Frequently Asked Questions

Below is a list of frequently asked questions related to the P-Card. Please also review the P-Card Policy and P-Card Guidelines for detailed information. Additional questions can be directed to P-Card administrators at TandE@drexel.edu or 215.895.2876.

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Account Controls

How do I know what my current P-Card limit is and what is the process for getting it changed?

Current P-Card limits can be found in PaymentNet under the "My Accounts" tab. Cardholder's and their Approver will set appropriate P-Card limits based on the budget and business purpose. To have a limit changed, the Cardholder or Approver must complete the P-Card Change Form.

Can a person have multiple P-Card roles?

Yes, however a Cardholder cannot also be the Approver for their own P-Card.

What if my card is declined, lost or stolen?

Similar to a personal credit card, you should contact the P-Card issuer if your P-Card is declined. Lost or stolen cards must be reported immediately to both JPMorgan Chase 1.800.270.7760 (please provide the last four digits of your University ID number in lieu of your Social Security number) and the P-Card Administrator at TandE@drexel.edu or 215.895.2876. If you have a question regarding P-Card administration, please contact the Procurement Services P-Card team at TandE@drexel.edu.

Business Travel

When is it permissible to book/utilize upgraded or first-class air, rail, or car service for business travel?

You may utilize upgraded airfare when a flight leg will exceed five hours in duration. Rail or car service can be booked with prior written approval via an email or memo from the relevant Senior Vice President, Vice President, CFO, Chair or Dean of the applicable unit.

Who signs and approves my business travel when using a P-Card, TAR or TERR?

Expense Approver defined as a Faculty or Professional Staff Member who is designated by a budget owner or financial administrator to approve business expenses, who is at a higher level in the organization than the traveler whose expenses are being approved. Depending on the traveler’s role, the Expense Approver may be a Dean, Provost or President.

Why aren’t gasoline charges for business travel using a personal vehicle an allowable P-Card expense?

The IRS standard mileage rate is used to reimburse employees who use their personal vehicle for business travel. The IRS rate covers typical expenses associated with use and operation of a vehicle, including gasoline, insurance, wear and tear, etc. (please note that tolls are not included). Please note, however, that, as set forth in the P-Card Guidelines, gasoline charges are a legitimate P-Card expense in limited circumstances, such as when an employee rents a car through Drexel for business travel.

When traveling locally, what mode of transportation should be used?

Best practice when traveling locally is to use the Drexel shuttle service whenever possible. If the shuttle does not meet your needs for traveling, use the most economical option available in accordance with University policy.

Policies and Guidelines

Are the business meals and travel policies taken into consideration within the P-Card Policy?

Yes, Business Meals and Travel Policies were taken into consideration when revising the P-Card Policy. All P-Card transactions for business meals and travel must be in alignment with the P-Card Policy and Guidelines.

Why does Procurement Services alone administer the appeal process for reinstatement of P-Cards?

Having a P-Card is a privilege and a responsibility which allows the Cardholder to create a financial obligation on behalf of the University with no prior review or approval. The P-Card Policy and Guidelines are approved under the executive authority of Drexel University, and Procurement Services administers the P-Card Policy and Guidelines under the authority of the Chief Operating Officer of Drexel University. As such, the AVP of Procurement Services oversees compliance with and enforcement of the P-Card Policy and Guidelines, including potential revocation and reinstatement of P-Card privileges.

Why are their budgetary implications for repeated P-Card Policy violations?

Violations to the P-Card Policy create a significant administrative burden to the Procurement Services team supporting the management of the P-Card program. In addition to the penalties off-setting the administrative costs, they also represent a deterrent to repeated non-compliance to the P-Card Policy.

Purchasing

How is an exception to a prohibited purchase granted?

For prohibited purchases where a P-Card is the only payment option, a P-Card Prohibited Purchases Exception Form should be submitted to TandE@drexel.edu and sourcing@drexel.edu for approval. The form is available through the Procurement Services website.

For services requiring P-Card payment because payment is required at the time of service completion, the P-Card Prohibited Purchases Exception From should be submitted to TandE@drexel.edu and sourcing@drexel.edu. Please also include written payment policy information from the vendor stating that they require payment at time of service completion.

What if I am not sure if a purchase is allowable or prohibited?

If you are unsure if a purchase is allowable on a P-Card, an inquiry can be sent to TandE@drexel.edu and Procurement Services will advise. The purchase should not be made until a determination is made by Procurement Services. Please also review the P-Card Guidelines for a non-exhaustive list of allowable and prohibited purchases.

What should I do if an item is available through the Smart Source catalogs, but it can be purchased significantly cheaper through another vendor?

Any item over $500 that is significantly cheaper through an alternate vendor would require further review by Procurement Services. A P-Card Prohibited Purchases Exception Form should be submitted to TandE@drexel.edu and sourcing@drexel.edu. The P-Card and Strategic Sourcing teams will review and provide approval for the purchase if an acceptable alternate cannot be found to meet the department's needs. For purchases under $500, the Cardholder must provide substantiation of the cheaper alternative purchased on the P-Card with the P-Card transaction notes.

For approved business meals, do alcohol charges need to be billed separately?

