Frequently Asked Questions

The following is a list of questions and corresponding answers that may help to further explain the purchasing card program. If you have additional questions, contact the PCPA at Pcardreconciliation@morgan.edu

Q: What is the purpose of the purchasing card?
A: It helps agencies obtain small dollar value items (under the $5,000 threshold) in a more efficient and cost effective manner, reducing the amount of invoices and checks utilized in the Procurement process.

Q: What should I do if one of my suppliers does not accept Visa?
A: Most merchants accept VISA. Find another supplier that provides the product or services required. 

Q. Can someone other than the cardholder make purchases on the Purchasing Card?
A. No. The cardholder who has been issued a Corporate Purchasing Card must secure and control the card and any documents containing the account number at all times.

Q. What are the cardholder's responsibilities?
A. The cardholder is responsible for:

• Making only authorized purchases
• Obtaining a detailed receipt for each purchase
• Completing the monthly transaction log with a brief description justifying the purchase
• Reconciling the monthly Visa statement in Banner Finance 
• Reporting any updates or discrepancies
• Ensuring credits are received
• Signing and dating the log
• Submitting transaction log to Authorized Reviewer for approval

Q. What are the Authorized Reviewer's responsibilities?
A.

• Review the Cardholder log(s), Monthly Bank Statement and receipts
• Ensure all
  • transactions are accounted for when the log and Monthly Bank Statement are reconciled
  • Receipts are present and appear legitimate
  • The description of the item on the Cardholder log(s) matches the description of the item on the receipt and the Monthly Bank Statement
  • The item or service purchased was necessary, and the transaction “Furthers the Business of the State”
  • The price was reasonable
  • Personally verifies random items every month and ensures that the item listed on the Cardholder log(s) are the items being purchased by the
    cardholder
    

Q. How do I protect my account from cyberattacks and fraudulent charges?
A.  

• Don't auto-save passwords and credentials to your browser
• Redact all sensitive account information on documents and/or use a secure email such as Virtu (Disable Forwarding)
• Don't sign up for automatic subscription renewals
• Don't save the card to Apple Pay, Apple Wallet, Samsung Pay, or Google Pay
• Paper documents containing the purchasing card account number should be shredded or destroyed when the information is no longer needed.
• Don't give 3rd party access to your computer's applications

Q: Are there restrictions associated with the purchasing card? (EXHIBIT G and Per Comptroller)
A: Yes. These restrictions are highlighted during the purchasing card training session. Restrictions are categorized as 1) Per Comptroller of Maryland Corporate Purchasing Card Program, Policy and Procedures (03/06/2023) and 2) MSU P-Card User’s Guide, Exhibit G.

1. Per Comptroller of Maryland Corporate Purchasing Card Program, Policy and Procedures (03/06/2023):
   • 1. Money-Financial Institution, Securities, Insurance, Cash Advances 
     2. Personal Service Providers such as Photographic Studios, Massage Parlors, Health Spas, etc.
     3. Amusement & Entertainment
     4. Fines
     5. Split Purchases
     6. Drinking Places
     7. Eating Places
     8. Fast Food Restaurants
     9. Packaged Goods Stores
     10. Gratuities
     11. Third Party Payment Systems
2. MSU P-Card User’s Guide, Exhibit G:
   • 1. Appliances
     2. Bag Check Fees
     3. Parties
     4. Breakroom Supplies
     5. Postage Stamps/Shipping Services
     6. Gift Cards
     7. Cash Advances
     8. Towing
     9. Traffic Citations
     10. Sales Tax
     11. Personal Services
     12. Contracted Services
     13. Firearms/Ammunition

Q: Can the Purchasing Card be used for travel?
A: Yes. Only lodging and transportation, such as vehicle rentals or taxis, NOT a personal vehicle.

Q. Can I put hotel charges on my purchasing card?

A. Yes, you can pay for lodging if your travel request is approved by the Comptroller's Office. Room service or no-show charges are prohibited. 

Q: Can personal purchases be made with the card?
A: No. A personal purchase is defined in the State of MD CPC Policy as - Purchases that do not “Further the Business of the State” and purchases that do benefit an employee or other person individually rather than
facilitate the discharge of the official functions or duties of the agency. Additionally, all merchandise must only be shipped to the University Post Office or the Property Control Receiving Center (Montebello Building).

Q. What do I do if I accidentally make a personal charge on my card?
A. Notify your Authorized Reviewer of the mistake. Make an honest effort to have the charge reversed (credited) to the MSU card account. If the attempt fails, make a payment at the Bursar's Office. Include in the monthly transaction log the reimbursement receipt and a completed Missing Receipt Reimbursement Form (Exhibit 1M).

Q. What do I do if I accidentally make a restricted charge on my card?
A. Contact the Purchasing Card Program Administrator for advice as this is decided on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, submit supporting documentation for review.

