UW PURCHASING CARD
1. Are the card(s) normally kept on site (locked drawer/safe) or carried by the authorized user (wallet/purse)?
- Ideal Answer: YES. Card location or card number is accessible only to the authorized user(s).
2. Does on site location or authorized user (as specified in question one) provide adequate security?
- Ideal Answer: YES. Physically securing the card reduces the risk of theft and unauthorized purchases.
3. Does the department maintain a current purchasing card (control) log?
- Ideal Answer: YES. A control log or its equivalent is maintained to ensure all charges are accounted for and proper documentation is retained.
4. Is all supporting documentation filed by cardholder, by date or a combination of both?
- Ideal Answer: YES. Supporting documentation is traceable to each PVS Net Cardholder statement or SFS transaction in the event of an audit.
5. Are all receipts adequate enough to identify what was purchased?
- Ideal Answer: YES. All receipts provide a clear explanation as to what was purchased for the site manager. If the receipt is not adequate enough to identify what was purchased (indecipherable description); the purchaser must add a description.
6. If purchases are made on this card and the charges transferred to other funds (especially federal grants or contracts); do you maintain proper documentation for the purchase and transfer?
- Ideal Answer: YES. The individual requesting the purchase must submit a standard request (written or E-mail) that identifies the item and funding to be charged, before the purchase is made. In the absence of a standard form of request, a cardholder may transfer the charges to another fund if the cardholder has first hand knowledge the individual requesting the purchase has authority to charge that source of funds. Under these circumstances the cardholder making the purchase must make an entry on their purchase card log indicating who authorized the transfer and why.
Only authorized individuals can approve expenditure of project funds. Therefore, any purchase to be transferred must be authorized and approved by an individual who has first-hand knowledge of the project. Both the cardholder making the purchase, and site manager, must know if the individual requesting the original purchase has authority to charge the designated funds.
7. Are all transactions conducted and charge receipts signed by the authorized cardholder or a designated user?
- Ideal Answer: YES. Only authorized users sign for purchasing card transactions, including orders via web and phone.
8. Is there a "designated user agreement" on file for everyone else who uses the card or card number?
- Ideal Answer: YES. A copy of all Cardholder and Designated User Agreements is on file within each department.
9. Are all purchases appropriate; that is, according to the terms of the UW Purchasing Cardholder Agreement?
- Ideal Answer: YES. See Cardholder Agreement
10. Are cardholders informed of the need to review the emailed Cardholder statement of account on a bi-weekly basis?
- Ideal Answer: YES. Cardholder reviews the bi-weekly email statements to assure proper accountability over all authorized charges. By routinely verifying, the cardholder can immediately identify any erroneous charges or abusive transactions.
11. Does the cardholder know how to dispute an unauthorized charge?
- Ideal Answer: YES. It is critical to review the bi-weekly email statement to identify any unauthorized charges, allowing disputes to be addressed in a timely manner.
For instructions, see "Resolving errors, disputes, returns and credits" per the Cardholder Guide, and properly complete the Dispute Form.
12. Are source documents reconciled to SFS on a monthly basis?
- Ideal Answer: YES. Reconciling the source documents (receipts) to the monthly SFS or a PVS Net Cardholder statement assures proper accountability over all approved charges. By routinely reconciling, one can immediately identify any erroneous charges or abusive transactions.
13. Is the reconciliation done independently (i.e. the reconciler is not a "designated user" or have access to the card)?
- Ideal Answer: YES. There is an independent reconciliation and review for appropriateness of supporting documentation to either the emailed Cardholder statement or SFS on a monthly basis. The possibilities of errors and/or inappropriate charges could occur without such a reconciliation.
14. Is the reconciliation reviewed periodically by a supervisor or an independent party?
- Ideal Answer: YES. The occasional review and initialing of the reconciliation by a supervisor or independent party accomplishes this requirement. This provides oversight of the process to ensure it is being done, on a timely basis.
15. Has the card ever been charged for a purchase that was not received (a backorder) before the charge was paid.
- Ideal Answer: NO. In most cases, a card will not be charged until the goods are actually shipped. However, if this has happened, the receipt of the item or eventual credit (if not received) needs to be cross-referenced to the earlier purchase.
16. Do the individual cardholders review their expenses on SFS or the bi-weekly email Cardholder Statement of Account?
- Ideal Answer: YES. Each cardholder should review all card transactions when they receive their bi-weekly email Cardholder statement. This ensures any questionable, inappropriate, or fraudulent charges are identified immediately and addressed in a timely manner.
17. Is the departmental records retention period six years for supporting documentation?
- Ideal Answer: YES. Departments maintain all records, receipts, logs, etc. on site for the most recent six fiscal years.