Procurement Services offers university-issued and university-paid credit cards, called Purchasing Cards (PCards), to make allowable purchases on behalf of the university. Expenses charged to the PCard are paid directly by the university to JPMorgan Chase. The PCard is a safe and easy-to-use payment method. It can be used anywhere MasterCard is accepted.
iProcurement, which provides users with access to shop from Amazon Business and SmartMart Catalog Suppliers, is the preferred method for purchasing goods and services due to the university's greater ability to manage risk, compliance and regulations. Using a PCard instead of iProcurement to purchase items should be limited to instances where there is substantial benefit. Procurement Services also offers Travel Cards (TCards), which are the preferred method for buying travel and travel-related services. All PCard transactions are populated, verified and approved in the Purchasing Card module.
Beginning in Fiscal Year 2024, to support compliance with policies related to proper use of PCard and TCard, a suspension process will be implemented for individual PCards and Travel Cards (TCards) with certain force cleared transaction patterns. Learn more in the Fingate Announcement.
FMS also offers the Merchant Services (MS) program, which is intended to support department merchants who utilize credit and debit cards to collect payments for university goods and services. PCards and TCards are used as payment methods so they are not a part of that program. For more information on how MS manages, supports, and mitigates risk for payment collection, visit the Merchant Services Program page.
There are two types of Purchasing Cards (PCards):
- Individual Purchasing Cards are issued to and used only by a specific individual who is an active Stanford University employee. This card is best suited for a department when:
- There is not a department PCard that is available to be used.
- The department has identified a proposed cardholder and verifier (may be the same individual) who are conscientious of and follow university purchasing guidelines for PCard use.
- The proposed cardholder makes many small purchase on behalf of the department.
- Others will not have an occasional need for a PCard.
- Department Purchasing Cards are issued to an individual who is an active Stanford University employee and is assigned as the custodian/cardholder on behalf of the department. This card is best suited for a department when:
- The department has identified a capable and conscientious PCard custodian and verifier (may be the same individual) who are conscientious of and follow university purchasing guidelines for the PCard's use and instructing others in proper use and safekeeping of the card.
- A number of department users will have an occasional need for the PCard.
The Procurement Services department within Financial Management Services is committed to purchasing practices and policies that are compliant, responsible and appropriately support the university's goals and mission. Accordingly, those who are making purchases on behalf of or doing business with the university, must follow the applicable purchasing policies and guidelines as well as Administrative Guide Policy: 5.3.3 Purchasing Cards. PCards may be used for purchases (of $4,999 or less) as long as the purchase does not require a signed agreement, and the expense is not travel-related and not specifically prohibited.
Processing transactions in a timely manner is important to ensure expenditures are correctly reported. PCard expenses should be verified and approved as soon as practicable after charges are incurred, but no later than 60 days after charges are incurred. Failure to complete verification and approvals within 60 days of transactions may result in card suspension and/or expenditures reported as taxable income to the card user or the cardholder. For guidance on managing aging PCard transactions, visit Managing Aging and Outstanding Expense Transactions.
Cardholders who do not comply with university policies and procedures may have their Stanford University cardholder privileges revoked. Misuse of the PCard may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
For more detailed information, including permissible expenses, usage guidance, restrictions and limits, refer to Stanford Purchasing Card (PCard) Policy.
It is the responsibility of the individual incurring expenses, those who assist others with incurring expenses and those involved in the preparation and approval of financial transactions to exercise good stewardship of university funds and to adhere to university policies. Learn more about roles and responsibilities related to PCard use in the following table.
