Travel Approver Reference Guide

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Travel Approver Reference Guide
The Ohio State University
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The What of Travel Approval

• Business travel requires approval at two points
  in the process
• Order (request)
• Reimbursement
• Approvers must have the willingness and authority
  to say no
• Any changes to the travel order or reimbursement
  are initiated by the corresponding approver, and
  communicated through the Travel Office.

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Approving the Travel Order
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Approving the Travel Order

• What are you looking for?
• Documented business purpose
• Estimated expenses are reasonable and necessary
• Reasonable / allowable prepayments through the
  Travel Office
• Prepaid Transportation (airfare, rail, Motor
  Pool)
• Prepaid Registration Fees
• Travel Cash Advances
• Travel Cards and Purchasing Card may be used
  not included in Travel Office Prepayment

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Approving the Travel Order

• Prepaid Transportation
• Must use a designated agency for airfare and rail
• Lowest available airfare to reasonably meet
  business travel requirements
• Rail and/or automobile expenses cannot exceed the
  cost of the least expensive airfare
• Business class may be purchased for international
  flights (flight time exceeds 5 consecutive hours)
• Sorry, no first-class
• 30-day advance booking generally avoids premium
  airfare pricing

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Approving the Travel Order

• Prepaid Registration Fees
• Conference fees, business-related banquets or
  meals
• No entertainment activities

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Approving the Travel Order

• Travel Cash Advances
• Authorized for situations causing undue financial
  hardship
• OSU Students traveling on behalf of University
• OSU Faculty / Staff leading a group of OSU
  Students
• OSU Faculty, Staff, or Students traveling
  internationally in excess of one calendar month
• System enforces maximum allowable advance

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Approving the Travel Reimbursement
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Approving the Travel Reimbursement

• What are you looking for?
• Compliance with Travel policies
• Compliance with Travel policies
• Compliance with Travel policies
• Necessary documentation is attached
• Expenditures are reasonable and necessary
• Expenses are consistent with business purpose
• Traveler has disclosed Third-Party or OSURF
  payments

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Approving the Travel Reimbursement

• Travelers should incur the lowest reasonable
  travel expenses and exercise care to avoid
  impropriety or appearance of impropriety
• If circumstance is not specifically covered in
  Travel Policy, the most conservative course of
  action should be adopted
• Frequent flyer miles are acceptable if used for
  business travel
• Other travel-related incentives are prohibited

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Approving the Travel Reimbursement

• Approvers need an understanding of Travel
  Policies
• Expenses should be reasonable in light of less
  expensive alternatives
• Highlight the policies for the most common
  expenditures

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Approving the Travel Reimbursement

• Airfare and Rail
• Lowest available airfare to reasonably meet
  business travel requirements
• Rail and/or automobile expenses cannot exceed the
  cost of the least expensive airfare
• Business class may be purchased for international
  flights (flight time exceeds 5 consecutive hours)
• Sorry, no first-class
• Documentation must show method of payment and
  indicate that payment was made

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Approving the Travel Reimbursement

• Rental Car
• Documentation required if the Universitys
  contract with National or AVIS is not used
• Only CDW and LDW insurance reimbursed for rentals
  from non-contracted agencies
• Rental car expenses cannot be greater than the
  least expensive airfare
• Personal Vehicle (Mileage Reimbursement)
• System calculates reimbursement amount based on
  applicable Federal rate
• Personal car expenses cannot be greater than the
  least expensive airfare

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Approving the Travel Reimbursement

• Registration Fees
• Payment documentation must be present
• Ancillary expenses (e.g. spouse programs,
  entertainment) cannot be reimbursed

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Approving the Travel Reimbursement

• Hotel
• Reasonable, single occupancy or standard business
  / conference room rates and associated taxes
• Receipts must contain method of payment and
  indicate that payment was made

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Approving the Travel Reimbursement

• Per Diem
• Calculated automatically by the Travel System
• Federal per diem rates are applied receipts not
  required
• Meals otherwise provided (e.g. conference,
  airline, business meals, hotel) must be deducted
  from per diem
• Actual Meal Cost in lieu of Per Diem
• Itemized receipts are required
• Reimbursement amount must not exceed federal per
  diem rate
• Business Meals are not reimbursed via Travel
  System
• Must be reimbursed via the Payment Request Online
  System (PROS)

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Approving the Travel Reimbursement

• Other Incidentals
• Travel Policy lists reimbursable incidental
  business expenses and required documentation
• Non-Reimbursable Expenses
• Travel Policy lists expenses that the University
  will not reimburse includes but not limited to
• Airline club memberships, upgrades,
  house-sitting, commuting between home and campus,
  evening or formal wear expenses, costs incurred
  by Travelers failure to cancel reservations in a
  timely manner, Travel accident insurance premiums

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Travel 4.2 Software Demo
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Travel System Login
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Travel Order List
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Travel Order List Search Capabilities
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Travel Order List - Status
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Travel Order Entry with Prepayments
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Travel Order Entry - Comments
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Travel Order Entry with Prepayments
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Travel Order Entry - Prepayments
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Travel Order Entry Cash Advance
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Travel Order Entry Status
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Travel Order Entry Approved
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Travel Order - Status
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Reimbursement List Search Capabilities
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Reimbursement List - Status
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Reimbursement Cash Advance Notification
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Reimbursement
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Reimbursement Itemized Expenses
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Reimbursement - Comment
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Reimbursement - Transportation
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Reimbursement - Lodging
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Reimbursement Per Diem
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Reimbursement Other Expenses
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Reimbursement Chartfield Information
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Reimbursement Status Change
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Reimbursement Payment Release
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Reimbursement - Status
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Reimbursement List - Status