Purchase cards - business processes
We have provided an overview of the business process for Purchase Cards and links to the various forms required to request a Purchase Card.
The key features of PCards on FMS are summarised below:
- cardholders and their proxies will see new ‘Code PCard Transactions’ tasks in their FMS task list as transaction files are uploaded. Default Purchase Card budgets will reflect card transactions as commitments as soon as bank files are uploaded into FMS
- to set up proxy arrangements for PCards, cardholders should contact finance-helpdesk@strath.ac.uk A proxy can check/code transactions and upload receipt images to FMS on behalf of a cardholder, but cannot submit the statement for approval
- to complete each ‘Code PCard Transactions’ task, the cardholder or their proxy should:
- check the items on each statement
- attach any receipts
- submit the statement to the cardholder / for approval
Where costs are being charged to multiple sub-projects, it's helpful to approvers if receipts are attached. It's especially helpful if they are attached in a way that makes it easy for the approver to see which receipts relate to which sub-projects. For example, rather than attaching a single document containing receipts for multiple sub-projects, attach a separate document containing receipts for each sub-project.
- if a proxy completes the reconciliation, the cardholder will receive a task asking them to send the statement for approval
- sub-project managers will receive a ‘Purchase Card Transaction Approval’ task asking them to approve transactions that have been coded to their subproject
Purchase card documentation
Guidance for processing Purchase Card transactions can be found in two documents:
- Purchase Card (for Card Holders)
- Purchase Card Approval (for Sub Project Managers)
You can find the above documents and additional training guides on the Purchase Card SharePoint (login required).
The entire procurement-to-payment (P2P) process is described in detail in the following manuals:
- Introduction to Procurement & Suppliers (pdf) (SharePoint login required)
- Purchasing on FMS (pdf) (SharePoint login required)
- Invoices & P2P Reports (pdf) (SharePoint login required)
Information on when it is appropriate to use a Purchase Card can be found on the Purchase Card SharePoint (login required).
Purchase card statement dates
Transactions will have a date reflecting when the weekly file from the bank was loaded to the system.
Purchase card training
Training courses on FMS Purchasing are run periodically. Go to the Course Booking site to put your name on a waiting list of this course.