Purchasing Card (P-card)

Advertising/Marketing All advertising must have a copy of the ad along with the receipt/invoice

Airfare Must be accompanied by an approved Request to Travel Form that should have been completed prior to travel date.

Approvals Visa packet must have at least two signatures; the cardholder and the departmental approver.

Bank of America Statement Your original Visa statement is required to be turned in with the reporting package each month. Not copies.

Business Purpose (BP) A clear BP comment must be on each and all transactions in WORKS so that it prints on the CSU GL Memo Statement.

Clayton State University Cell Phones CSU issued cell phone bills are allowed on the p-card. You must submit all pages of the bill, including blank pages, with your VISA p-card Packet.

Conferences The p-card may be used to pay for conference registrations. You must include the itinerary and a copy of the registration form.

Contract Affidavit A Contract Affidavit is required by Georgia Law for any labor or services equal to or greater than $2500 for each time you do business with the vendor.

Food/Lodging Food and lodging for student activities are allowed when on official school business. They are never allowed for employees.

Food for Official LAB Usage You are allowed to use your p-card to purchase food for official research, laboratory animals or for classroom experiments.

Furniture Furniture may be purchased as long as the manufacturer is on statewide contract. If the amount is <= $500 it must be approved by Priti Bhati.

Meeting w/ Lunch Meetings and Luncheons should include an agenda that states lunch is provided.

Memberships  and/or fees to wholesale shopping clubs or “warehouses” type retailers (e.g., Sam’s, Costco, Amazon Prime) when membership is in the name of person rather than the State Entity.

Missing Receipt Circle the charge on the statement identifying the charge amount purchased. If the amount is =&lt;$100 submit the completed Missing Receipt Form for lost invoices/receipts with the "Visa Packet."

Plants and Flowers Artificial plants and flowers for office common areas are allowed.

Promotional Items Promotional items are allowed to be purchased on a p-card for those areas where such an expense is allowed. Documentation must be included in Visa Packet with a clear purpose for University Business.

Receipts Original receipts with itemization of transaction must be submitted with your monthly reconciliation packet.

Resale Items Food for consumption by non employees at events/services provided for the general public or purchased for resale in gift shops, bookstores, and other non-employee related uses are allowed on the p-card.

Sales Tax w/Vendors Before using a new vendor for ordering, please check to see if your tax exempt status will be accepted. Out of state vendors may charge sales tax - try to use someone else if possible.

Security of p-card Your p-card must be kept in a secure location with cardholder access only.

Student Auxiliary/ Functions/Athletic Teams Include original receipts, agenda and a roster of students in attendance. Especially when food and lodging is involved. Students must sign for receipt of funds or goods.

Travel - Air or Rental Car Always provide an approved Request to Travel Form for staff/faculty travel.

Visa Packets Your reconciled Visa packet is due in to the Procurement Office on the 5th business day of the month. If it falls on the weekend or a holiday it will be due on the first business day after.

Works Reconcile all Works transactions by the last business day of the month and include a copy of your monthly GL Memo Statement along with you monthly Visa packet.

Alcoholic Beverages Do not purchase alcohol of any kind.

Animals (Live) Do not purchase live animals for any purpose.

Bookstore Do not use you p-card to make purchases of any sort in the University Bookstore.

Cash Advances There must be no cash advances including those received though teller machines, banks, or as "cash back" at the time of transaction.

Chamber of Commerce Memberships Chamber of Commerce membership dues are not allowed to be paid with University Funds.

Contracts & Agreements (monthly /annual agreements) Do not use your p-card for monthly/annual contract for maintenance/service agreements.

Computers & Equipment Do not purchase computers, laptop computers, tablets, iPads, notebooks, monitors, and servers on your p-card. All computer purchases must go through procurement on a purchase order and approved by OITS. The bookstore is exempt from this requirement.

CSU Foundation Do not use your p-card for any expenditures that should be reimbursed by the CSU Foundation or other outside agencies, government or otherwise.

Employee Travel Expense Do not use your p-card for employee hotel, meals, entertainment, and other travel-related incidentals such as baggage fees, ground transportation, shuttle or taxi.

Entertainment Expense No entertainment of any type, including but not limited to movie tickets, amusement park tickets’ arcades, etc. This does not apply to student organized activities. Call procurement if you have any questions.

Live Plants or Flowers No fresh cut flowers or live plants are allowed.

Food & Catering Note: Some Grants may fund food purchases, subject to the approval of the Office of Grants and Contracts Do not use your p-card for Catering/Food for consumption by State Employees unless purchase qualifies as a “group meal” as defined by the Business Procedures Manual.

Fuel Fuel purchases are not allowed for university vehicles, rental cars, or for your personal vehicle.

Furniture/Equipment Do not purchase furniture or equipment =&gt; $3000.00, unless prior approval has been secured from Procurement Services. This is considered an asset and inventory.

