SHAWNEE STATE UNIVERSITY

The Shawnee State University purchasing card should not be used for any purchases for the Development Foundation. The two entities are completely separate. Purchases for the Foundation should be made using the Foundation’s purchasing process.

PCard Pointer #2: Reviewing and Approving Transactions

Cardholders are strongly encouraged to review their transactions throughout the month, as soon as they’re posted to PaymentNet. Timely review is critical to catching errors and correcting problems as they occur. Plus, reviewing transactions throughout the month allows supervisors to approve those transactions as soon as the billing cycle closes and the Controller’s Office can to move all charges to CARS prior to the end of the month.

PCard Pointer #3: Weekly PCard Reminders

Every Monday morning, all cardholders who have PCard transactions to review in PaymentNet are sent an automated message from the PaymentNet website, reminding them that they have a transaction to review. At the same time, a copy of that reminder is sent to the cardholder’s budget manager or to the delegated department contact.

Have you been receiving your reminders?

If you haven’t and you know you’ve had transactions to review, please check your Spam Quarantine Inbox. That’s where I found my reminder the first time. Click “White List” and the message, along with future messages, will arrive in your Inbox every Monday.

Working together, we can all assure a successful PCard program.

PCard Pointer #4: Travel Details in PaymentNet

The PCard makes traveling so easy, and all it requires is a few extra details in the Transaction Notes section in PaymentNet. Here’s the information you need to include when you use your PCard for travel:

Who (who traveled)
Where (city/state of travel)
When (dates of travel)
Why (reason for travel)
T-number (the number assigned to the Official Authorization for Overnight Travel when it’s approved)

This isn’t as hard as it may look. All of this information can be contained in one sentence. For example: “Hotel charge for Pat Carson, who attended the National PCards on Campus Conference in Savannah, GA, Feb. 18-22, 2006, T-978.”

PCard Pointer #5: The Shipping Address for PCard Purchases

When using your PCard to make a purchase via telephone, the internet, or mail order, remember to ask the merchant to include your name, the word “Visa,” and our complete delivery address (including your building name and room number) on the label. Without this information, staff in the Receiving Department will not know where to deliver your package and its delivery may be delayed.

Following is an example of a proper mailing address for PCard purchases:

Pat Carson VISA

Shawnee State University

Administration Bldg. 103

940 Second Street

Portsmouth, OH 45662

Vendors should not include the card number and expiration date on the shipment or packing slip.

PCard Pointer #6: Membership Payments and the PCard

Membership payments are restricted in the PCard program and require prior written approval from the PCard administrator.

To request approval to make a membership payment with your PCard, simply send the pertinent information (i.e., name of organization, staff member of record, membership period, cost, link to the organization’s website, if available, etc.) to Pat Carson via interoffice mail or to pcarson@shawnee.edu. You will receive a response to your request via email. That response and your itemized receipt should be maintained as documentation for the transaction and proof that you had the appropriate prior approval.

To review the list of purchases that are unauthorized or restricted in the PCard, click on the “Prohibited and Restricted Purchases” link on the PCard webpage:

http://www.shawnee.edu/off/prch/PCard/Blocked and Restricted Purchases.htm

PCard Pointer #7: Changing Positions or Leaving the University

Cardholders: Do you anticipate changing positions or leaving the University in the near future? Don’t forget it’s your responsibility to return your PCard to your department head before leaving your current position.

If you’re moving to another department and will need to use a PCard in your new position, you may wish to complete a new application ahead of time to avoid a gap in “service.” Remember, your new supervisor and vice president need to sign your application before you submit it to the Purchasing Dept.

Budget Managers: You are responsible for retrieving PCards from employees who leave Shawnee State University, change departments, or move to a job in which they will no longer require a purchasing card. The card should be cut in at least four pieces and returned to the PCard administrator (Pat Carson), along with a note that indicates department name, cardholder name, cardholder account number, and the reason for canceling the account. Timely notification is critical!

PCard Pointer #8: The PCard and the End of the Fiscal Year

Unlike the purchase order process, which typically has a cut-off date of early June, PCard purchases may be made year round, July 1 through June 30, 365 days a year.

PCard Pointer #9: Proper PCard Review and Approval Process

It is the 13th day of the current PCard billing cycle. When I review transactions in PaymentNet, I see that 89 out of 195 PCard transactions have been reviewed by cardholders across campus and 29 of those transactions have been approved by budget managers in 7 areas.

Question: What is wrong with this picture?

Answer: Two things.

Cardholders are strongly encouraged to review their transactions throughout the month, as soon as they post to PaymentNet. Timely review is critical to catching errors and correcting problems as they occur. Plus, reviewing transactions throughout the month allows supervisors to approve those transactions as soon as the billing cycle closes.

Budget managers should not approve transactions until after the PCard billing cycle has closed, generally no earlier than the 21st day of each month. A check mark in the approval box indicates, among other things, that all documentation requirements have been met. The cardholder’s electronic billing statement, one of those requirements, is not available until after the billing cycle has closed. Plus, it’s actually more efficient to wait until the billing cycle has closed to approve transactions, because the budget manager can review the documentation packet, sign the Approval of PCard Expenses form, and check the box in PaymentNet, all at the same time.

