UNC PCard Policies and Procedures

The University of Northern Colorado procurement card (PCard) program provides VISA branded contactless credit cards issued by US Bank to UNC faculty and staff for making approved university-related business purchases. These contactless cards also include a chip and magnetic stripe, so the card can be tapped, inserted, or swiped on a terminal depending on how it is set up.

The PCard is a corporate liability credit card, not a personal liability credit card, meaning UNC pays a combined credit card bill each month, and your personal credit history is not accessed, considered, or impacted by applying for and receiving a PCard as Social Security Numbers and birthdates are not provided to US Bank.

PCards can be configured to serve as a purchasing card, a travel card, or a combination purchasing/travel card. How each card is configured is determined by the cardholder's department or college, though single purchase limits are capped at $9,999, as purchases that exceed this amount require a purchase order before making the purchase. The card can be used for in-store purchases as well as phone or online purchases. Each card is tailored to the cardholder's purchasing needs to help reduce card declines, and to minimize the potential for fraud if a card is lost or stolen.

PCards cannot be used to make personal purchases. Cardholders are asked to treat their PCard with the same sense of responsibility and security that they would use for their personal credit cards. Violations of policy and procedure can result in card suspension, card cancellation, or in some cases, termination of employment.

• How To Get a PCard

  Work with your department, school, college or program to complete a Cardholder Application.

  After your department, school, college or program approves your PCard application, it is routed to the PCard manager for ordering. You will receive an automatic notification when the card has been ordered and will be notified by email once it has arrived.

  PCards centrally ship to the Purchasing office within 3-5 business days of the order date.

• Activate Your PCard

  Your PCard can be activated online or by phone. Instructions for both options are detailed in the Activate US Bank Card document.

  Cards must be activated before they can be used. The card activation process is separate from the account registration process, so be sure to complete both.

• Register Your Access Online Account

  You will need to register your Access Online account the first time you access the system through the SSO link in Ursa. Instructions for this process are detailed in the Register Access Online Account document.

  Once your account is registered, the SSO link should automatically log you in the next time it's used. The account registration process is separate from the card activation process, so be sure to complete both.

  If you encounter any errors during activation, please contact a Program Administrator.

• Reset your PCard PIN

  The PIN associated with your PCard can be reset online or by phone.

  Online
  Visit access.usbank.com, do not use the SSO link, and click "Change Your PIN" on the login screen. You will need to enter the card number, expiration date, and the last four digits of your phone number as assigned on the account, then follow the prompts to reset the PIN.

  Phone
  Call US Bank Customer Service. If calling from the United States or Canada, dial 800-344-5696. You will reach an automated system. When prompted by the automated system that will ask for the 16-digit card number and the 5-digit zip code (80639). Select option 2. After the balance information is read, select option 5.
  If calling from outside the United States or Canada, dial the international dialing code followed by 701-461-2010. 

• Lost or Stolen Cards

  You are responsible for the security of your PCard and any purchases made on your PCard account. If you think you lost your PCard, or that your PCard has been stolen or compromised, please call US Bank Customer Service immediately at 800-344-5696 to report the loss/theft. It is important to report your PCard lost/stolen promptly to avoid liability for fraudulent transactions. Once a PCard is reported lost or stolen, a new PCard will be issued to replace the lost or compromised card.

• Disputed Charges

  PCard charges can be disputed online with US Bank for reasons that include issues with delivery, quality, service, duplicate charges, or incorrect pricing. However, if you see one or more charges on your PCard that you know you did not authorize, your PCard may have been compromised. If this is the case, then please refer to the section Lost or Stolen Cards.

  Before disputing an erroneous PCard charge with US Bank, you must contact the merchant who processed the charge to see if they can correct the issue for you. When you contact the merchant about a disputed charge, please keep a record of your communication with the merchant; this may include emails, texts, and/or a record of phone calls that includes the name of the person with whom you spoke, the date you contacted the merchant, and the merchant's response.

