only attach the relevant sections
The same receipt multiple times
Multiple attachments
- Try to limit the number of attachments by scanning all at once or by combining in Adobe

These documents can be kept in the physical file if needed but are not necessary for attachments in IRIS.

There is a great adobe training available in Kate that is recommend by the UT System Office to all verifiers – it teaches how to combine and organize pages, add text notes to documents, and lots of other helpful items.

What should I attach in IRIS for Group Arranged Events when reconciling P-Card?

Group arranged or entertainment events require a little extra documentation:

Complete, itemized receipt for each purchase
Name, date, and purpose of event
Total cost of event (or estimate if not all purchases complete)
Total number of attendees/participants
- Cost per person must be calculated
- If there are less than 15 attendees, they must be listed by name
- Attendance lists for large events are not required by policy

*If the event will exceed $1,000.00 total expenses OR $100.00 per person you must have CBO approval

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