FIN 507: Non-Athletic Team/Group Travel

To allow groups, including student non-athletic teams, to travel within the state, out of the state, and to foreign countries

Financial Services

Group Travel is travel involving a minimum of three university-related personnel, with one employee being responsible for all expenses associated with the trip.

All official in-state, out-of-state, and foreign group travel must be authorized in advance by an authorizing travel official (ATO). ATOs are persons who have been assigned ASU presidential authorization to approve out-of-state travel and who typically are department chairs or higher level positions. This approval must be obtained prior to any group travel, using the Student Team/Group Travel Authorization form with an accompanying Travel Manifest for Team/Group Travel.

Group travel advances are available from Travel Reimbursements for groups who expect to have reimbursable expenses that cannot be charged on a credit or charge card. The travel advance will be issued to the responsible employee listed on the Student Team/Group Travel Authorization form. All requests for travel advances need to be submitted at least 48 hours before departure to allow time for processing the advance.

Group travel advances for $100 or more are issued for 100 percent of the estimated travel expenses not paid directly by ASU. Since the responsible employee issues the advance funds to the accompanying individuals, the advance is generally issued in the form of a university check, payable to the responsible employee.

The responsible employee must submit a completed Travel Expense Claim form to Travel Reimbursements to account for or repay the travel advance no later than seven work days after returning from the trip. The responsible employee must deduct the travel advance on the Travel Expense Claim form. If an outstanding travel advance is not repaid, it is the university’s policy to seek remuneration of travel advances through payroll deduction. Further travel advances may be withheld or reduced and applied to an outstanding travel advance.

A Travel Expense Claim form is used to reimburse out-of-pocket expenses to the responsible employee of the group traveling on university business. Upon completion of a trip, the responsible employee must complete the Travel Expense Claim form and deliver it to Travel Reimbursements. Internal Revenue Service rulings require that all travel expenses be substantiated and that any unspent travel advances be returned to the university in a timely manner.

Reimbursement requests for actual lodging costs must be supported by original lodging receipts. Original receipts are required. Itemized receipts are preferred and may be required in certain circumstances before reimbursement is made. If applicable, a copy of the conference announcement or program that shows the lodging rate, meals provided, and the beginning and ending dates. Please circle the lodging rate on the announcement or program. Lodging will be reimbursed at the index rate as described in FIN 509, “Meals and Lodging,” if this information is not provided.

Meal per diems allocated to accompanying travelers must be documented on the Meal Money Form and submitted with the claim form. Meal per diems are not allowed when meals are provided at no cost, e.g., at a conference or by an airline. Meal per diems include incidental expenses. Domestic per diems are based on the travel destination (see FIN 509, “Meals and Lodging,” for the applicable per diem rate).

Date

Indicate the date the preparer fills out the form.

ASU I.D.

List the responsible employee’s ASU ID number.

Primary Account

List the agency/org to be charged.

Faculty/Staff Member Name

Print or type the responsible employee’s name.

Department

Indicate the traveler’s department.

Convention/Meeting Dates

List the meeting dates, if any.

Trip Dates

List the beginning and ending dates of the trip, using MMDDYY format.

Destination

Indicate each destination (city and state).

Travel Party Size

Indicate name of group and number in traveling party. Give the total number of travelers in the group.

Estimated Expenses

Estimate type and amount of expenses and indicate in parenthesis if the expenses are being paid directly by ASU. Total all expenses. See FIN 509, 512, and 514 for allowable reimbursement amounts.

Manifest Attached

Indicate and attach accompanying manifest to the travel authorization form.

Purpose/Justification

Explain the purpose of the trip, including public purpose served.

Direct Inquiries To

List the person who will be able to answer questions regarding the travel authorization (TA).

Phone

Indicate contact’s phone number.

Travel Signature

The responsible employee’s signature indicates agreement with ASU certifications and requirements.

Title

Indicate the responsible employee’s title.

Date

Indicate date the traveler signed the TA.

Phone

Indicate traveler’s phone number.

Department Chair

An authorizing travel official (ATO) must sign here. The signature will be verified by Travel Reimbursements.

Date

Indicate the date the ATO signed the TA.

Date

Indicate the date the preparer fills out the form.

ASU I.D.

List the responsible employee’s ASU ID number.

Department/Activity

Indicate the traveler’s department and list type of activity.

Type Travel

Indicate the type of travel group.

Trip Started

Indicate departure city.

Date

List date of departure.

Time

List time of departure.

Trip Ended

Indicate city of return.

Date

List date of arrival.

Time

List time of arrival.

Daily Activity

List dates, places visited, and activity of each day.

Expense

List expenses by original receipt (itemized when available) number and indicate if the expense was paid directly by ASU. Total all expenses. See FIN 509–512 and 514 for allowable reimbursement amounts and required receipts and documentation.

Explanation

Include any information pertinent to the travel claim.

Travel Signature

The responsible employee’s signature is required. The signature certifies that the listed expenses are valid state business expenses.

Date

Indicate date the employee signed the claim.

Note to the Traveler

If the travelers attended a meeting or convention, attach a copy of the program, showing the name and location of the meeting and the beginning and ending dates.

Original receipts are required. Itemized receipts are preferred and may be required in certain circumstances before reimbursement is made. Receipts must be taped or stapled to an 8 1/2-by-11-inch paper. Any justification for an expense must be noted beside the receipt. Do not tape one receipt on top of another or paper clip attachments. Multiple pages must be stapled in the upper left corner, and the department should keep copies of all receipts for future reference.

  skip navigation bar