Purchasing Cards

Purchasing Cards

These pages contain details on the points to consider before applying for a Purchasing Card. Please ensure that you read and understand the Purchasing Cards Policy.

Honorary Members, Affiliates and Students are not eligible to apply for purchasing cards.

Only staff who are Agresso Purchasing Officers will now be able to become Cardholders. An Agresso Purchasing Officer (APO) must be selected by their College, and set up in the new HSBC MiVision Portal.

The Application Process:

1. Get Approval 

Email your Line Manager asking for approval for a purchasing card

2. Complete an Internal Purchasing Card Internal Application Form

Fill out the form and obtain the appropriate approvals. Send your completed form to Procurement.

3. Complete cardholder training

To obtain Purchase Authority it is mandatory to complete the following Moodle training:

Please refer to the guide below on how to complete the Moodle training courses to ensure that you have submitted your responses.  This is important for your name to show on the Moodle completion report as "completed".

For information on how to write a description and purpose when coding a transaction, please visit our FAQs.

Please refer to the HSBC Quick Guides and Videos for further information.

4. Send confirmation of your training and approvals to Procurement

Once Procurement receive these, you will receive an email with instructions on how to complete an online application form.

5. Complete and submit HSBC Purchasing card online application

When filling in your HSBC purchasing card online application, please remember you MUST use your GUID as your employee ID. Without this you will be unable to use SSO to login to the HSBC MiVision portal. This guidance is applicable to all cardholders and their line managers.

Refer to email guidance to complete the online application.

6. HSBC MiVision Registration

HSBC Registration Process Guide

HSBC How to Register Video

Register in the HSBC MiVision Portal as per training, to provide information relating to the purchase (e.g. attaching receipts) and accurately code expenditure.

SECURITY NUMBER: this must be an 8 digits number that you will remember, it cannot be 1 2, 3 – 8.  You will be asked for 3 random digits from your 8 digits security number every time you log in to enable you to access the portal.

7. HSBC MiVision Transactions Coding

Only when you have registered, as per the above instructions, that you will be able to acess your transactions to be coded.  Access to Transactions Coding. 

8. HSBC Corporate Card App - (Corporate Cards means both Corporate and Purchasing Cards) 

To view your current and available balance, your credit limit and access the HSBC customer service details, download the HSBC Corporate Cards App. For more information please view the app HSBC Corporate Cards App Factsheet and HSBC Corporate Cards App User Guide . 

Please note this app does not allow you to code transactions.

9. When using your card online

Whilst using your card for online purchases, if you are requested to insert an address, please ensure to use the University's main address: University of Glasgow, University Avenue, G12 8QQ, United Kingdom.

Under no circumstances should you insert your full card details on a supplier paper form for any purchases.

NO PO ON AGRESSO IS REQUIRED FOR PURCHASES ON YOUR NEW HSBC CARD.

10. HSBC Monthly Statement Dates 2024

Cardholders do not need to wait on the availability of their card statement to code transactions for approval, below are the dates that card statements will be produced for 2024.

Your HSBC statement for your Purchasing Card will be available on the following dates: 4th January, 1st February, 1st March, 2nd April, 2nd May, 2nd June, 7th July, 6th August, 6th September, 7th October, 5th November, 8th December 2024.  

11. Change of Home Address

If you have moved house since the transition to HSBC in April 2023 or if you will move house in the future, please inform the Procurement card administrator.  

Please note that the HR Core system is not linked to HSBC therefore if you update your address on Core, it will not be transferred to HSBC.

In order to mitigate risk and potential fraudulent activity on your card, please keep the Procurement card administrator aware of any changes.

12. Change of Line Manager

Please note that the HR Core system is not linked to HSBC.  If your line manager changes or if you role changes and you move to a new department, please inform the Procurement card administrator.

Please note that if your new line manager has not used the HSBC portal before please ask them to contact the Procurement card administrator who will help them with their access to the HSBC portal. 

