Procedure: Purchase Card

Purpose

This document informs all authorised delegates and their supervisors on the use and management of ANU Purchase Cards.

Definitions

Purchase Cardholders are authorised delegates who hold and use a Purchase Card for the purposes of purchasing goods and services for the ANU.

Purchase Card Approvers are the supervisors of the Purchase Cardholder. Purchase Card Approvers must be Officer Level 8 or Academic Level C or above.

Tax Invoice is an invoice that meets the requirements of the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

Procedure

Issuing a Purchase Card and Changing Purchase Card Credit Limits

1. To request a new Purchase Card, or to change a credit limit, applicants are required to:

• Ensure that they have the appropriate financial delegation; then
• Complete the Purchase Card Application and Agreement; and
• Complete the Pulse ANU Purchase Card Use training (new applicants only).

2. The Purchase Cardholder Application & Agreement Form must be signed by a delegate who holds a higher position to the requestor and holds a D3 delegation (or higher).
3. If requested monthly or transaction limit exceeds $50k, CFO approval is required.
4. Finance and Business Services processes the application, ensuring the above has been completed in full by the applicant
5. Finance and Business Services will notify the applicant of the outcome of the application.

Purchase Card custody

6. The Purchase Cardholder is responsible for the care and custody of the Purchase Card and must keep the Purchase Card and PIN safeguarded.
7. The Purchase Cardholder must not allow any other person to use the Purchase Card.
8. Where a Purchase Card is lost or stolen, the cardholder must notify the bank and Finance and Business Services as soon as possible.

Using a Purchase Card and acquitting Purchase Card transactions

9. Purchases on ANU Purchase Cards must not be divided or split into separate parts to avoid transaction limits.
10. Purchase card users must be aware of the FBT implications that need to be considered when spending University money.
11. Within ten (10) business days of each month end, the Purchase Cardholder must complete the acquittal of the previous month’s Purchase Card transactions.
12. Purchase Cardholders are responsible for carrying out the following tasks in the University’s expense management system (CONCUR):

1. coding transactions to the appropriate expense type and charge code;
2. entering a meaningful description for the transaction. The description should be relevant, concise and contain the business purpose of the expenditure;
3. attaching tax invoices (or receipts where no GST is incurred); and
4. ensuring the amount and unit of currency is correct.

13. Purchase Cardholders are responsible for making every reasonable effort to obtain tax invoices (or receipts where no GST is incurred). This may require the Purchase Cardholder to contact suppliers as part of the acquittal process.
14. Where a tax invoice or a receipt cannot be acquired or recovered after taking all reasonable steps, the Purchase Cardholder will complete an online affidavit in Concur.
15. Personal or non-allowable transactions must be categorised as “Accidental Personal Use” when acquitting transactions and must be repaid by the Purchase Cardholder.
16. Invoices will be issued to a Cardholder for any Accidental Personal Use not repaid within 30 days.
17. Repeated Accidental Personal Use triggers a review and any identified or suspected misuse will be reported to the relevant business area.
18. For acquitting Purchase Card transactions, Purchase Cardholders may assign the task to an administrative officer, Executive Assistant or another member of staff. However, accountability for acquittal remains with the Purchase Cardholders. Refer to the Expense Delegate Setup for details on how to assign this to another member of staff.
19. For the review and approval of acquitted transactions, Purchase Card Approvers that are Senior Managers (includes Executive Leadership Team, Deans, School Directors, Head of School, General Managers and Service Division Directors) may assign the task to another member of staff (ANU Officer Level 8 or Academic Level C or above). However, accountability for approval remains with the Purchase Card Approver. Refer to the Expense Delegate Setup for details on how to assign this to another member of staff.

Approving Purchase Card Transactions

20. Purchase Card Approvers must review and approve the acquitted Purchase Card transactions within fifteen (15) business days of each month end.
21. Purchase Card Approvers are responsible for reviewing card transactions to ensure the:

1. Expenditure was reasonable and necessary;
2. Correct invoices/receipts are attached;
3. Appropriate transaction description has been provided; and
4. Correct general ledger and cost centre codes are provided.

22. Purchase Card Approvers have a responsibility to ensure any transactions identified as not allowed are recorded as personal expenditure, approve the acquittal, and ensure repayment by the Purchase Cardholder of personal expenditure.
23. Purchase Card Approvers are responsible for ensuring all transactions are acquitted and approved prior to the departure of a Purchase Card Holder.
24. Purchase Card Approvers are responsible for ensuring all requests for review and approval of acquitted transactions are completed prior to the departure of a Purchase Card Approver.

Cancelling/Limiting ANU Purchase Card

25. Finance and Business Services will reduce the Purchase Card limit or cancel an ANU Purchase Card under the following circumstances:

1. Where a breach in the ANU Purchase Cardholder agreement, policy or this procedure is identified;
2. The Purchase Card Holder has not repaid the University for accidental misuse of purchase card within 30 days;
3. The Purchase Card Approver has not approved the acquittal for the Purchase Cardholder within the specified time period;
4. The Purchase Cardholder no longer holds the relevant financial delegation;
5. The Purchase Cardholder is on leave from the University for a period greater than four weeks;
6. The Purchase Cardholder has resigned or no longer has an active relationship with the University.

26. Colleges and Service Divisions are responsible for notifying Finance and Business Services if a Purchase Card needs to be cancelled.

Disputed transactions

27. The Purchase Cardholder will monitor and report disputed transactions.
28. Transactions can only be disputed within 90 days.
29. Where a Purchase Cardholder does not agree with a charge they will;

1. Discuss the dispute and seek resolution with the supplier in the first instance; then
2. Formally dispute the transaction with the bank.

Delegations Relevant to this Policy

000220: Finance Delegation: Purchase goods and services (including the signing of related purchasing contracts) within budget limit in one transaction or series of transactions (excluding GST).