Purchasing Card (P-Card Program)
The purpose of the Purchasing Card Program is to streamline and simplify the purchasing and payment process.
Upon request, Visa Purchasing Cards (P-Cards) are issued to staff and faculty who make frequent purchases or travel and entertain regularly. The P-Card can be used anywhere that accepts VISA, but is restricted to specific merchant types depending on your department. If you have questions about the P-Card or need assistance, call the Business Office at 503-777-7505, or email pcard@reed.edu.
For more information, read the documents below and review the frequently asked questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What billing address do I use for online orders?
BUSINESS OFFICE
3203 SE WOODSTOCK BLVD
PORTLAND, OR 97202-813803
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
How do I login into BofA?
For after hours service who should I contact?
For immediate assistance, weekdays after 5 pm PST and/or weekends, please contact customer service at 1-888-449-2273. You may be prompted for your verification number, which is your Reed ID number.
I lost my card, suspect fraud, or it was stolen, what do I do?
Please contact customer service at 1-888-449-2273. You may be prompted for your verification number, which is your Reed ID number.
I need a pin? Where do I find my pin?
More vendors are requiring a PIN to prevent fraud. We encourage you to memorize your PIN to avoid your PCard from being declined.
- How to Set up a PIN.
- It is important to choose a PIN carefully.
- Your PIN will be required for most transactions.
- login to:
- Look on the home screen of your Bank of America dashboard:
- On the right-hand side is the Quick Actions section.
You may select View your PIN, and if desired, you may Change your PIN
- If desired, you may download the mobile app for ease of viewing your pin while traveling or accessing your card purchases while away.
In addition to tools available online, the Global Card Access app allows you to view account information (recent transactions, credit limit and available balance), view your PIN, lock and unlock your card.
I need to make a purchase that is more than my credit limit. What should I do?
When setting credit limits, departments should always err on the side of less is better, that being said, it takes a lot of processing energy to make changes constantly in the PCard accounts. Cardholders and their supervisors/approvers should be thoughtful in the setting of their credit limits and determine a rational amount that works for their departments.
Some departments may have a specific person that purchases equipment or supplies at larger dollar amounts. In this case, it may be prudent for that person to have a larger credit threshold. Questions regarding credit amounts can be directed to your PCard Administrator.
Credit limits can be adjusted at the request of cardholders and can be set to temporary, if necessary. However, before any change can be made, an authorization from their approver/supervisor must be received by the PCard Administrator.
In order to request a change to a cardholder's credit limit, please follow these steps:
- The cardholder needs to sign the Account Maintenance Form, noting their:
- Reed email address and
- Reed ID number; indicating,
- their current credit limit,
- entering the new credit amount, and
- if this a temporary increase, the date at which the change should end.
- Please have the supervisor/card approver approve and sign the Account Maintenance Form.
- Once complete, please send to pcard@reed.edu.
What is the deadline for reconciling my monthly PCard expense report and how do I do it?
The deadline for reconciling your expense report and submitting to your approver is midnight on the 21st of the month, except where noted at fiscal year end. Please reach out to your program administrator for expense report training. For a refresher, please see our instructions here.
I am an approver (level manager) what is the deadline for approving my department's monthly PCard expense report/s?
The deadline for approving your department's expense report/s and submitting for final close is always midnight on the 26th of the month, except where noted at fiscal year end.
What is the procedure when I pay for something with my P-Card?
Essentially, the process is the same as when using your personal credit card. You must always ask for a receipt for your records, particularly for phone, fax and mail orders.
Are there any restrictions associated with the use of my P-Card?
Yes, in addition to Reed College’s policy stating the type of products you can buy, other controls and limits may be placed on your card including:
- A monthly dollar limit
- A “per transaction” dollar limit
- “Blocked” merchant categories
Please contact your P-Card administrator for your specific restrictions.
Are there any guidelines I should follow when spending college funds?
It is extremely important to adhere to the guidance that the College has in place. Please refer to our accounts payable page as well as the various policies, and/or guidance procedures published on our finance page.