UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN OSHKOSH PURCHASING CARD USER MANUAL

      
TABLE OF CONTENTS     (Click on any topic to go to that area, or scroll down the page )

What Is a Purchasing Card?            

The Purchasing Card is a tool for agency employees for use in making low-dollar purchases for official agency business needs. It allows your agency head to delegate the authority to purchase low-dollar items directly to you, the designated card holder, enabling you to purchase supplies faster and more easily than before. You will no longer have to create a purchase requisition prior to buying qualifying items. Instead, you may purchase these low-dollar items (through $5,000) with a VISA credit card issued in your name.

The VISA Purchasing Card payment system is an individual bill/central payment system. You, the cardholder, receive a monthly account statement for information and reconciliation purposes only. An electronic billing file is sent centrally to the accounting system, together with a summary of all charges with supporting detail. Accounting makes one payment to VISA on behalf of all cardholders. Expenditure transactions are processed through the agency's accounting systems and posted to the various accounting code combinations.

In brief, a Purchasing Card is:

Authority granted by the Agency Head to Individual State Employees

For Official State Use Only

Authorized for Purchases through $5,000

Authorized for use within certain categories of merchants and commodities

A means to avoid appropriate procurement or payment procedures

A card to access cash or credit

For interagency or intra-agency transactions

A travel card (except for conference registrations)

A right of employment

For personal use                                        

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The Purchasing Card enables cardholders, purchasing and accounting staff to perform more effectively and focus on the value-added aspects of your jobs by:

Reducing time needed to purchase and receive supplies

Reducing the number of requisitions and purchase orders

Reducing reimbursements from petty cash

Reducing invoicing problems

Reducing the number of checks issued                                                                  

                                                                             

In addition to purchasing staff, other staff will benefit from being cardholders, such as:

Field staff, who may need emergency parts or supplies

Librarians/others who routinely buy subscriptions and books

Program support staff who buy supplies

 

1. Contact your Agency Purchasing Card Coordinator, Red Darland at   424-0405

2. Complete a Purchasing Card Application/Use Agreement. Your participation must be approved by management level required by your agency to grant purchasing approval through $5,000 per transaction.

3. Attend a training session (either group or individual session).

4. The Purchasing Card Account Setup Forms must be completed and signed by your designated agency authorizers. A card will be issued within a week of submission of all paperwork.

5. Copies of the Purchasing Card Application/Use Agreement are kept by you and your Coordinator.  The Coordinator keeps the original copy.

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The use of the Purchasing Card results in agency liability, NOT a personal liability for the cardholder. Your credit rating will not be affected. However, remember that you sign an agreement with your agency prior to receiving the card and as such you are responsible for any misuse of the card as
outlined in this manual.

The Purchasing Card is to be used to purchase low-dollar value items with the total amount of any purchase not to exceed $5,000. Certain exceptions to use of the Purchasing Card apply:

*Some accounts may allow for purchase of these items, check with Sandy Muinde in PreAudit.

NOTE: Attempting to buy from merchants that provide these goods/services may cause your transaction to be denied.

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Cash Advances (ATM or other)

Items, subscriptions and services for personal, non-business use.

Commodities and services available on mandatory State Procurement Operational Bulletins (unless otherwise noted on the bulletin)

Purchases from Work Centers

Memberships

 

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1. If the transaction value is greater than $5,000, use traditional purchasing procedures and follow your agency-established process.

2. If the transaction value is $5,000 or less:

Using best judgement, determine an appropriate vendor for the materials desired.

Give the vendor your Purchasing Card number and expiration date or present the card at the point of sale.

Tell the vendor that the State is exempt from State sales taxes.

NOTE: the Sales Tax Exemption Number is imprinted on the card.

If the material will be shipped or delivered, tell the vendor to enclose or mail a copy of the receipt/invoice with each shipment. Have the vendor mark it " PAID " to avoid duplicate payments. Shipments are to be addressed as follows:

Cardholders Name and Dept.Name
UW Oshkosh
Receiving Dept.
846 Warren Road
Oshkosh, WI 54901

Also, ask the vendor to put the following code on the shipping label where there would normally be a purchase order number: the letters " VISA ". This will provide a means whereby receiving personnel will be notified that the shipment is related to a Purchasing Card Transaction.

If the material is picked up, obtain the itemized receipt indicating the purchase price

Save the receipt/shipping invoices inside the envelope with the Purchasing Log for audit purposes.

