Check Requests and Travel

1. Check Requests and Travel Accounts Payable And Travel Office

2. Objectives • Check Requests • Travel Authorization • Travel Expense Statement • Questions

3. Check Requests • Used for: • Reimbursements • Travel (non-employee) • Emergency Expense Reimbursements • Food – If allowed • Single Payments for Services (less than $2,499) • Consultants • Honoraria • Registrations, not paid on PCard

4. Check Requests • NOT used for: • Purchases of Office supplies or other goods • Equipment • Computers • Radioactive materials • Commitments with multiple payments

5. Check Request Form • Use the latest form dated 08/2016 • Requires two signatures – Requester and Budget/Fund approver (requirement of Internal Audit) • Justification • Full CFC including Detail Account Code (not budgetary account code) • Documentation

6. Check Request Documentation • Invoice • Receipts • SAR for services • W-9 for vendors/individuals • TA, if paying for registration • Food receipts and roster of attendees, along with proof that class, course or lecture includes food

7. Review the Check Request Form

8. Expense Account Codes • 6xxxxx – Travel Expenses • 7xxxxx – Operating Supplies and Services • Reference to common account codes: • Controller’s Website > Fin Accounting and Reporting > Financial Accounting Documents > Account Code Listing • Controller’s Website > Popular Links > USG BOR Business Procedures Manual Chart of Accounts

9. Travel Account Codes - Employees • 641xxx • Includes expenses for lodging, meals, mileage, rental car, and other costs incurred by employees in activities approved by the institution.

10. Travel Account Codes Students and Candidates • 651xxx • Includes expenses for lodging, meals, mileage, rental car, and other costs incurred by students, candidates, job applicants and student athletes involved in activities approved by the institution.

11. Expense Reimbursement and Travel Account Codes - Non-employees • Non-employees • 751xxx – Services • Compensation and reimbursable expenses for services rendered on a per diem, hourly, fee or consultant basis. • 752100 – Expense reimbursement to individual • Payments to reimburse for expenses in the execution of duties while performing services. • 752200 – 3rd party reimbursement to vendors on behalf of individual or corporation • Payments made directly to vendors on behalf of individuals or corporations for expenses incurred in the execution of duties while performing services.

12. Travel Authorization • Travel Authorization • Approval for the employee to travel • Direct-bill airlines and rental cars are paid/approved based on this form • TAs need to be sent to Travel Office before traveling only if direct-bill airline and rental cars • Needs to be attached to the Expense Statement

13. Travel Authorization • On the form: • Full Chartfield Combination (CFC), including Account Code • Estimate of travel expenses (lodging, rental car, mileage, meal per diems, airfare) • List Dates of travel and the general purpose of the trip – Is it a direct benefit to AU? • Must have supervisory and budgetary approval signatures

14. Travel Authorization • Documentation with the form: • Print out of conference brochure or email detailing the purpose of the travel • Rental Car Request form – if used and rental car comparison (over 400 miles), if needed

15. Travel Rules – Meals • For Day travel: Must be traveling for 12+ hours, before meals are paid • For overnight travel: 75% of meal per diems on the first and last day of travel • Must use travel location per diem rates • You only get reimbursed for the per diems not actual expenses • The per diem rate in Georgia is not the federal per diem rate

16. Travel Rules – Airfare • Augusta Travel Agency – State contract and allows direct-bill • No upgrades (Comfort seating) – lowest possible fare • Only exception is international travel out of North America • Business class is the highest reimbursable for International • Travel insurance (medical) is reimbursable for international travel • If traveler wants to upgrade, they will pay the difference based on a comparison via CheapTickets.com

17. Travel Rules – Rental Cars • Request for Rental Car form is required for all rental cars • Enterprise and Hertz are the only allowed providers per state contract • Direct-bill is only available with Enterprise • Insurance is not reimbursable – Current insurance card is on website • Non-employees are not allowed in rental cars • Rental Car Cost Comparison is needed if traveling greater than 400 miles, round-trip

18. Travel Rules – Lodging • Room service is not reimbursable • Hotel Motel State Tax Exemption form • Georgia in-state lodging • Exempt from local hotel motel excise and occupancy tax • VRBO, Home-away and AirBnB rentals are prohibited • State policy specifically limits lodging to businesses that offer lodging to the general public (hotel or motel) 

19. Travel Authorization

20. Travel Expense Statement • Travel Expense Statement needs to be submitted after the traveler returns • It should be submitted within 45 days • If submitted after 60 days, then it will be processed once a month in Payroll, and will be subject to tax • Overnight and Day travel expense statement

21. Travel Expense Statement • On the form: • Full Chartfield Combination (CFC) including Account Code , and with funds to cover travel expenses • List brief description of business purpose and where you traveled under Location Points Visited • Include mileage amounts, if applicable; meals; lodging; parking and miscellaneous expenses

22. Travel Expense Statement • Documentation with the form: • Receipts showing breakdown of charges (taxes and fees) – Showing payment or zero balance • Lodging • Airfare, if not direct-billed • Parking • Taxi/Uber • Travel Authorization • Must have traveler signature and budgetary approval signature

23. Travel Expense Statement - Day

24. Travel Expense Statement - Overnight

25. Common Pitfalls/Errors • Documentation • Inadequate • Not complete – signatures missing • Not using newest forms (Travel forms, Check Request, SAR) • Missing Account Codes • Only one signature • Food purchase missing roster and documentation

26. Thorough Documentation Needed If you were an auditor looking at the documentation provided, is the attached documentation thorough enough to explain the expenses, reimbursement and that it follows state and university policies?

27. Year-End Cut-offs • 2017 Year-end memo on Controller’s Website • Check Requests • FY17 funds due 06/09/2017 • Travel Expense Statements • FY17 funds due 06/21/2017 • No encumbering of travel this year • Airfare direct-bill will be cut-off on the Pcard cut-off is 05/27/2017

28. Helpful Resources • Websites • Controller’s Division • Travel & Accounts Payable • Controller’s Division Forms Repository A-Z Index • TRAVEL@augusta.edu

29. Questions