Travel Card Program and Procedure

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  3. Travel Card Program and Procedure
St. Lawrence University Travel Credit Card Program

Effective 7/1/24

St. Lawrence University facilitates the use of credit cards for authorized employees to cover university-related travel expenses. The University collaborates with M&T Bank in a corporate travel card program, offering credit cards and access to the CentreSuite travel expense reporting system.

This procedure ensures compliance with university travel guidelines and promotes responsible use of university resources. 

Use of Travel Cards:

All employees involved in university business travel, including group travel with students, academic-related trips, and any other travel expenses covered by the university, must request and obtain a university travel card. These cards are mandatory for all travel-related expenses where accepted. Please note that students are not eligible to receive travel cards, so alternative arrangements must be made for student travel. Please anticipate a two-week processing time for the issuance of new travel cards.

Travel cards must be used for job candidate expenses such as meals with university employees.  In the absence of a travel card, a department credit card may be used for these expenses.  SLU employees’ personal funds should not be used for candidate expenses. 

Use of a University travel card must be in compliance with the University Travel Policy.

Use of Department Cards:

While travel cards are specifically designated for travel-related expenses, department credit cards serve the purpose of purchasing goods and services unrelated to travel. Both types of cards are vital in replacing employees' personal funds for respective expenditures. It's important to emphasize that using personal funds in places where credit cards are accepted is strictly prohibited. This procedure ensures consistency in financial practices and mitigates the risk of personal financial involvement in university-related transactions.

Credit Limits:

Each card features preset per-transaction maximum spending limits. Cardholders will be informed of their limits upon card receipt. Monthly limits vary based on travel frequency and are approved by Division Heads and the Executive Director of Business Services. Exceptional circumstances necessitating deviations from standard spending limits must be forwarded to the Procurement Department for evaluation and approval.

Card Security

Vendor Restrictions: University travel cards are exclusively for travel-related expenses such as airfare, parking, lodging, ground transportation, dining, and conference registrations. Each university department possesses a department card for non-travel expenses. Attempting to use a university travel card at a non-travel related vendor will result in the declining of the transaction.

Cash Withdrawals: Cash withdrawals using the card are restricted and require prior approval, primarily for securing local currency during international travel.

Fraud Watch and Card Holds: The bank may temporarily suspend a card in case of suspected fraudulent activity. Cardholders must cooperate with the bank's verification process.

Cardholder Responsibility

Cardholders must safeguard the card and refrain from transferring its use to another employee. Activation and immediate signing of the card upon receipt are mandatory. The card may be suspended or closed at any time by the bank or the University. It is recommended that cards be activated and a transaction, such as booking a hotel, be completed before traveling to confirm it is functioning as anticipated.

Reporting Fraudulent Transactions: Suspected fraudulent transactions must be promptly reported to the bank utilizing the number on the back of the card and the Procurement Department. The department will manage the cancellation and issuance of a new card if required.

Lost or Stolen Card: Report any lost or stolen cards immediately to the Procurement Department. During off-hours, contact the bank at 1-800-443-8671 and notify the Procurement Department.  The department will suspend its use until it is found or cancel and reissue a new card.

Personal Use Restriction: University credit cards are strictly for business-related expenses. Any inadvertent personal use must be reported to the Business Office for repayment arrangements.

PIN Number Activation: To set up your PIN number, cardholders can call M&T Bank at 1-800-443-8671. Select option #6 to create a PIN number. Cardholders will need their 16-digit card number, the last 4 digits of the ID number provided by Procurement when you received your card, and their date of birth to set up a PIN. Once a PIN is created, cardholders can access CentreSuite and manage their PIN by viewing or changing it in the account details section.

Out Of Pocket Expenses and Reimbursements

Out of pocket (OOP) expenses are those incurred by employees using personal funds for university business. Personal funds must only be utilized when other payment methods, such as university check, travel card, or department credit card, are unavailable. In cases where a vendor does not accept credit cards and payment by university check is not feasible, travel-related expenses may be paid with personal funds.

When using personal funds, employees must provide a detailed receipt and explanation of why this payment method was necessary. This documentation should be submitted in CentreSuite as part of the travel report.

Expenses paid out of pocket to vendors accepting credit cards will only be reimbursed with a detailed receipt and explanation, subject to approval by the employee’s Division VP and the VP of Finance. If approved by the Division VP, the receipt should be emailed to the Business Office with a detailed explanation to request approval from the VP of Finance.

Requests for reimbursement for out of pocket expenses must be submitted through the CentreSuite system. No other forms will be accepted.

Sales Tax

The University's tax-exempt status must be utilized whenever applicable. Tax-exempt certificates are available on the Business Office webpage. The university's NYS tax-exempt number is embossed on the cards for reference. For comprehensive details regarding sales tax, please refer to the Business Office webpage and Travel Policy.

Travel Outside U.S.

University travel cards are usable internationally where Visa is accepted. Advance notification to the Procurement Department is essential to prevent the bank from placing the card on hold for fraud watch due to travel. Cash withdrawals using the card are restricted and require prior approval, cash withdrawals are primarily for securing local currency during international travel.  It is recommended that cards be activated and a withdrawal is made using the PIN to confirm it is working as anticipated before leaving the country.

Travel Expense Reports

All travel expense reports must be submitted through the CentreSuite system by the specified deadlines.  No other forms will be accepted.

Creating Travel Reports:

  • Cardholders will receive an email notification around the 8th day of each month indicating the availability of the prior month's billing statement online.
  • Employees must promptly log on to CentreSuite, M&T Bank’s online platform, to review card transactions and create travel expense reports.
  • Charges posted to their account must be substantiated by submitting online expense reports by the 25th of the month.
  • Employees can access CentreSuite at any time to view transactions and create expense reports, without waiting for the billing statement.
  • Additionally, a CentreSuite App is available, streamlining the process by enabling transaction coding and direct upload of receipt photos from a mobile phone.

Detailed instructions for accessing CentreSuite and preparing travel expense reports can be found on the Business Office Travel webpage.

Receipts: It is the cardholder's responsibility to procure itemized transaction receipts for all charges incurred from the vendor each time the credit card is utilized. These itemized receipts should include:

  • Date of the transaction
  • Name of the Merchant
  • Transaction details (description of the purchased items)
  • Itemized receipts for restaurant transactions are mandatory.

Receipts must be included as part of travel reports.

IRS Requirements: The IRS mandates that payments made to and on behalf of employees be substantiated as business travel within a reasonable timeframe. Consequently, charges on an employee's University travel card that remain unsubstantiated within 60 days by a travel expense report in CentreSuite, accompanied by the necessary receipts, will be deemed taxable compensation to the employee. The applicable amount of payroll taxes will be withheld from the employee's next salary payment.

Travel Card Application

Employees seeking a travel card should complete the online Travel Card Request form on the Procurement Department webpage.  Please note that it may take up to two weeks for the card to be processed and issued after approval.

Cards will be delivered to the Procurement Office, and employees are required to pick them up in person from there.

Travel Card Support

In case of urgent issues with the travel card, employees should contact M&T Customer Service at 1-800-443-8671. For security verification, M&T may request the card number along with a portion of the employee's Social Security number. Since the university doesn't use Social Security Numbers, employees should provide the identification number issued to them at the time they receive their card. If unsure, employees should contact the Procurement Department.

For general inquiries and non-urgent support regarding university travel cards, employees should also contact the Procurement Department.