PCard - FAQs for PCard Software Form

1. Will this presentation be recorded?
   Yes, and it is now available to view on YouTube.
2. Will the PowerPoint presentation be shared with attendees?
   Yes, you can access it with the following link: PCard Software Form PowerPoint.
3. Can we get a link to the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form?
   Yes, it can be found on the BusFin website under Forms > Buying & Contracts Forms > PCard & TCard Forms, or directly at: https://go.uillinois.edu/software-pcard. 
4. Will the meeting’s chat transcript be available as well?
   No, relevant questions from the meeting's chat have been carried into this FAQ.

1. Can I provide a PDF version of the vendor’s terms and conditions when responding to the form?
   No, unfortunately, the form does not currently have the ability to accept a PDF submission. Please reach out to the vendor to determine if a link is available.
2. Can the IT contact be a group name and email address?
   Yes!
3. If you are using a shared service as your IT Department, can you submit a form to the shared service email for approval?
   Yes!
4. After completing the form, will we be notified whether our submission is approved or denied?
   You will receive several notifications throughout the process. First, you will receive a submittal confirmation email when you initially submit the form for approval, subject line “Confirmation of Submission”. Then, you will receive a notification email when each individual approver completes their approval/denial (IT Contact, Department Head/Designee, PCard Holder (optional)), example subject line “IT Contact Approved Your Form”. Lastly, you will receive a final notification email when your form has been completely approved, subject line “Approved: Software and Electronic Services Purchased by P Card”. If approved, the email will contain a PDF of the responses provided. The approval email and the PDF must be attached to your PCard reconciliation report in Emburse for the purchase.
5. Will a Department Card Manager (DCM) get notified that a Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form has been submitted?
   No, the Department Card Manager is not involved in the P Card software approval process.
6. What if the Department Head and/or the IT Contact are out of the office, and you’ve already submitted a form?
   Due to limited form functionality, the workflow cannot be changed after a form has been submitted. Your options would be to submit a new form designating alternative approvers or wait until the Department Head/IT Contact return and complete their review.
7. Are we able to see where in the process the approval/denial is?
   Unfortunately, due to limited form functionality, you are unable to see where a form is in the approval process. We recommend saving the initial PDF so that you can keep track of who the form is being submitted to.
8. Is there a notification as to what the expiration date is for an approved exception? Like when to submit a renewal?
   No, the current form does not include tracking/reporting functionality. Please make note of the duration that is referenced when you submit a form.

