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PCard User Guide

PCard Overview


What is a PCard?

A Purchasing Card (PCard) is a valuable tool that facilitates the procurement of non-travel, low-cost goods and services necessary to support your department’s objectives and the University’s mission.

The Benefits of using a PCard include:

  • Efficiency and Cost-Effectiveness: PCards streamline the purchasing process, saving time and money for both you and the University.
  • Vendor Preference: Many vendors prefer PCards for payments, as they enable quicker and easier transactions, especially if the vendor is not listed in UShop.
  • Immediate Payment Options: In situations that require prompt payment, the PCard provides a convenient solution.

Types of PCards Available:

Individual PCard
  • A PCard that may only be used by the employee who holds the card.
  • There are several standard Single Transaction and Cycle Limits available.
Department Card
  • Issued to an employee that acts as the card’s ‘Card Custodian,’ but can be checked out and used by other authorized individuals for University purchasing.
  • Usually has lower Single Transaction and Cycle Limits than individual cards, to mitigate potential misuse.

Who is Eligible?

Eligibility for a PCard is limited to faculty and staff of the University of Utah or Hospitals and Clinics.

Important Notes:

  • To become a cardholder, participation in cardholder training is required.
  • Student employees are not eligible to be issued a Purchasing Card or act as card custodians in the case of a department card.
  • Department cards may be checked out and used by staff, employees, and faculty, including student employees or students working in administrative roles on behalf of the University or hospitals.

Applying for a PCard

The following steps are required prior to obtaining a PCard. Steps may be skipped if cardholder already has access to the relevant system.

  1. Use the Concur Access Request in ServiceNow to have a Concur account created (if you do not already have access to Concur). After access has been granted to Concur, you can apply for a PCard through Concur.
  2. Use the request module in Concur to submit a new card application.
  3. Participate in the new cardholder training. Training will be assigned to you and must be completed before a PCard is issued.

Changes to a Card

PCard Training

Before being issued a PCard, completion of PCard training is mandatory. Training completion will be verified before any cards are issued. Visit the PCard Training Website to view supporting training materials following completion of training.

While cardholder training is not required for delegates, it is available. Cardholders can add delegates to act on their behalf at any time.

Concur PCard


Concur Overview

SAP Concur is the University's comprehensive platform for managing all aspects of your Procurement Card activities. The PCard portion of Concur is referred to as Concur PCard. Concur PCard serves as the central hub for:

  • Transaction Management: Easily track and manage PCard transactions, ensuring accurate and timely
    reconciliation.
  • Card Requests: Request new card applications, changes to card limits, card closures, and other card-
    related modifications.
  • Documentation Storage: Securely store all relevant documentation and approvals for PCard
    transactions, providing a clear audit trail.
  • Audit: Will be used by internal and external auditors to verify for accuracy, compliance, and to assess
    risk.

SAP Concur streamlines the PCard process, helping you maintain organization and compliance with University policies.

Concur PCard Roles

Role Description
Cardholder The person that is issued the purchasing card. To be a cardholder an employee must participate in Cardholder Training. A purchasing card is non-transferable. A cardholder is the only authorized user of their PCard. Individual PCards cannot be lent to a student or colleague. Department PCards have a card custodian who can check out the pcard to other users when needed.
Delegate A delegate is a user who is granted permission to act on behalf of a cardholder to perform tasks, such as creating requests, uploading documentation, and managing expense reports. However, the delegate is not able to submit an expense report on the PCard users behalf. If extenuating circumstances occur, please reach out to the PCard office for guidance. 
Budget Approver The person responsible for reviewing and approving submitted monthly expense reports. Once a cardholder submits their report, the approval will be sent to their Budget Approver based on the Chartfield listed in the PCard expense report header.
Supervisor Approver The person responsible to approve University PCard requests. The supervisor approver will be determined based on HR’s reporting structure.
Delegate Approver A delegate approver is a user who is granted permission to act on behalf of an approver to approve requests or PCard expense reports. Users may assign their own delegates. One user can have many delegates, and a delegate may act on behalf of many users.

