The Purchasing Card (PCard) is a great tool that helps you to procure non-travel, small dollar goods and services necessary in accomplishing the purposes and mission of your department and the University. The employee to whom the card is issued is responsible for all purchases made with the card.
There are two types of purchasing cards available to University of Utah and University Hospital employees; a purchasing card and a department card.
This purchasing card may only be used by the employee who holds the card.
This Card:
- Has fraud protection if the fraud is reported within 30 days of the transaction.
- Has larger Single Transaction and Cycle Limits available – based on demonstrated need.
Tiered limit options available.
This purchasing card is issued to an employee, but can be checked out/used by other employees for University purchasing.
This Card:- Has fraud protection if the fraud is reported within 30 days of the transaction.
- Can be checked out (using a check out log) for use by other employees with University purchasing needs.
Lower limits are offered due to the increased risk associated with this type of card being checked out to multiple employees or the potential for misuse.
Important Dates to Remember
These dates are important for your credit limits.
Purchasing Card Limits
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Cycle limit refers to the maximum number of transactions or total value of transactions that can be processed within a given billing cycle, typically one month. This limit helps manage risk and ensures smooth processing of transactions.
The University has several cycle limit options available, depending on your card type. The limits can be adjusted (lower or higher) by using the Request module in SAP Concur. You may also have a higher cycle limit with approval from your department and the Purchasing Department.
If a "cycle limit" is reached before the end of the billing cycle, purchases will decline at the point of sale due to insufficient funds.
If a cardholder reaches their cycle limit before the end of the billing cycle, they can submit a “University Card Payment Services” request to increase their limits. Visit the Training Site for instructions on how to change your card limits (temporary or permanent).
Instead of requesting a limit increase, cardholders may consider waiting to make the purchase until the 26th of the following month when the limit resets.
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A single purchase limit is the maximum amount that can be spent on a single transaction using a specific card. This helps prevent overspending and manage financial risk by ensuring that each individual purchase doesn't exceed a predetermined amount.
The Single Purchase Limit can be increased up to $10,000 with approval from your department and the Purchasing Department, but it cannot exceed $10,000 which is the Single Procurement Threshold. Single purchases that exceed $10,000 will require review and approval by a buyer on the Purchasing team. Approval must be granted before the limit can be increased.
Some cardholders may have purchases they need to make that are higher than their card’s current limits. These transactions would be declined by the bank due to the amount being over the established single transaction limit.
If a cardholder needs an update to the single purchase limit, they can submit a “University Card Payment Services” Request. Training Site
Refer to this page for general PCard information.
Once you feel confident that you know the basics of a PCard, you can begin the process of Applying for a PCard.