So You Think You Need to Travel

1
So You Think You Need to Travel

• Business Travel Guidelines

2
Types of travel

• In state
• Travel within the State of Texas
• Out of State
• Travel within the continental United States,
  Canada and Mexico
  
• Foreign
• Travel to Hawaii, or other parts of the world not
  already covered

3
Approval for Travel

• What type of travel
• Forms required
• Request for Employee Travel Leave must be
  completed and signed prior to travel
  
• Be sure to indicate the purpose of the trip and
  benefit to TAMUQ
  
• Signatures and Approvals required
• Employee, Department Head, Dean/CEO (per TAMU
  policies)

4
Arrangements

• Airfare
• Hotel
• Transportation
• Rental car
• Public transportation
• Other incidentals

5
Paying for the travel costs

• Airfare
• Recommendation is to go through travel agent
• There is no required travel agent that must be
  used
  
• Use JPMC CBA account for airfare
• Mannai Travel will charge to account directly
• Copy of itinerary is required in order for TAMUQ
  to make payment on the account
  
• Make arrangements individually
• If you are booking individually, be aware of
  travel restrictions
  
• You personally are responsible for the
  arrangements and for payment
  
• Also be aware of travel advisories new
  exception allows for you to travel to or thru a
  travel advisory area as long as approved IN
  ADVANCE by the University President

6
Paying for the travel costs (contd)

• Hotel
• Who makes the arrangements
• Individual preferable
• Travel agent
• If you are staying in College Station, you may be
  able to have a direct billing via QSO
  
• Must be coordinated with QSO staff
• Charge to an individuals credit card
• This may be a State of Texas travel card or the
  individuals own personal credit card
  
• Employee makes payment on credit card and then is
  reimbursed via a travel voucher
  

7
Paying for travel costs (contd)

• Rental car
• State of Texas contract rates
• Avis, Advantage, Enterprise
• Be aware that insurance is included in the
  contract
  
• For reimbursement purposes, you must turn in the
  original receipt
  
• Make arrangements individually
• Can be charged to a State travel card, paid with
  a personal credit card or charged to a corporate
  account held by one of the rental companies (i.e.
  AVIS account)

8
Paying for travel costs (contd)

• Meals (individual/personal)
• Charged to State travel card, or paid personally
• Record individual business meals on the travel
  reimbursement form
  
• Business meals
• Complete the business meal form
• Should not be included on the travel
  reimbursement are reimbursed with a separate
  document
  
• We follow IRS rules for meal receipt
  requirements
  
• See chart at end of presentation for receipt
  requirements
  
• Other incidentals i.e. laundry
• Charged to hotel room
• Charged to a State travel card or paid
  personally
  
• Are allowed business phone calls and one personal
  phone call upon arrival at destination
  
• Other mileage, taxi, car rental, tolls, phone
  and public transportation are not considered part
  of incidentals
  
• (incidental expenses have an allowable rate at
  which they can be reimbursed up to a maximum per
  Federal guidelines)
  

9
Allowable vs Unallowable

• Airfare
• Business class (International)
• If trip at least 20 hours in duration
• Economy or Coach (within continental US)
• Exceptions
• Approved by Dean or CEO prior to travel
• Hotel
• Room must be in name of traveler
• If traveling with spouse, only reimbursed for the
  cost of room for a single person
  
• Must have original detailed receipt
• Will not reimburse for movies, gift shop items,
  spa, alcohol, etc
  
• These expenses are the responsibility of the
  individual and must be paid at time of checkout
  cannot be put on a State travel card
  
• Will reimburse laundry if travel is more than 4
  days
  
• Review your bill for charges before you leave the
  desk is easier to correct when you are there,
  rather than later
  
• Correction of the bill is the responsibility of
  the traveler
  
• If you change your travel plans be sure to
  cancel your hotel room within the guidelines of
  the hotel

10
Allowable vs Unallowable (contd)

• TAMUQ reimburses for the actual cost of hotel,
  meals and incidentals
  
• We do NOT reimburse at the PER DIEM
• At the maximum of Federal or State of Texas
  travel rates
  
• If requesting more than Federal or State, then
  must have a valid exception
  
• Just because there is a maximum rate, does not
  mean you are automatically entitled to that rate
  you are to be reimbursed for actual only up to
  the maximum allowed
• If your actual is more than the per diem rate,
  then claim the per diem, but make a note on your
  reimbursement
  

11
Some Helpful Web Sites

• State of Texas Travel Guidelines
• This manual is on the TAMU Finance website
• https//fmx.cpa.state.tx.us/fm/pubs/travallow/inde
  x.php
  
• Texas Building and Procurement Commission for a
  list of hotels in Texas that honor the State rate
  (as well as hotels in other States)
  
• http//www.tbpc.state.tx.us/travel/index.html
• Also has links for the three rental car agencies

12
Web Sites (contd)

• Federal Government Domestic Per Diem Rates
  (please note that this is the title for this
  information on the Federal website we DO NOT
  reimburse at the Per Diem rate this is the
  maximum allowable per Federal regulations)
• http//www.gsa.gov
• Go to Domestic Per Diem Rates
• Be sure you are in the correct fiscal year
• Go to the State and City that you are traveling
  to
  
• If not listed, there is a default amount for each
  State
  

13
Web Sites (contd)

• Federal Foreign Per Diem Rates (please note that
  this is the title for this information on the
  Federal website we DO NOT reimburse at the Per
  Diem rate this is the maximum allowable per
  Federal regulations)
• http//www.gsa.gov
• Click on the link for the maximum rates of per
  diem allowances for travel in foreign areas
  
• US State Department travel warning information
• http//travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_176
  4.html
  

14
Reference Travel Chart and Checklist

• Travel forms are on the TAMUQ Faculty and Staff
  website, under Finance Department, Finance Forms,
  Travel
  
• Please refer to this file for required
  information per TAMU travel procedures.
  
• S\Accounting - Finance\Char\Copy of
  Travel_FAMIS_Inst_CheckList.xls
  
• Also use tools available to assist with helping
  the traveler keep tabs of travel cost i.e.
  excel worksheet, travel envelope, etc
  
• Travel reimbursement requests are turned in to
  Geeta Megchiani for audit and reimbursement.
  Need to turn in all required receipts in a timely
  manner.