1. Please give examples of things that still require an exception.
   Electronic Services and Software purchases that the new form allows to be purchased using a PCard will not require an exception. If your purchase exceeds the PCard transaction limit (currently $7,500), or if the form does not allow your purchase to be made, then an iBuy Purchase Requisition must be submitted for the purchase.
2. Do the questions in the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form replace the Lightweight Risk Assessment (LRA) form?
   If the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form allows the purchase to be made via PCard, then a Lightweight Risk Assessment does not need to be completed unless requested by your Unit’s IT office. The risk trigger questions are designed to identify situations where an LRA would be required and to steer the purchase to outside the PCard software process (i.e., iBuy).
3. The first question on the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form is hard to understand.
   Please review the additional information shared via link in the introductory paragraph of the form for more information about data classification: https://go.uillinois.edu/dataclassification. The parenthetical examples in the question on the form are also designed to provide insight into some of the most common scenarios where the response would be “yes.”
4. Is the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form required for purchases from vendors on the “Approved Vendors for Cardholders” web page?
   The Approved Vendors for Cardholders web page is being updated in collaboration with this new process. If, after the update, a vendor is still listed on this web page as “approved” then you can continue to make PCard purchases without the need for a Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form. Please note, because of the new/simplified process, a number of software/electronic service providers are being removed from this list.
5. Is there a definition of “non-public University data”?
   Please review the additional information shared via link in the introductory paragraph of the form for more information about data classification: https://go.uillinois.edu/dataclassification
6. Is “creation of new intellectual property” defined somewhere?
   If in doubt, please consult with your Purchase and Contract Management office.
7. Do we still need to provide anything from the Vendor?
   Yes, the form requires links to the software/electronic service being purchased and a link to the Vendor’s terms and conditions for the software/electronic service.
8. Can our IT Contact submit the form?
   It is recommended that the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form be completed by the PCard holder making the purchase, or the user who will be using the software/electronic service. This helps maintain separation of duties.
9. Should we use the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form for purchases made using personal funds when a reimbursement is being requested?
   No, the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form is solely for purchases being made via a PCard. Software and Electronic Services should not be purchased with personal funds/reimbursement.
10. Will an accounting string (CFOAP) be captured in the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form?
    No, accounting information (CFOAP) will be captured and reviewed in the reconciliation process for the PCard purchase of the software/electronic service.
11. How are terms and conditions reviewed and who is authorized to accept them?
    The Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form is designed to determine whether the software/electronic services being purchased creates significant risk to the University. If the questions are answered accurately, and all approvals are received, the form makes the determination that the risk is low and the PCard purchase can be made without Purchasing’s review of vendor terms and conditions. The terms and conditions must be reviewed by the requesting Unit as part of the P Card software form process, and the form’s attestations include asserting that the Unit has reviewed the terms and conditions and accepts associated risk. Then, once the form is fully approved, the PCard holder or user of the software/electronic services may accept terms presented through a “Click Through” or other electronic acknowledgment of agreeing to a vendor’s terms and conditions.
12. How do we know if the software/electronic service includes Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
    If it is not known by the PCard holder, or the end-user, you may contact the vendor for confirmation.
13. Is the Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Risk Awareness and Acknowledgment Form still required?
    The Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form asks a question to determine whether or not the software/electronic service includes generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). If this question is answered as “yes”, then a link to the Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Risk Awareness and Acknowledgment Form will display indicating that it also needs to be completed.
14. There is one electronic service that I am billed for monthly, $4.99. There is not an annual payment option. Do I need to fill out the form every month for approval? If not, how often do I need to seek approval?
    You may fill out a single Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form for up to a twelve-month period of purchases as long as your responses to the questions are the same for each month of your use of the electronic services. Your form should clearly indicate the term the form is being completed for and a new form will need to be submitted annually.
15. We currently have PCard exception forms in-process. Should we wait for those, or can we use this new process?
    The Card Services Office is attempting to complete review of any outstanding PCard exceptions for software/electronic services as quickly as possible. You are welcome to wait for the exception process to be completed or you may complete a new Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form. If you decide to submit a new Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form, please email the Card Services office telling them that you’re rescinding your exception request so there is not duplicative processing going on for the same purchase.
16. We currently have an approved PCard exception that goes through the end of the fiscal  year. Do we need to submit a new Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form for these purchases or will the previously-approved exception be honored?
    Previously approved exception requests will be honored through their current term. Upon expiration of any current exception, a new Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form will need to be submitted and approved prior to using your PCard for payment.
17. UIC currently has a Generative AI Risk assessment form that must be included with certain software purchases. Will that still be needed in addition to the new form?
    If you select “Yes” to the question “Do the Software or Electronic Services include generative AI?”, the form expands to provide a link for the Generative AI Risk Awareness and Acknowledgment Form. The Generative AI Risk Awareness and Acknowledgment Form must be completed when this question is answered as “Yes” in order for your submission to be complete.
18. Is this the same process IT has to follow when purchasing software for departmental use or for a department user?
    Yes, this process must be used for any purchase of software/electronic services being made on a PCard.
19. How does the process work with software apps that renew annually where the vendor has your PCard number on file to automatically charge?
    An approved Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form can only cover a maximum term of one-year. Prior to the renewal, a new Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form should be completed and approved prior to the vendor charging your PCard for the renewal term. If the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form is denied, then use of the app should be terminated and your PCard number removed from the app to prevent further purchases.
20. Do we have to complete a Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form even if the purchase is under $2,500 and is the form required if there is no data sharing?
    The Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form is required for all software and electronic service purchases being made via a PCard.
21. Can there be a global approval that would cover multiple purchases of the same software but for different faculty in the same dept?
    The Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form is tied to a PCard charge or charges, and it is recommended that departments consolidate multiple purchases under a single PCard purchase. Your Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form must include the scope of the purchase. For example, if you’re purchasing a subscription for 10 faculty members, the form should state this along with estimated costs. The costs cannot exceed the $7,500 threshold nor can multiple purchases be made to be below this threshold. Note: Only one Cardholder applies to each form. Multiple Cardholders must have their own Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard forms approved prior to making purchases.
