Overview
UCSF Virtual Credit Card (Payment Plus) Initiative
The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) has partnered with U.S. Bank on an initiative to expand our Virtual Credit Card (Payment Plus) program. This service allows for the system delivery of automated virtual Visa card payments to our suppliers. Our goal is to increase our ability to pay our suppliers faster, improve process efficiency and working capital management, as well as reduce the cost of processing check transactions.
As a key UCSF supplier, we would like to begin paying you using Visa Commercial Card instead of by check or other payment methods.
Specific benefits you may experience when you accept payment by Visa Commercial Card:
- Accelerated payment and improved cash flow
- Reduced paperwork and streamlined accounts receivables process
- Real-time notifications for each card payment
- Complete remittance detail to support efficient receivables posting
- No changes or modifications to your existing card acceptance procedures
This is an important initiative for UCSF and, as such, we expect the support of our supplier community. We will pay suppliers who participate in our Virtual Credit Card (Payment Plus) program with immediate payment term (Net 0) upon approval of invoices, which may result in significant payment acceleration. An authorized representative from Visa ROI Solutions Calling Center working on behalf of UCSF will be contacting you in the coming weeks to discuss this initiative.
How it Works:
Upon enrolling, you will receive an automated remittance email for each payment. These emails will contain the last 4 digit of the account number and a link to a secure web portal where you will obtain the unique 16-digit Visa credit card account number, the amount to charge and other pertinent details of the transaction needed to process and reconcile your payments. The credit card account will change with each payment so you will not need to keep this information on file.
We are targeting to transition our suppliers to Visa Commercial Card payments. Please contact the UCSF Enrollment Team at 888-560-5014 or by email at [email protected] with questions or for further assistance.
Thank you in advance for supporting our program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the University of California, San Francisco decided to pay suppliers by Visa card payments?
- Our goal is to optimize our commercial card program in order to improve process efficiency and working capital management, as well as reduce the cost of processing paper checks.
- This initiative also supports our green initiative by reducing our use of paper.
- Suppliers benefit from this strategy as Visa payments provide consistent, predictable payments and allow for streamlined processes.
What are the benefits to suppliers of receiving payment by Visa payment solutions instead of check or other payment methods?
More and more, suppliers can enjoy significant, tangible savings from accepting Visa payment solutions from their customers, including:
- Working Capital Management: As an incentive, UCSF is agreeing to pay card-accepting suppliers on approval of invoices, which may result in a significant acceleration of payment.
- Process Efficiency: Suppliers can reduce internal processing and transaction costs by eliminating paper-based processes, including check processing and associated reconciliation efforts.
- Customer Acquisition and Retention: By allowing UCSF to pay by Visa Commercial Card, suppliers provide a valued service that may be a determining factor in becoming or remaining a preferred supplier. Additionally, as other customers seek to concentrate spend, suppliers who offer flexible and beneficial payment solutions may receive increased revenue and strengthen their competitive advantage.
Can suppliers receive payment by ACH/Check instead of Visa card?
Our goal is to expand our commercial card program as much as possible in order to optimize the benefits we can achieve from process efficiency, working capital management, and spend visibility. As such, our preferred method is a Visa card payment. Immediate payment (Net 0) is offered to our Virtual Credit Card (Payment Plus) accepting suppliers. Other payment options such as check and ACH carry payment terms up to 60 days. This program also puts them on a list of preferred suppliers throughout the University of California system, helping to further business opportunity with the various campus locations.
Are there fees associated with receiving payment by Visa card payments?
Payments will be processed as Visa card transactions, so standard merchant fees apply. There are no direct fees imposed by UCSF or U.S. Bank. Comprehensive information is available on Visa.com. We encourage suppliers to review their merchant account agreement and discuss ways to achieve the most favorable rates with their bank. Additional programs may be available to help reduce these fees based on the transaction size, level of data provided, and frequency of transactions processed.
Where can more information about accepting Visa card payments be found?
Comprehensive information is available on Visa.com. Merchants will find materials related to card-acceptance guidelines, Visa operating regulations and Visa interchange fees.
New Payment Process
How will card payment change UCSF’s current purchasing and payment process with suppliers?
- The current processes for orders and invoices will remain the same. The only change will be to the payment process.
- With the new payment process, suppliers will receive an email notification for each payment instructing them how to obtain the card account, the amount to process using the supplier’s point of sale.
- The new process will allow both suppliers and UCSF to streamline operations.
What is the process for being paid by UCSF’s Virtual Credit Card (Payment Plus) program?
- Suppliers will receive an automated email notification for each payment. These emails will contain a link to a secure web portal where the supplier will obtain the unique Visa credit card account number, the amount to charge and other pertinent details of the transaction needed to process and reconcile the payments. The credit card account number will change with each payment so suppliers will not be required to keep this information on file.
- We ask that suppliers include the appropriate invoice numbers and/or purchase order numbers when processing the transaction.
- Follow this link for more information about the Payment Plus activation and payment process.
What is the CVV2 value?
The three-digit security code shown on the back of a Visa card lets suppliers know that the card is in the right hands when the customer is not present during the transaction. The supplier’s point-of-sale device/software may require this value to be entered.
Additional Help
What do suppliers need to do to enroll in this program?
- For those suppliers who currently accept credit card payments, they can begin this new payment arrangement by completing the below information (include multiple remittance addresses as appropriate) and send it to the UCSF Enrollment Team at [email protected] or by fax at (866) 935-4843.
| Client Name | <Client Name> |
| Company Name: | |
| Remittance Address: | |
| City: | |
| State: | |
| Zip Code | |
| Contact Name: | |
| Contact Title: | |
| Contact Phone:t | |
| Remittance Email(s)* |
*This is either a Receivable Department email or designated person to process card transaction payments.
t By providing us with a telephone number for a cellular phone or other wireless device, including a number that you later convert to a cellular number, you are expressly consenting to receiving communications – including, but not limited to prerecorded or artificial voice message calls, text messages, and calls made by an automatic telephone dialing system – from us and our affiliates and agents at that number. This express consent applies to each such telephone number that you provide to us now or in the future and permits such calls for non-marketing purposes. Calls and messages may incur access fees from your cellular provider.
- Suppliers will then receive an automated email notification for each payment. These emails will contain a link to a secure web portal where the supplier will obtain a unique Visa credit card account number, the amount to charge and other pertinent details of the transaction needed to process and reconcile the payments. The credit card account number will change with each payment so suppliers will not be required to keep this information on file. We also ask that suppliers include the appropriate invoice number(s) and/or purchase order number(s) when processing the transaction for our reference.
- For those suppliers who are not currently set up with a merchant account or without a credit card terminal, to arrange for basic Visa card acceptance, they should contact their corporate banking service provider or our preferred credit card service provider, Elavon. Elavon is a bank-card acquirer that specializes in business-to-business transaction processing. Suppliers can reach Elavon Account Manager Donny Thompson at (702) 540-1256 or by email at [email protected]. Once this step is completed, suppliers should contact the UCSF Enrollment Team at [email protected] or call (888) 560-5014 to complete the remaining steps as noted above.
Who do suppliers contact with additional questions?
- For enrollment support or questions about the UCSF Payment Plus program, please contact us at [email protected] or call (888) 560-5014.