Guideline UL-TRG05 Employee Travel Reimbursement Checklist

Main Policy Content

TRAVEL SETTLEMENT:

All travel incurred on behalf of the University is to be settled via SAP Concur. This system applies rules outlined in the Penn State Travel Policy, such as per diem amounts, to all travel reports on a consistent basis. All SAP Concur reports also follow an approval path as established by the Financial Officer, and expenses submitted shall be disallowed if found not to be reasonable, appropriate, or in compliance with University Policy.

Creation of SAP Concur reports for expense reimbursements is centralized with the University Libraries Travel Coordinator within the University Libraries Business Office. Travelers should not complete their own reports. Please provide the appropriate CONUS (domestic travel) or OCONUS (international travel) Travel Reimbursement Checklist and your receipts to the Business Office Travel Coordinator within 30 days of the completion of travel in order to request reimbusement for expenses.

A completed Travel Reimbursement Checklist would include a detailed business purpose and any notes that would help clarify the details of your trip. Please also provide a detailed itinerary for your trip, as this information will be entered into SAP Concur to generate per diem rates for your specific location. Please also indicate whether personal travel was combined with your business trip and provide the dates of personal travel, as well as the necessary comparison documentation (i.e. airfare comparison for business travel only).

Receipts must be provided for the following types of expenses:

  • Receipt supporting the mode of transportation (i.e. air, rail, bus)
  • Car rental receipt indicating that the balance was paid in full
  • Lodging receipt indicating that the balance was paid in full (room and associated taxes only are to be included as cost of lodging. Receipt must include the amount of the charge, the date, the name and location of the establishment, and an explanation of the charge). Express checkout service, where the hotel bill is placed under the guest’s door on the morning of departure, is an acceptable receipt if the traveler has reviewed it and the above requirements are stated. Charges for lodging, meals, phone calls, parking or other services must be itemized.
  • When a hotel is booked online, the receipt received at the time of booking will serve as an acceptable receipt provided it reflects the dates of the traveler’s stay, the location, and the amount charged.
  • Taxi/shuttle receipt (if receipt not provided reimbursement is subject to $5 per day provision for miscellaneous expense)
  • Registration receipt (if registration was paid by traveler)
  • Baggage receipts

Receipts are not required for meals. Meal expenses and any tips related to meals will be reimbursed based upon the meal and incidentals per diem.  Meals included in the cost of registration should be excluded from your reimbursement request if the Business Office paid for them as part of the registration. If the traveler paid for the registration, the meal will be reimbursed through per diem. If reimbursement is requested for a one-day trip, the reimbursement is taxable per the IRS.

SIGNATURES AND SUBMISSION OF TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT CHECKLISTS:

For Professional travel reimbursement, the only signature needed for the Travel Reimbursement Checklist is that of the traveler. By submitting your SAP Concur report, you are electronically signing for reimbursement. The Financial Manager in the Libraries Business Office serves in the Budget Administrator approval role in SAP Concur for the Professional Travel Budget.

For Administrative travel reimbursement, the Travel Reimbursement Checklist must be routed to ul-ulibs-travel-reimbursement@psu.edu for approval by Administration prior to being submitted to the Travel Coordinator within the Business Office. When sending for approval, please email ONLY the Travel Reimbursement Checklist and not your receipts. Once the Travel Reimbursement Checklist has been approved by Administration, it will be returned to the traveler. The receipts, along with the approved Travel Reimbursement Checklist, must then be submitted to the Travel Coordinator within the Business Office for processing.

APPROPRIATE SIGNATURES FOR EMPLOYEE TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT FORM:
Type of Travel Send to for Required Signature for Reimbursement

UP Libraries Administrative Travel

Appropriate UP Assoc. Dean of Traveler

Commonwealth Campus Libraries Administrative Travel

CCL Assoc. Dean of Traveler

Sponsored Research Travel

Appropriate Grante Principle Investigator

Travel paid from Endowed Position Accounts (Huck Chair, Sieg Chair, Paterno Librarian, Benzak Business Librarian, Foster Communications Librarian, Tombros Librarian)

Budget Administrator for the Endowed Position Account

Travel paid from other Endowed funds (Fred Waring’s America, PA Center for the Book)

Budget Administrator for the Endowed Account

CROSS REFERENCES:

Other Policies/Guidelines in this manual should also be referenced, especially the following:

UL-TR01 – Types of Libraries Travel
Guideline UL-TRG01 – Requests for Travel
Guideline UL-TRG02 – Making Travel Arrangements
Guideline UL-TRG06 – Responsibilities of Travel Roles

Form:  Travel Request Form (staff only)
Form:  Employee Travel Reimbursement Checklist (staff only)

 

Effective Date: December 2003
Date Approved: December 2003 (Dean)

Revision History (and effective dates):

  • November 2021 - Revised; updated signature and submission process for Travel Reimbursement Checklist and updated for SIMBA language
  • February 2017 – Revised; additional information regarding Travel Arranger Credit Card.  Removal of UL-TRG04 and the requirement for original receipts
  • June 2014 -- Revised; Editorial, Travel Arranger Credit Card guidelines
  • November 2009 -- Revised; Editorial, airline fees updated
  • May 2008 -- Revised; Editorial changes: travel agency and approved itinerary
  • August 2007 -- Revised; Editorial, airline fees updated
  • May 2007 and December 2003 -- Revised; Clarification regarding Internet fares and booking
  • December 2002 -- Revised; Additional information regarding Travel Services On-Line.  Clarification of changes regarding Fleet Services and Airline Industry.  Use of purchasing cards.
  • July 29, 1997 -- New guideline

Last Review Date:  November 2021