Procurement Services offers university-issued and university-paid credit cards, called Travel Cards (TCards), for buying travel and travel-related services required to conduct university business. The TCard is the recommended payment method for any travel costs that will not be reimbursed through the per diem method. For more information about reimbursement methods, see the Topic Overview: Business and Travel Expenses page.
Travel expenses charged to the Stanford TCard are paid directly by the university to JPMorgan Chase. The TCard is a safe and easy-to-use payment method. It can be used anywhere MasterCard is accepted and reduces the need for advances and business expense reimbursements for eligible purchases.
Beginning in Fiscal Year 2024, to support compliance with policies related to proper use of PCard and TCard, a suspension process will be implemented for individual PCards and Travel Cards (TCards) with certain force cleared transaction patterns. Learn more in the Fingate Announcement.
FMS also offers the Merchant Services (MS) program, which is intended to support department merchants who utilize credit and debit cards to collect payments for university goods and services. PCards and TCards are used as payment methods so they are not a part of that program. For more information on how MS manages, supports, and mitigates risk for payment collection, visit the Merchant Services Program page.
There are two types of Travel Cards:
- Individual Travel Cards are issued to and used only by a specific individual who is an active Stanford University employee and travels frequently on Stanford business.
- Department Travel Cards are issued to an individual who is an active Stanford University employee and is assigned as the cardholder for a department to make travel-related purchases for occasional travelers.
All expenses charged to TCards are reported in Expense Requests.
The Stanford TCard, issued by Mastercard, includes benefits such as ID Theft Protection to make travel easier. Learn more in the Mastercard Guide to Benefits for Commercial Cardholders.
Procurement Services also offers Purchasing Cards (PCards) which provide an alternate method to make allowable purchases for items not available on iProcurement, and not related to travel, on behalf of the university.
The Procurement Services department within Financial Management Services is committed to purchasing practices and policies that are compliant, responsible and appropriately support the university's goals and mission. Accordingly, those who are making purchases on behalf of or doing business with the university must follow the applicable purchasing policies and guidelines as well as Administrative Guide Policy: 5.4.3 Travel Cards.
Cardholders may only use the Travel Card for university travel-related business transactions. The TCard may be used for incidental personal expenses that cannot be easily separated from a business charge. The cardholder is personally responsible for repaying Stanford University for any non-reimbursable TCard charges after completion of travel. Refer to: Return Personal Expenses Charged to a Travel Card.
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 Expense Requests expense reporting process. Processing transactions in a timely manner is important to ensure expenditures are correctly reported. Expense reports should be completed and submitted immediately upon completion of travel. If transactions are not expensed within 60 days of completion of travel or expense end date, the expenses may be tax reportable to the traveler or cardholder.
Cardholders who do not comply with university policies and procedures may have their Stanford University cardholder privileges revoked. Misuse of the TCard 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 Stanford Travel Card Policy.
It is the responsibility of the individual incurring expenses, those who assist others with incurring expenses and those involved in the preparation and approval of reimbursement requests or financial transactions to exercise good stewardship of university funds and to adhere to university policies. Learn more about roles and responsibilities in the following table.
| Role | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Individual TCard Cardholder | An individual TCard cardholder is an approved Stanford employee and frequent traveler who has a TCard issued in their name to make travel purchases. They:
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| Department TCard Cardholder | A department TCard cardholder is an approved active Stanford employee who makes travel-related purchases for occasional Stanford travelers and visitors. They:
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| Preparer and Verifier | The preparer is the originator or another individual who prepares and submits expense reports to properly record travel-related expenses and to request payment on behalf of Stanford-authorized travelers. Learn more about roles and responsibilities for Expense Request Reports. They:
The verifier can be the cardholder or another individual who is responsible for reviewing the charges on the TCard Outstanding Transactions tab and immediately reporting or disputing any potentially fraudulent charges to the cardholder. The department is ultimately liable for any unresolved fraudulent or erroneous charges. The most common reason to dispute a transaction is suspected merchant error. If an error is suspected, immediately contact the merchant directly to see if they can resolve the dispute and issue a credit if appropriate.
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| Cardholder's Authorized Manager | The authorized manager is the supervisor of the individual or department TCard cardholder. They:
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| Financial Approver | A financial approver may not report to the individual who made the purchase or be the beneficiary on whose behalf the purchase was made. They:
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| Departments and Unit Finance Managers | Departments and Unit Finance Managers (financial managers, officers and deans) provide oversight of TCards issued in their organization. Budget unit level oversight includes the person granted Expenditure Escalation Authority for the organization. They:
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| Card Services Team | The Card Services team is part of the Procurement Services department within Financial Management Services. They:
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| Business Expense Team | The Business Expense team is part of the Procurement Services department within Financial Management Services. They:
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Cardholders will be asked to set a Personal Identification Number (PIN) when they call to activate their card. They should follow the automated telephone prompts to ensure they have set their PIN before ending the call.
- Cardholders should call the number on the back of their card if they have trouble setting their PIN. The customer service representative will activate the card and transfer the cardholder to the automated system to set their PIN. If the cardholder is unable to answer their security questions to validate their identity, they will be advised to notify Stanford Card Services via a Support Request.
