Purchasing Card (PCard)

Am I eligible for a PCard?

ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS w/ APPROVAL: Harvard University employee, Affiliated hospital employee, Harvard University graduate student, Harvard University undergraduate student (requires financial dean approval; student must purchase routinely for the University)

INELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS: Monthly External Post-Doctoral Students (MEPs), consultants and other non-employee contractors are not eligible to apply for a PCard.

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Can I use a PCard for an expense related to sponsored programs

Sponsored Programs

Business expenses placed on a Purchasing Card and charged to sponsored programs must follow the guidelines set forth by this policy, unless the funding agency imposes greater restrictions. The terms of a particular grant or contract must be referred to for specific guidance on allowable expenses. For more information on sponsored programs, visit the Office for Sponsored Programs website.

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How do I change my name or address on my PCard account?

Name Change

A Purchasing Card holder that has changed his or her name due to marriage or for any other reason must contact Citibank directly at 1-800-248-4553 (call collect 1-904-954-7314 when dialing outside of the U.S.) and your local Purchasing Card Administrator via e-mail at pcard@harvard.edu.

A card bearing the new name will be issued to the local administrator in 7-10 business days. When the new card arrives, the cardholder must destroy the old card and discard it....

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Can I use the same PCard if I transfer departments?

Transferring to another Department within Harvard University

When transferring from one Harvard department to another, a cardholder must cancel the Purchasing Card from the originating department and reapply for a different Purchasing Card at the new department. 

How do I renew an expired PCard?

Renewal of an Existing Purchasing Card

  • Renewal Purchasing Cards are automatically sent to the program administrator in University Financial Services 2-6 weeks prior to the expiration date of the card.
  • Renewal Purchasing Cards are forwarded to the appropriate local administrator.
  • If a Purchasing Card has expired and the renewal card has not been received, the cardholder should contact his or her local administrator.

Why was my PCard declined?

Declined Purchasing Card Transactions

In the event of a declined transaction, the cardholder must call Citi customer service, at 1-800-248-4553 (call collect 1-904-954-7314 when dialing outside of the U.S.), to determine the reason for the decline (in some situations, the vendor may be able to determine the reason for the decline, or call the bank on behalf of the cardholder).

Transactions are typically declined for the following reasons:

  • the cardholder’s monthly or single-purchase spending limit was exceeded
  • the vendor is categorized...
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I accidentally used my PCard for a personal purchase, what do I do?

Purchasing Card Used in Error by Cardholder

If a cardholder uses the Purchasing Card in error—for instance, makes a personal purchase thinking that he or she has used a personal credit card—the cardholder must immediately contact his or her Purchasing Card local administrator. In some cases, the vendor may be able to credit the Purchasing Card for the amount charged in error and accept a personal credit card instead. If this is not possible, the cardholder must write a check made payable to Harvard University for the full amount of the charge. A...

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