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Visa Gift Card

Read about Disbursements Visa gift cards and utilize our FAQ if needed.

Payment Services provides a Visa gift card program that partners with Tremendous. The program is accessible for all departments to order gift cards for employee rewards such as recognition, sympathy, retirement, length-of-service, prizes and other gifts. This product can also be used as compensation for Human Subject Compensation. Visa gift cards have a load fee of $1 per card with no additional fees, can be used anywhere in the U.S. that accepts Visa, and the funds and cards expire after three years. Cards can be loaded up to $500.

Note: We recommend to only order the amount of cards you know will be disbursed and that those cards are distributed to the recipients as soon as possible. Therefore, departments are responsible for all incurred charges. After gift cards have been picked up, the department chart of accounts (COA) will incur the gift card fee even if the card is lost, stolen, expired, or not received by the department.

Gift Card FAQ

Disbursements has put together a helpful FAQ page. Please visit the following link: Gift Card FAQ

Requesting Gift Card Orders for Employees or Non-Employees and Human Subject Compensation

  1. Obtain a current stamped IRB approval letter and the compensation portion of the consent form (only required for Human Subject Compensation requests).
  2. Select create new request in Concur: Requests/New Request
  3. Select the Request Type “Card and Payment Products”
    1. For a Gift Card order for an Employee or Non-Employee select Payment Product Type “UCSD Gift Cards (Awards/Recognition).”
    2. For a Gift Card order for Human Subject Compensation select Payment Product Type “UCSD Human Subject Payments."
  4. Enter all other information pertaining to the following required fields, click “Save” once completed:
    1. Date
    2. Request Name
    3. User Type
    4. Fund
    5. Financial Unit
    6. Function
  5. Click "Create Request"
  6. Under EXPECTED EXPENSES, click "Add"
    1. Option 23 is for employee and non-employee gift cards
    2. Option 26 is for Human Subject Compensation
  7. Fill out appropriate information for denomination and number of cards needed.
  8. Click "Add"

       Note: If you have multiple denominations, you will need to complete steps 6-8 for each individual denomination.

  1. Once you have completed your request, be sure to add required attachments by clicking the “Attachments” button at the top right of your screen (Current stamped IRB approval letter and the compensation portion of the consent form).
  2. To submit your order, click on the red “Submit Request” button at the top right of your screen.

Tracking Approvals: Concur Requests

  1. Log in to Concur
  2. Click "Requests" in the top left corner
  3. Open the Request you'd like to track
  4. Click "Request Details"
  5. Click "Request Timeline"

A green checkmark bubble indicates that step has been completed. A gray bubble indicates pending approvals. 

Note: the last approval will be "Gift Card Approver". This indicates your gift card order has been placed by Payment Services and will be ready for pick-up 5 business days after this approval.

Receiving Gift Cards

  • The turnaround time to receive your gift card order is 5 business days from when the order is approved by the Gift Card Approver.
  • When your request is approved, the requestor will receive an email from Concur indicating the order has been fulfilled and ready for pick-up in 5 business days time. This email will have instructions for scheduling a pick-up appointment.
  • Gift cards are pre-loaded with the funds and are treated as cash equivalents. IPPS does not mail gift cards because if they are lost, the department is held responsible for the funds. Your order may be picked up by yourself or anyone you send on your behalf. Please notify Payment Services who will be picking up the order if different than the requestor.
  • Please note, IPPS schedules appointments in 15-minute increments from 8:30 to 1 pm, Monday through Friday subject to availability. Please email paymentservices@ucsd.edu with your desired appointment day, time, and your Concur Request ID.
  • Gift cards are to be picked up at Torrey Pines Center South, Suite 415 by the requestor or authorized receiver with a picture ID, please be sure to have your request ID provided by Concur.

Gift Card Guidelines for Human Subject Compensation

  • Visa Gift Cards cannot be replaced if lost, stolen, or expired.
  • Visa Gift Cards cannot be deactivated or canceled by IPPS - my may reach out to Tremendous for customer service options by emailing help@tremendous.com
  • Visa Gift Cards for Human Subject Compensation are to be distributed to participants for the study/project identified at the time the initial order was charged.
  • Payees receiving a total compensation of $600 or more in a calendar year, these amounts are subject to federal tax reporting requirements and will be reported on IRS form 1099-Misc.

Gift Card Guidelines for Employees and Non-Employees

We are currently reviewing changes to gift card guidelines for Employees and Non-Employees. 

Thank you for your patience during this time,

Disbursements Team

Securing Gift Cards

Gift cards should be handled like cash and must be secured in accordance with UCOP Policy (BUS-49). Because gift cards are pre-loaded with funds, we strongly discourage sending Visa gift cards in the mail. If lost, the card cannot be deactived by IPPS and the department will assume the loss. Suggestions for how to secure gift cards are as follows:

  • For gift cards up to $1,000, secure in a lockable receptacle.
  • For gift cards from $1,001 to $2,500, secure in a safe.
  • For gift cards from $2,501 to $25,000, secure in a steel-door safe, with a door thickness no less than 1” and wall thickness no less than 0.5”.
For gift cards from $25,001 to $250,000, secure in a class TL-15 composite safe or better.

Reconciling Gift Cards

Disbursements is no longer requiring departments to submit reconciliation and certification records in. Departments are responsible for the continued maintenance of their financial records and are subject to audits by the Audit & Management Advisory Service (AMAS) team and General Accounting. If you have questions about how to maintain records, please contact Disbursements. Below are suggestions on maintaining records and sample forms for your use:

It is advised to prepare and maintain records on a quarterly basis (every 90 days):

Find answers, request services, or get help from our team at the UC San Diego Services & Support portal