Purchasing & Contracting
Quick Guide to P-Cards
2016-2017
Contents
P-Card Credit Limits, Deadlines, and Statement Period ......................................... 3
Default Credit Limits: ......................................................................................... 3
P-Card Deadlines and Dates to Remember ........................................................ 3
Statement Period ............................................................................................... 3
Reconciliation ........................................................................................................ 3
Manage/upload receipts .................................................................................... 3
Allocate/Edit ...................................................................................................... 4
Sign Off .............................................................................................................. 4
Chartfield Requests................................................................................................ 4
Acceptable and Unacceptable Purchases ............................................................... 4
Acceptable Use .................................................................................................. 4
Unacceptable Use .............................................................................................. 6
P-Card Program Contacts: ...................................................................................... 9
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P-Card Credit Limits, Deadlines, and Statement Period
Default Credit Limits:
$18,000 credit limit, $4,500 single transaction limit
Special circumstances do allow for varied limits. Please contact the P-Card
Program Manager to request a limit change.
P-Card Deadlines and Dates to Remember
Reconciliation Deadline – 12th of the month
All transactions must be reconciled with uploaded receipts, correct chartfields,
and signed off with the business purpose.
Do not wait to reconcile. Please reconcile weekly.
Statement Period
The Statement Period is from the first of the month to the last day of the month.
Reconciliation
Reconciliation consists of three steps:
1. Receipts: Manage/Upload
2. Chartfield Allocate/Edit
3. Transaction Sign Off – Business Purpose Comment
P-Card Reconciliation Guide: http://www.pps.net/Page/1344
Manage/upload receipts
 Receipts are required for all vendors except those listed on the Works
homepage; this includes some Private Marketplace vendors.
 Itemized Receipts are required.
 REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION: For each food and/or beverage purchase the
following information must be included with your itemized receipt:
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o Agenda
 Location
 Business purpose of meeting/event
 Date
o Sign-in sheet
 Names of all attendees including both PPS Employees and/or
Non-Employees.
 If original receipts are not recovered and submitted, staff will be
responsible for reimbursing the District for the expense.
Allocate/Edit
Chartfields are preloaded in Works based on your department access. If a
chartfield cannot be found via the drop down menu, it can be requested through
the Chartfield Access/Request Change Form.
Sign Off
A detailed description of the expense and the business purpose must be noted in
the sign off comments.
Chartfield Requests
In the Works allocation/edit screen, if a particular chartfield does not appear in
the drop down when allocating or creates a red x when saved, the chartfield may
need to be added to your profile.
To add a chartfield, please submit a Chartfield Access/Change Request Form with
department approval, http://www.pps.net/Page/1343.
Acceptable and Unacceptable Purchases
Acceptable Use
Purchases made with a P-Card must be for legitimate District business purposes
only and must support our educational mission. The following are some examples
of appropriate purchases:
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Advertisements (i.e. bids, employment)
Art and craft supplies
Books, games, and classroom activities
Classroom supplies
Decorations for student/community events (i.e. Rose Festival Court, prom,
graduation, Board Meetings, Community Outreach events)
Educational supplies (not related to professional development)
Food: Refreshments for business related meetings and events or meals
when working through a meal period and no meal break is provided
Health & hygiene supplies
Hotel/Catering/Space Rental
o Hotel/Catering/Space Rental contracts under $2,000
o Hotel/Catering/Space Rental where no written contract is required
by the vendor
Lab supplies
Learning tools
o Any online learning software, unless it utilizes any form of student
data including name, grade, gender or other performance or
demographic information or requires student interaction or login.
These types of subscriptions, apps, etc. must be subject to District
software contract and procured with the aid of IT,
itpurchasing@pps.net, or otherwise listed as an approved application
on the IT website.
Library or reference materials
Local Parking
Office supplies
Permits (Facilities)
Postage Stamps
Purchasing & Contracting online ordering systems
o Example: Private Marketplace
Professional memberships and dues
Shipping and Mailing Services
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o Examples: FedEx and UPS
Shop supplies
Small equipment parts and repairs
Student field trips/activities (i.e. OMSI, the zoo, Chinese Garden, Oaks Park)
where no signed contract is required by the vendor.
Student travel – hotel and transportation (Note: you must call the Travel
Desk before booking airfare)
The purchase of iTunes gift cards for application to a school iTunes account
Training courses or seminars that do not require tuition or are not forcredit courses
Travel and Training with approved Pre-Travel/Training Authorization registration fees, hotel room reservation payments, parking, shuttle or taxi
fare, airline baggage fees, car rentals and gas, airfare only if authorized by
Accounts Payable and after checking fares with the Travel Desk
Yearbooks
Unacceptable Use
Purchases made with your P-Card must be for legitimate District business and
support our educational mission. The following are examples of prohibited
purchases:
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Alcoholic beverages
Appliances unless prior approval obtained from Facilities
Cash advances
Cellular phones, cellular phone accessories and related monthly charges
Computer Hardware and Software unless prior written approval obtained
from IT, itpurchasing@pps.net
Examples:
o iPads
o Cell phones
o Laptops from consumer electronics stores
o Printers
o Any technology device over $100
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o Any software that utilizes any form of student data including name,
grade, gender or other performance or demographic information or
requires student interaction or login. These types of subscriptions,
apps, etc. must be subject to District software contract and procured
with the aid of IT or otherwise listed as an approved application on
the IT website.
Donations of District funds
eLearning Campus classes
o Employee must pay for and then seek reimbursement from District
after course completion
Fines, late fees or penalties
Gas within PPS District or where mileage reimbursement occurs, unless
specifically authorized on a Department Card
Gasoline, towing, automotive parts, and related services (for Non-District
owned vehicles)
Gift cards
o Allowed with CFO preapproval
Gifts
Medical drugs, pharmaceutical products or controlled substances
Medical Services
Order splitting into multiple transactions to avoid the P-Card single
transaction limit or to avoid seeking bids
Payment on a Purchase Order
Payment on any existing District contract, MOU, IGA or other District
agreement unless prior approval obtained from Purchasing & Contracting
or as noted in the P-Card Manual or Purchasing & Contracting Website
o Exception is Hotel/Catering/Space Rental contracts under $2,000
Personal items or services
Personal use (except for PPS business meetings)
o Cups of coffee
o Coffee, water, other department use items
o Employee parties, cards, gifts, etc.
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o Lunches/meals; business meetings with accompanying
documentation allowed
o Bills
o Tuition
o Flowers for personal events
Examples:
 Congratulations
 Bereavement
 Parties (non-student events)
Professional services including Consultants
Recurring transactions (i.e. automatic annual renewals, monthly services,
subscriptions)
o Exception being Amazon Prime
Reimbursement of employee out-of-pocket expenses
Rewards cards & Rebates
o Do not use personal rewards cards or rebate programs when using
your P-Card. Public employees cannot receive personal gain from
conducting District business. However, if the card program gives an
immediate price reduction, thereby saving District funds, then it is
acceptable.
Software and Digital Resources
Travel or Training – airfare, meals/food while traveling, gas
o Group meals: DO NOT buy meals for other employees during travel.
Each employee is provided a per diem through the Travel Desk
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P-Card Program Contacts:
P-Card Program Manager
Stephen Hirai
503.916.3314
P-Card Reconciling Accountant
Shawn Martinez
503.916.3750
**Send email correspondence to pcard@pps.net
Travel Desk
503.916.3378
Bank of America 24-Hour Customer Service
888.449.2273
Bank of America Works™:
https://payment2.works.com/works/
P-Card website:
http://www.pps.net/Page/1317
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