Travel Best Practices
- General Tips
- Register Trip (Obtain Travel Number)
- Airfare (On-site Agent Assisted)
- Airfare – (Booked Online without Agent)
- Hotel Pre-Trip Payment
- Conference Pre-Trip Payment
- Foreign Wire Pre-Trip Payment
- Cash Advance
- Early Reimbursement
- Final Reimbursement (Close Travel Number)
- All forms require a travelers signature, and at least one approval signature
- Cash advances require an additional VP signature
- Reimbursement forms require at least the Traveler’s signature as well as the person to whom the Traveler reports
- All Pre-Payments and Early Reimbursements are optional
- We recommend airfare be booked by our onsite agents – and it will be billed directly to the department
- We recommend that conference fees be paid using the PCard when available.
- Other expenses should be paid by the traveler and reimbursed after the trip is complete, if possible.
- Original receipts and original signatures are always required
- When planning a trip with airfare for groups larger than 10, please contact an agent.
Register Trip (Obtain Travel Number)
- Obtain department approval and gather necessary information about the trip – Duration, Purpose, etc.
- Domestic trip with airfare – $12 audit fee
- Driving trip within Utah – $8 audit fee
- International trip – $20 audit fee
- Register Trip is the process completed to obtain a Travel Number
- Employee Travelers MUST have ACCURATE employee ID numbers entered as part of Register Trip
- To save time, previously used information is listed in various fields – select only if ACCURATE, otherwise, manually update information
Airfare (On-site Agent Assisted)
- Airfare can be charged directly to your departmental Activity or Project ONLY when on-site agents book reservations
- Must first Register Trip to obtain Travel Number to complete 3 Step Reservation Process
- Must use accurate chart field to complete 3 Step Reservation Process
- There is not an Agency fee for domestic tickets that are non-refundable
- The Agency fee is $30 for contract fares (exchangeable/refundable) and international tickets
- TRAINING: Introduction to the new 3 step reservation process
Airfare (Booked Online without Agent)
- We recommend use of On-site agents to:
- Maximize airline discounts ONLY available through On-site Agents
- Ensure compliance to various University and Government regulations
- Choose refundable and/or upgradable fares, when appropriate
- NOTE: Airfare purchased independently will be scrutinized for compliance to various guidelines, and may be reimbursed at a lower rate
- Hotel Pre-Payments generate a check made payable to the hotel, and are only used when the Traveler cannot pay for the stay upon arrival
- Payments for Local Hotels for Visitors are requested after the Trip; see Visitor Lodging Instructions
- Traveler’s personal credit card is used to reserve Hotel Stay prior to Hotel Pre-Payment request
- On-Site travel agents can make Hotel reservations using Step 2 of the 3 Step Reservation Process
- We recommend Travelers hand carry Hotel Pre-Payments and pay at check-in (Hold check for pick-up)
- Conference fees may be paid using a Purchasing Card.
- Conference Pre-Payments will generate a check made payable to the conference.
- Invoice from the Conference or the Conference Registration form is required for a check payment
- Wire Transfers can only be made to a foreign bank
- Wire Transfers are completed to pay for Lodging or Conference payments
- Invoice or Registration form/confirmation number required
- Must have complete bank payment information
- Cash Advances are distributed in the form of Traveler’s Checks, only in increments of $150 or $250 – up to $1500, and can be picked up in the Income Accounting office.
- If the amount needed is greater than $1500, a personal check will be issued to the traveler, and can be picked up in the Accounts Payable office, or may be distributed directly to the Traveler’s bank account if he/she is an Accounts Payable ACH vendor
- Only one Cash Advance is allowed per Travel number.
- Must be picked up by the Traveler with picture ID, no more than one week prior to departure date.
- Reimburses Traveler ONLY for personally incurred expenses related ONLY to his/her trip, prior to the trip departure date
- Only those out-of-pocket expenses with an original receipt or proof of payment may be reimbursed
Final Reimbursement (Close Travel Number)
- Reimburses Traveler ONLY for personally incurred expenses related ONLY to his/her trip
- Only those out-of-pocket expenses with an original receipt or proof of payment may be reimbursed
- Trips must be closed within 60 days of return, otherwise any pre-paid expenses may be deducted from employee’s pay when not fully substantiated
- The Final Reimbursement is a summary of the entire trip. Include all expenses, including pre-paid items.
Estimated time for reimbursement pickup is five business days.
