Miami University
Office of the Controller
WORKSHOP CHECK CARDS
(First Financial Bank Visa Check Card)
General
The "Workshop Check Card" is a Visa debit card product that provides
access to a special checking account set up with a specific amount of funds
to meet various workshop expenses. The card is issued in lieu of cash advances
to meet purchase and travel expense needs of workshops conducted abroad or
outside the local area. The card is used as the only access to funds transferred
to this account. No checks are actually provided. The card can be used to
pay authorized workshop expenses directly in the same manner that you would
use a credit card. They can be used at any Visa merchant. They can also
be used to obtain small amounts of cash through automated teller machines
(ATM’s) for miscellaneous expenses (cab fares, etc.) where the card cannot
be used directly. Funds remaining at the termination of the travel or project
will be transferred back to the Workshop budget.
Issuance
Workshop check cards are issued by the General Accounting Office, Room 107,
Roudebush Hall. Issuance will generally be limited to workshops or other programs
where travel abroad or travel outside the local area is involved, there will
be a need to pay for numerous expenses of the program while in a travel status,
and the amount budgeted for these expenses exceeds $1,000. For needs under
$1,000, these needs will normally be met through a cash advance. All applications
for card issuance or cash advance are subject to review and approval by the
Controller’s Office.
Cards will be issued in the name of the University and the workshop or program.
One card is required per workshop or program (single area/org code). Additional
cards can be issued for a single account, and additional accounts can be established
where there is a need to budget funds separately.
At the time issuance
is applied for, the workshop/program administrator will work with the Accounting
Office to identify expenditures which will occur during the program travel and
which will be paid using the card or cash obtained with the card. A total dollar
amount will be determined which will be transferred to the card account. This
amount is the maximum dollars that can be expended using the card during the
workshop or program.
Cards should be requested
at least 1 MONTH prior to need.
Use
Using the card for a workshop/program related purchase is similar to using any
credit card. The card is simply presented at the time of the purchase or use.
For purchases within the United States, the purchaser should attempt to make
the purchase tax free, and be prepared to provide an exemption certificate when
requested. The provider will process the transaction as they would any consumer
credit card purchase through the Visa network. Visa verifies that
funds are available for the purchase, and debits the account for the amount
spent, reducing the available budget.
The charge
slips and itemized sales ticket must be collected by the cardholder for each
transaction, and held for a reconciliation process to be done upon return from
travel.
To obtain cash, the
cardholder may use any ATM on the Visa system. The transaction will be
to "withdraw cash from a checking account". Cash withdrawals are limited to
$1,000 per day. Wherever possible, the card should be used for a direct payment,
using cash only for incidentals such as cab fare, parking fees, etc. where a
direct transaction is not possible. The ATM receipt must be collected
by the cardholder and be retained for reconciliation to be done upon return
from travel.
Purchases made and expenses paid through the check card, and use of
cash obtained with the check card, are limited to items and amounts as contained
in the approved budget for the workshop or program for which the card was issued.
The check card may not be used in lieu of regular LPO’s or purchase orders,
except as necessary to support the workshop or program while in travel status.
All purchases of goods and services, and payment of authorized expenditures,
must conform to University procurement requirements and with the University
Travel and Hosting Policy. Purchase of personal items, or payment of personal
expenses through the card, or with cash obtained with the card, is not authorized.
Record Keeping
Issuance and use of a check card requires the cardholder to maintain a card
purchase log and individual receipts for each transaction. The log is in the
form of an envelope printed on the outside with blanks to list the date of purchase,
merchant, short description of purchase, amount, purchaser, and CUFS account
number to which the purchase will be charged. The log is kept for the duration
of the workshop or program. Individual receipts must be obtained from the provider
for each purchase, and are kept with the log for reconciliation. At the end
of the workshop or program, the log and individual receipts are reconciled by
the cardholder and forwarded to the General Accounting Office for review and
final reconciliation.
For cash withdrawals,
a single line entry is made on the log denoting the date, location, and amount
of the ATM withdrawal. A cash envelope is then created for that cash withdrawal,
and the individual cash expenditures are logged on the cash envelope, with the
individual register/sales receipts placed inside the cash envelope. The cash
envelope is then kept within the larger card log envelope.
Responsibility
The cardholder is responsible for the security of their assigned card. The card
is issued in the workshop or program name, and it will be assumed that any use
of the card is proper and authorized unless the card is reported lost or stolen
prior to use.
Issuance of the card
will be treated by the University as a cash advance, subject to the provisions
of Internal Revenue Code Section 62(C). The card will not be
issued more than 14 days prior to when expenses will be incurred, and all usage
of the card must be documented and reported with 14 days after the end of the
workshop. Original receipts must be obtained and turned in for every
dollar spent. Any individual who uses the card, and does not provide
documentation of the use of the funds (including individual itemized receipts
for each expenditure) within 60 days after the end of the workshop, will have
the non-documented amount reported to the University Payroll Office for inclusion
as additional income on the employee’s wage and tax statement (W-2 form).
Additionally, use of the
card in a manner contrary to University policies and procedures, or failure of
the cardholder or his/her designee to properly account for purchases/expenditures
in a timely manner at the end of the program, may result in creation of a personal
liability to the University and/or subject the cardholder to disciplinary action.
April 13, 2005
Print
and complete the request form and send to the General Accounting Office, 107
Roudebush Hall.
This document
was last modified on
May 22, 2002
.