Travel Advance Request Process (TAR ) Disbursements & Travel Services

1. Travel Advance Request Process (TAR) Disbursements & Travel Services Disbursements.travel@utsa.edu or 458-4312 Presenters: Diana Ollervidez 458-6915 Nora Compean 458-4831 Website: http://www.utsa.edu/financialaffairs/dts/

2. Purpose: • The University of Texas (UTSA) at San Antonio may advance funds to minimize financial hardship for employees and traveling students. • Travel must be on official UTSA business. • Advance must be issued in accordance to IRS accountable plan rules. • Other payment methods should first be pursued.

3. Authority: • Board of Regents’ Rules and Regulation (Rule 20801) • Internal Revenue Service (IRC Rule 162 and various rules)

4. Requirements and Eligibility: • Issued to faculty, staff and eligible student employees who travel infrequently • Prospective employees and students are not eligible • Domestic and foreign travel • TAR must be submitted 10 business days prior to trip departure • Approved RTA/VE5 is required

5. Requirements and Eligibility (cont): • Advances on Behalf of Students Traveling on Official UTSA Business • Referred to as Student Advance Responsible Party • TAR is authorized by an account administrator, who identifies the employee who will have the custodial responsibility for funds while students are in travel status.

6. Requirements and Eligibility (cont): • Student Advance Responsible Party • Typically accompany the student travelers on trip, but not required • Requires an RTA, if traveling with student(s) • Does not affect employees request for travel advance, if applicable • Responsible for the usage and reconciliation of monies disbursed • Complete the Travel Advance Request (TAR) • Preferred method of payment is Travel Advance Card (TAC)

7. Requirements and Eligibility (cont): • RTA is not required for Student Advance Responsible Party, if not traveling with student. • Provide advance to student, if applicable • Explain requirements to students and assure funds are used for allowable travel cost

8. Requirements and Eligibility (cont): • Settle the travel advance within 30 days after trip return date • If travel has not been completed and payment to Citibank is due, send a copy of credit card statement with approval to DTS for processing by UTSA established due date. • 20th of each month

9. Requirements and Eligibility (cont): • Eligible activities and events include but are not limited to: • Study Abroad • Athletics • Research • Student Activities • Group travel

10. Allowable Expenses: • Meals and Incidentals (M&IE) • Lodging Expenses • Registration • Transportation • Other expenses (excludes mileage) • Note: • See GSA (General Services Administration) website for per diem and lodging rates http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/21287

11. Accounts to be Charged: • 19 - Designated Funds (for travel) • 14 - State Appropriated General Funds: accounts receive advances for meals and lodging only per the Gov’t Code Section 660.003 Travel Expenses • 26 - Grants & Contracts: requires OPAA approval • 30 - Restricted Funds: requires approval from Accounting • Subaccounts used: • 68-Student Athlete travel • 75-Non-student domestic travel • 76-Non-student foreign travel • 77- Student non-athletic team travel • 78-Student athletic team travel

12. Approvals/Certification: • Traveler must sign promissory note • Student Advance Responsible Party must sign promissory note, if applicable • Account administrator/Supervisor approval • Advances in excess of $10K require additional VP/Dean/Associate/Assistant VP approval. • OPAA approval (26 accounts) • Note: TAR forms will be returned if all required approvals have not been obtained.

13. Settlement/Reimbursement: • Traveler has 30 days upon return of trip to settle all expenses associated with trip by submitting a Travel Reimbursement/Settlement (TRS) form http://www.utsa.edu/financialaffairs/opguidelines/0109.html • Reimbursement is settled by DTS. The voucher is processed within 7-10 business days from receiving a correct TRS form • If travel reimbursement is not settled within 30 days, the traveler may be reported to their respective VP for non-compliance with UTSA operational guidelines

14. Settlement/Reimbursement (cont): • If returning excess travel advance funds to UTSA: • Complete deposit transmittal form and submit to Fiscal Services • Include name of traveler • Include departmental account number xx-xxxx-xxxx • Include DTN field: e.g. TA4321 (travel advance tracking number issued by DTS) • Include object code: 5371

15. TAC Cards • Preferred method of payment for TAR • Embossed cards will be issued with name of traveler • TAC is activated only for travel dates • Traveler must not exceed approved amount • Advance amounts will be rounded up to the next whole dollar