  If the merchant is unable to provide a satisfactory resolution around the disputed charge, then you can proceed with disputing the charge online in Access Online.

• Credit Limit Facts

  Your credit limit was established by your department or college. If you need to have your credit limit adjusted, please contact your director, chair, or Accounting Specialist to discuss your needs. Your director, chair or Accounting Specialist can contact the PCard manager and request any changes to your credit limit that they deem necessary.

• Inappropriate, Disallowed or Non-approved PCard Use

  The University will seek reimbursement from cardholders who authorize inappropriate, disallowed or non-approved PCard transactions. In certain instances, the cardholder may be subject to additional action, including immediate termination of employment.

• Sales Tax Exemption

  The University is exempt from paying Colorado state sales tax; it is the cardholder's responsibility to inform merchants that purchases are exempt from Colorado state sales tax. The tax exempt number is printed on the front of each PCard and a tax exempt certificate is also available should this document be requested by a merchant.

• Required Documentation for PCard Transactions

  An itemized receipt is required for each transaction on your PCard. An itemized receipt contains the following information:

  • Date of transaction
  • Merchant Name
  • Description of purchase
  • Amount of purchase

  In addition, some purchases require additional backup documentation. Catering purchases that include alcohol require an Alcohol Approval Form to be completed in OnBase prior to the purchase(s). Gift card purchases require a waiver from General Accounting prior to purchase. 

  These documents should be included with the receipt in Access Online when reconciling transactions. It is also helpful to maintain a log of PCard transactions. 

• Cardholder Responsibilities

   The cardholder is responsible for the following:

  • Reviewing PCard transactions online on a monthly basis;
  • Identifying and documenting all transactions on their PCard statements by supplying receipts and any required forms and approval emails for purchases. You will be required to reimburse the University with personal funds for any activity that is not appropriately documented as a University-related business expense;
  • Ensuring that Colorado state sales tax is not charged when making purchases;
  • Providing itemized receipts for all PCard transactions at the end of each billing cycle; and
  • Completing and submitting any additional backup documentation for purchases that require an Alcohol Approval Form, a gift card waiver, or purchase approval letters and emails.

  See Reconciling PCards US Bank for instructions on this process.

• Card Reallocator Responsibilities

   Individuals who reallocate/reconcile PCard transactions are responsible for the following:

  • Reallocating all PCard transactions to the appropriate and accurate account string for their assigned cardholders prior to the PCard reallocation deadline each month; and
  • Entering clear and concise descriptions of business purchases for each cardholder transaction.
• Fund Approver Responsibilities

   Fund Approvers are responsible for:

  • Reviewing all PCard transactions that are being charged to your account string;
  • Identifying non-approved or disallowed PCard transactions being charged to your account string;
  • Approving PCard transactions within Access Online to certify that you are approving the transactions that are being charged to your account string; and
  • Initiating appropriate action, or contacting the PCard manager to initiate appropriate action, for any PCard transactions that should not or cannot be approved.

  Appropriate action is determined by the severity of the infraction. Possible action for non-approved or disallowed PCard transactions can include:

  • Having the cardholder reimburse the University for the transaction;
  • Suspending the PCard for an appropriate period of time;
  • Deactivating the card account permanently; and/or
  • Terminating cardholder's employment.

  See Approving US Bank Transactions for instructions on this process.

• Helpful Links

  UNC Visa Card Guidelines
  Cardholder Application Form
  Cardholder Responsibilities
  Sales Tax Exemption Certificate
  Commonly Used Account Codes
  Expense Tracking Log
  Reconciling PCards US Bank
  Approving US Bank Transactions

• Definitions

  Card Reallocator: The person or persons responsible for entering the appropriate account string for each transaction for one or more cardholders. 

  Fund Approver: The person or persons that have authority to approve an expenditure of UNC funds from a specified account string.

  Reallocation: The process of assigning an appropriate and accurate account string to each PCard transaction.