No. Drexel University has determined that there is no need to separate these charges at this time. In the event that Drexel determines that it is necessary or advisable to separate these charges in the future, you will be notified in advance.

What should I do if I accidentally use my P-Card for a personal purchase?

If a purchase is accidentally made on a P-Card for personal use, the P-Card Office should be notified immediately in an effort to remedy. Cardholders must complete a cash deposit form for the amount of the purchase, deposited into the originally allocated cost center. The receipt of this deposit should be included with the transaction allocation report and the transaction note must reflect a personal charge being reimbursed to the University by the cardholder. If the P-Card office is notified immediately, the occurrence will not be counted as a P-Card violation; however, repeated instances of accidental purchases of personal items on a P-Card may give rise to consequences for Policy violation.

How should P-Card purchases through Amazon be handled?

Procurement Services is currently evaluating onboarding Amazon as a punch-out vendor through Smart Source, including the possibility of a University-wide Prime account. Please note that the University will not pay for individual Amazon Prime memberships. Purchasing products for Drexel use on a P-Card through a personal Amazon Prime membership is acceptable provided that the Drexel P-Card may not be saved to the personal Amazon account. Any personal purchases made with a Drexel P-Card through Amazon are subject to discipline in accordance with the P-Card Policy.

Does the University allow the use of the P-Card for making purchases for special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, etc.?

No. University funds may not be used for occasions including, but not limited to, holiday parties, employee birthdays, weddings, baby showers, anniversaries, or other occasions of a personal nature. If departments wish to purchase an appreciation gift to a specific individual or entity, a collection of personal funds should be used. If there is an essential need to purchase such special occasional purchases related to job performance, please contact TandE@drexel.edu.

Does the University allow the use of the P-Card titled get-well/condolences purchases?

As Procurement Services understands the need to celebrate happy occasions, the team also acknowledges the need to support colleagues during times of healing and bereavement. University funds should not be the default means of funding purchases to show such support, and collection of funds/contributions in times of need are strictly within the personal discretion of faculty and staff; however, within the discretion of the budget owner, the P-Card may be used to purchase get-well and condolences gifts within a reasonable limit. Any questions regarding the feasibility of such a purchase should be directed to TandE@drexel.edu in advance of the purchase.

Reconciliation

What are the dates for online reconciliation and Transaction Allocation Reports?

Online reconciliation is due the last business day of every month for the prior cycle. Note that JP Morgan cycle ends on approximately the 20th of every month.

The online reconciliation process is critical to ensure proper account allocation to your cost center. Should you miss this deadline, you must complete a journal entry to correct and move the expenses to the proper account (https://challenger.irt.drexel.edu/FinanceToolbox/JournalEntry). Creation of such corrective journal entries creates a significant administrative burden for not only the Cardholder but also the P-Card office, General Accounting, and other administrative departments supporting these functions. The requirement for Cardholders to submit corrective journal entries is in addition to any consequences set forth in the P-Card Guidelines for non-compliance with the reconciliation process.

Transaction Allocation Reports are due to the P-Card office by the 2nd Friday of every month for the prior cycle. These reports should follow the requirement set forth in the P-Card Policy, including but not limited to Section D.7.

Specific calendar dates for reconciliation due dates and Transaction Allocation Report due dates are posted on the Procurement Services website.

Is there a minimum dollar threshold before submission of a Missing Receipt Form is required?

Under the P-Card Policy, there is a $25 threshold associated with missing receipts. If a receipt is lost, the Cardholder can reach out to the supplier for a copy of the receipt. If no copy is available and the transaction was over $25, a Missing Receipt Form will be required and must be attached to the Transaction Allocation Report.

How should I prepare to handle tax exemption status when traveling and what should I do if tax is accidentally charged on a purchase?

When planning business travel, review the states where Drexel has tax exemption status and print any exemption certificates that may be needed during your trip. A list of tax exempt states and exemption certificates is available through the DrexelOne "Employee" tab, under "Purchasing and Travel". For additional sales tax information, including a Sales Tax Reference Guide, which includes a matrix summarizing categories of goods and services and whether or not they are taxable in various states, please visit the Office of Tax Compliance website.

If sales tax is accidentally charged when traveling, it is the responsibility of the Cardholder to make every effort to have the charge credited. When reconciling, make sure the credit is allocated to the same cost center as the original transaction. The transaction ID number of the credit should be referenced in the Transaction Notes of the original transaction.

If the Cardholder is unable to have the charge credited, the Cardholder must document the detailed effort made in the Transaction Notes in the Reconciliation Portal.

Why am I required to have tax removed from all charges on my P-Card?

For purchases of $25 or less, documentation of the employee's efforts to have sales tax waived is not required. We understand employee frustration with having to deal with vendors that aren't familiar with sales tax exemptions. However, as a tax-exempt charitable organization, it's our responsibility to use university funds in a prudent manner, which includes obtaining and using sales tax exemptions whenever possible. Employees may access sales tax exemption forms via DrexelOne (under the Employee tab) and an employee can pull up and print the required form from their phone, hotel computer, etc. While sales tax amounts may be minor on an individual basis, in the aggregate, amounts saved can be substantial. More information about sales tax can be found on the Office of Tax Compliance website.