- If a PIN is forgotten or needs to be reset, cardholders can reset or confirm their PIN by calling the number on the back of the card and following the prompts. After resetting the PIN, the cardholder may need to enter their PIN multiple times in order for the chip reader to recognize their PIN.
Cardholders are expected to keep their TCards properly secured at all times. The only individual authorized to use the TCard is the person to whom the TCard is issued, whether it is a Department or Individual Card. Lending or sharing of TCards is not allowed.
TCard holders/custodians should take appropriate measures to ensure that TCard information is not saved/stored when using the card to make online purchases. Many online retailers store credit card information. Users of the card should take care to delete stored TCard information on online sites after completing a travel-related purchase. This may help minimize the risk of breach-related compromise of the card number and inadvertent/accidental use of the TCard for a personal purchase.
Fraud Alerts
JPMorgan Chase now supports cardholder/custodian fraud alerts directly to cardholders via text message, email or phone call to alert Stanford users of suspicious activity or attempted activity on their Purchasing Card (PCard) or Travel Card (TCard).
Cardholders can sign up to receive a mobile SMS text message, an email and/or a phone call when there’s suspected fraud on the account. Cardholder alerts notify the cardholder of suspicious activity and offer a quick method to validate transactions.
How to Enroll
To enroll, visit ccalert.jpmorgan.com and follow these steps:
- Enter the commercial card account number and billing zip code.
- Add your alert device(s).
- Enter your contact information.
- Confirm your enrollment in text, email or voice alerts:
- For SMS text alerts, you will receive a text message. Simply reply “AGREE” to complete your enrollment.
- For email or voice alerts, after you enter your contact information, you’ll see your enrolled alerts populated on the bottom of the page.
If you have questions about the cardholder alerts, please call 1-800-316-6056 or the number on the back of the card.
Reporting Lost or Stolen Travel Cards
In the event that a TCard is lost or stolen, the cardholder should:
- Immediately contact JPMorgan Chase to request cancellation and reissue of the card. Provide the cardholder’s name and 4-digit access code.
- The access code is the last four digits of the cardholder/custodian’s employee ID (do not provide all or part of the cardholder’s Social Security Number) and the cardholder/custodian’s date of birth.
- The employee ID number, also called the University ID, is listed on the employee ID card, on the electronic employee ID in the Stanford Mobile app, and available on Axess in the My Axess Profile section.
- Verify recent activity to ensure there are no fraudulent transactions.
- Then notify the Card Services team via a Support Request.
Reporting Fraudulent Charges
If JPMorgan Chase detects a fraudulent charge on a Travel Card, they will contact the cardholder/custodian through email or phone call to verify the charge. The cardholder should work directly with JPMorgan Chase to resolve the issue.
If the cardholder/custodian detects a fraudulent charge, they should resolve it directly with JPMorgan Chase no later than 60 days from the date incurred. The department is ultimately liable for any fraudulent and erroneous charges not resolved.
In the event fraudulent activity is identified, the cardholder should:
- Immediately contact JPMorgan Chase to request cancellation and reissue of the card. Provide the cardholder’s name and 4-digit access code.
- The access code is the last four digits of the cardholder/custodian’s employee ID (do not provide all or part of the cardholder’s Social Security Number) and the cardholder/custodian’s date of birth.
- The employee ID number, also called the University ID, is listed on the employee ID card, on the electronic employee ID in the Stanford Mobile app, and available on Axess in the My Axess Profile section.
- Resolve it directly with the bank no later than 60 days from the date the transaction is posted.
- Then notify the Card Services team via a Support Request.
Declined Transactions
Common reasons for declined transactions include the following:
- Invalid account information, such as account number, expiration date or CVV code
- The card's specified allowable spending limit is exceeded
If a Travel Card purchase is declined for a reason unclear to the cardholder, JPMorgan Chase can be contacted for clarification by calling the customer service number on the back of the card.
Reporting Financial Irregularities
Travel Card (TCard) expenses should reflect good stewardship of University resources. Any TCard expenses deemed to be excessive or fraudulent, benefit the individual at the expense of the University, and/or are determined to not reflect good stewardship of University resources will be subject to review, investigation, and possible disciplinary action as outlined in Administrative Guide Policy 3.5.1: Financial Irregularities. If financial irregularities are suspected they should be reported to the Ethics and Compliance Helpline.
The TCard is intended for active Stanford University employees. Travel Card eligibility is based on a departmentally-determined business need, and is contingent upon:
- Completed online application providing:
- A guarantee account number (PTA)
- The individuals responsible for verifying and approving TCard transactions.
- Approvals from both the prospective cardholder's manager or department chair/dean and the appropriate financial approver for the guarantee account (PTA) provided.
- Completion of required online training and any associated prerequisites
To apply for an individual or department Travel Card, complete and submit the Stanford Credit Card Application Form.
