Using Purchase Cards

Purchase Cards must only be used to pay for goods and services where the expenditure is business related and is incurred on behalf of the University.

Approved purchasing methods

Every purchase made by the University is to be made by an approved purchasing method. Purchase Cards should be used only after the University’s other preferred methods of purchase have been considered. The order of preference for these methods is:

1. Finance One Electronic Purchase (via UniMarket) (Preferred)
2. Finance One Purchase Order via email/PDF
3. P-Card
4. Approved supplier invoicing (such as Consolidated Invoice Processing)
5. Petty cash (Least preferred)

Purchase Cards should not be used where the University already has a procurement arrangement for goods and services with preferred or mandatory suppliers Eg. stationery via UniMarket; international air travel via the University’s mandatory travel agents.

Purchase Cards can be used with any merchant that accepts Visa credit cards both in NZ and overseas; at point of sale, online, on the phone, or via fax. To reflect good security practices, online purchases should only be from established reputable companies known to the University.

Expenditure charged to Purchase Cards must be business-related. It must be reasonable, appropriate and in accordance with the University’s policies and procedures related to expenditure.

Review the relevant policies, procedures and guidelines in the Policies and Procedures section:

• Purchase Card: Policies and Procedures section

Points to note

• Where expenditure is incurred on behalf of a number of cardholders, and one of the cardholders is the supervisor of the other card holders, then the expenditure must be charged to the Purchase Card of the supervisor.
• All names of attendees need to be recorded for meals that are paid for by the University.
• Meals must have a clear business purpose and be moderately priced. As a guide they should not exceed NZD$65 per head for dinner and NZD$45 per head for lunch. These amounts include beverages. Dollar values specified are in New Zealand dollars and inclusive of GST.
• The Purchase Card must only be used by the individual staff member to whom it was issued. Under no circumstances should the details of a Purchase Card be shared with another person or the Purchase Card be used by another person on the holder’s behalf.
• Purchase Cards should not be used as departmental cards by several members of staff.