| Role | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Individual PCard Cardholder | An individual PCard cardholder is an approved active Stanford employee who has a PCard issued in their name to make departmental purchases. They:
|
| Department PCard Custodian | A Department PCard Custodian is an approved active Stanford employee who controls the PCard issued to their department to make departmental purchases. They:
|
| Designee (Department PCard User) | A Designee (Department PCard User) is an active Stanford employee who occasionally uses the Department PCard to make departmental purchases. They:
|
| Verifier | The verifier can be the cardholder or another individual who is responsible for properly documenting and recording PCard transactions. They:
|
| Cardholder's Authorized Manager | The authorized manager is the supervisor of the individual Cardholder or Department PCard Custodian. They:
|
| Financial Approver | Financial approvers for PCard transactions are those granted Requisition approval authority for the PTA to which the PCard transaction is being charged. The approver may not report to the individual who made the purchase or be the beneficiary on whose behalf the purchase was made. They:
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| Departments and Unit Finance Managers | Department and Unit Finance Managers provide oversight of PCards issued in their organization. Budget unit level oversight includes the person granted Expenditure Escalation Authority for the organization. They:
|
| Card Services Team | The Card Services Team is part of the Procurement Services department within Financial Management Services. They:
|
Cardholders will be asked to set a Personal Identification Number (PIN) when they call to activate their card. They should follow the automated telephone prompts to ensure they have set their PIN before ending the call.
- Cardholders should call the number on the back of their card if they have trouble setting their PIN. The customer service representative will activate the card and transfer the cardholder to the automated system to set their PIN. If the cardholder is unable to answer their security questions to validate their identity, they will be advised to notify Stanford Card Services via a support request.
- If a PIN is forgotten or needs to be reset, cardholders can reset or confirm their PIN by calling the number on the back of the card and following the prompts. After resetting the PIN, the cardholder may need to enter their PIN multiple times in order for chip readers to recognize their PIN.
Cardholders/Custodians are expected to keep their PCards properly secured at all times. The only person authorized to use an individual PCard is the person to whom the PCard is issued. Lending or sharing of Individual PCards is not allowed. A department PCard is designed to be used by authorized members of a department who have an occasional need for a PCard. The custodian controls and is responsible for the distribution of the department PCard to designated individuals. Sharing of the department PCard account number is prohibited.
PCard holders/custodians should take appropriate measures to ensure that PCard information is not saved/stored when using the card to make online purchases. Many online retailers store credit card information. Users of the card should take care to delete stored PCard information on online sites after completing a business purchase. This may help minimize the risk of breach-related compromise of the card number and inadvertent/accidental use of the Pcard for a personal purchase.
Fraud Alerts
JPMorgan Chase now supports cardholder/custodian fraud alerts directly to cardholders via text message, email or phone call to alert Stanford users of suspicious activity or attempted activity on their Purchasing Card (PCard) or Travel Card (TCard).
Cardholders can sign up to receive a mobile SMS text message, an email and/or a phone call when there’s suspected fraud on the account. Cardholder alerts notify the cardholder of suspicious activity and offer a quick method to validate transactions.
How to Enroll
To enroll, visit ccportal.jpmorgan.com and follow these steps:
- Enter the commercial card account number and billing zip code.
- Add your alert device(s).
- Enter your contact information.
- Confirm your enrollment in text, email or voice alerts:
- For SMS text alerts, you will receive a text message. Simply reply “AGREE” to complete your enrollment.
- For email or voice alerts, after you enter your contact information, you’ll see your enrolled alerts populated on the bottom of the page.
If you have questions about the cardholder alerts, please call 1-800-316-6056 or the number on the back of the card.
Reporting Lost or Stolen Purchasing Cards
In the event that a PCard is lost or stolen, the cardholder should:
- Immediately contact JPMorgan Chase to request cancellation and reissue of the card. Provide the cardholder’s name and 4-digit access code.
- The access code is the last four digits of the cardholder/custodian’s employee ID (do not provide all or part of the cardholder's Social Security Number) and the cardholder/custodian’s date of birth.
- The employee ID number, also called the University ID, is listed on the employee ID card, on the electronic employee ID in the Stanford Mobile app, and available on Axess in the My Axess Profile section.
- Verify recent activity to ensure there are no fraudulent transactions.