16. TAC Cards (cont.) • TAC cards may be requested up to 60 days in advance of travel to pay for transportation or prepay lodging expenses • TACs can be re-used and refreshed for future trips upon submission of a new TAR • TACs can be retained at the department level while not being used for travel • If TAC is for one time trip, then return to DTS

17. TAC Cards (cont) • TAC cards will be settled by the DTS Travel. (DTS will create the VP2s to pay Citibank and reimburse traveler — exclude team travel) • TAC cards may be picked up at DTS/Main Campus/DT • TAC cards may not be picked up by a proxy

18. Team Travel • Complete TAR for “Student Advance Responsible Party” • Embossed TAC cards will be issued to students, if applicable • Pick up cards at DTS/Fiscal Svcs by faculty/staff member • Proper faculty/student RTA’s approved-- if required

19. Team Travel (cont.) • Proper reconciliation will be completed by dept to clear advance. The reconciliation should include name of traveler, UTEID, account number to charge, object code, amounts. Total amount must match total amount of billing statements. • TAC cards must be paid by the 20th of every month regardless of travel return dates. Citibank statements will be mailed out directly to travelers/departments.

20. Team Travel (cont.) • Department creates VP2 • Citibank vendor mail code 032 is used • Submit complete documentation to DTS for final approval

21. How to Complete the NEW Travel Advance Request (TAR) Form Revised on 02/16/12

22. Overview of Changes

23. Overview of Changes (cont.)

24. Completing the Revised TAR (Rev. 01/DD/12) You may continue to the next slide, or click on a section below for instructions specific to that section. • Section 1 – Traveler • Section 2 – Trip Information • Section 3 – Expenses • Meals (M&IE) • Lodging • Transportation/Other • Student Athletic/Group Travel • Charging Multiple Accounts • Section 4 – Travel Advance Payment Method • Section 5 - Certification TIP: Form fields that require user entry are highlighted. Fields/steps that pre-fill or contain calculations are italicized.

25. Section 1 - Traveler New: Requesting a travel advance on behalf of an eligible student. Complete steps below. For more information, including eligibility, see Advances on Behalf of Students Traveling on Official UTSA Business, a section of the Travel Advances FMOG. Select Student Advance Responsible Party. The Enter student name(s) row appears. Enter the student’s full name. Separate multiple students with commas. TIP: Click button to delete additional row(s). TIP: Click button to add more rows.

26. Section 2 – Trip Information New: Destination fields (destination type, name, total business days/nights) have been removed. This information will be entered in Section 3 – Expenses. Old Form New Form

27. Section 3 - Expenses New: Consolidated the Mass Transit, Car Rental/Fuel, Airfare, Parking/Tolls, Registration and Other expense types into one category called Transportation/Other. Old Form New Form TIP: Deselecting any of these radio buttons will erase all of the information that you entered in that specific section in addition to hiding that section from view.

28. Meals (M&IE) Section 3 – Expenses New: User must complete four additional fields in this section. If your destination is in the U.S, including Alaska, Hawaii and U.S. territories and possessions, click checkbox. Enter destination city, state/country. If applicable, Partial Per Diem Rate pre-fills. Enter the GSA Per Diem Rate for the destination city. Enter the total number of business days spent at destination city. GSA Advance Total pre-fills IMPORTANT: If traveling within the U.S, including Alaska, Hawaii and U.S. territories and possessions, you MUST select the Domestic checkbox to ensure the Partial Per Diem Rate is calculated for each destination of your trip.

29. Meals (M&IE) Section 3 – Expenses New: User may enter additional destinations for each trip. Enter the department authorized lower rate, if applicable. The Destination Advance Total field changes to reflect this amount (not the GSA Advance Total). If the trip includes multiple destinations, click the Add Destination button to add an additional row(s). If applicable, click to delete row(s).

30. Meals (M&IE) Section 3 – Expenses New: User must enter the funding source(s) for this expense. Enter the account number that will be charged for this expense. If this expense will be charged to multiple accounts, click the Add Account button. See Charging to Multiple Accounts for details. M&IE Total pre-fills.