Concur Role Responsibilities

Cardholder Responsibilities

The PCard holder is ultimately responsible for the following:

  • Requesting card updates as needed
  • Complying with University Purchasing Guidelines
  • Reviewing PCard transactions
  • Addressing transaction-specific questions
  • Submitting monthly PCard expense reports in a timely fashion
Delegate Responsibilities
Delegates can perform all the functions of the cardholder in Concur once assigned as a delegate; with the exception of the final submission of monthly expense reports and new card requests. They will have access to allocate transactions, upload documentation, and provide any additional information needed regarding a purchase.
Budget Approver Responsibilities
Expense reports will be sent to the ADSC/Org Head for approval. This approver is determined by either the cardholder or delegate when indicating the fund source in their expense report header. The Budget Approver can make minor modifications to the expense report on behalf of the cardholder. They may return the report to the cardholder for further changes or forward it to other approvers if needed.
Supervisor Approver Responsibilities
Requests (e.g., new cards, limit changes, name changes) will be sent to the employee’s HR supervisor for approval. The HR supervisor can either return requests to the employee for further action or forward them to additional approvers as necessary.
Delegate Approver Responsibilities
Delegate approvers will be able to perform all the functions of an approver in Concur once assigned as a delegate approver. Delegate approvers are responsible for reviewing transactions for accuracy and proper documentation. Delegate approvers may make minor modifications to the expense report on behalf of the cardholder, leave comments, or return the report to the cardholder if major changes are needed. Delegate approvers may add additional approvers onto the expense report, if additional approval routing is desired.

Important PCard Information


Best Practices When Using a PCard

  1. Follow your department's purchase approval procedures.
  2. Review other procurement methods, such as UShop, to determine if PCard is the only option.
  3. Ensure that the total purchase price does not exceed the single procurement limit threshold of $10,000. Transactions that exceed $10,000 must go through the procurement process.
  4. Ensure that the purchase is not restricted by any university policy. Please see PCard Restricted Items List.
  5. Avoid paying sales tax in Utah and in any other states that honor the university’s tax exemption. (Jump to the Sales Tax section in this User Guide for more detailed information)

Approvals and Signatures

Most approvals will be completed in Concur. In the case of physical forms - Approval signatures can either be a handwritten signature (which will be verified in GFA), or it must be an official University-approved certified electronic signature (DocuSign or Adobe Sign) according to University Regulation 3-006.

Security and Fraud Protection

  • If you see a suspicious transaction, call US Bank immediately at 1-800-344-5696.
  • Never send the full credit card number in ANY correspondence.
  • Ensure that you give your card number each time you make a purchase.
  • A PCard should not be set on a recurring payment plan because your card information is susceptible to change, your card is more prone to fraud and the vendors can still post payments to your PCard even if it is closed.
  • Vendors should not store your card information nor should you elect to save your card information to your Internet browser.

FMLA or Extended Leave

If you are planning on taking an extended leave including (but not limited to) maternity, paternity or FMLA, contact the PCard Office or use the request module in Concur to temporarily suspend your card while you will be absent. Your card can easily be reinstated upon your return.

Lost or Stolen Cards

If your card is lost or stolen, you should immediately call US Bank at 1-800-344-5696. The cardholder must be the one to contact the bank, and will be asked to accurately verify legitimate transactions, identify fraudulent transactions and provide personal security information.

Employee Termination or Transfer

When a cardholder leaves the University or transfers to a different department, their PCard must be canceled. You can request to close your PCard through the request module in Concur. Delegates can also request to cancel a card on the cardholders’ behalf.

Restricted Items and Prohibited Procurements


Cardholder Responsibility

The cardholder is ultimately responsible for being aware of restricted purchases found within (1) University Rule 3-100D outlining PCard Policy, (2) University Rule 3-100E governing University general purchasing restrictions, and (3) this comprehensive list. The individual funding source or department may add to restricted items within their policies.

PCard Restricted Items List

Select the dropdown to expand an associated description for each item and related university policy, rule, etc. (if applicable).