- Then notify the Card Services team via a Support Request.
Reporting Fraudulent Charges
The most common reason to dispute a transaction is suspected merchant error. If an error is suspected, immediately contact the merchant directly to see if they can resolve the dispute and issue a credit if appropriate.
If JPMorgan Chase detects a fraudulent charge on a Purchasing Card, they will contact the cardholder/custodian through email or phone call to verify the charge. The cardholder should work directly with JPMorgan Chase to resolve the issue.
If the cardholder/custodian detects a fraudulent charge, they should resolve it directly with JPMorgan Chase no later than 60 days from the date incurred. The department is ultimately liable for any fraudulent and erroneous charges not resolved.
In the event fraudulent activity is identified, the cardholder should:
- Immediately contact JPMorgan Chase to request cancellation and reissue of the card. Provide the cardholder’s name and 4-digit access code.
- The access code is the last four digits of the cardholder/custodian’s employee ID (do not provide all or part of the cardholder’s Social Security Number) and the cardholder/custodian’s date of birth.
- The employee ID number, also called the University ID, is listed on the employee ID card, on the electronic employee ID in the Stanford Mobile app, and available on Axess in the My Axess Profile section.
- Resolve it directly with the bank no later than 60 days from the date the transaction is posted.
- Then notify the Card Services team via a Support Request.
Declined Transactions
Common reasons for declined transactions include the following:
- Invalid account information, such as the business address, account number, expiration date or CVV code.
- The card's specified allowable spending limit is exceeded.
If a PCard purchase is declined for a reason unclear to the cardholder, JPMorgan Chase can be contacted for clarification by calling the customer service number on the back of the card.
Reporting Financial Irregularities
Purchasing Card (PCard) expenses should reflect good stewardship of university resources. Any PCard expenses deemed to be excessive or fraudulent, benefit the individual at the expense of the University, and/or are determined to not reflect good stewardship of University resources will be subject to review, investigation, and possible disciplinary action as outlined in Administrative Guide Policy 3.5.1: Financial Irregularities. If financial irregularities are suspected they should be reported to the Ethics and Compliance Helpline.
The PCard is available to active Stanford University employees. Eligibility is based on a departmentally-determined business need, and requires:
- Completion of an online application providing:
- a guarantee account number (PTA)
- the individuals responsible for verifying PCard transactions.
- Approvals from both the prospective cardholder's manager or department chair/dean and the appropriate financial approver for the guarantee account (PTA) provided.
- Completion of required training: FIN-0450: PCard Policy and Procedure and its associated prerequisites.
To apply for an individual or department Purchasing Card, complete and submit the Stanford Credit Card Application Form.
Online Application With Guarantee Account (PTA)
A PCard application is initiated online only by the prospective cardholder or designated requester. A Guarantee Account (unrestricted, non-sponsored and chargeable PTA) is specified in the application. The Guarantee Account PTA is the account to which PCard charges will be force cleared if not verified and approved within 60 days as described in Clearing of Aging Transactions. To learn more about the force clearing process, see the PCard Policy page.
Application Approvals
PCard applications will route for approval via email and workflow notification to the applicant's manager, department chair or dean and to the department’s financial approver(s). Upon receiving approval from the manager and financial approver, the application will route to Card Services in the university’s Procurement Services department.
Assigned Transaction Verifier
Each Purchasing Card issued must have a designated person assigned as responsible for verifying transactions in a timely manner and preparing transactions to properly allocate expenditures. The assigned verifier/preparer may be the cardholder or other department staff. Due to separation of duties, the verifier should not be an authorized financial approver.
Card Delivery
Once the application is approved and the required online training is completed, the card will be delivered directly to the cardholder’s Stanford business address or alternate address (one-time delivery only). The back of the card should be signed upon receipt.
Normal card processing time is 10 to 14 business days after approvals are obtained and training is completed.
