Merchant Accounts and Credit Cards

The Harvard Credit Card Merchant Handbook has been created to guide Harvard authorized merchants in the process of setting up merchant accounts and processing credit card payments.

Harvard recognizes that accepting credit cards improves customer service and brings efficiencies to the cash collection process. Individual credit card information is confidential; failure to maintain strict controls over this information could result in unauthorized use of a credit card number and serious problems for both the customer and the merchant.

Credit card processing is a complex process that requires careful attention to ensure that local processes are compliant with Harvard policy and Payment Card Industry (PCI) standards. Please read the University's policy governing the acceptance of credit cards on the Financial Administration policy site. All Harvard University schools, tubs, local units, Affiliate Institutions, Allied Institutions and University-wide Initiatives that process, store or transmit cardholder data or plan to outsource the process, storage or transmission of cardholder data must comply with University policy.

Please email pci_compliance@harvard.edu with all Payment Card Industry (“PCI”) questions. The eCommerce Analyst or a member of the Cash Management team will be in touch within 24 hours of receipt of the email to address your question(s).  **Please note if this is breach related please follow the instructions located on the Report an Incident page and in the PCI Security Breach Process document.