  • The PCard should never be used for the following categories

    Restricted Category Description
    Personal Use The use of university funds to procure supplies for personal use is prohibited.
    R3-010B
    Alcoholic Beverages & State Appropriated Funds Alcoholic beverages may not be purchased with state appropriated funds. R3-100E
    • Do not allocate to state appropriated funds. The Allowable/Unallowable (A/U) Value for alcoholic beverage purchases is 0. This would only allow funds 2000-2404, 4900-4913, 6000 or 9900. 
    • There are restrictions on where alcohol can be served on campus. For additional information, contact the Office of General Counsel. 
  • The PCard should not be used for the following categories:

     

    Restricted Category Description
    Cryptocurrency Including the purchase of blockchain
    Employee Awards Including incentive awards and employee recognition expenditures R3-011A
    Employee Continuing Education
    Including courses taken by employees for their personal benefit, without any impact on their job performance or contribution to the University. Also including continuing education (or professional development) courses taken by employees at the University of Utah.
    Employee Floral Arrangements or Entertainment Including floral arrangements for personal staff or employee celebrations and related items, such as food for birthdays, showers, and weddings.
    Bereavement flowers for funerals or condolences for employees and their immediate family members are allowed. R3-011A
    Employee Parking Including individual employee campus parking fees, fines, or daily permits to avoid payroll deduction.
    Employee Retirement Gifts Including any type of retirement gift for employees. R3-011A
    Employee Tuition Including tuition for employees enrolled in a degree-seeking program at the University of Utah or any other college or university.
    Purchases from Faculty or Staff Including purchases from businesses owned by university or hospital employees are not permitted on the pcard.
    Services Provided Including any type of services rendered by an individual or independent contractor (i.e., photographer, DJ, etc.).
    Software The purchasing card may not be used for Software Purchases unless the requirements listed in Rule 4-050A are met. If you choose to move forward with the purchase include all supporting documentation as an additional receipt in Concur.
    Student Benefits Including student benefits, including any type of purchase that would benefit individual students, such as events, travel, tuition, scholarships, health insurance, or stipends, are not permitted on the pcard.
    Telephone Equipment Including new telephones, cell phones, or other telecommunications services. Visit the university’s IT site for assistance https://it.utah.edu/.
    Trademarked/Licensed Products from a Non-Approved Vendor Including vendors who are not considered an “approved vendor” by the Trademarks and Licensing Dept. To see a list of approved vendors, visit https://clc.com/license-search/ and search “University of Utah”.
    Travel-Related Purchases Including travel-related purchases for meals, airlines, hotels, and Wi-Fi for employees, students, and visitors when traveling more than 100 miles from your work location or when there is an overnight stay.
  • Prior approval from the PCard Office is required before using a pcard for the following: Cardholders must retain approval documentation supporting the exception. Existing approvals may be revoked in the future if adjustments are deemed appropriate by the Purchasing Dept. See R3-100D for more information.

    Exemption requests will expire at the end of the cycle unless otherwise specified.  

    Categories With Required PCard Exemptions Description
    Gas or Fuel for Vehicles For university owned/operated vehicles, a Fuel Card (issued by Fleet Services) used at stations that participate in the fuel network is preferred. If a fuel network is not available, or if an alternate/legitimate business reason can be provided, the PCard can be used.  Cardholders must have a current fuel exemption.
    Automotive Expenses  Including tires, repairs, parts, etc.  
    Ground Transportation Including Lyft, Uber, taxis, rental cars, etc. (This exemption is limited to local ground transportation. Purchasing Cards should NOT be used outside 100 miles from the university). 
    Hotel Accommodations Including booking conference rooms or event space, overnight lodging within 100 miles from the main university for guests, potential candidates, consultants or other individuals conducting business on behalf of the University of Utah. 

Purchases Requiring Special Consideration

 

Gifts & Gift Cards
  • Please refer to Electronic Gift Card Procedures & Physical Gift Card Procedures .
  • Gift(s)/gift card(s) will be reported to Tax Services regardless of their denomination.
  • A detailed business purpose will be attained, as well as an itemized receipt from the merchant.
  • Department approvals will be obtained, including the Account Executive over the funding source.
Donations
Donations or sponsorships cannot be made on Purchasing Cards. Instead, they may be processed through an ePR. Contact Office of Advancement for information regarding a donation.
Memberships
University Rule 3-100E  has information regarding allowable memberships. If you choose to move forward with the purchase on your Purchasing Card, you will need to ensure that your documentation shows all approvals needed as mentioned in the regulation. The approval received need only be kept with the first purchase – you will not need to include it in every subsequent transaction’s documentation.
Software
  • If you want to make a software purchase, contact your department’s IT/software specialist to avoid repurchasing software licenses.
  • Visit https://software.utah.edu/ to view software available via the Office of Software Licensing.
Conference registration
Conference fees may be paid on a Travel Card or a Purchasing Card (PCard). A PCard should be used for conference fees, as long as the registration does not bundle lodging or other travel accommodations. If lodging or other travel accommodations are included in the fee, use only the Travel Card

