Expense Report: Expense reports are initiated electronically in Workday utilizing the task Create Expense Report. All Simmons transactions will automa

Transcription

1 SIMMONS COLLEGE CREDIT CARD AND BUSINESS EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT POLICY Effective Date: July 1, 2017 Revised Date: April 2017 Simmons College recognizes that certain job responsibilities may require expenditures by individuals for job related expenses. It is Simmons belief that employees should not be required to expend personal funds for College related expenses, except for small incidental expenses, if at all possible. Therefore, Simmons College requires that anyone travelling on College business either utilize a Simmons credit card or Simmons Travel Services when booking travel such as hotels, rental cars, or airfare. The program is designed to promote purchasing efficiency, flexibility, and convenience. The program provides for the rapid acquisition of primarily low dollar items. Purchases shall be made in accordance with established purchasing rules and policies. All employees who hold positions that include the need for a College credit card may receive one with which to transact on Simmons College s behalf with the understanding that all related policies, practices and procedures will be STRICTLY adhered to. GLOSSARY for this Policy: President s Direct Reports: At the time this policy was enacted, the President s Direct Reports include the Provost and all Vice Presidents. Department Head: The President, the President s Direct Reports, and for: Faculty: Dean of each School Administrative Areas: A Senior Vice President, Vice President, or the most senior person responsible for a division. Supervisor: A Manager who has budget approval authority for an area. Generally, a Supervisor reports to a Department Head. Cost Center Manager: This is the person who has budgetary responsibility/authority over whatever cost centers are being charged with expenses. You, Employee, or Traveler : Faculty, staff and administrators who are potentially entitled to reimbursement in accordance with this policy. Simmons Credit Card: JP Morgan Chase Visa Card issued by Simmons College for the purpose of charging business expenses. Detailed Itemized Receipt: A receipt showing the actual detail on what was purchased in conjunction with the travel or hospitality (e.g., food, beverage, and hotel expenses). For air travel, a boarding pass or other proof of flight is required to demonstrate the flight was taken. 1

2 Expense Report: Expense reports are initiated electronically in Workday utilizing the task Create Expense Report. All Simmons transactions will automatically feed from JPMorgan into the employee s Expense area on a daily basis, and the employee will receive a notification in their Workday inbox. Employees are encouraged to create expense reports and submit them as soon as possible upon receiving the inbox notice. This will ensure timely posting of expenses to the departmental budgets. Specific procedures for submitting expense reports are detailed later in this policy. Criteria for Eligibility The following criteria are provided in order to determine a position s eligibility for a College credit card account because of the nature of and expectations for job performance: 1) Primary Budget Holder: The position s primary responsibilities include overseeing the departmental budget per the Controller s Office Authorized Budget Signers list. 2) Primary Departmental Purchaser: The position s primary responsibilities include purchasing supplies/arranging services for the department. 3) Need for Point of Purchase Transactions: The position s primary responsibilities include the need to purchase items in person at the vendor s location and/or requirement to make purchases during non-business hours. 4) Traveler for College business The Department head and Supervisor must sign the College credit card application form to validate the applicant s eligibility. College Credit Card Oversight Responsibility Department heads are responsible for identifying employees who hold positions that include the need for a College credit card. The department head is responsible for overseeing employee College credit card needs, for monitoring the business purpose of all College credit card purchases, for ensuring that Approvers review all transactions, for ensuring that all receipts are retained, for monitoring activity, and for assessing the continued need of each position that requires use of a College credit card in order to better perform their job. The Department head or Supervisor must read and sign the College credit card application form to confirm understanding of all College credit card cardholder and Approver s responsibilities. The names of the College credit card Cardholder or the Approver (or both) must appear on the Authorized Budget Signers List. PROCEDURES FOR USING THE COLLEGE CREDIT CARD The following guidelines must be strictly adhered to by all holders of Simmons College credit cards: 2

