Chequebook School

[laserblazer]

We are becoming one next month. I understand the concept but does it provide the ICT Dept with any real benefits? I asked about a debit card so we can buy on-line and save heaps but the Bursar said the card still has to be in someone's name and the HT is angainst it.

[elsiegee40]

The card does have to be in someone's name. At our school (we are independent) the Bursar holds this card and all purchases online have to made through her and she deals with the card details. Normally, I set up the purchase and then call her in to login to her account with the supplier and pay for it.

The Bursar has also set up a PayPal account and uses that to pay for online purchases using the school card to. I don't know the passwords to any of this and wouldn't want to. That's her problem. But at least, we get to buy stuff off the web reasonably easily!

[grumpy_git]

I think we're one - if by this you mean there's a Beancounter department within the school, invoices etc are dealt with them and they scribble out cheques for things.

Apparently we can't buy stuff online. The librarians hit this problem, as they found a book which was out of print but could be bought on Amazon - school couldn't do it and neither would they accept a petty cash.

However, I don't have much to do with that sort of thing, as ordering etc is all done by the NM - I've only been involved in ordering / signing stuff off in his absence.

[laserblazer]

Seems we can buy on-line and claim back as long as there's a vat receipt stating the school name. It's ok to have your own name as well, so I guess this is pretty easy. Not sure what happens if we buy on ebay and the seller isn't vat registered.

[fiendishlyclever]

Not sure what happens if we buy on ebay and the seller isn't vat registered.

The school can't claim the VAT back, but it shouldn't preclude you using a non-VAT registered seller if it is a best value purchase.

My sister (a head) holds a barclaycard business credit card in her/school name which she can use for all sorts of work related purchases. This is standard practice in her county but not in mine. It doesn't work as well anyway as you scale up the size of the school. I already hold Argos, Staples and other account cards for my school and I tend to leave them in the office safe - to cover myself.

We seem to cope pretty well - our bursar will issue a cheque the day she gets an invoice/VAT receipt but then there is still the hassle of paying the cheque into the bank. As we don't have petty cash any more the cheques can be for annoyingly small amounts.