31. Lodging Section 3 – Expenses New: In addition to hotel name, user must also enter the city and state/country the hotel is located in. User must enter the total estimated room and hotel tax charges and may enter additional hotels. Enter the GSA lodging rate for the destination city, state/country. Enter the daily/nightly room rate for the destination hotel. Enter the total room charge (excluding taxes). Enter the total hotel taxes. Enter the hotel name and city, state/country. If trip includes multiple hotels, click the Add Lodging button to add an additional row(s).

32. Lodging Section 3 – Expenses New: User must enter the funding source(s) for this expense. If applicable, enter additional hotel information in additional row(s). Total Hotel cost field(s) pre-fills. If this expense will be charged to multiple accounts, click the Add Account button. See Charging to Multiple Accounts for details. Enter the account number that will be charged for this expense. LODGING TOTAL pre-fills.

33. Lodging Section 3 – Expenses IMPORTANT: If the room rate is greater than the GSA rate, the Room Rate Increase row appears. Enter the total number of nights at the higher rate. Select the reason for requesting the higher rate. If additional expense was paid from state funds, select checkbox. The State Funds Cost Itemization section appears. Select the type of cost to be avoided and the estimated cost not incurred as a result of staying at the higher rate hotel. Fields prefill.

34. Transportation/Other Section 3 – Expenses New: Consolidated multiple expense types into one section. Select the expense type from the drop-down menu. Enter the total amount. Enter comments (optional). Click to add an additional row(s), if applicable. Click to delete row(s).

35. Transportation/Other Section 3 – Expenses New: Consolidated multiple expense types into one section. Enter the account number to be charged for these expenses. If these expense will be charged to multiple accounts, click the Add Account button. The account number previously entered in the Charge to Account Number field is erased.

36. Transportation/Other Section 3 – Expenses New: Consolidated multiple expense types into one section. Enter the account number. Enter the total amount for each expense that will be charged to each account. Click to delete row(s). IMPORTANT: The TRANS/OTHER TOTAL and account total fields must match.

37. Student Athletics Team / Student Group Travel Section 3 – Expenses New: Expenses are grouped by funding source and expense type. Enter the account number to be charged for each expense type. Enter the total amount for each expense type to be charged to each account. If an amount is entered in the Other expense type, then describe the expense in the Comments field. Click the Add Account button to add another account. Click to delete row(s).

38. Section 4 – Travel Advance Payment Method New: Additional payment pick up options and added check payment option (exceptions only). The sum of each expense type pre-fills and the total travel advance request appears in the TOTAL field. Select the travel advance payment method. If TAC is selected, select where the traveler will pick up the TAC. IMPORTANT: TAC’s are issued in whole dollars only and are rounded up to the nearest whole dollar.

39. Section 4 – Travel Advance Payment Method If the traveler authorizes proxy to pick up check in-person on traveler’s behalf, then enter the proxy’s full name. If check is selected, select a pick up option. If in-person is selected, select the pick up location. If mail is selected, then select check delivery method: mailed to the traveler’s address on file (U.S. mail), or mailed to the traveler’s department (campus mail). REMINDER: If Direct Deposit is selected, then traveler must ensure the Direct Deposit – Non Payroll form is on file with DTS office.

40. Section 5 – Certification New: No changes made to this section. For instructions, see Completing the Travel Advance Request (TAR), a section of the Travel Advances FMOG.

41. Charging Multiple Accounts New: Users may enter split an expense between multiple accounts by clicking on the Add Account button, located in the Meals and Incidental Expenses (M&IE), Lodging, Transportation/Other and Student Athletic/Group Travel sections. Click Add Account to split an expense between multiple accounts. A new account number row appears. Enter the amount to be charged to the first account. Enter the additional account number. • IMPORTANT: The Accounts Total field MUST equal the following fields: • M&IE TOTAL • LODGING TOTAL • TRANS/OTHER TOTAL Enter the amount to be charged to the additional account.

42. Questions? Please email the DTS inbox with questions: Disbursement.travel@utsa.edu HELPFUL LINKS: Travel Advance Guideline: http://www.utsa.edu/financialaffairs/opguidelines/2.9.2.html Travel Card Guideline: http://www.utsa.edu/financialaffairs/opguidelines/0111.html Travel Reimbursement Guideline: http://www.utsa.edu/financialaffairs/opguidelines/0109.html