A Department Purchase Card, also referred to as P-card or Procurement Card, is a U.S. Bank VISA credit card assigned to departments. Staff assigned as users for the purchase card may check-out the card to make business related purchases.
Procurement Card Training
Prior to being issued or assigned to a procurement card, staff listed as card user, custodian, or budget authority need to take and complete the Procurement Card Training and Procurement Card Test through Moodle. To complete the course individuals must pass the Procurement Card Knowledge Test with an 80% or higher. Instructions for how to enroll in the course can be found at the Moodle site Procurement Card Training.
Departments seeking to add a new card or make changes to an existing card (eg adding or removing users or changing card custodian), must submit a completed Application and Agreement Form to the Service Center.
Information
For more information regarding Procurement Card policy and procedures, visit here.
Requesting new P-Card
New cards are issued when department requires a new card or when an existing p-card has a change or removal of budget authority, card custodian, or card user.
- Department determines need for new p-card.
- Department completes P-card Application and Agreement Form.
- Budget authority, card custodian, and card user(s) listed on form must complete, or have previously completed, Procurement Card Training and Procurement Card Test.
- Completed form forwarded to Service Center.
- Service Center reviews form.
- Ensures form is complete.
- Ensures individuals listed on form have completed Procurement Card Training and Procurement Card Test.
- Assigns Account and Business Managers.
- Service Center forwards to Business Services.
- Business Services orders new card.
- When new p-card arrives, Business Services informs card custodian.
- Card custodian receives p-card from Business Services.
Using a P-card
- Authorized card user checks-out p-card from card custodian.
- Card user purchases approved items or service.
- Card user collects invoice/receipt for items or service
- Purchase of food items requires itemized receipt.
- If necessary, card user completes appropriate paperwork.
- For example, food items requires a Purchase of Meals or Refreshments Form.
- Card user returns p-card and invoice/receipt with associated paperwork to the card custodian.
- Using a P-card for Amazon Business: Please reach out to purchasing@sou.edu or see instructions listed under Amazon Business on the Vendor webpage.
Expense Redistribution
Expense redistribution is an important step in the process, as department budgets do not realize the expense until it is redistributed and helps to catch fraudulent charges. Expenses usually show in Banner two (2) to three (3) business days after transaction. Account managers begin matching documentation to expenses soon after the charges show in Banner. Account managers will follow up with card custodians in regards to documentation not yet received.
- Card custodian collects invoice/receipt and associated paperwork from card user.
- Card custodian codes invoice/receipt with department index and, if required, activity codes.
- Card custodian forwards documents to account manager in Service Center.
- Account manager matches documentation to expenses in Banner.
- Account manager redistributes expenses according to the coding given by the card custodian.
Timeline for P-Card Redistribution*
Month #1
26th: Bank statement period begins.
Month #1 and #2
26th through 25th: Redistribution of transactions with documentation received in Service Center.
Month #2
25th: Bank statement period ends.
Month #3
4th: All transactions for bank statement period must be redistributed. Transactions without documentation are redistributed to p-card default index, account code 28996- No Receipt.
5th: Accounting period closes.
5th through 25th: Card Custodians and Card Users provided documentation for transactions distributed to 28996.
25th: Mass JV processed moving transactions with provided documentation to appropriate index and account.
26th: Transactions with no provided documentation remaining in 28996 are considered non-business related expenses. These transactions become the personal liability of the responsible Card User. Transaction amount applied to Card User’s SOU account for repayment.
*Dates listed are approximate and may adjust from month to month dependent on actual business days.
Statement Cutoff Dates
Technology Purchasing
Technology purchases of single items costing less than $125 will be permitted without prior IT approval. These items can be acquired using your Departmental SOU Procurement Card, or by sending the item information to purchasing@sou.edu. Your Departmental Procurement Card will not allow you to make technology purchases costing more than $125 each.
For technology items costing more than $125, please contact your Computing Coordinator to assist with selection of compatible and recommended technology equipment and software. Once an item has been selected, email the item information to purchasing@sou.edu.