                     Log each transaction on the Purchasing Log.

1.       A statement for each account is mailed to you, the
          cardholder. An electronic billing file is sent to the
          University for payment processing.

2.       It is your responsibility as the cardholder to verify the
          correctness of the statement  against your purchase
          log and receipts.

3.      When the purchase log is filled, complete the
         coverage dates and maintain in the departmental
         files for a minimum of 5 years plus current.

 

Choose another supplier or:

Complete the transaction using traditional purchasing procedures, then:

Ask the supplier if they are interested in accepting VISA. If yes, refer them to the Agency  Purchasing Card Coordinator for information about signing up as a VISA merchant.

You are responsible for following up with the merchant or bank on any erroneous charges, disputed items or returns as soon as possible. Disputed billings can result from failure to receive the goods charged, defective merchandise, incorrect amounts, duplicate charges, credit not processed, as well as fraud and misuse.

If you have a problem with a purchased item or a billing resulting from use of the VISA Purchasing Card, you should first try to reach a resolution with the supplier that provided the item. In most cases disputes can be resolved directly between the cardholder and the supplier.

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Referring to your receipt, request from the merchant that a credit be placed on your card account. If the item was shipped, refer to the shipping form you kept with your Purchase Log.

A credit should be issued for any item that the supplier has approved for return. The credit will appear on a subsequent statement. Any item purchased with the VISA Purchasing Card that is returned must be returned for credit. Do not accept a refund in cash or check format.

Make sure you keep documentation of credits, returns and exchanges with your Purchase Log.

If you have a disputed charge and cannot reach resolution with the supplier, complete the ELAN Visa Purchasing Card Billing Inquiry Form and send to ELAN Financial Services with a copy to your Agency Purchasing Card Coordinator. This written notice of dispute must be received within 60 days of the date that Elan sent the first statement or transaction file.

 

Credit Card Security

Your Purchasing Card should be treated with the same level of care you use with your personal credit cards.

The card should not be loaned to another person. The only person authorized to use the Purchasing Card is the person whose name is on the front of the card or who completed the Purchasing Card Application/Use Agreement.

Your Purchasing Card account number should be guarded carefully. Do not post it or write it in any location that is accessible to others.

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Unlike personal credit cards where cardholders are responsible for paying the first $50.00 if the card is stolen or misused, the Purchasing Card program holds the agency responsible for paying all charges resulting from stolen or misused cards until Elan has been notified.

Therefore, you must notify your Agency Purchasing Card Coordinator immediately when you discover your card is lost or stolen.

On weekends or after agency business hours, you should report a lost or stolen card or other emergency situations, by calling Elan at 1-800-393-3526. At the first available opportunity, report the same information to your Agency Purchasing Card Coordinator.


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Your agency purchasing and accounting offices, as well as the State Bureau of Procurement and the State Controller's Office, will conduct random audits of Purchasing Card use. The primary purpose of these audits is to ensure the Purchasing Card program procedures are being followed and that:

Purchase volume appears reasonable

The card is being used for appropriate transactions

Documentation is complete

 

Any misuse of the card or other failure to comply with these procedures will result in the following cardholder consequences:

Revocation of Card

Disciplinary measures, if appropriate

If you leave your agency or transfer to another unit within the agency, you must return your Purchasing Card(s)   to the campus Purchasing Card Coordinator, who will cancel the card(s).   Returned Purchasing Cards are not reissued to other employees for use. Before sending a card through campus mail to be canceled, be sure to cut the card in half.

 

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The following resource persons are available to provide assistance, answer questions, or help solve any problems that arise:

Agency Purchasing Card Coordinator, the coordinator for UW Oshkosh is

Red Darland     1- 920-424-0405          
mailto:darland@uwosh.edu

To apply for a Purchasing Card.

For questions about policies and procedures.

To replace damaged cards.

For assistance with suppliers.

For account inquiries.

For billing information.

If you didn' receive your monthly statement.

To report a lost or stolen card.

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Elan Cardholder Customer Service: (800) 393-3526

State Bureau of Procurement

Bertha Voigt    1-608-267-9453

To initiate an agency purchasing card program

For assistance with purchasing card statewide procurement policies and procedures.

 

Date this page was last updated   June 14, 1999

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This page was developed by and is maintained by Dawn M. Herzig- Financial Services  mailto:herzig@uwosh.edu