Procurement Services

Purchasing Card (P-Card) Program

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the card for employee travel related expenses?

When traveling on university business, an approved Travel Authorization form should always be in place. The Travel Authorization form can be located on the Accounts Payable page. Once the travel authorization form has been completed and approved by all the appropriate parties, the card can be used for the following: registration fees, car rentals, and airline tickets. You may NOT use your card to pay for gasoline to refuel your personal vehicle or a rental vehicle when traveling on behalf of the university. You may NOT use your card to pay for hotels or meals. You may not use your card to reserve a hotel room pertaining to employee travel. Hotels are blocked.
Can I purchase food for employees?
No, purchasing food for employees is strictly prohibited by the State of South Carolina.

Can I used the card to place orders via the telephone?

Yes, but make sure that the vendor faxes or e-mails you a confirmation to be used for a receipt. The vendor SHOULD NOT send an invoice to Accounts Payable.

Can I use the card to purchase items on the internet?

Yes, but make sure that you print out your "shopping cart", complete order, and forward to your liaison for reconciliation. In addition, once the item is received, forward the packing slip to the liaison.

Can the card be used with Sodexo or at the Bookstore?

Yes.

What if I accidentally use the P-Card for a personal purchase?

You must fill out this form and email it to pcard@winthrop.edu. You must also make a deposit to Cashiers to refund the amount purchased on the P-Card.

How can I dispute a charge on my bill?

Attempt to contact the vendor to obtain a credit. If the vendor cannot be contacted or if the vendor will not issue a credit, you can dispute the charge directly with the bank. You must fill out a dispute form and fax it to Bank of America. The appropriate liaison can dispute the charge online within Bank of America's WORKS system. The dispute must be done within 60 days of the date of your VISA statement.

What are the limits on my card?

Default university limits are: $5,000 per month and $1,500 per transaction. If you have a strong business justification for a temporary or permanent increase of these limits, complete this form and email it to pcard@winthrop.edu. Note that permanent increases of any kind and STL limit increases above $5,000 are extremely rare.

What if I lose the receipt?

Contact the vendor for another receipt. As a last resort if no receipt can be obtained, create a receipt and document the situation, listing the items that were purchased, including vendor name, charges, and date purchased. Sign the document and forward to your department head for signature. Then forward to liaison for permanent retention.

What should I do if my card is declined?

Call the Card Administrator in Procurement Services at 803/323-2143, ext. 6025. The Administrator will immediately contact the bank and determine the reason for the decline. If the Card Administrator and the Bank resolve the decline, then the vendor can call 800/300-9776 to obtain a manual override for that particular transaction.