PCard Pointer #10: The PCard and Central Stores

PCard holders are expected to use Central Stores as their primary source for office supplies. The University stocks many commonly used items in Central Stores, including staplers, surge protectors, toner cartridges, and Post-it notes, just to name a few. You might be surprised by what you find in Central Stores, and we continue to add items, as opportunities arise. Always check Central Stores, first, before looking elsewhere. If there’s something you would like us to add to our inventory, just let us know. Central Stores is provided as a convenience to departments on campus. Items ordered from Central Stores are usually delivered to you the same day. For more information about placing orders with Central Stores, contact Melissa Garrett (ext. 3287).

If the item you’re looking for is not available through Central Stores, you are expected to order from one of our contract vendors.

Our preferred office supply vendor ― after Central Stores ― is Guy Brown Products. They offer special pricing through competitively awarded office supply contracts that are available to Shawnee State.

If the item you want is not available from Central Stores or Guy Brown Products , contact Purchasing at ext. 3287.

As you have been hearing from our president and the chancellor, House Bill 119, enacted July 25, 2007, charges us with demonstrating efficiencies and collaborations, and one of the ways Shawnee State can demonstrate efficiency and collaboration is by purchasing from the competitively awarded contracts named above.

By combining our purchasing power with that of others, we can make a difference. Let’s all do our part! Our continued funding from the state depends upon our participation in these contracts!

PCard Pointer #11: Document Imaging and the PCard

PCard policy, up to this point, has required departments to keep their original PCard receipts and other original documentation for five years — the current year and the past four fiscal years. In recognition of the document imaging being introduced across campus, that requirement has been changed just a bit.

Departments are still required to maintain PCard documentation for five years (the current year and the past four fiscal years). The difference is that those departments who are doing document imaging may scan some of their records. For audit purposes, we require departments who document image to keep original PCard receipts and other original documentation on hand for two years (the current fiscal year and the immediately preceding fiscal year). The other three years of the required five years may be scanned, if you wish.

What this means, specifically, is that departments are currently expected to have on-hand a file of original receipts and documentation for the 2007-2008 fiscal year and the 2008-2009 fiscal year. Departments may, if they wish, document image the 2004-2005, 2005-2006, and 2006-2007 fiscal years.

SPECIAL NOTE: “Document Imaging,” as used in this Pointer, refers only to institutional scanning done through the Feith process and stored on a storage server that is supported and backed up, regularly, by UIS. No other form of personal or departmental scanning, or scanning to other electronic storage devices, meets the audit requirements of the PCard program.

PCard Pointer #12: Your PaymentNet Password

Pass phrases are now more secure than ever in PaymentNet. Effective Monday, March 23, all PaymentNet passwords:

Must be at least 6 characters long

Must contain at least 1 non-alphanumeric character (examples: -, !, @, #, $, %)

Must contain at least 1 alphabetic character (examples: a, b, c, d, e)

Must contain at least 1 numeric character (examples: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Must be different than the User ID

Will expire after 120 days

All users that have a pass phrase that does not meet the new minimums will be prompted to change their pass phrase to meet the new restrictions upon logging into PaymentNet.

PCard Pointer #13: Visa Rental Car Insurance

The Visa Rental Car Insurance provides primary coverage worldwide up to the actual cash value of most rental cars due to collision or theft. Because the coverage is primary, the cardholder should decline all other coverage offered by the rental car agency.

This coverage is collision damage coverage only. It does not cover injury to persons, nor to property other than the rental car. Also, the coverage only works for 31 consecutive days on each rental.

Covered losses are:

· Damage resulting from collision or rollover

· Theft and theft-related charges

· Malicious vandalism charges

· Valid loss-of-use charges imposed by the rental agency

· Reasonable towing charges due to covered loss

· Windshield damage

Cardholders may not be covered if the damage is due to weather, driver intoxication, or confiscation by legal authorities. There are some countries where the coverage does not apply. If a cardholder is about to rent a car in a foreign country, they should call Visa to confirm coverage. Exotic cars (e.g. Ferrari, Lamborghini) are not covered, although BMWs, Mercedes, and Cadillacs are covered.

Cardholders are required to file a claim with the Visa Assistance Center within 20 days of the date of loss. The number for the Assistance Center is 1-800-VISA-911. There is a list of international numbers available, as well. Visa will send the cardholder a claims form. The cardholder must return the form to Visa within 90 days along with the following information:

· A copy of their charge slip or monthly billing statement as proof that the entire car rental was paid for with the Visa Corporate Card

· Written confirmation from the cardholder's employer that the rental was for business purposes

· If the rental was for personal purposes: a statement from cardholder’s insurance carrier showing costs the cardholder is responsible for and any amounts that have been paid towards the claim

· A copy of the declaration page from cardholder's primary automobile insurance carrier, if the rental was for personal use

· A copy of the rental company's Accident Report Form

· A copy of the repair estimate or itemized repair bill

· A copy of the entire rental car contract

· Two photographs of the damaged vehicle, if available

· A police report, if available

· Any other documentation deemed necessary by the insurance company to substantiate the claim

Please note: If the cardholder is having a difficult time obtaining all the information, the cardholder needs to send what he/she has and forward the additional information as it becomes available.