Travel Card

Overview

MSU Controllers Office offers university-issued, university-paid, and university-liable credit cards called Travel Cards, which are the preferred method for buying travel and travel-related services required to conduct university business while traveling. Travel expenses charged to the MSU Travel Card are paid directly by the university to Bank Of America. The Travel Card is a safe and easy-to-use payment method. It can be used anywhere MasterCard is accepted and reduces the need for advances, and out-of-pocket business expense reimbursements. Travel Cards are issued to and used only by a specific individual who is an active MSU employee (not student employee) who travels or books travel for guests in certain circumstances. The MSU Travel Card program is administered by the Office of the Controller.

Proper Travel Card Use

Travel Card usage must be compliant to with the university’s Manual of Business Procedures and must follow the Business Travel Policy along with the university’s other policies and procedures as defined in the Manual of Business Procedures.

Cardholders may only use the Travel Card for university travel-related business transactions. The Travel Card may be used for incidental personal expenses that cannot be easily separated from a business charge. The cardholder is personally responsible for repaying MSU for any non-reimbursable Travel Card charges after completion of travel. Refer to: Handling Personal and Non-Reimbursable Items on an Expense Report in Concur.

Cardholders are responsible for ensuring that all charges comply with policy and are properly itemized, supported by a business purpose, approved and submitted via the MSU Concur Expense Report process. Processing in a timely manner is important to ensure expenditures are correctly reported. Expense reports should be completed and submitted immediately upon completion of travel. Transactions not expensed within 90 days of completion of travel may be tax reportable to the traveler or cardholder.

Cardholders who do not comply with university policies and procedures may have their MSU cardholder privileges revoked. Misuse of the Travel Card may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

For more detailed information, including permissible expenses, usage guidance, restrictions and limits, refer to MSU Travel Policies & Procedures.

MSU Payment Card Usage Chart
 

Roles and Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the individual incurring expenses to exercise good stewardship of university funds and to adhere to university policies. The following provides more information about the roles and their responsibilities.
 

Cardholders

• Cardholders are responsible for the proper use of the card and reconciliation of expenses in Concur
• Cardholders are responsible for retaining and submitting appropriate receipts to their expense reports
• Cardholders are expected to abide by all University business travel, group travel, and expenditure policies and procedures (refer to the MSU Manual of Business Procedures)

Approver

• The Cardholder’s Dean, Director, Chair or other authorized departmental approver/manager is required to approve the cardholder’s account request before it is processed with the bank
• Cardholders and Fiscal Officers are responsible for reviewing all card transactions when submitted on an Expense Report.

Card Reconciliation

• Travel Card transactions will appear in your Available Expenses Quick Task in Concur. From there, they must be assigned to an appropriate Expense Report
• All expenses from the same trip should be combined and submitted on a single Report
• Purchases made on a Travel Card must be submitted on an Expense Report in Concur within 90 days from the trip end date
• For more information on how to assign credit card transactions to an Expense Report, please visit the Concur training guide

Eligibility and Online Application

The Travel Card is intended for active MSU employees. Travel Card eligibility is based on a departmentally-determined business need, and is contingent upon completion of the online application and required online training, as well as approvals from both the prospective cardholder's manager or department chair/dean and the appropriate financial manager. Please note that student employees do not qualify for this program.

• Card Delivery: Once the application is approved and the required online training is completed, applicant will receive an email requesting their preferred delivery address for the physical card. The back of the card should be signed upon receipt.
• Normal card processing time is 14 business days after approvals are obtained and training/application are completed.
• Card Validity Period: Travel Cards are valid through the expiration date printed on the card.

Apply for a Travel Card

Requesting Changes to Travel Card Accounts

To make changes to an existing Travel Card, send an email to paymentcards@ctlr.msu.edu and include the requested change as well as reason/justification in the email body.
 

Examples of changes

• Card status change – close, suspend, activate
• Increase weekly credit limit
• Cardholder no longer with MSU

Card Renewals, Cancellations and Suspensions

Upon separation from Michigan State University, and prior to the effective date, Cardholders (or their department) are required to notify the MSU Accounting Office to cancel their card and close their account

Renewals: The Travel Card will expire on the date (last day of the expiration month) embossed on the card and will be automatically renewed as detailed in this section. The renewal MSU Travel Card will be sent by Bank of America no later than the first week of the expiration month. On receipt by MSU of the physical card, applicant will receive an email requesting preferred delivery address. Card will be sent to that preferred address.

Lost/Stolen cards

• If the MSU Travel Card is lost or stolen, please notify Bank of America and the Accounting Office immediately
• If lost or stolen outside of the United States, call Bank of America collect at 011-1-636-722-7111
• The credit card will be automatically suspended, and a replacement card sent to the Accounting Office (usually within one week)
• The Accounting Office will notify the Cardholder when the new card is received
• If the card is stolen on campus property, Cardholders must also contact the MSU Police Department at (517) 355-2221
• Cardholders are responsible for all purchases up to the point of cancellation and should still reconcile charges, attach receipts, and submit expense reports

The following situations may result in an MSU Travel Card not being automatically reissued or in card charging privileges being revoked

• The university has found improper use of the Travel Card.
• Travel Card charges have not been reported in an expense report within the Expense Requests system in a timely manner, no later than 90 days after the completion of travel.

If an employee's renewed Travel Card was not received, submit an email to paymentcards@ctlr.msu.edu

Card Cancellation by Cardholder - The physical card should be shredded prior to disposal. It is important that all Travel Card transactions be properly recorded in an expense report within the Concur Expense system.

Card Cancellation by MSU - The Travel Card is valid only while the cardholder is in active payroll status and while the cardholder is using the Travel Card in accordance with university policies. The Travel Card will be canceled by MSU before or on the date the employee separates from the university or due to improper use. Cardholder should destroy and dispose of the Travel Card upon cancellation.
 

Online Card Account Management (Global Card Access website)

Cardholders are required to register their Travel Card on Bank of America’s portal called “Global Card Access” for self-service tools such as Online PIN Check and Alerts registration

Cardholders will need to enable alerts to receive critical information about their Travel Card activity. Fiscal Officers and Travel Card Administrators should be added as contacts to receive these alerts as well.

For additional information about registering on the Bank of America Global Card Access website, visit https://cardportal.works.com/gar/

Global Card Access Reference Guide
 

FAQ

Q: What address do I enter if a vendor requires one to be entered when using the card?

A: Enter the following exactly as it appears:  426 Auditorium Road, Rm 360  East Lansing, MI 48824
Q: When should I use my Travel Card or Event Card?

A: See this chart for more details.