Personal Purchases

Intentional personal purchases are not allowed on the PCard. This includes any transactions that do not directly serve the University’s or your department’s business needs and are not related to official business for yourself, your colleagues, or others.

Cardholders who intentionally use their pcard for personal purchases will be required to reimburse the total procurement price of the purchase and remit an administrative penalty in an amount equal to 50% of the personal use expenditure to the University (Utah Code 53H-8-209).

For example:

Total procurement price of purchase $1,500

Administrative Penalty (50%): $750

Total Reimbursement Amount: $2,250

Accidental Personal Purchase

If an accidental purchase is made on your PCard, please do the following: 

Before beginning the repayment process, the transactions should be attempted to be refunded. If the transaction is successfully refunded, both the debit and the credit should be marked as Expense Type: Personal/Non-Reimbursable in Concur, with receipts attached and the expense report submitted as normal. 

If the expense has already been allocated prior to receiving the refund and an expense type other than Personal/Non-Reimbursable was used in the expense report, the credit should be allocated to the same expense type and chartfield where the personal charge was posted. 

In either scenario, the debit and the credit should be allocated and documented identically, so the charges balance at the General Ledger and documentation remains consistent between both charges. 

If a refund cannot be obtained for the personal purchase, the following steps should be followed, in order: 

CONCUR 
  1. Assign a header chartfield to the Expense Report (if not already completed). 
  2. Locate personal expenses in Concur. 
  3. Select expense type “Personal/Non-Reimbursable”. 
  4. Allocate expense to: 01-01389-1000-37865-16413. 
  5. Attach any receipt you have for the transaction. If no receipt is available, please attach a Missing Receipt Form.  
  6. Provide an explanation of the personal charge in the comments, including any attempts to have the charge refunded (if applicable).  
  7. Submit expense report.  
REPAYMENT 
  1. Access the repayment storefront.
  2. Complete the form with your contact information and the Concur report number (if known).
  3. Input the price of the repayment, which should be the exact amount of the personal charge.
  4. Add to cart.
  5. Proceed to checkout with the shopping cart link in the top right of the screen.
  6. Check out with a personal credit card like you would with any other online retailer.
  7. You will receive a confirmation email when the payment is completed. Please retain this confirmation for your records.

You will not need to select any chartfield information during this checkout process. The refund will post to the same chartfield where the expense posted, so they net to zero at the General Ledger. 

We understand that mistakes happen. This process is designed to make reconciling those mistakes as easy and painless as possible. However, excessive use of this process or an abuse of your university issued credit card will result in audit findings and possible revocation of your card. 

Sales Tax

Sales Tax Exempt Certificates

The University of Utah Sales Tax Exempt. Each cardholder is responsible to ensure that Sales Tax is not charged when making a purchase.

The Certificate of Exemption and Sales Tax License Numbers can only be used

when paying directly with a University Payment Method.

Plan Ahead Prior to Making a Purchase

When making a purchase, plan ahead and be prepared to work with the merchant to ensure that you are not paying sales tax for transactions originating with a merchant in Utah, or with a merchant in any of the other states that honor the exemption.

For online purchases, call the vendor’s customer service number to find out how to submit the Sales Tax Exemption Certificate before making the order.

If Charged Sales Tax, What Do You Do?

  1. Attempt to have it refunded
  2. If you are unsuccessful at obtaining a refund, clearly document your attempts to address the issue and include that information with your receipts/documentation.
  3. Report Utah State Sales Tax paid in Concur PCard

Sales Tax and Concur PCard

Cardholders now have the ability to report Utah State Sales Tax paid for each transaction directly in Concur. Each transaction includes a required field where cardholders must indicate whether Utah State Sales Tax was paid. If you paid Utah Sales Tax and were unsuccessful in obtaining a refund, select “Yes” and enter the amount of sales tax paid.

