Financial Services Manual (FIN)

Effective: 6/21/1983

Revised: 7/10/2012

FIN 507: Non-Athletic Team/Group Travel

Purpose

To allow groups, including student non-athletic teams, to travel on university business

Source

Financial Services

Policy

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Group Travel

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

Note:

The athletic team/group travel policy is specific to Intercollegiate Athletics and is not covered in this manual.

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Travel Authorization

All 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.

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Group Travel Advances

Group travel advances are available from Travel Reimbursements for groups who expect to have reimbursable expenses that cannot be charged on a credit 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.

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Repayment of Group Advances

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 30 calendar 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.

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Reimbursement

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).

ProcedureD

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Responsibility	Action
Responsible employee	Complete a Student Team/Group Travel Authorization form. Complete a Travel Manifest for Team/Group Travel. List each person associated with the trip and his or her affiliation with the university. Sign the manifest.
Authorizing travel official (ATO)	Sign the Student Team/Group Travel Authorization form documenting approval for the trip.
Responsible employee	Forward the Student Team/Group Travel Authorization form and the Travel Manifest for Team/Group Travel to Travel Reimbursements.
Travel Reimbursements	Assign an identifying number to the form, prepare an advance if requested, and forward a Travel Expense Claim form and Meal Money Form to the responsible employee.
	Within 30 calendar days of completing the trip:
Responsible employee	Complete a Travel Expense Claim form and attach required receipts per the guidelines provided in FIN 511.
	If the responsible employee issues funds to the accompanying travelers:
	Attach a completed Meal Money Form to the Travel Expense Claim form. The accompanying travelers must sign the form and indicate the amount of money received and their affiliation with the university. The responsible employee must also sign and date the form.
	If the actual cost of the trip exceeds the estimated expense total by the greater of $100 or 10 percent:
ATO	Sign the Travel Expense Claim form documenting approval of the expense overage.
	If travel expenses are less than the travel advance received:
Responsible employee	Attach a check payable to ASU to the Travel Expense Claim form. Submit the Travel Expense Claim form and Meal Money Form, along with required original receipts and documentation, to Travel Reimbursements. Original receipts are required. Itemized receipts are preferred and may be required in certain circumstances before reimbursement is made.
Travel Reimbursements	Process the Travel Expense Claim form and provide reimbursement to the responsible employee.

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