About UBS UBS Themes UBSi News Give Us Feedback

JP Morgan Chase (JPMC) Pcard Program Best Practices

It is strongly recommended that the following best business practices be used when using the PCard as a source of funds. Planning, budget review, and understanding the PCard’s limitations and requirements well in advance of purchase requirements can prevent most PCard Program transaction issues.

  1. Periodically review your PCard limits to ensure that there are sufficient funds allotted on your PCard, including daily and monthly limits, to meet your anticipated budgeted needs. You or your financial manager should work with Purchasing if changes are needed on your PCard due to your anticipated needs a minimum of two weeks before such changes are required. Please note that $20,000 is the PCard Program’s maximum monthly expenditure and $2000 is the maximum transaction dollar limit. A request for higher limits will require review and approval from the PCard team.

  2. Confirm that you know the security information for your PCard (password/mother’s maiden name and social security/last four digits of your Lehigh employee I.D. number). The JPMC Customer Service Specialists CANNOT answer any questions about YOUR account unless YOU know the security information and can verify your identity. This is for YOUR protection AND Lehigh’s. (See item 6 for specific information regarding JPMC Customer Service contact numbers and authority limitations.)

  3. Always carry a Lehigh Corporate Card, in addition to a procurement card, which can also be used in emergency situations. Corporate Cards have no maximum limits and have cash advance capability. There is no need to use a personal credit card and no need to pay increased interest on your personal credit card if you carry a balance. Having a second card is a good back-up in case your expenses are not allowable under the PCard program, or if the PCard is lost, stolen, damaged or compromised; this allows you to proceed smoothly with your trip. Having a Corporate Card is also a good solution because you will not need to depend on “instant resolution” if a PCard issue occurs. A Corporate Card is easy to obtain by contacting Barb Campione (610-758-3180) in the Office of Finance and Administration.

  4. As a back-up measure, know the procedure to follow if an issue occurs with your PCard. Contact JPMC using any of the following phone numbers which can be found on the back of your PCard. Also, keep a copy of these contact numbers in another place in case your card is lost or stolen; it is always best practice to keep copies of important information separate from your wallet while traveling. JPMC Customer Service 800-270-7760; International 801-281-5825 collect; Emergency Services 800-VISA-911.

  5. If a PCard transaction does not go through, ask the merchant that it be run through again after a few minutes. If it still doesn’t go through, immediately call the JPMC number on the back of your card (see phone numbers listed in item 4) to find out why the transaction hasn’t gone through. (Again, you will need to know your security information mentioned in item 2 to obtain any information.) Many declines can be resolved by talking directly to JPMC Customer Service and learning the specific problem. Often the problem is a data transmission problem and can only be solved by the merchant running the card through until it transmits properly and JPMC receives the electronic data correctly.

  6. JPMC Customer Service can be reached at 800-270-7760 or International 801-281-5825 collect (these are the numbers on the back of the PCard) 24 hours/7days per week. Their authority is limited; they can answer general inquiries such as why a transaction has been declined, what the available card balance is, etc. However, there are certain requests which Customer Service must coordinate with a JPMC Program Coordinator. Please note that Program Coordinators are available only during the core hours of 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. MST (8 a.m. – 8 p.m. EST) Monday thru Friday. If possible, contact JPMC Customer Service during these core hours so that full support from Program Coordinators is available should the nature of the request require it.

In emergency situations, JPMC (24 hour/7 days per week) Customer Service Specialists have the authority to assist stranded travelers after regular business hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. MST (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST). The assistance covers such emergencies that “stranded traveler” implies. This emergency assistance includes airlines, car (not taxi), hotel and food - basically what a traveler needs to get home.

***Important Note***: PCard limits (such as monthly dollar limit, single transaction limit) CANNOT be handled by Customer Service Specialists. This type of request can only be coordinated by a JPMC Program Coordinator during business hours of 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. MST (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST). This type of request typically requires approval by Lehigh’s PCard Committee. It is then coordinated by the Purchasing Department and JPMC Program Coordinators. Lehigh Purchasing Department PCard Program personnel (610-758-3266) can only offer assistance making these types of changes in conjunction with the JPMC Program Coordinators.

Rev. 3/08