MasterCard Purchase Control

MasterCard Purchase Control, a new
commercial payments solution, revolutionises
corporate purchasing, allowing organisations
to configure electronic payments processes to
meet their business needs. Purchase Control
delivers enhanced global controls and increased
transaction security by combining an integrated
preapproval process with secure virtual account
numbers. Fully customisable, Purchase Control
can be integrated seamlessly into the existing
corporate financial infrastructure already
in place.
MasterCard Purchase Control
The next-generation solution for commercial payments
Competing goals present a challenge
Organisations often face competing strategic
goals: While they need to optimise their
commercial payments programs and provide
employees with efficient tools, they also need
to control spending effectively and promote
employee and supplier compliance. With
Purchase Control, you can expand your corporate
payments programs while maintaining an
unprecedented level of control and compliance
with your corporate policy.
Purchase Control: A flexible solution
Purchase Control is a prepackaged application that
can be configured in three ways: as a workflow
purchase tool, an accounts payable tool, and a
payment solution for distributors and resellers.
Purchase Control as a workflow
purchase tool
When an employee needs to make a business
purchase but does not have authorised access
to a purchasing card, Purchase Control is an
ideal solution.
Step 1: Transaction control begins with the
company’s system administrator setting up
spending limits for each employee—such as
a £3000 limit for a marketing manager, with
purchases above that requiring approval by
her supervisor.
Step 2: The marketing manager starts the process
by going to the MasterCard Purchase Control Web
site and filling out a purchase request. A request
that exceeded her limit—for example, a purchase
of £4000—would trigger an automatic e-mail
notifying her supervisor.
Purchase Control
from MasterCard
revolutionises
corporate purchasing:
n Provides enhanced
global authorisation
controls
n Increases operational
efficiencies by streamlining
payments and
reconciliation
n Reduces exposure
to fraud
n Helps enforce
organisational
compliance

Step 3: Logging in to the MasterCard Purchase
Control site, the supervisor can review
and approve or decline the purchase request.
Step 4: Once a purchase request is approved,
Purchase Control will generate a virtual
card number.
Key transaction data that was entered when
the purchase request was made—such as cost
center and general ledger codes—is now
attached to the virtual card number.
The virtual card number can only be used
within the parameters of its approval—
transaction amount, date, and vendor—
providing built-in transaction security.
Step 5: With the transaction completed,
Purchase Control can facilitate a quick and easy
reconciliation process, matching the virtual card
number, which is unique to each transaction,
in three important places: on the approved
purchase request, online payment receipt, and
the company’s monthly statement.
Beyond reconciliation, Purchase Control can
export enhanced data and key transaction
information to MasterCard ® Smart Data or
other expense management programs to
provide greater spending visibility and control.
Purchase Control as an accounts
payable tool
Once a supplier payment is approved via
internal controls, an accounts payable clerk
can use a Web-based application or company
intranet to request a virtual card number and
set its parameters. During the reconciliation
process, the unique virtual card number can
be matched three ways, just as it was for the
workflow purchase transaction.
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After a purchase request is approved, Purchase Control generates a virtual card number
Purchase Control as a distributor and reseller tool
Taking the example of a travel agency, Purchase Control can help
facilitate a paperless and more efficient process. Once a traveller
books an itinerary online, the travel agency generates limited-use
numbers with parameters and limits for each supplier (airline, car
rental agency, and hotel). The agency system sends the limited-use
numbers to the three suppliers, and the full amount is charged to
the travel agency’s primary account. The suppliers receive payment
when the traveller arrives, and the travel agency benefits from the
float.
Configure your advantage with MasterCard
Purchase Control the next-generation solution
in corporate purchasing
Purchase Control allows more volume to be captured on an
organisation’s purchasing card program and delivers enhanced
global controls. This solution provides an efficient process that can
be configured to support internal policy adherence and meet a
variety of business goals.
Contact your commercial payments issuer or e-mail
incontrolinfo@mastercard.com to find out how Purchase Control
can support your card program.