Procard Pointers

What does Internal Audit look for on the receipts I upload to Chrome River?

• A receipt must include the date, vendor information, shipping address, a line item for each item purchased with individual cost, and total of transaction including fees and shipping charges that matches the charge on the USBank statement.
• All items must be shipped to a Tennessee Tech address.
• If the receipt you attach contains items that were shipped and charged separately, you must highlight the items that add up to the particular transaction you are attaching the invoice to in Chrome River.
• Be careful when scanning not to cover the details of a transaction with a general charge receipt such as a printout from a credit card machine.

What other items need to be uploaded in Chrome River?

Bank Statements

• A bank statement is required with each Chrome River Report. Please be sure that it is attached to the report and not to an individual transaction within the report.

• The statement can be downloaded from the USBank website by going to Account Information and choosing Cardholder Account Statement.

• The Cardholder Activity document is not acceptable as the statement.

Approvals

FOOD – All food purchases regardless of vendor or funding source require an approved Request for Food Purchase Form and a list of attendees (the only exception to this is food purchased for labs).

• All food for employee retirement celebrations MUST be purchased from Chartwell’s and is limited to $300 per office event.

• All food purchases over $500 must be purchased from Chartwell’s. This limit is per event, not per meal. If your event is scheduled for 2 days, all of the food purchased for the entire event must fall under $500 in order to buy from a vendor other than Chartwell's.

• If Chartwell’s gives you an exception to this contract requirement, it will need to be included with the invoice in Chrome River.

• All Request for Food Purchase forms must be approved by someone at a level above the requester and also meet the next two approval requirements.

• Food purchased for student, guest, and non-employee events requires the approval of the Dean or the appropriate Administrative Officer.  The appropriate Administrative Officer will be a direct-report to the area's Vice President. 

• Food purchased for employee-only events requires the approval of the President or the appropriate Vice President.

MEMBERSHIPS – All memberships require an approved Membership Request Form.

SUBSCRIPTIONS – All subscriptions require an approved Subscription Request Form.

PRINTING – All printing must be purchased from Tennessee Tech Printing Services using the printing request forms found on the Printing Services website. If Tennessee Tech Printing Services is unable to fulfill your request, they will give you an exception to print off campus. That exception will need to be included with the receipt in Chrome River.

OFFICE SUPPLIES – All office supplies must be purchased through Staples either using the catalog in EagleBuy, or by using your Procard at the local Staples store.

• To purchase in the store, you must provide your Procard and your Tennessee Tech phone number at checkout. 

• Any technology items purchased in the store must have prior IT approval.

• You may use another vendor for office supplies only if they offer the same item at a lower total price (including any fees and shipping). If you use another vendor, you must include documentation of the price comparison uploaded with the invoice in Chrome River. You can do this with the Staples Exception Form.

• You may not purchase office supplies from the Tech Bookstore.  A "time crunch" or needing less than the Staples $60 minimum order is not an acceptable explanation for purchasing office supplies at the Tech Bookstore or any other vendor.

TECHNOLOGY – See Technology Purchases. Approvals must be uploaded with all technology purchase receipts in Chrome River.

TECHNOLOGY PURCHASES - Do I need approval or not?

Items that DO NOT require ITS Approval

PRE-APPROVED ITEMS

• Visit https://go.tntech.edu/preapprovedtechnologypurchases to find a list of pre-approved items

• Can only purchase these items through EagleBuy

• Change Commodity Code on each item to 578 before you submit order

ITEMS UNDER $100 BUT NOT ON

PRE-APPROVED LIST

• Do not require ITS approval but are not guaranteed to be supported by ITS (If you want an item under $100 to be supported by ITS, request and obtain approval prior to purchase)

• Must follow TN Tech Data policies and procedures (Policies 855 & 856)

• Can be purchased through EagleBuy by changing the Commodity Code on each item to 578 before you submit the order

• This does not apply to:

  • Software or digital services

  • Items that run an interactive operating system 

  • Items that require cloud services or software to function

 

Items that DO require ITS Approval Prior to Purchase

ALL SOFTWARE (EVEN IF UNDER $100)

Including but not limited to – software, software downloads, freeware, apps, digital services, online subscriptions for software, etc.

How do I get approval for SOFTWARE?

• • Fill out the SDSRF form in EagleBuy.

  • Once approved, upload copy with transaction in EagleBuy or Chrome River.

ALL HARDWARE OVER $100

Including but not limited to – computers, components, peripherals, accessories, tablets, printers, scanners, digital cameras, external drives, etc.

Exceptions:

• Items on the Pre-Approved List

How do I get approval for HARDWARE?

• • Contact your ACT representative OR

  • Order through EagleBuy - Make sure the commodity code is one of the following to guarantee your order goes through the proper approval channels - 204-205-206-207-208-209-250-287-600-655-785-803-840-880-920-984

 

When in doubt – CHECK IT OUT! 

Call your ACT representative if you are unsure if a purchase needs ITS approval!

 

Amazon Purchases

• All purchases from Amazon must be made through the Tennessee Tech Amazon Business Account. 

• You can’t use this account to make personal purchases even if you are using your own payment method. Due to the tax exemption status with Amazon, all purchases must be for Tennessee Tech only.

• Amazon purchases can only be shipped to the Tennessee Tech Post Office. Be sure to add your name and campus post office box in the “Deliver To” box on the Select a Shipping Address screen.

You are the ONLY person who has permission to use your Procard to make a purchase. 

• Don’t let any other person take your Procard off campus to make any type of purchase.

• Don’t let any other person keep your Procard number on file to make online purchases on your behalf. 

• Don’t keep your Procard in the top drawer of your desk for others in your department to use.

Unallowable Purchases

The list below is a list of common items found by Internal Audit during Procard audits. It is in NO WAY to be considered the entire list of items that cannot be purchased with University funds. When in doubt, check it out!

• Sales Tax

• Heaters, fans, or air conditioners

• Cleaning supplies

• Face masks, hand sanitizer, PPE in general (only allowable if obtained through Facilities)

• Coffee, snacks, bottled water, etc. purchased to keep on hand in a department. Food is only allowable for specific approved events.

• Phone equipment and accessories

• Gift cards

• Tennessee Tech Marketplace purchases

• Purchases from other Tennessee Tech departments

• Refrigerators, microwaves, or coffee makers

• Paper towels, tissues, dish detergent, paper plates, forks, etc. for break rooms, lobbies, or lounge areas

• Equipment or licensed motor vehicles

• Upgrades to an airline ticket, such as Early Bird Check-In or Priority Seating or any class above Economy

• Purchases from vendors on the Conflict of Interest Listing that can be found at https://www.tntech.edu/businessoffice/acc-payable.php 

Bookstore Dos and Don'ts

• DO use the Tennessee Tech Bookstore for the purchase of all course supplies. Per contract, the Tennessee Tech Bookstore has the exclusive right to rent and sell new and used textbooks, course packs, trade books required for courses, paperback books required for courses, and study aides.

  • This applies to both printed versions and versions that are published and distributed electronically.

  • If the Tennessee Tech Bookstore cannot supply any of the items included in the exclusive rights above, they will supply the purchaser with an exception, allowing them to buy the items from another vendor - a copy of which will need to be uploaded with the invoice in Chrome River.

• DON'T use the Tennessee Tech Bookstore for the purchase of office supplies. A time crunch or the need for an "emergency" purchase are not exceptions to the Staples contract.