Screenshot of Concur Page

By reporting the sales tax in Concur, Tax Services will have the necessary information to work with the State of Utah to request a refund on your behalf. If the funds are recovered, they will be returned to the Chartfield used for the transaction.

Please note that cardholder activity will be monitored. Accounts will be reviewed to ensure that cardholders are following correct tax reporting protocols or procedures. Frequent misuse of this option in Concur may result in measures that could affect future cardholder status.

Order Splitting

The State Procurement Code prohibits order splitting to avoid the single purchase limit. Utah Code 63G-6a-506.8

Multiple charges to a vendor that total an amount that exceeds the Single Procurement Threshold ($10,000) and are made on the same day (or within a period of time) is a split transaction. This includes voluntarily splitting the payment.

When planning a purchase that will approach your Single Purchase Limit, be sure to consider the total procurement price. The total procurement price must include the total acquisition price, i.e., cost of goods/services plus shipping, installation, ancillary items, training, tips, etc. It is imperative that the total procurement price is under your Single Purchase Limit before making a purchase on your PCard.

If you need to make a purchase that is above the Single Procurement Threshold ($10,000), contact the Purchasing Department at 801-581-7241.

Receipts & Receipt Management


Proof of Purchase

All PCard transactions must have proof of purchase (receipt or invoice) retained in Concur. A valid proof of purchase contains the following information:

This infographic is titled “Submitting Concur Receipts & Invoices.”

It explains the required elements that all receipts and invoices must include when submitting documentation.

Main Heading

Submitting Concur Receipts & Invoices

Subheading

All receipts and invoices must include:

On the left side, there is an example image of a hotel receipt from Courtyard by Marriott. The sample receipt shows:

Dates of stay (March 18–20, 2025)

Line items such as room charges and tax

A masked Visa card number

A total amount of $447.67

A balance of $0.00

A red “PAID” stamp indicating payment was completed

On the right side, five numbered requirements are listed:

Vendor – The name of the business or service provider.

Purchase Date – The date the transaction occurred.

Detailed List of Purchased Items – An itemized breakdown of goods or services purchased.

Transaction Amount – The total amount charged.

Proof of Payment – Evidence that the payment was completed (such as a “Paid” stamp or card confirmation).

Common Mistakes Include:

Receipts missing a detailed list of items.

Receipts without the tip added to the transaction total.

  • Purchase Date
  • Vendor
  • Detailed List of Items Purchased
    (including the amount for each individual item)
  • Total Transaction Amount
  • Proof of Payment
    • An invoice alone is missing the
      proof that the payment was processed.
    • Having the proof of payment ensures
      that the invoice isn’t paid twice by
      other means of payment.
    • This can also be accomplished by a “PAID”
      stamp, an email confirming the payment
      was processed, or a note that the PCard
      was processed successfully (or something similar).

Missing a Receipt?

If a cardholder or delegate is missing a receipt, they should start by contacting the vendor to see if it can be reprinted or resent. Most vendors are willing to provide this information. If a missing receipt cannot be acquired the attempt to obtain it should be documented, and a Missing Receipt Form should be filled out and uploaded in place of the missing receipt. This form should be used sparingly.

Reviewing Transactions


PCard Submission Timeline

Be attentive to your transaction and submission dates so they post within the correct accounting month. We recommend cardholders review their transactions often as a best practice. This infographic outlines a five-step monthly PCard (Procurement Card) review and reporting cycle. The layout is horizontal, with numbered steps arranged along a timeline.

Step 1: Cycle Ends

Description:
The PCard Cycle ends on the 25th of each month.

(Icon: A calendar.)

Step 2: Review

Description:
Throughout the month, transactions may be reviewed, receipts uploaded, and chartfields assigned.

(Icon: A document with a dollar symbol.)

Step 3: Submit Report

Description:
Cardholders should submit the report monthly but can submit more frequently, if needed.

(Icon: A group of people.)