Online Application With Guarantee Account (PTA)
A TCard application is initiated online only by the prospective cardholder or designated requester. A Guarantee Account (unrestricted, non-sponsored and chargeable PTA) is specified in the application and assigned its associated Travel Card. The Guarantee Account PTA is the account to which TCard charges are debited until expense reports are processed, at which time business allocations are charged to specific accounts.
Travel Card charges will be force cleared to the Guarantee Account PTA if not verified and approved within 60 days of the posted date or the expense end date, as described in Clearing of Aging Transactions. To learn more about the force clearing process, see the TCard Policy page.
Application Approvals
TCard applications will route for approval via email and workflow notification to the applicant's manager, department chair or dean and to the department’s financial approver(s). Upon receiving approval from the manager and financial approver, the application will route to Card Services in the university’s Procurement Services department.
Assigned Transaction Verifier/Expense Report Preparer
Each Travel Card issued must have a designated person assigned as responsible for verifying transactions in a timely manner and preparing expense reports to properly allocate expenditures. Both of these tasks are done in the Expense Requests System. The assigned verifier/preparer may be the cardholder or other department staff.
Due to separation of duties, the verifier should not be an authorized financial approver.
Card Delivery
Once the application is approved and the required online training is completed, the card will be delivered directly to the cardholder’s Stanford business address or alternate address (one-time delivery only). The back of the card should be signed upon receipt.
Normal card processing time is 10 to 14 business days after approvals are obtained and training is completed.
Card Activation
Upon receipt of the Travel Card, cardholders must contact JPMorgan Chase to activate it. Call the telephone number provided on the sticker on the face of the card and provide the four digit access code (use the last four digits of the cardholder/custodian’s employee ID) and the cardholder/custodian’s date of birth.
The employee ID number, also called the University ID, is listed on the employee ID card, on the electronic employee ID in the Stanford Mobile app, and available on Axess in the My Axess Profile section.
If there is an issue with the TCard received, submit a Support Request.
Card Validity Period
Travel Cards are valid for three years from the date of issue. Expiration dates are printed on the card.
The Credit Card Profiles Change Request tool is used to manage Travel Card (TCard) account profiles. Current card profile information can be viewed by the current cardholder, verifier, cardholder’s manager or the financial approver who originally approved the card application.
Use the tool to request changes to:
- Cardholder
- Verifier
- Card status - close, suspend or active
- Business Address
- Alternate Address (One Time Card Delivery Address)
- PCard Per-Transaction Limit (to lower permanently)
- Guarantee PTAE
- Monthly Limit
- Temporary Monthly Limit
- Exception Request Categories
The tool may also be used to request reactivation of a card suspended for force cleared transactions.
For more information, visit How To: Manage Stanford Purchasing Card (PCard)/Travel Card (TCard) Account Profile.
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 TCard will be sent by JPMorgan Chase no later than the first week of the expiration month via USPS standard mail. The card will be sent to the cardholder's Stanford business address on file with JPMorgan Chase.
The following situations may result in a TCard not being automatically reissued:
- The Travel Card had no transaction activity for 18 consecutive months.
- 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 60 days after the completion of travel.
If an employee's renewed Travel Card was not received, submit a Support Request.
Card Cancellation by Cardholder
Cardholders who want to cancel their Travel Cards should submit the request through the Credit Card Profiles Change Request tool. If a cardholder experiences any issues or has any questions about the tool, submit a Support Request. The TCard should be destroyed and disposed of upon cancellation.
It is important that all TCard transactions be properly recorded in an expense report within the Expense Requests system.
Card Cancellation by Stanford
The TCard 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 TCard will be canceled by Stanford before or on the date the employee separates from the university or due to improper use. The Travel Card should be destroyed and disposed of upon cancellation.
Card Suspension by Stanford
A Travel Card will be suspended by Stanford due to the following reasons:
- The cardholder is on extended leave (not active payroll status).
- Misuse or fraud of the Travel Card, including instances where use is under investigation by the university.
- An individual TCard has transactions that are force cleared by FMS in two different quarters in a rolling 12 month period
Cardholders on extended university leave, such as sabbatical, family or medical leave, should submit the suspension request through the Credit Card Profiles Change Request tool. If cardholders experience any issues or have any questions about the tool, submit a Support Request. It is important that all transactions be properly recorded in an expense report within the Expense Requests System before the employee goes on extended leave or leaves the current department.
Reactivating Suspended Cards
A suspended Travel Card can be reactivated, using the same card number, when:
- The cardholder, manager or financial approver submits a reactivation request through the Credit Card Profiles Change Request tool stating that the employee has returned from extended leave. If there are any issues or questions about the tool, submit a Support Request
- The Card Services team has determined the cardholder is eligible to continue using the TCard.
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The cardholder whose card has been suspended for force cleared transactions follows the request process below to reactivate the card.
For cards suspended for force cleared transactions, after the 60-day suspension period ends, a cardholder must clear any outstanding transactions on the suspended card, request reactivation of their card through the Credit Card Profiles Change Request tool and attach a new card reactivation attestation form. For more information, see How To Reactivate a Suspended PCard or Travel Card.
