Small Purchase Card Payment Policy & Procedures

Purchasing Overview

The VISA Bank of America Small Purchase Charge Card is only to be used for processing orders under $5000.00. Purchases over $5000.00 will be processed by the Materiel Management Office. All State and University Purchasing regulations apply to these charges. Items to be paid for with State funds may be purchased with this Card. Purchases made for Local, Foundation, Agency, or Student Activity funds may only be made with prior approval from the Disbursements Manager. If used for the previously mentioned local accounts the expense must be reimbursed with 30 days. This card is not to be used for travel or personal items.

Payment Overview

The bill from VISA Bank of America is paid at the beginning of each month through a clearing account. The entire amount is paid exactly as billed. By the 15th of each month an Agency Transaction Voucher is prepared by Accounting and Financial Reporting to distribute the charges to the individual budgets.

Log Sheets

A Log Sheet must be started on the 16th of each month for each Banner index that the cardholder is placing orders. The top of the Log Sheet will be filled out with the date, department name, cardholder name, and Banner index number. As orders are placed the body of the Log will be filled in with the following information:

• Transaction number - this is an optional field to be used as you would a purchase order number
• Date - required - date the order is placed
• Vendor - required - from whom the order is placed
• Description - required - a brief description of what is ordered
• Object Code - required
• Amount - required - this is the amount you expect the order to total.

This Log Sheet must be filled in as you place your orders, not at the end of each month. This will enable to you verify your Cardholder Report at the end of the month more efficiently. This Log Sheet will be complete on the 15th of the month. On the 16th you will begin a new Log Sheet.

Card Member Report

A new billing cycle begins on the 16th of each month. You will receive your cardmember report (statement) around the 20th of each month. The "balance outstanding" represents the amount you owe. Your charges will be listed on second page of the bill by transaction. You will use this page to balance your Log Sheet. Check off each item on the statement under the "billed " column of the Log Sheet. If the amount billed differs from your original amount mark through that amount and insert the correct amount above the original amount. Repeat this process for all items on the cardmember Report.

Discrepancies

If an item is listed on your Log Sheet and is not on the statement please highlight that transaction and make a copy of the Log Sheet to use to verify next month's statement. Please note that this item is not on the statement. If an item is listed on your statement and not on the Log Sheet please add it to the Log Sheet with an explanation.

It is the cardholder's responsibility to notify the vendor of any problems with the order or the statement. Any credits due are also the responsibility of the cardholder. Credits may take up to three (3) months to resolve themselves. Please keep this in mind for year- end processing.

Cover Sheet

• After verifying all transactions on your cardmember report you will fill out the Cover Sheet. You will insert the department name, the cardholder name,  the statement closing date, and the total amount of the bill. Remember this amount must agree with the balance outstanding on your cardmember report.
• Then you will sign as cardholder that you have ordered the items in accordance with State policies.
• The bottom of the form will be completed next with the Banner index. Each Log Sheet will be totaled by object code and consolidated on the cover sheet. Any credits may be listed on a separate line or may be contained in your total distribution. The total of these lines must agree with the total on the top of the cardmember report.
• Attach all packing slips , invoices, RTA's, itineraries, etc, to the Log Sheet. Secure the Cover Sheet to the front of the package and submit to your supervisor for signature. Make copies of the entire package for your records. You are not required to send eVA documentation to Accounting. Note the PCO number on your log sheet.
• Send the original package to Ellen Spencer in Accounting and Financial Reporting no later that the 7th of the month. Any cardholders who are late may see the total charges appear on their department's main budget. It will be the cardholder's responsibility to notify Sylvia Schutt to distribute these charges appropriately.

Tax

All purchases on this card are tax exempt with the exception of air/rail fares. That tax is paid in the same manner as hotel or meal tax. If tax is charged on a purchase in error it is the cardholder's responsibility to have that tax credited.

Registrations

Registration fees for conferences may be charged to the VISA Bank of America card. Please remember that a Request for Travel Authorization (RTA) is always required for any travel on University business. A copy of the related RTA must be attached to the paperwork for the month in which the registration is billed.

Internet Purchases

Purchasing on the Internet is allowed according to the following policy. All State and University procurement policies remain in effect. 

Electronic Commerce Policy

In order to procure goods and services through the Internet, the vendor must have a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Version 2.0 or greater. It is the cardholder's responsibility to ensure the vendor meets the SSL 2.0 requirement before placing an order using the Small Purchase Charge Card as method of payment. To ensure the vendor has a SSL, the Address Window must start with https://. You may not see the "s" on the end of the "http address" until you get to the ordering point where your charge card number is entered. If you get to this point and the address is not secure you need to procure your item by using another method. If the site is secure the cardholder may proceed with the order but will need to screen print the "address window" that shows the https:// as a secure site and attach this print screen to the cardholder information that is forwarded to Accounting at the end of each payment cycle.

Airline/Rail Tickets

Airline/rail tickets may be purchased using the VISA Bank of America card. It is the traveler's responsibility to get the lowest available fare. Travelers will research these fares and provide the cardholder with the information to purchase the ticket. The cardholder must attach a copy of the ticket/itinerary, RTA, copy of secure site screen print, and any other documentation to his log sheet in the month in which the ticket is purchased.

 Tips And Special Helps

• Please remember your bill is due in Accounting by the 7th of each month. No bills will be processed until all are received.
• The amount on your cardmember report must match the amount on your Cover Sheet.
• If your balance outstanding is $0.00 you do not need to send in a report.
• Only one Cover Sheet is allowed per cardholder.
• Please send your package securely stapled together. Please do not send paper clips or binder clips, etc.
• Purchasing on the Internet is allowed. Remember to attach a copy of the secure site screen print to your paperwork.
• We are tax exempt. It is the cardholder's responsibility to see that all tax is credited.
• Make sure all transactions include documentation that shows what was purchased and at what price. This also applies to credits.
• Document an explanation of any unusual purchase or any problems encountered directly on the log sheet.
• Use this card for airline/rail ticket purchases.
• Card sharing is NOT permitted. This will cause the card to be revoked for a minimum of 6 months.
• Account numbers must NOT be faxed or emailed to vendors.
• Plan ahead for year-end. The cut-off date for VISA Bank of America is May 15th.

Contacts

Questions about processing your bill, what accounts may be used, what is posted to Banner, etc., should be directed to Ellen Spencer at 2271.

Questions about Purchasing regulations, getting a new card or a lost or stolen card should be directed to Erin Evans at 2093.

Questions about discrepancies between your statement and the vendor's receipt should be directed to the vendor first and if no resolution is available then VISA Bank of America. The phone number is located on the back of your card.