Card Activation
Upon receipt of the card, cardholders must contact JPMorgan Chase to activate it. Call the telephone number provided on the sticker on the face of the card and provide the four digit access code (use the last four digits of the cardholder/custodian’s employee ID) and the cardholder/custodian’s date of birth.
The employee ID number, also called the University ID, is listed on the employee ID card, on the electronic employee ID in the Stanford Mobile app, and available on Axess in the My Axess Profile section.
If there is an issue with the PCard received, submit a support request.
Card Validity Period
Purchasing Cards are valid for three years from the date of issue. Expiration dates are printed on the card.
The Credit Card Profiles Change Request tool is used to manage Purchasing Card (PCard) account profiles. Current card profile information can be viewed by the current cardholder/custodian, verifier, cardholder/custodian’s manager or the financial approver who originally approved the card application.
Use the tool to request changes to:
- Cardholder or custodian (department PCard only within same department)
- Verifier
- Card status - close, suspend or active
- Business Address
- Alternate Address (One Time Card Delivery Address)
- PCard Per-Transaction Limit (to lower permanently)
- Guarantee PTAE
- Monthly Limit
- Temporary Monthly Limit
- Exception Request Categories
The tool may also be used to request reactivation of a card suspended for force cleared transactions.
For more information, visit How To: Manage Stanford Purchasing Card (PCard)/Travel Card (TCard) Account Profile.
Renewals
The Purchasing Card will expire on the date (last day of the expiration month) embossed on the card and will be automatically renewed as detailed in this section.
The renewal PCard will be sent by JPMorgan Chase no later than the first week of the expiration month via USPS standard mail. The card will be sent to the cardholder's Stanford business address on file with JPMorgan Chase.
The following situations may result in a PCard not being automatically reissued:
- The card had no transaction activity for 18 consecutive months.
- The university has found improper use of the card.
- Card charges have not been processed in a timely manner.
If an employee's renewed PCard was not received, submit a support request.
Card Cancellation by Cardholder
Cardholders who want to cancel their PCards should submit the request through the Credit Card Profiles Change Request tool. If a cardholder experiences any issues or has any questions about the tool, submit a support request. The PCard should be destroyed and disposed of upon cancellation.
It is important that all PCard transactions be properly recorded in the PCard module.
Card Cancellation by Stanford
The PCard is valid only while the cardholder is in active payroll status and while the cardholder is using the Purchasing Card in accordance with university policies. The PCard will be canceled by Stanford before or on the date the employee separates from the university or due to improper use. The PCard should be destroyed and disposed of upon cancellation.
Card Suspension by Stanford
A Purchasing Card will be suspended by Stanford due to the following reasons:
- The cardholder is on extended leave (not active payroll status).
- Improper, fraudulent use of the Purchasing Card is under investigation by the university.
- An individual PCard has transactions that are force cleared by FMS in two different quarters in a rolling 12 month period.
Cardholders on extended university leave, such as sabbatical, family or medical leave should submit the suspension request through the Credit Card Profiles Change Request tool. If cardholders experience any issues or have any questions about the tool, submit a support request. It is important that all transactions be properly processed before the employee goes on extended leave or leaves the current department.
Reactivating Suspended Cards
A suspended Purchasing Card can be reactivated, using the same card number, when:
- The cardholder, manager or financial approver can submit a reactivation request through the Credit Card Profiles Change Request tool that the employee has returned from extended leave. If there are any issues or questions about the tool, submit a support request
- The Card Services team has determined the cardholder is eligible to continue using the PCard.
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The cardholder whose card has been suspended for force cleared transactions follows the request process below to reactivate the card.
For cards suspended for force cleared transactions, after the 60-day suspension period ends, a cardholder must clear any outstanding transactions on the suspended card, request reactivation of their card through the Credit Card Profiles Change Request tool and attach a new card reactivation attestation form. For more information, see How To Reactivate a Suspended PCard or Travel Card.
