Accounting and Purchasing Services

Travel must be authorized by the individual department and arranged to achieve maximum savings and efficiency. Employee travel reimbursements are created and submitted by the individual departments electronically through the DEFINE accounting system and sent to Accounting and Purchasing Services for processing.

Travel rules come from a variety of sources; links to rules and regulations are listed below. The System Administration Travel Policy and Training is a great place to start your understanding.

What do I need to know?

• Set up Traveler Profile with Travel Agency before traveling.
• Travel rules and regulations (There are specific rules governing travel: Out-of-State; out-of-country; Washington, DC; and travel using state funds versus institutional funds. The first thing to read is the System Administration Travel Policy).
• Have itemized receipts for expenses.
• Electronic travel processing can be set up through Accounting & Purchasing Services.

PLEASE REMEMBER:

Reimbursement requests must be timely.

U.T. System Administration Travel Voucher Process (simplified) - Timeline Guidance FY 2008
Days 1-4	Days 5-7	Days 8-10	Days 11-14
Traveler returns from travel and if applicable, provides supporting documentation to assistant.	Department approver reviews and approves travel voucher.	APS Reviews and final approves travel voucher.	Payment is executed on local funded travel vouchers within one day of APS' approval.
Traveler or assistant completes travel voucher.	Approved travel voucher is forwarded to OSS-Accounting and Purchasing Services (APS).		Payment is executed on state funded travel vouchers from the state treasury within four days of APS' approval.

Receipts older than 60 days from the day the expense was incurred or paid COULD either be denied or added to the traveler's W-2 and taxed as income, according to the IRS Rules (Publication 463).

A justification statement must be included to explain why the request is untimely.

September 1, 2007 – Change in Travel Voucher Process

Documents

• Travel Reimbursement Guide
• Electronic Travel Worksheet
• Electronic Travel Overview Training
• Travel Reimbursement Checklist

Where can I go for more information?

• State of Texas Travel Allowance Guide
• Texas Mileage Guide
• UT System Travel Policy
• Travel Reimbursement Checklist
• Out of State Meal and Lodging Rates
• Delegated Signature Authority form

For Expertise and Assistance: Becky Mendez, APS, (512) 499-4570, rmendez@utsystem.edu

Visit the Travel Services website for resources including the System Administration Travel Policy.

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