Step 4: Approve Report

Description:
Reports that are approved by the 4th business day of the following month will post to the General Ledger (G/L) for the current cycle.

(Icon: A checkmark inside a circle.)

Step 5: New Cycle Begins

Description:
A new PCard Cycle begins on the 26th of each month and a new PCard Expense Report is created.

(Icon: A dollar sign with circular arrows.)

PCard Expense Report Review

The Cardholder and the ADSC approver (or whomever they identify as their delegate) must both review and submit/approve an expense report monthly in Concur. Refer to the PCard Submission Timeline to learn more about specific dates to keep in mind when reviewing, submitting, and approving the expense reports. The deadlines in the timeline are a recommended best practice to ensure transactions post to the general ledger prior to the accounting month close. Expense reports can be submitted after that date; however, they may not post in the accounting month in which the transaction occurred.

When reviewing the expense report, approver(s) should verify that the correct allocation information has been entered where needed. Additionally, every charge must be supported by appropriate documentation and original receipts, all of which must be uploaded to Concur.

Two separate people must be part of the expense report review and approval process. Both the cardholder, and the approver, can also forward the expense report to other approvers if necessary.

By submitting and approving an expense report, the cardholder and the approver(s) are certifying that the following are true:

  • The transaction was allocated correctly
  • The reason for purchase has been accurately described, including why the purchase was made.
  • Anything unusual or unique about the purchase has been recorded in the expense report (i.e., tax refunded, restricted item exception granted prior to purchase, etc.).
  • All original documentation for the purchase is retained in Concur.
  • The total amounts on the proof of purchase (receipts) match the report amount in Concur.
  • The documentation is complete, including purchase date, vendor information, transaction amount, and itemized summary of the item(s) purchased.
  • All transactions contained within the report are: appropriate to the mission of the cardholders’ department, support the University of Utah’s goals, and are compliant with University of Utah policy.

If it’s impossible or unclear how to accomplish any of the requirements above, it is the responsibility of the cardholder and the approver(s) to contact the PCard office and describe the issue they’ve encountered. The PCard office is eager to work with cardholders to resolve the situation and find a possible solution.

Failure to meet the above requirements or to contact the PCard office prior to submitting the expense report can result in disciplinary actions, including a possible revocation of the cardholder’s PCard.

Expense Report Review Deadlines

Cardholders must ensure that the PCard monthly expense reports are reviewed in a timely manner. All transactions must be reviewed and expense reports submitted within 30 days of the transaction. Failure to review and post transactions within 30 days can result in a loss of fraud protection on your card, and an inability for the University to recoup lost funds. Departments are liable for fraudulent charges not caught and reported to the bank in 30 days.

Identifying and Correcting Errors

Transactions must be reviewed in a timely manner. Problem transactions must be disputed with the bank within 30 days. To contact US Bank, call 800-344-5696. This number is also listed on the back of each PCard.

PCard Audit

All cardholders are subject to university, state and federal audits at any time.

The PCard department conducts regular, unscheduled and unannounced audits of PCard accounts. Concur is the primary auditing tool for PCard transactions. With the built in AI feature, all transactions are monitored and reviewed for compliance in real time. PCard holders will be alerted if there is a discrepancy on a PCard report. If caught in prepayment, the status in Concur will display as pending external validation and reports will not pass submission until the issue is resolved.

Screenshot of Concur PCard expenses

Following the guidelines and using the resources in this handbook will ensure that you are within policy and that there is no reason for the PCard office to contact you. In the event that the PCard office finds a violation or needs clarification on any transaction, they may contact the cardholder and approvers.

If additional information is needed from you, our auditors will reach out. The email will come from UniversityofUtah@audit.concursolutions.com. Please respond within the timeframe given in the email. Failure to respond could result in you being considered non-compliant in the audit.

The Purchasing Card office reserves the right to require retraining or to revoke PCards for failure to comply with rules and guidelines or failure to provide accurate documentation.

Conclusion


 

By following the guidelines in this handbook, cardholders can ensure that they are using their PCard responsibly and in compliance with University of Utah policies and procedures.

Please feel free to reach out to the Purchasing Card Office with any questions. We’re happy to assist with any purchasing needs!

 

Need help with your card? Contact Card Services

Contact Card Services