Use of an ANU purchase card simplifies the purchasing process by ensuring that:

• Suppliers are paid quickly;

• Unnecessary and redundant paperwork is eliminated;

• Invoicing and payments occur electronically;

• Postings to the University ledger are automated; and

• Simplified and consolidated reports are created for managers that can be used to track purchases and analyse purchase card transaction trends.

ANU Purchase Card use must comply with ANU Purchasing and Policy and Procedures.  The Purchase Card can only be used for legitimate business purchases, and should not be used for purchasing goods and services from other areas of the University.

Cardholders who contravene this policy must accept responsibility for charges incurred and may be liable for disciplinary action.

Cardholder Responsibilities

Cardholders have a number of responsibilities and obligations by which they must abide when they apply for an ANU purchase card.  The cardholder is responsible for:

• Signing the card on issue;

• Custody of the card and notifying the (National) Bank and the Business Officer immediately if the card is misplaced or lost;

• Ensuring that the card is used for authorised University purchases only;

• Ensuring that a sales voucher and tax invoice is retained for each purchase and that purchases are adequately described;

• Creating and approving bank transactions through the ESP Procurement Card System or assisting a reviewing officer to confirm the transactions on the Cardholder’s behalf;

• Ensuring compliance with the directions for use of the card as identified in the Accounting Circular and the ANU VISA Purchasing Card Cardholder Agreement;

• Regularly checking the ESP PCS, even during times of no use to ensure that no unauthorised transaction have occurred; and

• Disputing any invalid transactions with the National Bank within three months of the date of the transaction.

• Surrendering the purchase to the Purchase card controller if appointed to another position at the University that does not require the use of a purchase card, or if he/she resigns from University employment, or undertakes a period of leave for greater than three months.

Budget Unit Business Office Responsibilities

The Business Office is responsible for:

• Coordinating the request and approval for the issue of a card to a nominated cardholder;

• Advising the cardholder or responsibilities and directions for use of the card;

• Ensuring the ANU VISA Purchasing Card Cardholder agreement is signed by the cardholder;

• Determining with the Cardholder whether they are to confirm the bank transactions themselves or whether a reviewing officer will perform this on their behalf;

• Determining with the Cardholder their ‘authorisation limit’ on the PCMS.  If the agreed authorisation limit is different to the cardholder’s monthly limit, the Business Office is responsible for telling the cardholder who their authorising officer is (eg. Line manager and/or Business Office), and other local area instructions such as when transactions will be authorised etc.,

• Ensuring card transactions for all Cardholders within the Business Office are confirmed on a timely basis and at least monthly; and

• Notifying the Manager, Finance and Business services when a card has been lost, misplaced or to be withdrawn.

• Business Manager or nominated officer to review compliance with GST requirements at the time of signing the grouping report, prior to its being sent to Finance and Business Services for filing.

Finance and Business Services Responsibilities

Finance and Business Services are responsible for:

• Maintenance of the Web home page for the Purchasing Card which will provide all the relevant information on the issue and use of the Purchasing Card including application forms;

• Importing the bank transactions into the PCMS daily;

• Maintaining the cardholder details in Business Purchase and the FMIS User Table;

• Reconciling the Purchasing Card clearing account to ensure that transactions are confirmed on a timely basis;

• Central card administration and liaison with the National card centre in Melbourne, including managing new card applications, card cancellations, monthly card limit increases etc.

Local Area Instructions

To ensure the ANU Purchase Card System (both the PCS software application and general card policy and management) is flexible and adaptable across the University, Budget Unit Business Offices are allowed to provide supplementary guidelines and controls.  These guidelines and controls, referred to as local area instructions must not contradict the information contained in the broader ANU policy documents.

Card Purchases

1. Cardholders and Officers authorising card purchases must comply with the relevant sections of the ANU Purchasing Policy and Procedures.

    

2. The card is to be used for authorised University purchases for which moneys have not been paid or advanced to the cardholder.  The card is not to be used for the following types of purchases:
   • To make cash withdrawals;
   • For private purchases or payment of private accounts (this includes travel to and from work, items from a hotel mini bar, payment of fines etc.);
   • For expenditure already provided for in a per diem (double dipping);
   • To pay for tips at restaurants; or
   • To upgrade airline tickets or standards of accommodation.

The ANU VISA purchase card is not to be used when conducting a financial transaction with other parts of the University.

Missing Receipts

If a Cardholder misplaces an invoice/receipt, they should request another from the supplier.  If the supplier is registered for GST they are required to provide a tax invoice within 28 days upon request.

Disputed Transactions

An unauthorised transaction can be disputed only if notified to the National Australia Bank within three months of the date of the transaction.

It is the responsibility of the Cardholder to pursue and monitor any disputed transactions.

Lost or Stolen Cards

The Cardholder is responsible for the security of the ANU Purchase Card and the transactions made with the card. 

Withdrawal of Purchasing Card from a Cardholder

The ANU VISA Purchase Card may be withdrawn under the following circumstances:

• The Cardholder has not complied with the University rules and all rights to the card have been forfeited;

• The Cardholder has resigned or transferred to another School/Section in the University;

• The Cardholder no long works in the position and the authority to hold a card has been withdrawn.

During extended periods of leave, the Cardholder should surrender the Purchasing Card to the Business Officer until recommencement of University duties.