UW-Stevens Point Purchasing Office

P-Card User Manual

Last Update - January 31, 2007

What is a P-card?

The p-card is a controlled credit card that is intended for best judgment purchases up to $5,000 (per transaction). All purchases must comply with the Department of Administration (DOA) and UWSP procurement policies and procedures.

How to Obtain a P-card

A purchasing card gives you delegated purchasing authority. Therefore, you must complete a P-card Agreement form and attend a training session conducted by the Director of Purchasing. If you are not the budget director on the department you will make purchases against, the budget director must approve your application request.

The Purchasing Department will request a card from US Bank after the training session. Your card should arrive within 10 working days. Purchasing will automatically request a new P-Card when the old one expires, unless you indicate that you no longer need a card.

If you need to cancel a card, change a General Ledger department number associated with a card, or obtain additional cards, complete and return the change/delete form.

Purchasing will retain the original P-card Agreement form, signed by the applicant, the budget director (if required) and the Director of Purchasing. The signed agreement is the written record of Purchasing delegation.

Restricted Purchases

While you may use your P-card to purchase many low dollar value supplies, there are some items that may not be purchased with a P-card. The purchase of these items is highly regulated by the State and may require additional reporting to the State or Federal Government.

If in doubt about the appropriateness of a purchase with the card, contact Purchasing. Examples of items that cannot be purchased with the P-card include:

Office/break room supplies including: plastic ware, plates, cups, napkins
Refrigerator, microwave, coffee pots
Donations or contributions to individuals or organizations
Alcohol or alcoholic beverages
Meals while in travel status
Movie/telephone/room service charges while traveling
Expenses for faculty and staff recruiting of prospective employees except for recruitment ads
Gifts of sentiment i.e. flowers for Professional Administrative Assistant' s day, retirements, illness, funerals or birthdays
Gifts, flowers, greeting cards
Personal purchases
Photocopying or printing
Rentals - except for vehicles
Services (repairs, maintenance contracts, etc.)
Purchases delivered to non-campus address
Purchases that involve the signing of an agreement, license, or contract (contact Katie Schroth for review of agreements)

State of Wisconsin Ineligible Vendor Listings

Please check both of the listings below before committing to a purchase. The vendors on these lists cannot be used by any State of Wisconsin Agency, including UW-Madison. If a department suggests one of these vendors, Purchasing Services will contact the department to obtain additional information in order to select an appropriate eligible vendor.

The Wisconsin Office of Contract Compliance Ineligible Vendor Directory lists vendors that remain ineligible based on their failure to satisfy s.16.765, Wis. Stats. (requirement of Affirmative Action in employment for vendors doing business with the State of Wisconsin) and is updated weekly.
If you have questions regarding these vendors or the State of Wisconsin contract compliance program, contact Carol Pearson.
The Certification for Collection of Sales and Use Tax Ineligible Vendor Directory lists vendors determined to be ineligible by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue for non-compliance with tax law listed in s.77.66, Wis. Stats.
For more information and frequently asked questions, please see the State of Wisconsin's Certification for Collection of Sales and Use Tax page.

How to Make a Purchase with Your P-card

To make a purchase with your P-card:

If the material is ordered via phone, fax, or letter

Instruct the vendor to place "V" followed by your telephone extension in the purchase order number field of the invoice or packing slip (e.g., V5555).
Instruct the vendor to enclose or mail a copy of the receipt or invoice with the shipment.
Instruct the vendor to ship materials to :

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
(Your Department Name)/(Room and Building Number)
(Your Department Street Address)
Stevens Point, WI 54481

What State Contracts Allow P-card Use?

A list of statewide contracts that allow p-card use may be found at: http://vendornet.state.wi.us/vendornet/purchcrd/conlist.asp.

How the Bills are Paid

UWSP is responsible for all charges against the p-cards. Your name also appears on the card, as you are the cardholder, but there is no personal liability.

US Bank bills UWSP electronically every two weeks. General Ledger receives a file that contains the University transactions. Your transactions are expensed to the General Ledger department that you indicated when you requested a card.

The charge appears in the WISDOM. The GL Jrnl ID will be PCAR followed by the statement date. For example, PCAR082208.

What Travel Charges Are Allowed on the P-card?

If you have been authorized by your supervisor to use the p-card for travel, you may charge registration fees, airline tickets and travel agency fees, lodging, car rental and rental car gas, only hotel and airport parking, and other commercial transportation including trains (Amtrak), buses, taxis, and shuttles. Meal charges are not allowed on the p-card.

How to Reconcile Your Statement

If you have had posted transactions during the preceding billing period, you will receive a P-card Statement from US Bank about seven days after the close of the billing cycle. This statement will

List all transactions against your card.
Show the transaction date and posting date.
Show the vendor name (this sometimes does not match the company name if the vendor does business under numerous names).
Show the amount of the charge.

