​Introduction

Once transactions are downloaded into P-Card, fiscal codes are filled in automatically, based on the merchant codes received from the bank. If needed, verifiers or approvers can change the default coding, or split transactions into multiple rows to apply different STARS codes or funding sources on the individual rows.

One example is the Vendor number field. Since the P-Card is used for POS transactions or Internet transactions, the vendor number is part of the P-Card file sent from the bank and is automatically entered on the transactions. You can enter a “STARS Vendor” number, but it is not required. If one is not entered, the P-Card Generic Vendor Number PCARD0000PC is added automatically to the transaction when it is uploaded to STARS. Enter a STARS Vendor Number and Suffix only if you want to be able to identify the transaction on reports, or if you simply do not want the P-Card generic vendor on transactions in STARS.

Enter Fiscal Coding

Column headers describe the fiscal code fields, and you can use the scroll bar below the grid to view all of the fields. The transactions will be populated with “default” fiscal coding that is based on the merchant codes received from the bank. You can change the default fiscal coding if necessary.

Figure 1 - Transaction grid

1. Search for a fiscal code in any field marked with an asterisk (a "look up"), or manually enter a code in such a field, and the code will be validated. If a code is invalid, an error message will be displayed and it will be highlighted so you can correct it or click Undo Changes.

• Search for and select a code - Place your cursor in a the field and press F3 on your keyboard. See 'Search for a Fiscal Code' below
• Manually enter the PCA or Index and press TAB, or click in another fiscal code field. Any other related fiscal codes, such as the Budget Unit and Fund, will be entered automatically as long as the PCA or Index have been set up in STARS to do so.

2. To change a PCA or Index, or a Project or Grant:

If changing a PCA or Index

• Do not change the Grant and Project. Click Save so that the application will look up the Grant and Project.
• If you change the PCA and delete the Grant and Project, the application assumes you do not want a Grant and Project on the transaction.
• If the default Grant or Project is blank, it will not be replaced with the Grant or Project that the PCA/Index looks up.
• If the default Grant or Project is 999999 or any other Grant or Project number, it will be replaced with the Grant or Project that the PCA or Index looks up.

If changing the Project

• Changing the Project will not update the Grant.
• If you enter a Project that looks up a Grant which does not match the “default” Grant that is in the grid, then an error message will be displayed.
• If you enter a Project that looks up a Grant number 999999 or a blank, it will not change the Grant field.
• An end-dated Project can be entered to intentionally make the transmittal error when it is uploaded to STARS. Then you can correct it with a valid Project code in STARS.
  

3. Subobject codes (Sub) are entered automatically based on the merchant codes sent from the bank. Update these only if necessary.

4. You do not need to enter a STARS vendor number (STARS Vend). P-Card will send a default vendor number of PCARD0000PC to STARS. Enter a STARS vendor number and suffix only if you want to use it in reports, or if you do not want the P-Card generic vendor on transactions in STARS. 

5. If you do not want a record to be created in the FAS Hold File, delete the F in the CI field if there is one. If you want to add an asset to FAS, leave the F in this field or enter an F if the field is blank. When the CI (capitalization indicator) field has an F, the P-Card transaction will create a record in the FAS Hold file and you will have to eiether delete the record or enter asset information to the record to add the asset in FAS.

6. If paying an encumbrance, use the reference document of the encumbrance in the Encumb field. The transaction will post into STARS with a TC 235 (P-Card Expenditure Prev Enc).

7. Do not use special characters or symbols, such as &,',“,<,and \, in the Description field.

8. To distribute or split a transaction into multiple rows in order to distribute the costs to different fiscal codes, click the Split icon.

Figure 2 - Split icon

9. When finished with the fiscal coding you can verify or approve the transactions and then click Create Trans & Atch to attach scanned receipts or documents, or click Submit & Print (verifier) or Reprint Transmittal (approver).

Search for a Fiscal Code

Verifiers and Approvers can “look up” or search for any fiscal code that has an asterisk in the column header, e.g., PCA*, Grant*, Sub*, etc. Place the cursor in such a field marked with an asterisk and press F3. Once a fiscal code is selected from this look up, it will be automatically entered and any other related fiscal codes will be entered as well.

1. Place the cursor in a field marked with an asterisk and press F3.

2. In the look up dialog box, enter any combination of search criteria (Name, Description, Type, PCA or Index, etc.) You can enter just the first few numbers or letters or use the wildcard (%).

3. Click Find.

4. Click the fiscal code or click Select next to a code (e.g. vendor number) and that code will be automatically entered.

• Select a PCA or Index and any other related fiscal codes, such as the Budget Unit and Fund, will be entered automatically as long as the PCA or Index have been set up in STARS to do this.

Figure 3 – Lookup fields