Electronic purchasing card: user guide for budget centre liaison officers, business managers and business partners

1. Overview

Introduction

1.1 The arrangements for the use of the ePC within the core Scottish Government (SG) (hereafter referred to as Business Areas, (BAs)) and partners are set out in the ePC policy.

1.2 All card users are therefore expected to fully comply with this policy and respect the responsibilities associated with card use (policy, section 7), including ensuring that the appropriate accounting and auditory requirements are met.

1.3 This guide provides proxy reviewers with step-by-step advice and supporting screenshots on how to get started on approving transactions on Smart Data onLine (SDoL).

1.4 If having worked your way through this guide you still have difficulties getting started you should contact ePC administration.

ePC timeline

1.5 ePC has a strict monthly time cycle to undertake monthly reviewing and approving of transaction activity (policy, section 8). During every cycle all transactions made between the 26 of a month (say, May) and the 25 of the following month (say June) must be reviewed and approved by the second working day of the next month (say July).

Escalation process

1.6 Any transactions not reviewed and approved will be subject to an escalation process (policy, section 8). Three escalations in a period of 12 calendar months will result in the suspension and ultimately cancellation of a card.

1.7 BAs and partners should be particularly mindful of the impact of the escalation process as it will require the intervention of a Director/deputy Director or equivalent to unlock the suspension; and only where assurance is provided that local arrangements are now sufficiently robust to avoid any further occurrence on the card(s) concerned.