Purchasing Card

Home > For Employees > Business Services > Purchasing > Purchasing Card

General Purchasing Card Manual

Family Living and WNEP Purchasing Card Manual

Purchasing Card Reference Guide

Purpose of Purchasing Card
How to Get a Purchasing Card
Cardholder Responsibilities
Training Sessions
General Purchasing Card Policy
Prohibited Items
Specific Purchasing Card Policy
Office Supplies
Sponsored Events
Travel
Purchases Requiring Approval
Ineligible Vendors
Returned Goods and Disputed Transactions
Family Living and WNEP Cardholders
Forms
Lost or Stolen Cards
Where to Find Help

Purpose of Purchasing Card

The State of Wisconsin has entered into a contract with U.S. Bank to provide a purchasing card program. This program will allow University of Wisconsin System employees to use a purchasing card to make small dollar purchases between $100 and $5,000 (depending on department approval). The purchasing card is a campus liability that will reduce paperwork and purchase orders as well as allow employees to obtain goods and services needed to complete their jobs in a more efficient manner. The billing cycle of the purchasing card is biweekly. The dates of the billing cycles and distribution deadlines are included in the Purchasing Card Billing Cycle and Billing Distribution Dates.

How to Get a Purchasing Card

• Complete and sign a Purchasing Card Application and Use Agreement and receive appropriate approvals.
• Complete a Cardholder Account Setup Form and receive appropriate approvals.
• Submit forms to your campus Purchasing Card Administrator.
• Complete training provided by your campus Purchasing Card Administrator.
• Activate card by calling U.S. Bank at the telephone number that is printed on the card.

Cardholder Responsibilities

As stated above, the purchasing card is a campus liability but still requires the care of a personal credit card therefore the cardholder is attached to the following responsibilities:

• Follow general and specific procedures outlined in the General Purchasing Card Manual.
• Keep purchasing card account numbers in a secure place.
• Continue to keep updated contact information by using an Account Maintenance Request form to update account contact information.
• Maintain a Purchasing Card Log Form with proper documentation.
• Remain cognizant that misuse or non-adherence to purchasing card policies may result in suspension or revocation of purchasing card.

Training Sessions

As mentioned in Step 4 under “How to Get a Purchasing Card” training must completed before activation of your purchasing card. Purchasing card training is now online. Please contact Jean Storandt at (608) 265-6645 or jean.storandt.@uwex.edu to sign up for online training.

General Purchasing Card Policy

When using a purchasing card consider whether the purchasing card is the most appropriate tool for purchase. Make sure the vendor is not an ineligible vendor and that total amount of purchase does not exceed the purchasing card's single purchase limit. Advise all vendors that the UW System is tax exempt from Wisconsin sales and use tax and provide a copy of the Certificate of Exempt Status to vendor. Always obtain a detailed receipt at the time of purchase clearly identifying each item purchased and their respective amounts.

Prohibited Items

NOTE: The purchasing card CANNOT be used for the following items:

For a complete list of strictly prohibited items see the General Purchasing Card Manual.

Specific Purchasing Card Policies

Office Supplies

All office supplies must be purchased from the mandatory state contract with Corporate Express/Staples. Purchases of office supplies from a store can only be made in emergency situations and an explanation must be provided and attached to the Purchasing Card Log Form.

To get an active Materials Distribution Services (MDS) account—which will allow you to buy supplies from Corporate Express/Staples—follow these steps:

• Visit the following website and complete form: http://www.bussvc.wisc.edu/mds/links/acctform.pdf
• Fax completed form to MDS/ Their fax number is (608) 497-4424 or email completed form to mdscsr@bussvc.wisc.edu
• Use the following website for instructions on how to order from MDS after receiving an MDS number: http://www.bussvc.wisc.edu/howto/purch/mdsHowOrder.html

Sponsored Events

When conducting a sponsored event a Sponsored Events Form must be completed and attached to the Purchasing Card Log Form. Additionally, a List of Event Participants and an agenda of the event must also be attached. To find out more details about sponsored events click here and for complete guidelines regarding catering click here.

Travel

All travel expenses need to be accompanied with a Travel Approval Form attached to the Purchasing Card Log Form. If travel expenses are purchased for out-of-state travel and with 104 funds a 104 Fund Out-Of-State Travel Approval form should then be completed and attached.

Lodging — All lodging expenses need documentation support showing business purpose and original itemized receipts. Additionally, dates of stay, single room rates, name and address of hotel, number of nights stayed and total cost of transaction must be included in documentation.

Airfare — When booking airfare online, cardholders must use Concur through Fox World Travel. Contact Jeff Henslin at (608) 262-0180 or at jeffrey.henslin@uwex.edu to set up a Concur account. If not booking online, any brick or mortar travel agency will suffice. Documentation to be included is as follows: traveler's name, destinations, departure/return dates, amount of fare, routing, class of travel, purpose of trip, and supervisor signature. If the traveler wishes to extend their travel outside of business purposes a price comparison must be included of the alternate date. Lastly, three-point travel is not allowed.

MOST IMPORTANTLY: All travel purchases must be accompanied with a supervisor signature (this is the biggest mistake seen when documenting travel expenses).

Purchases requiring Prior Approval

The following items require UW-Extension's Purchasing Department approval before being charged to a purchasing card.

Ineligible Vendors

The purchasing card is not be used for vendors found on the lists below:

DOA's Ineligible Vendors List:
http://vendornet.state.wi.us/vendornet/asp/login.asp
User ID: caps
Password: badger
Under View Only Information, select Wisconsin Office of Contracts Compliance and Vendor Directory.

DOR's Ineligible Vendors List:
http://vendornet.state.wi.us/vendornet/wocc/CertList.pdf

Returned Goods and Disputed Transactions

If goods purchased with purchasing card need to be returned the cardholder should work directly with the vendor. If a restocking fee is applied, the full credit for purchase needs to be shown with the re-stocking fee charged separately.

If a dispute arises concerning a charge on the purchasing card very effort to settle the dispute must be made by the cardholder with the vendor. If the dispute remains unresolved either call U.S. Bank at (800) 344-5696 or fill out a Statement of Disputed Item form and send completed form to U.S. Bank.

Family Living and WNEP Cardholders

Family Living and WNEP Cardholders have significantly lower credit limits than General Purchasing Cardholders. Additionally, Family Living and WNEP Cardholders are required to use a Family Living and WNEP Purchasing Card Log Form instead of the general Purchasing Card Log Form. Lastly, these cardholders are prohibited from using their purchasing card for travel expenses, some users may be of exception.

Forms

Purchasing Card Application and Use Agreement
Cardholder Account Set-Up
Account Maintenance Request
Purchasing Card Log Form
Family Living and WNEP Purchasing Card Log Form
Statement of Disputed Item
Travel Approval Form
104 Fund Out-Of-State Travel Approval
Sponsored Events Form
List of Sponsored Events Participants
Purchasing Card Billing Cycle and Billing Distribution Dates
Sales and Use Tax Exemption

Lost or Stolen Cards

Contact U.S. Bank at (800) 344-5696 and the Purchasing Card Administrator immediately to report the card as lost or stolen.

Where to Find Help

For UW-Extension Employees

Professional Development

• Multicultural Awareness Program
• Leadership Academy
• Program Innovation Fund
• Technology Training Fund

UW-Extension and Colleges Administration

• About
• Chancellor's Office
• Administrative & Financial Services
• Employee Assistance Office
• Office of Inclusion
• Government Relations
• Human Resources
• Information Technology
• Internal Auditing
• Records Management
• University Relations