22. On grants, can the Principal Investigator answer these questions since they know best instead of the PCard holder?
    The form should be completed by the subject matter expert. If the form is completed by someone other than the PCard holder, the form needs to include the PCard holder’s information.
23. What if a signature is needed on the Vendor’s terms and conditions, but the purchase met all of the other qualifications for the new form? I am talking about a signature on terms and conditions, not a click through agreement.
    At this time, the form/process are only designed to allow clickthrough/electronic approval of terms and conditions.
24. Are we now allowed to use PCards for iBuy vendors we typically issue Purchase Orders (PO) for?
    If there is a catalog supplier in iBuy that has the required software/electronic service as an offering , your purchase should be made via the iBuy catalog. This process is for the purchase of software/electronic services that are not provided by an iBuy catalog supplier that will be paid for on a PCard. The PCard software process could potentially be used for applicable non-catalog purchases that meet the criteria.
25. This assumes everyone is using the form prior to a purchase being made, how do we handle an after-the-fact purchase, if applicable? Will an exception form be required?
    By policy, software/electronic services purchased on a PCard require completion and prior approval of the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form before a PCard purchase is made. Failure to do so would be a violation of policy and be subject to issuance of an incident of noncompliance as outlined in Business and Finance policy.
26. Our department was going to try to move all our software purchases from PCard to purchase orders, because of the difficulties getting PCard exceptions. Does Purchasing and Contracts have a point of view about which route is preferable, from a contracts standpoint?
    The Purchasing and Contract Management Offices recommend the use of the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form for all PCard purchases allowed under the updated form and process.
27. How does an accessibility review relate to the use/approval of this form? Are accessibility reviews is still required before purchase?
    The Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form has questions about who is using the software to determine potential impact of a non-accessible software/electronic service. If the form is denied due to your answer on these questions, an accessibility review will need to be completed as part of the iBuy Purchase Requisition Form review/completion. Please note, your department’s IT Contact may have additional requirements related to accessibility that they may require prior to approval of a form.
28. Will the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form need to be renewed annually?
    Yes, in order to make sure that there haven’t been changes to the use of the software/electronic service and that your department head and IT Contact are still in agreement with the purchase of the software/electronic service in question. Ideally, this would be on a fiscal-year basis; however, this is not required. If your subscription period is on a calendar year or other annual basis, your Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form can align with that time frame.
29. Should we use this new form for any software/electronic services even if there are terms and conditions and the vendor allows POs?
    If the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form allows for the purchase by PCard, and if the form is approved by all of your approvers, this is the preferred method to purchase software/electronic services not available from an iBuy Catalog supplier.
30. Would a new form need to be completed if the PCard holder changes?
    Yes
31. If the form states that "You may NOT make this purchase with a PCard.” Should we submit an exception request?
    No, if the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form does not allow the purchase to be made via PCard, we recommend submitting an iBuy requisition plus contract in Contracts+ as appropriate.
32. Can you provide a basic definition of what constitutes a Software purchase and what constitutes an Electronic Services purchase?
    Electronic services = software developed and hosted by a vendor which the end-user accesses over the Internet. The distinction between the two is much less significant now that the two previous forms have been combined into a single form.
33. Do we complete one form per purchase beyond $7,500?
    No, this process is limited to software/electronic services that are less than $7,500 – the current PCard transaction limit.
34. Did this form get tested with departments before the live rollout today?
    Yes, there was significant testing completed by Purchasing, Payables, and PCard holders.
35. How does this form/process relate to the requirement of some software vendors to retain the card on file? Something that may not be a one-time purchase.
    An approved Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form can only cover a maximum term of one-year. Prior to the renewal, a new Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form should be completed and approved prior to the vendor charging your PCard for the renewal term. If the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form is denied, then use of the app should be terminated and your PCard number removed from the app to prevent further purchases.
36. Do we need this form for domain registration and website maintenance?
    Yes, domain registrations are considered an electronic service and would require completion/approval of a Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form.
    No, website maintenance, would be considered a service. Presuming said maintenance services include terms and conditions, an iBuy Purchase Requisition Form should be submitted for the purchase.
37. For some software/electronic service purchases, we find out after they go through, no way to predict them and to a form before they are charged to a PCard.
    For vendors with varying monthly costs, it would make sense to estimate use based on historical trends and incorporate potential increase costs in your Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form. PCard holders should not be allowing unauthorized purchases to be made to their PCard.
38. What do we do if someone without a PCard wants to use the software. Can someone with a PCard make the purchase on their behalf?
    The form may be completed by the software/electronic services end-user or the PCard holder. Please note, PCard holders are not allowed to share their PCard number.
39. If a faculty member went ahead and purchased something without asking first, then asked for reimbursement, can this process be used to approve a reimbursement, or do we need to use exception request?
    The Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form is not to be used for employee reimbursements.
40. My Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form has been completed and approved, how long do I need to wait to make my purchase?
    You don’t need to wait any longer once you receive the final approval; once your Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form is approved, your software/electronic service may be purchased on your PCard.
41. If software/electronic service purchase has previously been reviewed through the Generative AI Risk awareness and Acknowledgment Form, does a Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form still need to be completed?
    Yes, any new purchase or renewal of a purchase of AI software/electronic service must have a Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form completed and approved prior to making the purchase.
42. When does this new process with the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form start?
    December 1, 2025.
43. Can you confirm that we no longer need to submit an exception request to allow a vendor to keep a PCard number on file?
    Business and Finance Policy was updated in 2023 removing the requirement for an exception request for a vendor to keep a PCard number on file.
44. What if my software/electronic service is over $7,500?
    Then the purchase cannot be made using a PCard through this process. Please submit an iBuy requisition and contract to your Purchasing and Contract Management office as appropriate.
45. How should we handle an annual purchase that is over $7,500 but the vendor doesn't accept Purchase Orders?
    Please reach out to your respective Purchasing and Contracts Management Office for guidance.
46. Is this form specifically for over $7500 purchases?
    No, this form is specifically for software/electronic services purchased by PCard less than $7,500 (the current PCard transaction limit).

