P-Card or T&H Card:
Which should I use?
As the implementation of the travel and hospitality (T&H) card program is nearly complete, cardholders can expect changes to purchases that are allowed to be made with the procurement card (p-card).
Hospitality transactions – defined as purchases made at hotels and restaurants, caterers and other food stores for the purpose of hosting guests of the university – will soon be restricted on the p-card and will need to be made using the T&H card.
More information about this change, expected in late January, will be sent by email to cardholders whose p-cards have included hospitality rights.
This chart may help you understand when it is more appropriate to use your p-card versus when the T&H card is more appropriate.
Expense Type | Procurement Card | Travel and Hospitality Card |
| Advertising | ✔ | |
| Airfare | ✔ | |
| Car rentals | ✔ | |
| Conference registrations and fees | ✔* | ✔* |
| Educational materials | ✔ | |
| Flowers | ✔ | |
| Food for research purposes | ✔ | |
| Food/refreshments for events | ✔ | |
| Gas for car rentals | ✔ | |
| Gas for lab or farm use | ✔ | |
| Gifts and door prizes | ✔ | |
| Goods, materials, supplies | ✔** | |
| Hotel accommodations | ✔ | |
| Meals during employee travel | ✔ | |
| Meals for hospitality events | ✔ | |
| Meeting room expenses | ✔ | |
| Restaurant or coffee shop gift cards | ✔*** | |
| Other gift cards | ✔ | |
| Parking fees | ✔ | |
| Professional dues/memberships | ✔ | |
| Promotional Items | ✔ | |
| Repair, technical, rental services | ✔ | |
| Subscriptions | ✔ |
* Conference registrations are preferred on the travel and hospitality card, but may decline due to merchant code controls, so if you experience decline you can try on your procurement card.
** Use of the p-card is intended only for items not available from University Stores or through cyBUY contract requisitioning (or other university contracts); or for low-cost items needed immediately.
*** If purchased at a restaurant or coffee shop the purchase will decline on the p-card due to blocked merchant codes.
This chart is not an exhaustive list, so if you need more information on acceptable card usages please contact cardservices@iastate.edu.