What Your P-Card Training Might Be Missing

June 27, 2023 Lynn Larson

P-Card compliance issues or too many basic mistakes might not be the cardholders’ fault. It could be due to the training program that overlooks a certain group of employees.

A quiz can enhance training.

September 21, 2016 Lynn Larson

Requiring cardholders and their managers to pass a quiz in conjunction with their initial P-Card training and/or annually helps confirm their understanding of key points, policies and procedures. Like any initiative, a successful quiz requires good planning. Following are quiz tips and example questions for your consideration.

Length

A quiz does not need to be long to be effective. In many cases, 10 questions are enough to cover important material without causing “test fatigue.”

Format

An electronic tool that can present a quiz and also score each one is ideal. Ask your management if such a system is already available within your organization. If not, inquire about your options.

Tips for Writing Quiz Questions

I gleaned the following tips when I chaired the Purchasing Card Professional Certification Council for the CPCP program:

Avoid questions containing “not,” such as “Which type of purchase is NOT allowed on a P-Card?”
Focus on important content. Do not test on trivia, such as “In what year did the organization implement a P-Card program?”
Keep the questions as concise as possible.
Offer distinct answer options rather than “all of the above” or “none of the above.”
Try to make all answer options a similar length.

Finally, allow others to review the quiz before finalizing.

Related Resources

A quiz supports training by confirming employees' understanding of the material.

Help is Available

Submit a contact form if you are interested in obtaining a quote for a review of your training program to determine improvement opportunities.

Example Questions

The examples below highlight the type of information you might want to include.

Why does the organization have a P-Card program? or What is a benefit of the P-Card program?
Who is authorized to use a P-Card?
Where is the approved supplier list located?
By what date each month must cardholders reconcile their transactions?
Within how many days of the Post Date may a cardholder dispute a transaction?
What should the supporting documentation for each transaction include?
What should a cardholder do with the supporting documentation for each transaction?
What is the P-Card single purchase/transaction limit?
What is the first step for requesting a temporary limit change?
Are gift card purchases allowed on a P-Card? or substitute other purchase types, such as travel expenses

About the Author

Blog post author Lynn Larson, CPCP, is the founder of Recharged Education. With more than 15 years of Commercial Card experience, her mission is to make industry education readily accessible to all. Learn more…

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Refortify your cardholder agreement for added control.

October 21, 2014 Lynn Larson

How complete is your internal agreement that cardholders and their managers sign? Below are eight sample statements, from my P-Card policies and procedures guide, that could be included within a single agreement that covers both roles—cardholder and manager (reviewer/approver).

While most organizations already utilize such an agreement, I recently met end-users who were looking to improve what they implemented when the card program was first launched. Could yours be refortified to improve P-Card program controls? Ensure your legal team and/or human resources department has reviewed and approved it in advance.

The Introduction

Explain the purpose; for example:

Your participation in the P-Card program includes many responsibilities to help ensure the security, health and success of the program. Your signature below represents that you understand your role, and the related policies and procedures, and agree to comply with them.

The Body

Within the agreement, include content about:

who owns the card
who can use it
prohibited purchases
requirements for program participants
ongoing responsibilities
why the card could be canceled
when it must be surrendered
consequences for misuse/abuse

An internal agreement is a common P-Card preventative control.

Definition

An internal agreement is a document that specifies the Purchasing Card-related role(s), associated responsibilities and consequences for non-compliance. The employee signs the agreement prior to card issuance to represent that he or she understands the role and agrees to comply with the requirements.

Eight Sample Statements

Even though a card is issued in an employee’s name, it is the property of [Company].
[Company] prohibits personal purchases on P-Cards.
The cardholder is the only person authorized to use the card for business-related purposes.
You must successfully complete P-Card and any related training prior to card issuance and on an ongoing basis, as described within the P-Card policies and procedures.
You are part of an important line of defense against card fraud. To protect [Company] and its assets, you must follow [Company’s] Information Security Policy and: a) ensure the card is kept secure, along with related account information; b) complete the transaction reconciliation and review process outlined for your role within the P‑Card policies and procedures; c) immediately report a lost, stolen or compromised card.
A cardholder must cease using the P-Card and surrender it upon employment termination or as requested by management.
The program manager, after notifying you, may cancel the P-Card due to insufficient usage.
Violation of company and/or P-Card policies and procedures may result in disciplinary action, including termination. [Company] may also seek legal action in the event of card fraud involving any [Company] employee.

Need additional help with revitalizing your P-Card policies and procedures? Purchase the related guide.