3 1. Each cardholder is responsible and accountable for their own College credit card. The cardholder must be familiar with all College credit card policies and procedures. The cardholder must know their card account limits and keep track of all purchases. 2. The Department Chair, Director, or designated Department coordinator is responsible for the management of the College credit card Program within their respective department. 3. The College credit card may not be used for the following purchases: Personal purchases of any kind Cash advances or cash refunds Consulting or personal services Animals Radioactive material Prescription drugs/controlled substances 4. College credit card transactions should not be split to divide a larger purchase which exceeds the cardholder s single purchase limit. 5. It is the responsibility of the cardholder to attempt to resolve any disputes with a vendor. If resolution is not possible, the cardholder should report the problem to JPMorgan Chase and the Purchasing Department. 6. The College credit card must be signed by the named cardholder. The cardholder may allow use of their card to a responsible colleague for online purchases. However, the cardholder is ultimately responsible to ensure that the purchase is authorized and to obtain all receipts for purchases. 7. The cardholder must ensure the appropriate use of the College s tax exempt number. Remember, tax exemption applies to purchases made in Massachusetts only. For more information on the College s tax exempt status, please contact the Purchasing Department. 8. The cardholder is responsible for reporting the loss/theft of their card immediately to JPMorgan Chase and the Purchasing Department. 9. The cardholder is responsible for logging into Workday to record the business purpose of all card transactions, attaching all receipts, allocating all transactions to the appropriate accounting worktags, and submitting their expense reports for approval. This should be done as frequently as possible, but in no case less than at least monthly by the 10 th of the month following the charge. 10. Non-adherence to any policies or procedures will result in revocation of individual cardholder privileges and may result in revocation of departmental privileges as well. RECIEPTS College credit card holders are solely responsible and accountable for all receipts related to the purchase made on their College credit cards. RECIEPT OF MATERIALS AND SERVICES Though the Purchasing Department will be happy to assist, it is the cardholder s responsibility to ensure receipt of materials and services and to follow-up with vendors to resolve any delivery problems, discrepancies and/or damaged goods. If you order materials by phone, remind the supplier to include a sales receipt with your package. You will need this for your 3

4 documentation. If you do not receive a sales receipt, contact the supplier immediately. In case of returns, you are responsible for coordinating returns directly with the vendor as well as securing the appropriate credit. College credit card holders MUST NOT take cash credits for card purchases. All returns and credits must go to the card account that was charged for the original purchase. BILLING AND PAYMENTS As with an individual credit card, the vendor is paid by the bank usually between hours of placing your order. Charges are transmitted to the College in statement form, by cardholder and by department. Your card transactions are available for viewing in Workday. JPMorgan Chase will submit one summary bill of all College credit card transactions for each billing period to the Purchasing Department. The summary bill will be submitted to the Controller s Office who will pay the central bill. DISPUTING A CARD TRANSACTION You may dispute any charge that appears on your statement. If there is a charge that is not recognized, or it appears to be incorrect, you should first contact the vendor and try to resolve the dispute. If an agreement cannot be reached, you should contact Visa at (representatives are available 24 hours a day). REPORTING A LOST OR STOLEN COLLEGE CREDIT CARD The purchasing card is College property and should be secured as if it was a personal card. If it is lost or stolen, the cardholder is responsible for immediately calling Visa at (representatives are available 24 hours a day). The Credit Card Administrator, Kelly Williams, must be notified in writing. The College is liable for all transactions until the card is reported lost or stolen. A replacement card will be sent within business days to the Accounts Payable Office. A card that is subsequently found after being reported lost or stolen should be destroyed. NOTE: It is imperative that you contact the bank immediately as the College is responsible for all charges made on the card until it has been canceled by the bank. CARD TERMINATION When a cardholder leaves the College, the department should reclaim the College credit card and return it to The Purchasing Department. Failure to do so may result in revocation of all departmental card privileges. MISSING RECEIPTS Missing Receipts must be accounted for by use of the Controller s Office Lost/Missing Receipt Form. Cardholders must make every effort to obtain a duplicate receipt from the vendor prior to submission of a Lost/Missing Receipt Form. The form must be signed by the cardholder s supervisor and must contain a detailed description of the transaction including the business purpose. 4

