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In this section

  • Products and Services Information
    • Audiovisual Equipment Purchases
    • Auto Parts
    • Car Rentals
    • Captioning Services
    • Catering and Event Space Rental
      • Caterer and Restaurant List
      • Resources
    • Cell Phones
    • Charter Bus and Limousine Rentals
    • Chemicals, Compounds, and Related Supplies
    • Computer Hardware Purchases
      • Desktops and Laptops
      • Networking Equipment, Servers, and Workstations
      • Peripherals, Misc.
    • Copier Equipment and Maintenance Purchases
    • Custom Broker Services
    • Electronic Components and Semi-Conductors
    • Express Mail and Package Delivery Service
    • Flooring
    • Furniture, Furnishings, and Furniture Repair
    • Gases
    • Graphics and Printing Orders
    • Graphic Design Services
    • High Vacuum Equipment and Supplies
    • Lab and Scientific Equipment and Supplies
    • Laboratory Coats
    • Maintenance, Repairs, and Operations (MRO)
    • Medical and Pharmaceutical Equipment and Supplies
    • Moving and Storage
    • Office Supplies
    • Photography Services
    • Promotional Items and Apparel
    • Software and Cloud Services
    • Temporary and Contract Staff
    • Tent and Event Supplies
    • Videography Services
    • Web Design Services
    • Writing, Editing and Indexing Services
  • Credit Card Programs
    • Procurement Card
      • Applying
      • Submitting Documentation
      • Pcard FAQ
      • Prohibited Transactions
      • Responsibilities Summary
      • Coordinator Information
      • Forms
  • Buying Manual
    • Table of Contents (PDF)
    • Introduction
    • General Information
    • 200-205: Non-Purchase Order Purchases
    • 300-353: Credit Card Programs
    • 400-409: Purchase Order Process
    • 601-630: Purchases with Special Procedures
    • 700-702: Paying for Services
    • 802-803: Shipping and Receiving
    • 804-806: Invoice Processing
    • 900-904: Quick Reference and Forms
  • Buying FAQ
  • Tariffs
  • Employee Personal Discounts
  • Suppliers and Caterers with Insurance
  • UNSPSC Classifications
  • Using Sponsored and Federal Funds
  • Payee and Vendor Registration and Setup

FAQ Procurement Card

Procurement Card

What object codes may be used for purchases on pcards?

The rebilling system accepts object codes 500x, 6xxx, 7xxx and 9xxx.

I have funds to spend from a State Appropriation Capital Project Account. Can I use my pcard?

No. You may not charge a State Appropriation Capital Project Account (a contract college account whose subledger is 95xx) for any pcard purchase. The pcard module in APPS will not allow you to assign these accounts online.

Why does my credit card statement show a balance due?

If you recently closed your account, or a new number was assigned, you may see a balance due on your credit card statement. There is no effect on your account; you can continue to use your pcard as normal.  As always, the cardholder does NOT need to make a payment.

Can I contact U.S. Bank directly?

Yes, a cardholder may contact U.S. Bank for many reasons, including the following:

  • Inquiring about a transaction
  • Questioning a declined transaction
  • Reporting a card lost or stolen

U.S. Bank customer service can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (800) 344-5696.  Outside the United States, call collect (701) 461-2010.

What's an "original receipt"?

An original receipt is written acknowledgment from a vendor that provides essential information to support a transaction and enable the proper recording of the transaction in the university general ledger system. Collection of original receipts helps to reduce the likelihood of duplicate payments. A receipt should include the date of the purchase; the vendor's name; a description of item(s); and the quantity, unit price, and total cost of the item(s).

Receipts vary in appearance and type of information provided. If relevant information is not included on a receipt, the cardholder should write that information on it. Third-party billing companies such as PayPal generally do not include detailed information about the item(s) purchased. In such cases, the cardholder should provide a copy of the Web page that identifies the items purchased, as well as the Web receipt from the third-party billing company.

Some of examples of receipts include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Web receipt
  • E-mail acknowledgment from vendor
  • Cash register tape
  • Detailed packing slip

In addition to a receipt, sufficient documentation must include a business purpose. When the business purpose is not obvious, cardholders should write an explanation of the business purpose on their receipt.  Cardholders should provide additional information to support the business purpose when an item lends itself to personal use, such as CDs, videos, meals, etc., or when the business purpose would not be clear to an external reviewer.  The cardholder also should list the attendees at business meals.

What if the cardholder loses his or her receipt?

If a cardholder loses or misplaces a receipt, or otherwise cannot provide an original receipt, he or she should provide an explanation of why the receipt is missing, as well as details about the items purchased (date, vendor, description, quantity, price, and total cost). Procurement card coordinators should review their responsibilities regarding missing documentation as outlined in the Buying Manual.

Help! A vendor charged me sales tax.

Please keep in mind that any vendor, at any time, may choose not to honor Cornell's NYS tax exemption.  If the vendor will not grant the exemption, it is acceptable to pay the tax. Cardholders should note the vendor's refusal on the receipt.  If the cardholder simply forgot to inform the merchant of the tax exemption, then the cardholder should seek a credit from the merchant.

When sales tax is a component of a transaction that is otherwise classified as federal unallowable (e.g., alcohol), pcard coordinators must record the tax with a federal unallowable object code and must not charge it to federal or state appropriations or any grant or contract account (Funds AP and CG). Sales tax on goods and services that are not classified as federal unallowable does not require a federal unallowable object code.

Why aren't personal/individual travel expenses allowed on pcards?

Personal or individual travel expenses (transportation, lodging, and travel meals) are NOT allowed on pcards due to the various and often complex regulations governing travel expenses, which are determined by your source of funding. For example, if you are using a federal source of funds, you may be required to fly a U.S. carrier.

How do I close or make changes to an existing account?

Pcard coordinators can use U.S. Bank's system, Access Online, to make changes to accounts such as:

  • Default account changes
  • Mailing address changes
  • Embossing changes

E-mail Credit Card Programs to request the following changes:

  • Name changes
  • Suspending an account
  • Closing an account
I'm returning an item; can I stop payment?

No. Pcard charges are paid from a central university account.  In many instances, payment has already been made to the bank by the time a pcard coordinator receives the transaction information in his/her queue.  All pcard charges must be allocated to an appropriate departmental account.  If an item is being returned, or if there is an erroneous charge for which a dispute has been filed with the bank, a credit will eventually appear in the pcard coordinator's queue.  That credit should be applied to the same account (including object code) as the original charge.

What kind of account should I choose as the default account for my unit's pcards?

We recommend that an unrestricted college account be used as the default for all your unit's pcards. You may NOT use a state appropriation account (a contract college account with subledgers 4xxx, 5xxx, 95xx) as the default account on any pcard.

Procurement Services

377 Pine Tree Road, East Hill Plaza
Ithaca, NY 14850

Email: procurement@cornell.edu
Main: (607) 255-3804
Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday

 

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