1. How do we find the IT contact for our department?
   This will vary by unit. In most cases, this would be the individual responsible for your general IT technical support for your unit. You may also want to consult with your Department Card Manager (DCM), or your Unit’s leadership to determine the appropriate individual to route the form to for your IT contact. The IT contact should be someone who can provide an IT perspective, for example, on whether the software could be problematic due to it interfacing with the University’s network, etc.
2. If the PCard holder is completing the form, can they also be an approver on the form?
   It is best business practice to create a separation of duties through this approval process. One individual should not be providing Cardholder, Department Head, and IT Contact approvals. Please consider making sure your approval process has a separation of duties when making a software or electronic service purchase so the PCard holder is not the same as the approvers in the process.
3. What if I don’t have an IT contact in our department?
   In most cases, this would be the individual responsible for your general technical support for your unit. You may also be able to consult with your Department Card Manager (DCM) or your unit leadership to determine the appropriate individual to route the form to for your IT contact.
4. How much time in advance is ideal to submit the form & what is an estimated wait time to receive final approval or denial?
   With this new process the review of a Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form is under the control of your unit. Because of this, we are unable to set a timeline for completion. It is recommended that PCard holders reach out to their Department Head and IT contact for a timeline for their respective reviews.
5. Is the Department Head approval still needed if this is no longer an exception?
   Yes, as part of the updated process, a Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form requires a department head’s (or their designee’s) approval.
6. Is it required to have an IT Contact review/approve the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form?
   Yes, as part of the updated process, a Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form requires an IT Department Contact’s approval.
7. What is the IT Contact looking for when reviewing the form?
   We anticipate that this will vary by department and IT Contact. In some instances, an IT Contact may be looking at compatibility with your computer, security concerns with the software/electronic service, or whether the software/electronic service duplicates already available software/services. We’re looking for general review of the purchase from an IT perspective.
8. If the PCard Holder is the same individual as the Department Head or IT Contact, will the form automatically bypass this individual for the subsequent approval?
   No, due to limited form functionality, the form will always stop for Department Head and IT Contact approvals. Please be aware of separation of duties.
9. Is anyone policing who is entered in each approver role?
   It is the PCard Holder’s responsibility to accurately state the Department Head and IT Contact approvers in the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form. Failure to do so would be a violation of policy and be subject to issuance of an incident of noncompliance as outlined in Business and Finance policy.
10. How long will Purchasing take to approve or deny forms?
    Purchasing and Contract Management offices are not involved in the review process for the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form. If the questions on the form allow a purchase to be made on your PCard, then it is deemed low-risk and does not require Purchasing's review. The form approval timeline will be subject to how long it takes your Unit approvers to provide their approvals.
11. The old forms didn't require department head approval. Only IT approval & p-card holder approval.
    The old forms’ signature line stated “Unit IT Head, Department Head (or Designee) Signature." When designing the new form, it was understood that these would be two different individuals and as such, the signature lines were separated out. Please note, that although the form requires multiple approvals, you will no longer be required to submit an exception request which used to require review from UPAY Card Services and your Purchasing & Contracts Management Office.
12. Can we complete one form for the department or for multiple faculty members, or does it need to be done for each person (faculty) that makes a request for the same software or electronic service?
    It is recommended that departments consolidate requests for the same software/electronic service on a single form where possible; however, the questions must be answered specifically to the individual’s (end-user/faculty) use of the software/electronic service. For example, if one faculty member is using the software/electronic service to store non-public (confidential) information, the form would not allow that faculty member’s subscription to be paid for through this process. An iBuy Purchase Requisition Form would need to be submitted. Note: there should be one form per cardholder.
13. Can the IT Contact be from a different unit, department, or division if our IT is not available to review and approve the form?
    Ideally, you’ll want an individual knowledgeable about your department’s IT systems to review/approve the form. If your IT Contact is unavailable, then their backup or individual with similar knowledge from another department may be able to assist.
14. Will the Department Card Manager (DCM) be sent a copy of the approved form?
    The form is not currently set up to route to the DCM (as the previous form did not require DCM approval). The completed form should be attached to a reconciliation report for any software/electronic services purchase made via PCard.
15. As a Department Card Manager (DCM), I had started tracking all of our department's exceptions so we could help send out reminders when it came time to renew. Is there any way someone in our department can see or pull a report of these software forms that have been completed for tracking purposes?
    You should please direct your Unit submitters/P Card holders to share copies of all completed/approved forms so that you can track them.
16. Have IT Contacts been provided training on how to review terms and conditions of software and electronic services?
    The attestation about terms and conditions is that “Your Unit” has reviewed the terms and conditions. The IT contact should be reviewing the purchase and terms and conditions from an IT perspective.
17. Once I have the form approved, how long do I have to make the initial purchase?
    There is no set deadline for a PCard holder to make a purchase under an approved Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form; however, it is recommended that a new form be submitted if the purchase is not made within one year.
18. How will the old exception process be turned off?
    Exception requests currently in-process will continue to be reviewed and responded to. New exception requests will be returned; directing the PCard holder to complete the Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form.
19. What if my Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form is denied?
    You should begin by contacting your Department Head or IT Contact to better understand why the form was denied (though their comment may have provided some insight). If they do not approve of the software/electronic service purchase, then the purchase cannot be made via PCard and should be addressed through other processes (e.g. requisition, contract, etc.). If there were questions about how the form was filled out, then those issues should be addressed on a new form.
    It seems like a DCM could be included as approver as Department Head designee.
    Yes, a department head may designate their approval to a Department Card Manager (DCM) if they so choose.
20. Can the DCM submit a Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form on behalf of a PCard holder?
    Yes, the form is set up to allow an end-user, DCM, or other individual familiar with how the software/electronic service will be utilized to complete the form on behalf of the PCard holder.
21. If the PCard holder is filling out the form, then are they also considered an approver?
    If the PCard holder is submitting the form, individuals other than the PCard holder should be providing the approvals. The PCard holder does make several attestations though as part of the form.

