Overview: About the PCard Module of Oracle Financials
On this page:
- PCard Defined
- Roles & Responsibilities
- Getting Access to PCard
- Types of Transactions
- Transaction Approval Process
- Available Training
- Staying Informed
- PCard Reporting Tools
PCard Defined
PCard is a custom module of the Oracle Financials system used to verify, edit, search, approve, or withdraw charges made against Stanford Purchasing Cards. Purchasing Cards (a.k.a. PCards or Procurement Cards) are Stanford liability credit cards issued to University faculty, staff, and student employees (as required) for use in making University business purchases. Within prescribed limits, Purchasing Cards may be used as an alternative to a purchase requisition, or for expenses that an individual might otherwise pay for personally that would then require reimbursement via either Petty Cash or a reimbursement request. For more information reference Overview: Determine Best Purchasing Method.
Roles & Responsibilities
Roles
There are five "roles" involved in the PCard process.
- Cardholder: Stanford employee whose name appears on the credit card
- Custodian: Stanford employee who administers department PCards
- Designee: Authorized person in a work group or department authorized to make purchases on the card
- Verifier: Individual responsible for matching receipts and reviewing card transactions imported into Oracle from the bank and for faxing the Confirmation (Barcode) page with backup documentation to PCard Administration
- Approver: Person conducting the final transaction reviews ensuring University compliance and approval of the transaction (must be different from the verifier)
Responsibilities
Cardholders are responsible for:
- Successfully completing of PCard training
- Contacting JPMorgan Chase to activate PCard
- Keeping PCard number confidential
- Using PCard for Stanford business ONLY
- Adhering to University PCard policy
- Obtaining original receipts for submission to the Verifier
- Determining if appropriate sales tax was paid
- Notifying PCard Administration if charged for goods prior to delivery
- Dealing with the merchants directly on any credits or disputes
- Immediately reporting lost or stolen card to JPMorgan Chase at 1-888-297-0778, then notify PCard Administration at 650-736-0354
- Surrendering PCard in person if changing departments or leaving Stanford
Custodians are responsible for:
- Successfully completing PCard training
- Instructing Designees on use of the card
- Verifying that Designee is aware of what has been pre-authorized and what to purchase
- Tracking Designee transactions
- Keeping DPCard number secure
- Withholding PCard from Designees who have misused the card
- Providing sales tax information for on-line entry
- Printing and filing a Missing Receipt Affidavit for lost receipts, with signatures
- Determining PTAE for each transaction
- Processing disputed transactions and apply credits
- Notifying JPMorgan Chase and filing a HelpSU Request at HelpSU immediately if card is lost or stolen
- Notifying PCard Administration if charged for goods prior to delivery
- Notifying PCard Administration if changing departments or leaving Stanford
Designees are responsible for:
- Keeping the DPCard secure
- Verifying purchase pre-approval
- Obtaining receipts from merchant
- Providing information to Verifier regarding California Sales Tax
- Immediately returning the card and receipts to Custodian
- Dealing with the merchant directly on any return, dispute, or credit
- Immediately reporting lost or stolen card to Custodian
Verifiers are responsible for:
- Successfully completing PCard training
- Verifying transactions no later than 10 business days after occurrence
- Obtaining and faxing the confirmation (Barcode) page with copies of original receipts for each transaction
- Printing and filing a Missing Receipt Affidavit for lost receipts with signatures
- Determining PTAE for each transaction
- Entering sales tax information
- Completing the PCard Routing List to route transactions for approval
- Handling any disputed transactions and applying credits
- Immediately reporting lost or stolen card to JPMorgan Chase at (888) 297-0778 and notify Purchasing Card Administration at (650) 736-0354
- Notifying PCard Administration if charged for goods prior to delivery
- Providing PCard Administration with the name of a back up Verifier if absent for 10 business days
- Notifying PCard Administration if changing department or leaving Stanford
Approvers are responsible for:
- Validating transaction information
- Verifying correct account information is used
- Following Stanford policies
- Approving the transaction within 10 business days of transaction load date
Getting Access to PCard
There is only one level of access to the PCard module. "SU PCard" responsibility enables authorized Verifiers and Approvers to review and approve Purchasing Card transactions.
Learn more about getting access to the PCard module of Oracle Financials.
In addition to Purchasing Cards, there are other methods of buying goods and services at Stanford. See Overview: Determine Best Purchasing Method.
Types of Transactions
PCard Verifications
Designated PCard Verifiers with access to the PCard module can review transaction details, enter clear business purposes, generate missing receipt forms, verify sales tax, verify / update charge accounts, and as needed generate a Dispute Resolution Form to the bank.
PCard Approvals
Approvers with access to the PCard module can review transaction details and either approve, edit or return the transaction to the Verifier with comments. Edits may include updating charge accounts, or adding approvers or FYI recipients to the approval routing list.
Transaction Approval Process
Stanford receives a daily transmission from the bank for all PCard transactions posted the previous day. The designated Verifier for a given card is responsible for reviewing the transactions for that card in the PCard module and matching them with receipts.
- To find an Approver for the transaction, the Verifier may use the Approver Lookup feature in PCard to retrieve a list of authorized approvers for the PTAEOs and dollar amount used in the transaction. After choosing the appropriate approver(s) from the list, users can elect to send "FYI" notifications, which serve as informational notices and do not require action by the recipient(s).
To learn more about the approval process, see Overview: Approving Financial Transactions in Oracle: About Workflow.
Approvers may use SU Workflow Notifications to approve or return PCard transaction verifications. To edit transactions (i.e. changing PTAEOs and/or adding approvers and FYI notifications), or use the search capability, approvers must have access to the PCard module of the Oracle Financials system.
Available Training
The following online training is made available by the Controller's Office:
Drop-in practice labs are available every Friday (except holidays) from 9:00 AM until noon, in the IT Servcies Arguello Computer Labs @ 427 Arguello Way. Knowledgeable staff is on hand to answer questions about the Oracle Financial system modules. No registration is required.
Staying Informed
- To receive email communications regarding changes and updates to PCard, subscribe to pcard-users@lists.
- Check Archived Bulletins to view communications distributed on or after August 1, 2007. Bulletins are organized by activity and date. See Buying and Paying for PCard communications.
PCard Reporting Tools
ReportMart3 can be used to generate various reports to help staff with the process of tracking and reconciling Purchasing Card transactions. For report names and descriptions, see Resources & Job Aids: Oracle Financials Report Types and Uses – Buying and Paying.