Gifts/Awards Do not purchase any type or style of gifts, to include but not limited to awards, trophies, plaques, speaker fees and honorariums to employees or non-employees.

Gift Cards, Calling Cards Do not purchase any type or style of gift cards, telephone calling cards in the U.S./Abroad, store value cards, pre-paid card or gift certificate with your p-card.

Greeting Cards Greeting card purchases are not allowed under any circumstances.

Hazardous Material No hazardous materials are to be purchased at anytime on your p-card. (Exception for departments with Environmental Health & Safety Approval.)

Hotel/Lodging No hotel or lodging on p-card; DO NOT reserve room or place p-card on file for incidentals or any reason.

Holiday Decorations Do not purchase holiday decorations for the office, office door, or employee work station.

Inventoried Items Do not purchase any single tangible (Physical) item that has a value of $3,000 or above. Some examples are IT/AV hardware, fixtures/signs, furniture.

Leases No lease payments for equipment or property are to be place on your p-card.

Meals & Events No meals or events (tours, etc) on your p-card unless it is part of a registration fee and is for University Business.

Memberships Do not use your p-card to pay for institutional/individual memberships. 

Multimedia Equipment of $3000.00 and above Do not use your p-card to purchase multimedia equipment of 3000.00 and above. Anything over the stated amount must be on a purchase order.

Personal Purchases Any item for use by an individual for non-work related use or use other than official University/State business are not allowed.

Professional Services Do not use your p-card to pay for Professional services.

Purchase Orders Do not pay for PO related invoices with the p-card.

Sales Tax Do not pay sales tax on any purchases made for University Business.

Software Do not purchase software with p-card.  All software must be approved by OITS and CID (if instructional).

Use of the p-card Do not share your p-card or your card number even if the purchase is for legitimate state business.

1. How would having a Purchasing Card benefit our department? The State of Georgia Purchasing Card (P-card) is a charge card designed to enable authorized full-time State of Georgia employees to make small value purchases of supplies, materials, equipment, and services for State business use. The program streamlines payments by eliminating the administrative burdens and costs associated with traditional methods of payment.
2. Can multiple cards be issued in the same individual’s name? No. Only one card may be issued for an employee. Also you cannot have one issued in the Department Name.
3. What does the mandated training session offer? The training session will provide you with the information you need to use the card correctly. It outlines the purchasing guidelines, what are allowable and non allowable expenses on the P-Card and P-card usage. The training session also covers the reconciliation process in the Works Application. Other topics include; sales tax issues, transaction reconciling procedures, forms used, dates, deadlines, and contacts.
4. Must I undergo a criminal and credit check? Clayton State University is required to complete criminal background and credit checks on all State employees prior to issuance of a Purchasing Card (P-card). Clayton State University is required to complete criminal background and credit checks on all existing P-card cardholders prior to next renewal date which is every two years.
5. Am I personally held responsible for the use or potential misuse of the Purchasing Card if I am the cardholder? Yes, as the cardholder you are personally responsible for your P-card and the usage of the card. Cardholders or supervisors/approving officials who knowingly, or through willful neglect, fail to comply with the Policy and Procedures outline in the laws of Georgia related to governmental purchasing, GA Procurement Manual, State Purchasing Card Policy, BOR policy and our internal policies and procedures may be subject to suspension or termination of employment and criminal prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.
6. What are the card cancellation procedures? If a card is lost or stolen, it is the responsibility of the cardholder to immediately notify Bank of America within 24 hours by calling 1-888-449-2273. They must also notify supervisor and P-card Administrator. If a cardholder leaves the University, transfers to another department, or takes a leave of absence longer than 1 month, then the cardholder is responsible for contacting Procurement Services to fill out a Transfer Form/Cancellation Letter.
7. Where should I store the card for safekeeping? It is the responsibility of the cardholder to be sure that both the card plate itself and exposure to the card number are in a safe place. It is recommended that the card be stored on campus either in a locked drawer, or a safe. Please do not carry the card in your billfold or purse permanently. Avoiding this will decrease the possibility of the card being lost or used inappropriately. (*Note: It is understood the card may be in the cardholder's possession while in travel status if the card is being used to pay for their travel related expenses.)
8. Can I use the same Purchasing Card for several Departmental funds? Yes. When reconciling in WORKS, each transaction can be charged to a separate departmental fund. Indicate on the paper copy submitted to Procurement Services that there were several different departmental funds used.