1. For the policy stating that forms aren’t required if costs don’t exceed $7,500, does this limit apply per year or per month? Some subscriptions have varying billing cycles.
   The statement in this question is incorrect. A Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form must be completed and approved for any software/electronic services purchase before the purchase is made on a PCard. There is no dollar minimum for the form. If software/electronic services are purchased on a PCard, the form must be completed and approved.
2. Will this form be required for adding additional individual ($1-$500 add-on) license/activations to an already approved group subscription where the original group subscription was paid on a Purchase Order due to total price.
   If a purchase of software/electronic services is originally made by issuance of a Purchase Order, then any additional costs for that software/electronic service should be made via a Change Order Request to the original Purchase Order and not by PCard.
3. What about a vendor that charges a monthly fee and the fee varies?
   When completing your Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form, please make sure to provide as much detail as possible, including anticipated pricing increases. If your form is reviewed and approved based on the information provided, then a new form would not be needed. If there’s an increase in cost that was not identified on the form, or if how the software/electronic services are being utilized changes, then a new form needs to be submitted.
4. What if a user is no longer using software/electronic services and we receive a credit back to our PCard for canceling their subscription?
   Credits back to a PCard would not require completion of a Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form.
5. If the cardholder gets a new card, do they need to renew the form or is it tied to the cardholder?
   The Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form is specific to the PCard holder and the software/electronic service outlined in the form itself. It is not tied to a specific PCard number. If your Software and Electronic Services Purchased by PCard form was approved for a one-year term, purchases allowed under the form with a new PCard number may be completed on the same form.

AI: Artificial Intelligence

DCM: Department Card Manager

LRA: Lightweight Risk Assessment

PCard: University of Illinois System issued Purchasing Card

PO: Purchase Order

T’s & C’s: Terms and Conditions USC Unit Security Contact