HSBC Quick Reference Guides & Short Training Videos

 Further support and guidance is available below.

1) HSBC Quick Reference Guides.

2) HSBC Short Training Videos.

The short videos are provided as additional information over and above the Purchasing Cards MiVision Transaction Coding Training which is on Moodle.  

What are Purchasing Cards?

Purchasing Cards are intended to facilitate the purchase of low value and or obscure and irregular items. They complement the other methods of buying goods and services which are outlined below. All methods of purchase are subject to the University Financial Regulations (www.gla.ac.uk/services/financialregulations/) and therefore financial control, authorisation and accountability issues are paramount at all times. All financial transactions must be recorded and approved through the Agresso financial management system.

Credit or Transaction Limit Change

How to Request a Credit or Transaction Limit Change

1. Fill in a Credit Limit Change Application Form

2. Send off your form for authorisation:

For a Temporary Limit Increase:

You must have approval from your Line Manager, the Head of Finance and the Head of Procurement.

For a Permanent Limit Increase:

You must have approval from your Budget Holder, the Head of Finance and the Head of Procurement.

3. Send your approved form to Procurement here

4. Review new credit/transaction limit on the HSBC MiVision Portal

I'm Leaving the University or Moving to Another Department

If you are leaving the University or moving to another department within the University, please follow the process for is you are:

- I am a Card Holder

- I am a Card Holder's Line Manager

Delegation of Authority / Absences

If you have been informed by a colleague or member of your staff, that they will be absent for a period of time, please follow these steps listed below:

For planned absences

(e.g. maternity leave holidays)

1. Request the cardholder to code any existing transactions before leaving.

2. Delegation of authority - for planned absences you will have to delegate your transaction coding acitivity to a work colleague during your absence.  See instructions.  

3. Advise that transaction coding role has been delegated to the designated colleague. Once you receive confirmation from Procurement admin that the tax code has been reassigned, ensure that you inform this colleague.

For unplanned absences

(e.g. sudden illness, family emergency)

1. Request Procurement System Admin to delegate transaction coding to a chosen colleague.

2. Advise that transaction code role has been delegated to the designated colleague. Once you have received confirmation from Procurement admin that the transaction coding has been reassigned, ensure that you inform this colleague.

Tax Guidance

You must upload a VAT receipt for each transaction. If you do not have a receipt, you must complete a Self Declaration Form (which can be found on the HSBC MiVision Portal).

Each expense type has a default VAT code which will be correct in most cases. When reconciling your card, you should enter the total amount paid (including VAT) and check that the default VAT code matches your receipt. When buying goods from overseas suppliers you will always need to change the default VAT code to be EU. If the default VAT code does not match your receipt, then you should amend the VAT code, selecting a new one from the drop down list. The VAT codes are:

VAT code

Description

AS

Standard rated (20%)

AL

Reduced rate (5%)

AZ

Zero rated (0%)

AE

Exempt (0%)

AO

Outside the scope (0%)

EU

Purchase from overseas

EF

Medical/Vet Exemption

Medical/Vetinary Zero VAT Rating

If you buy goods which qualify for the medical/veterinary zero rating (Exemption Form), you will need to notify your supplier when placing the order. If you need to provide the supplier with a certificate, please find the 'Guide to Medical and Veterinary VAT reliefs' here.

Overseas VAT Rating 

You should not pay overseas VAT if you advise the supplier that the goods or services are for a business in the UK. For goods bought from overseas suppliers, you will pay UK VAT when they are imported. For services from overseas suppliers e.g. chargers for publishing, UK VAT will appear as a seperate line on your project code. When coding these transaction, you should use VAT code EU.

Merchant codes blocked

The following codes are blocked from use on a Purchasing Card:

10 - Staff Temporary Recruitment

13 - Personal Services

26 - Automotive Fuel

30 - Restaurants and Bars

34 - Cash

Link to FAQs

Please check the FAQs for additional information.