5 KEY POINTS FOR BEING REIMBURSED BY SIMMONS COLLEGE: To be reimbursed for travel or other hospitality expenses, complete an Expense Report in Workday and submit it to obtain all approvals required by the business process for expense reporting. Expense reports are due within 20 business days of return from travel or hospitality event. Attach appropriate documentation to the Expense Report. Itemized receipts for expenses incurred are required. Original receipts are preferred. However, copies of original receipts will be accepted as long as the Department Head or Supervisor with budgetary signing authority reviews them to ensure no duplicates are submitted. Simmons College does not have an automated process to determine if expenses submitted for reimbursement are duplicates. Therefore, in cases when you use your personal credit card for business expenses that are $75 or more and the original itemized receipt it not available, you must submit a copy of your credit card statement (with personal information blacked out) as evidence that you incurred that cost. 5

6 It is not possible to identify all the expenses that are reimbursable (or not) in this Policy. Here is a list of the most common reimbursable and non-reimbursable expenses: EXAMPLES OF REIMBURSEABLE AND NON-REIMBURSEABLE EXPENSES GENERALLY REIMBURSABLE TRAVEL EXPENSES Business telephone calls, including those necessary to conduct business, obtain transportation and hotel reservations Personal telephone calls to stay in reasonable contact with immediate family Internet costs if internet is not free Reasonable expenses associated with baggage handling and storage, including excess baggage charges and tips Nominal amounts for necessary office supplies such as paper, tape, staples, markers (note: W. B. Mason office policy for purchasing supplies applies for reimbursement of expense when not traveling) Customary tips and gratuities for taxis drivers, luggage handlers, car valets Occasional business related newspapers or magazines Necessary laundry expenses (requires a minimum 7-day travel) Currency conversion fees Vaccinations if required for foreign travel Visa/passport/consulate fees Finance charges on foreign transactions (transaction fees for things like monetary conversion) NON-REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES Discretionary spending/personal spending Expenses incurred by a companion, spouse or other family member accompanying the traveler, unless expressly authorized Simmons Meal and lodging expenditures when an employee elects to stay at a relative's or friend's home instead of commercial lodging Costs incurred by unjustifiable failures to cancel transportation or hotel reservations Hotel movie rentals/airline headsets, blankets, pillows, etc. Frequent flyer tickets/miles Toiletry items at destination (unless luggage is lost or stolen) Postage Dependent care expenses Medical expenses Donations Airplane phone calls (except in the case of an emergency) Books that are not for related business use Fines for automobile violations Personal auto repairs, insurance deductibles, and surcharges Travel Accident Insurance or other travel insurance expenses Additionally purchased car rental insurance for domestic travel (see Car Rental Section above) Employees are responsible for submitting expense reports via Workday, with all required documentation, within 20 business days of each trip or expenditure. The employee s direct supervisor (or delegate) and the Cost Center Manager where the expenses are being charged are responsible for reviewing and approving Expense Reports to ensure all expenses are appropriate and not duplicated before they are submitted. 6

7 All expenses on the Expense Report (hotels, meals, car rentals, air travel, etc.) must be supported by attaching original detailed itemized receipts to the Expense Report. Detailed receipts are required, regardless of whether the expenses were paid with a Simmons credit card, a personal credit card, or cash. Every effort should be made to obtain copies of original receipts. If a receipt is missing, an explanatory memo prepared by the traveler and approved by the Department Head is required. Each non-receipted item must be identified, explained, and itemized on the Expense Report. Reimbursement will be made up to $40 per individual expense for items such as tips, taxis, parking, baggage handling or snacks ($10 or less; full meals require a receipt), without a receipt for the expense. 7