Defined Cards

American Express has launched a suite of “Defined Expense Cards” for larger corporate clients. The new cards can be set-up to expire after a company-determined period of two to 24 months, and carry a maximum spending limit, as well as monthly or per-transaction spending limits if necessary. An online administrative Web site enables the program manager to issue, monitor and adjust limits on cards in real time from a central point. AmEx said after a successful in-market pilot with more than a dozen companies, the new card has already been used for employee relocation, per-diem travel advances, virtual office needs, marketing project budgets, educational seminars, and temporary assignments. Unlike pre-paid cards, the “Corporate Defined Expense Program” is centrally billed on a monthly basis, after expenses are incurred, enabling companies to spread out payments over the life of a project.