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Gettysburg Collge PCard Program

Gettysburg College’s purchasing card (PCard) program allows authorized College employees the ability to purchase goods, services, and travel expenses directly from suppliers using their College-issued Visa card.  All PCard holders are required to upload supporting documentation, code transactions to the correct General Ledger (GL) account and provide narrative details.

Questions related to any aspect of the PCard program can be directed to pcard@gettysburg.edu.

Applying for a Pcard

Eligibility

Employees who will be traveling or procuring goods on behalf of the College may apply for a purchasing card, subject to their supervisors’ approval. Division heads as well as department directors and chairs may approve requests for a PCard for their employees whose job responsibilities include business travel and/or purchasing goods. Employees should select the type of pcard that best fits their needs.

Cardholders are responsible for reviewing and understanding the Expense Policy and the PCard Usage Policy before completing the Pcard Application. Please email pcard@gettysburg.edu with questions.

Step 1 – Choose your PCard Type

  • Type I - General Purpose PCard (issued in employee name)
    • Low Limit: Single transaction limit of $1,000 | Monthly limit of $5,000
    • High limit: Single transaction limit of $5,000 | Monthly limit of $15,000
    • Suitable for travel, office supplies, and other business-related purchases
        • Please note:  The card will not work at all retailers.  The College has specifically excluded select Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) to help mitigate fraud (e.g., specialty retailers, clothing retailers).
    • Type II - Travel PCard (issued in employee name)
      • Limited to transportation, lodging, dining, and routine business travel expenses
      • Single transaction limit of $2,000 | Monthly limit of $10,000
      • Please note: Always carry a personal credit card as a backup.  A Travel PCard is configured for travel-specific Merchant Category Codes (MCC).   Because MCC assignment is determined at the merchant level, the College has no control over how a merchant has set up their credit card processing.  If they did not use a travel-related MCC, the travel PCard may be declined. 
    • Type III - Special purpose PCard (issued in employee name)
      • Declining balance card designed to facilitate a specific trip or event
      • Term may not exceed 6 months
    • Type IV - Vendor Specific PCard
      • Card dedicated to payments to a particular vendor
        • Include vendor name, single transaction limit and total monthly spend on Pcard application
    • Type V - Department PCard  (Issued in department or program name)
      • Single transaction limit of $1,000 | Monthly limit of $3,000
      • To be issued in the name of a department or program
      • Convenience account for use by multiple individuals
      • Pcard application must identify the employee responsible for securing the PCard and ensuring all transactions are correctly recorded in the system.

    Step 2 – Identify PCard Management Roles

    • Cardholder – Individual responsible for Pcard usage and compliance with all College expense policies and related  Pcard reporting procedures.  The cardholder is responsible for the uploading of supporting documentation, coding transactions to the correct general ledger account string and provide narrative details in the Visa Spend Clarity – Enterprise system unless a delegate is named.
    • Delegate (for cardholder) –Individual named by the cardholder (if applicable) as the individual responsible for entering transaction account coding, transaction description and uploading supporting documentation. The delegate should be familiar with all College expense policies and Pcard reporting procedures but the cardholder is still the responsible party over transactions.
    • Delegate (for department or office card) – Individual named by department head responsible for Pcard usage and compliance with all College expense policies and financial reporting procedures for a card issued in the name of a department or office. Responsible for securing and loaning out the Pcard and uploading supporting documentation, coding transactions to the correct general ledger account string and provide narrative details in the Visa Spend Clarity – Enterprise system. 
    • Approver – Cardholder’s immediate supervisor authorizing card issuance and approving cardholder expenses.

    Step 3 –  PCard Requirements

    • Cardholders or their delegates are responsible for reviewing and reconciling all PCard transactions on a regular basis.  All transactions must be reconciled by the due date, which is typically within 6 business days following the close of month.
    • When reconciling, ensure the following are completed for each transaction: 
      • General Ledger code: Verify that the correct General Ledger (GL) code has been applied to each transaction.
      • Business Purpose Memo: A clear and descriptive memo describing the business purpose is required for ALL expenses.  This should answer the who, what, and why of the purchase. 
      • Receipt Documentation: Upload a legible image or copy of the receipt for each transaction.  Receipts are required for all transactions $25 or more.  Receipts should be clear and readable and must reflect the itemized details of the purchase. 

    User basic training is available by contacting pcard@gettysburg.edu.

    Step 4 – Acknowledge PCard Specific Expense Restrictions

    Review the following restrictions carefully.  Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in suspension or revocation of PCard privileges. 

    General Restrictions: 

    • Purchasing cards may only be used by the individual whose name appears on the card.  The card may not be handed to or used by another person
    • Splitting transactions to avoid the single transaction limit is strictly prohibited under VISA rules. Merchants may not be asked to divide a single purchase into multiple transactions for this purpose 
    • Department PCards are approved for online, phone, fax, or local point-of-sales purchases only

    Purchasing cards may NOT be used for:

    • Purchases at College-owned venues, including dining services, the Majestic Theater, or transactions processed through Engage or Transact.  These purchases should be facilitated via department charge
    • Charitable contributions
    • Fuel for an employee's personal vehicle
    • Any purchase that combines both business and personal expenses (e.g., personal travel upgrades or partner travel)

    Blocked Merchant Categories: 

    For the protection of the College, PCard transactions will be automatically declined at vendors registered under the following VISA merchant categories:

    • Charitable, social, or political organizations
    • Insurance payments
    • Real estate rental payments
    • Judicial fees and fines
    • Medical and legal services
    • Various other specialty, consumer, and retail merchants

    Note: If your card is unexpectedly declined or you have questions about restricted merchants, please contact pcard@gettysburg.edu for assistance. 

    Step 5 - Understand the College’s Expense Policy and the Pcard Usage and Policy