Q: Who pays the monthly Visa bill, and how?
A: The State pays the Visa automatically. The University is assigned its portion of the charges, which the Office of the Comptroller distributes electronically to the individual cardholders and reflects on the default account assigned to the card.

Q: How are the purchasing card transactions posted to the proper University account?
A: Each purchasing card is assigned a default account, 09950, for credit card purchases. All purchases are charged to this account, which is reallocated by the cardholder both in Banner Finance and via Transaction Log. Cardholders may request a temporary default account manager to reallocate their Banner Finance transactions. The request must be made before the reallocation due date.

Q: What should I do if I cannot obtain a receipt?
A: Complete a Missing Receipt Form and attach it to the monthly Transaction Log for review. Lost or unobtainable receipts may have to be repaid to the university account. A pattern of missing documentation will result in the loss of Corporate Purchasing Card privileges. 

Q: Will I receive a monthly Visa statement?
A: Yes. A new monthly statement is conveniently available at the end of each billing cycle between the 25th and 27th of each month. Log into your account @ access.usbank.com

Q: Will I receive a Visa statement if I don't have transactions during a billing period?
A: No. You will only receive a Visa statement for the billing periods you make purchases. 

Q: Will my personal credit history be reviewed if I apply for a purchasing card?
A: No. Although the State of Maryland Comptroller General Accounting recommends performing credit checks on employees to ensure trustworthiness, they are not required.

Q: What happens if I leave the university?
A: The account will be terminated at least 1 month before the official termination date. The cardholder must shred their card and turn in any outstanding transaction logs. 

Q. What do I do if I change departments?
A. Cancel your card (see the answer to the question above). You must complete a new Purchasing Card Application and 3 State of MD Forms: Cardholder Agreement (Exhibit A), Authorized Reviewer Agreement (Exhibit H), and New Information Cardholder Form (Exhibit B). Approval must be obtained from the new department head to obtain a purchasing card.

Q: What is the maximum limit I can charge to the purchasing card?
A: The maximum amount that can be charged per transaction is $5,000. However, depending on how your department head set up your account, the amount could be less. Your department head also determines the monthly credit limit assigned to your card; it is identified on your cardholder agreement.

Q: What if I need a higher monthly credit limit?
A: Submit a Credit Limit Adjustment Form along with supporting documentation. All limit increases will be temporary and reflect your real spending needs or your Fiscal Year Budget.

Q: Can I use the purchasing card to make internet purchases?

A: Yes but make sure you are on a secured site. One indication that a site is secured is that an "s" appears after HTTP in the vendor's URL (i.e., https://www.); another is that a "lock" symbol appears in the bottom left-hand corner of the website. Most secured sites place an announcement on their site.

Q: What happens when my card expires?
A: Each card has an expiration date identified by month and year (i.e. 01/24 for January of 2024) printed on the card. The card expires at the end of the month. Two weeks before the expiration date, the Bank will issue a new card and send it to the University. The Bear Card Office notifies the CPC Office, which will, in turn, notify you that your new card is available for pickup. The cardholder must turn in an updated Cardholder Agreement and Authorized Reviewer Agreement only before retrieving their card, after which they may schedule their card pickup using this link: https://kiosk.na4.qless.com/kiosk/app/home/192. The cardholder isn't required to do anything to generate the new card; it's an automatic process.

Q. What should I do if my card is declined at the point of sale?
A. You have a couple of options. You may contact the bank's customer service department at 800 - 344 -5696 and give the customer service representative your account number, the name of the vendor, and the amount of the transactions that were declined. The representative will be able to tell you why the charge was not accepted. If the reason for the decline is the Merchant Category Code (MCC), regardless of the information provided by Customer Service, the merchant can't be unblocked. MCCs are blocked by the State Comptroller's Office, and they will not unblock them.

Q. Under what circumstances might the card be declined?
A. Your card may be declined because:

• You may have exceeded your single purchase or monthly credit limit
• The vendor you are using is restricted from use by its *Merchant Category Code (MCC).
• The bank has a security concern due to a use pattern (i.e., if you haven't used the card in a long time). A "fraud alert" may be placed on your card and cannot be removed until the bank is satisfied that you are the cardholder and all transactions are authorized

Q. What do I do if I don't recognize a charge made on my card?
A. First, contact the vendor to verify the charge. Then contact Fraud Investigations at 800-523-9078 to verify questionable activity on your account.

Q. What do I do if my purchasing card is lost or stolen?
A. Contact the bank immediately at 800 - 344 - 5696; this number is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They will be able to cancel the card and issue a new card number and expiration date. Additionally, notify the CPC Office. 

Q. Is there a minimum amount of times I must use my card?
A. Yes. You must use your card at least once within six months. Cardholders will be contacted and must submit justification to keep the account open. Cards without activity for 11-12 months will be closed without notification.