Policy Summary
The purchasing card is a UW–Madison credit card issued to an authorized university employee (excluding student-hourly) by the Purchasing Card Program Office. Issuance of a purchasing card provides purchasing authority to that employee up to authorized limits. UW–Madison assumes full liability for the payment and use of the purchasing card. The cardholder is responsible for maintaining security of the card and for any misuse as outlined in this policy.
Divisions or departments must assign a site manager prior to enrolling in the Purchasing Card Program.
UW–Madison purchasing cards are provided by U.S. Bank and remain the property of U.S. Bank. Purchasing cards must be canceled immediately upon termination of employment, leave of absence, transfer to another department, or request by an authorized person for any reason (e.g., Purchasing Card Program Manager, Controller, purchasing card site manager, Divisional Business Office).
All documents related to the purchasing card may be fully disclosed as public record to the extent required by state and federal open records laws.
Policy Detail
- Mandatory Training. Training is required to keep up to date with relevant policies, procedures, and best practices. After required initial training, annual online refresher training helps keep employees aware of important changes. Mandatory training is outlined below.
All UW–Madison employees approved for a purchasing card, including site managers:
- Purchasing Card Policies and Procedures Training
- UW–Madison Travel Policy Training
- Annual online refresher training after completing above trainings
Specialized training (required in addition to what is outlined above) for roles includes:
- Site managers: Site Manger Training
- Department Card Administrators (DCAs) and site managers who review Department Cards: Online Department Card Training
- General Card Use. A UW–Madison purchasing card may only be used:
- By the UW–Madison employee whose name is embossed on the front of the card.
- For Department Cards only: By an authorized purchaser as outlined in Procedure 3013.7: Department Card Use and Account Management.
- For UW–Madison business-related purchases.
- In compliance with UW–Madison purchasing policies and procedures.
- Purchase and Credit Limits. All purchasing cards have a single purchase limit and a cycle credit limit. The limits are approved by the cardholder’s Divisional Business Office and should be based on a cardholder’s anticipated purchasing needs. In alignment with the best-judgment purchase limit, the maximum allowable single purchase limit is $5,000.
- Sales Tax. Prior to using their purchasing card to make a purchase, cardholders must:
- Present their sales tax exemption card/number/letter to the vendor, or
- Verify the applicability of out-of-state sales tax for purchases made from vendors outside Wisconsin.
- Shipping Address. Merchandise purchased with a UW–Madison purchasing card must be shipped to a UW–Madison campus address unless the cardholder can provide a business justification for having items shipped elsewhere. The justification must be included with the other supporting documentation.
- Supporting Documentation. Supporting documentation (e.g., vendor receipt) is required for every purchasing card transaction, regardless of the dollar amount. Purchasing cardholders must provide documentation, including a stated business purpose, during the transaction reconciliation process.
- Account Management/Reconciliation. Purchasing cardholders and site managers must reconcile purchasing card transactions within 30 days of the transaction billing date.
- Records Retention. Purchasing card supporting documentation must be retained for six years plus the current year.
- Card Security. All purchasing cards and purchasing card data (card number, expiration date, and 3-digit verification code) must be kept in a secured location at all times.
- Lost or Stolen Cards. Purchasing cardholders must immediately notify U.S. Bank Cardholder Customer Service if their card is lost or stolen.
- Unauthorized Transactions/Suspected Fraud. Purchasing cardholders must immediately notify the U.S. Bank Fraud Department of any unauthorized transactions or suspected fraudulent activity. Purchasing card fraud committed by a UW–Madison employee must be reported to the Purchasing Card Program Manager. Suspected fraud or abuse may also be reported to UW System Administration.
- Notification of Termination of Employment. Upon terminating their employment with UW–Madison, purchasing cardholders must notify the Purchasing Card Program Office and destroy any purchasing cards they have.
Consequences For Noncompliance
Failure to comply with UW–Madison Purchasing Card Policy or Procedures may result in disciplinary steps, up to and including dismissal.
Responsibilities
- Purchasing Cardholders:
- Understand and adhere to this policy and accompanying procedures
- Ensure card security
- Make appropriate business-related purchases in accordance with UW–Madison policy
- Reconcile purchasing card transactions in accordance with this policy in the Shared Financial System
- Report fraud/potential disputes to U.S. Bank within required timeframes
- Complete required training
- Purchasing Card Site Managers:
- Monitor use of purchasing cards to ensure all purchases are made in accordance with applicable policies and procedures
- Review and reconcile purchasing card transactions in the Shared Financial System
- Identify misuse of purchasing cards and notify cardholders
- Share program information/updates received from the Purchasing Card Program Manager with their cardholders and others, as appropriate
- Purchasing Card Program Office:
- Develops and maintains internal policies and procedures
- Develops training and supports purchasing cardholders, site managers, and Divisional Business Offices with purchasing card-related questions and concerns
- Performs periodic reviews of card activity to ensure compliance with all policies and procedures
- Divisional Business Office Leadership:
- Identify individuals who have an appropriate business need for a purchasing card
- Establish individual cardholder credit limits
- Ensure local compliance with this policy and accompanying procedures
- Approve changes to existing purchasing card accounts (e.g., credit limit increases)
