Cardholder Limits and Unauthorized Purchases

Transaction Limits

  • $1,500 limit for purchases of goods and services
  • $3,000 limit for travel and event related expenses.

Splitting Transactions

Transactions should not be split in order to avoid the cardholder transaction limits. Requests to exceed the standard transaction limits should be sent to Card Program Services by the cardholder's departmental business manager or supervisor in advance of a purchase. With the appropriate departmental approvals, Card Program Services may approve a temporary increase in the cardholder's transaction limits.

UNAUTHORIZED Purchases

  • Personal use of the Corporate Card under any circumstances
  • Use of the Corporate Card by an individual other than the cardholder
  • Medical/Surgical supplies for use in the hospital or clinical areas
  • Leases & long term rentals (over 1 year)
  • Capital equipment (> $5,000)
  • Controlled substances
  • Animals
  • Weapons and ammunition
  • Payments to employees for services
  • Purchases of electronics or appliances that are not compliant with Duke's Energy Star Program. For additional information regarding Duke's Energy Star Program, see http://www.procurement.duke.edu/
  • Home Internet Service

How to Make a Purchase

The Corporate Card may be used in person, by mail, telephone, fax or via a secure Internet website.

Follow these procedures when using the Corporate Card:

  1. Identify yourself as a Duke employee.
  2. Notify the supplier that Duke is exempt from paying North Carolina sales tax at the point of sale. If the supplier requires proof, present or fax Duke's Direct Pay Permit.
    Note: North Carolina no longer exempts, at point of sale, purchases involving prepared food and beverage sales as well as motel, hotel or other accommodation rentals. Vendors are required to charge sales tax on these purchases. Additionally, all purchases of alcohol are subject to sales tax .
    For additional information regarding Sales and Use Tax, please see GAP 200.230, Sales and Use Tax.
  3. If the supplier requests a billing address, provide the box number, city, state and zip code for your work address. This request is a validation process for detecting fraud and the transaction will be declined if the address you provide does not match the address on file with Bank of America. Contact your WORKS administrator to verify your address on file with Bank of America.
  4. Order the desired goods or services and confirm the total cost, including shipping and handling.
  5. Give the supplier the Corporate Card number and expiration date.
  6. Obtain receipts for ALL purchases made in person, by mail, telephone, fax, or secure Internet website.
  7. Specify delivery instructions, including the information that must appear on the shipping label. (Inform the supplier that the Corporate Card number should not be displayed anywhere on the outside of the package.)

How can I make a purchase over my limits?

If you foresee exceeding your transaction limits with a particular transaction, contact your Business Manager. If the Corporate Card is the appropriate tool for the purchase, the Business Manager should send an email to CorporateCard@duke.edu.

  1. Cardholder's name and last 4 digits of the card number
  2. Vendor name
  3. Amount of the purchase
  4. Anticipated date of the purchase
  5. Brief description and business purpose (if an event: title, date, location)
  6. Fund Code/Cost Object to be expensed

After obtaining the appropriate departmental approvals, Card Program Services will coordinate a temporary increase to the cardholder's transaction limits. The vendor may then be required to contact Bank of America to obtain an authorization number before completing the transaction.

How can I dispute a charge?

If an unauthorized or unrecognized charge appears on your Corporate Card account, complete a Statement of Disputed Items form immediately. Transactions that are more than 60 days old are not eligible for dispute.

Monthly Statements.

In an effort to support Duke University and Bank of America's greening efforts, Bank of America no longer mails monthly corporate card statements to Duke's individual cardholders.  Cardholders and administrators can use the University's expense reporting system, Concur, to identify outstanding corporate card transactions that need to be cleared in expense reports. 

Questions related to viewing cardholder activity in Concur should be directed to Employee Travel & Reimbursement (phone: 919-668-3877; email: employeetravel@duke.edu).

Receipts

Cardholders should obtain an original receipt for all purchases. Receipts should be forwarded to the WORKS administrator in a timely manner (i.e. 10 business days) along with brief descriptions detailing the business purpose and the departmental codes to be charged.

Itemized restaurant receipts are required for proper coding by your department administrator.

Report a Lost or Stolen Card

During normal business hours, lost or stolen cards must be reported immediately to department administrators and Card Program Services at (919) 681-0648, or CorporateCard@duke.edu

Transferring Departments or Resigning from Duke

Cardholders who are changing departments or leaving Duke must return their Corporate Cards to their department administrators for cancellation. Each department is responsible for notifying Card Program Services when cardholder accounts should be canceled. Please see Cancel a Corporate Card on the Department Responsibilities webpage.