1. Are there preset single and monthly transaction limits on the card? VISA monthly credit limits are initially set at $10,000. Requests for higher spending limits need to be made in writing and approved by the card holder's department administrator and then they will be submitted to the P-card Administrator for review. Single Transaction is defined as one or more items purchased at the same time from the same vendor on the same day. Orders intentionally split to circumvent the $5,000 transaction limit, violate University Policy.
2. What do I do if a transaction is declined? Contact Bank of America at 1-888-449-2273. Keep in mind the preset single, monthly and merchant restrictions may cause the declined authorization. You may also need to discuss an increase in your limit with your supervisor/department head.
3. How do I go about requesting that my monthly limit be raised? Have your manager contact Procurement Services
4. Can the Purchasing Card be used to purchase food or meals? The P-card cannot be used for purchasing food or meals. However, there are a few exceptions with student member clubs and/or athletic events. The general rule is food may be purchased ONLY IF the primary purpose of the event is for the benefit of the student club or athletes. A list of participants showing student name and signature, itemized receipt, and a copy of the team schedule or other documentation showing that the meal was an authorized student activity.
5. What are the guidelines for Air Travel? Air travel is allowed for Clayton State employees and students on University business. Reservations for air travel can not be outside 30 days of the travel date and you must travel in the same fiscal year that the ticket was purchased. You can use Travelocity, Orbitz, Cheap Tickets, or Expedia for flight reservations. You must include the pre-approved Travel Authorization Form in your P-Card VISA Packet.of students or student athletes must be provided along with a business purpose stated on the invoice or receipt.

1. Do I need to have a receipt or an invoice to document all purchases that I make? All purchases made on the Purchasing Card, as well as all other purchasing tools used at the University, require documentation identifying the purchase. Acceptable documentation can be in the form of an invoice, receipt or order form. The documentation must identify the vendor, dollar amount, description of purchase, and the date of the purchase.
2. What do I do if I have lost my original receipt? All attempts should be taken to contact the vendor to request a duplicate. When submitting the documentation, please note that the original was lost, thus a copy has been provided. If no copy is available or the vendor cannot provide a copy, please complete a Missing Receipt Form. Please be advised the form is only for purchases less than $100.
3. What do I do if I did not receive any documentation for my purchase? All attempts should be taken to contact the vendor to request acceptable documentation. The vendor should either be able to provide an invoice, packing slip, or a written description of what merchandise was purchased as well as the dollar amount of the purchase.
4. Should I be assessed sales tax on Purchasing Card Purchases? No, the University is a tax-exempt institution. See our online Tax Exemption Certificate here. If you are inadvertently charged tax, the cardholder should contact the vendor for a tax credit.
5. What do I do if a transaction appears on my statement that I do not believe is mine? If you believe the transaction is an error, contact the vendor to credit the transaction or the amount. However, if this is a fraud issue, then you must contact Bank of America and begin a fraud claim. Also, contact the P-card Administrator.
6. Can the original documentation be maintained within the department for either return or rebate possibilities? No. All original documentation must be provided to the Procurement/Accounts Payable department for audit purposes. Copies made for the department prior to submission or can be obtained from Procurement upon request.
7. What information do I need to provide for conference registration fees processed on the Purchasing Card? Cardholders should provide the itinerary and copy of registration form for the conference (including dates, where the conference is being held and a detailed schedule of events) and a receipt or a confirmation of the total amount of the conference stating who attended the conference and the number of participants.

1. What forms need to be completed to document the purchases made on the Purchasing Card? All P-card transactions are reconciled online via Works. The cover sheet (Visa Approval Form), bank statement, WORKS GL Memo Statement report and original invoices/receipts must be sent to Procurement Services by the 5th of the month. Transactions must be reconciled by the last business day of the month in Works.
2. Who needs to sign my Visa Packet? Clayton State University requires two approvals for Purchasing Card package. The cardholder’s approval is required and cannot be delegated. The second approval may be anyone delegated the authority to approve on behalf of the department. However, no one individual may approve a form in more than one capacity. If the subject of any transaction is the person with designated signature authority, an additional level of approval (above the cardholder or subject of transaction) is required. It is the cardholder/traveler and department's responsibility to ensure that the appropriate/approved departmental approvals are obtained, and/or to obtain multiple departmental approvals. A cardholder cannot authorize another to approve in their place.
3. When is the Visa Packet due in the Procurement Services Office? The completed Purchasing Card package and acceptable documentation must be submitted to Procurement Services each month by the 5th. If the 5th falls on a holiday or weekend the packet should be submitted the prior business day.
4. What happens if I do not get my packet to the Procurement Services office by the 5th? An email will be sent to the cardholder alerting them that their VISA packet has not been received. Failure to comply with this rule may result in card suspension and/or revocation.
5. What is a Purchasing Card Coversheet? The cover sheet (Visa Approval Form).
6. What is the required order of documentation for the VISA P-Card Packet?
   1. Completed VISA Approval Form
   2. Bank Statement from Bank of America
   3. Printed CSU GL Memo Statement (must have clear business purpose in comment field of each transaction)
   4. All receipts/invoices/documentation to support charges - must be in the same date order as the way it appears on the statement