When you receive your statement

Verify that the charges listed are correct.
Forward the statement and all original invoices or packing slips to the Purchasing Department within one month of receipt.
Attach the original invoices or receipts in the order that they appear on the statement.
Make sure that the statement is signed by the budget director or an authorized authority. Rubber stamps may NOT be used. The cardholder may NOT sign and initial for the budget director.

How to Submit Your Statement
Statements are due in the Purchasing Office, 041W Main Building, within one month of the statement date. The statement date is located near the bottom of the statement in a box clearly marked statement date. Statements MUST be signed by both the cardholder and the budget director for the department (approver signature). Purchasing will reject paperwork that lacks appropriate signatures.

What is Appropriate Documentation

Proper documentation of any purchase requires an original receipt showing:

Vendor name
Date of purchase
Item description - If purchasing an unusual item, provide a brief description justifying the purchase.
Price

Typical documentation for supplies (only one is needed)

Cash register receipt
Invoice
Packing slip (if no other documentation is available). If it does not have itemized detail, write it on by hand.

Internet orders

E-mail receipt/confirmation or
Screen print of the page you placed the order on

The following purchases require additional documentation. Here are links to the appropriate pages:

How to Handle the Return of Merchandise

If goods purchased need to be returned, work directly with the vendor. You should receive full credit on the p-card,.

Some tips:

Always retain boxes, containers, special packaging, etc, until you are certain the goods will be kept. Some items cannot be returned without the original packaging materials.
Read all enclosed instructions carefully. Often a phone number and other instructions are included on the packing slip and/or receipt.
Many vendors require a "Return Authorization Number" before returns will be accepted. Make sure to get this number, when it is required, so that the package will be accepted and credit issued to your p-card.
If the vendor is completely responsible for an error or problem (thus causing the return of the goods), you should not be charged a restocking feel. However, if the vendor is not responsible for the return, a restocking charge may occur and can be charged to the p-card.

Remember to check future p-card statements to make sure a credit was issued for the returned item. Keep all documentation of credits, returned, and exchanges with the p-card.

How to Activate the Card

When you receive a new card, you will need to call and activate it. There will be a sticker on the card giving the phone number to call. When calling you will be prompted to provide the last four (4) digits of your social security number. That number was not released to US Bank, use 0000.

How to Handle a Disputed Charge

If you have a dispute with a vendor (such as defective or mis-shipped items or you are claiming that an item was not ordered and the vendor claiming that it was), every effort should be made to resolve the problem directly with the vendor.

If you have a disputed charge and cannot reach resolution with the supplier you may

Call Customer Service using the toll free number listed on the bottom of your statement

and/or

contact Katie Schroth, Purchasing Department.

You will need to be able to describe the problem and the efforts you have made in attempting to resolve the dispute. US Bank must be notified of a disputed transaction within 60 days of the date on the statement that contains the disputed transaction.

During US Bank's investigation, they will issue a credit to the p-card in question for the disputed amount. When the investigation is complete you will be notified of the resolution.

How to Transfer Expenses to Another Department
To transfer expenses from your p-card GL department to another GL department:

Make a photocopy of the statement.
Write the new department number next to the item to be transferred.
Sign, date and send through campus mail to Barb Haemer, General Ledger Accounting.

How to Safeguard Your Card

You should handle your P-card with the same level of care used with your personal credit cards:

Do not loan the card to another person.
Do not post your card number in any location that is accessible to others.
Secure the card, either on your person or a safe location in your office.
Report a lost or stolen card immediately. Call US Bank at 800-393-3526. At the first available opportunity, report the same information to the Purchasing Manager.

Note: UWSP is responsible for paying all charges resulting from stolen or misused cards until US Bank has been notified. The US Bank p-card program provides liability protection to UWSP once notification of any loss, theft, or fraudulent use is made. However, the same level of liability protection does not apply to cards that are made available to multiple users. Each p-card must be used only by the person whose name appears on the card.

What if You Change Jobs

If you leave UWSP or transfer to another department, you must return your P-card to your supervisor. Your supervisor is responsible for contacting the Purchasing Department to cancel the card. We do not reissue the same card number to other employees for their use.

If you are interested in obtaining a P-card in your new job, discuss the process with your supervisor. If you have purchasing duties in your new position, you may apply for a card against the appropriate departments.

Key Contacts

Katie Schroth, ext 3930 Director of Purchasing and Payment Services	Requesting a card; policy and procedure questions; changing card limits.
Sherry Lazar, ext 4543 P-card Program Coordinator	Missing statements; questions regarding proper documentation for charges.
Jean Sukow, ext 2255 Travel Coordinator	Questions on travel rules, regulations, and appropriate documentation.
Customer Service, US Bank 1-800-344-5696	Report lost/stolen cards; transaction disputes.

P-Card User Manual

Last Update - January 31, 2007

Table of Contents:

State of Wisconsin Ineligible Vendor Listings