Travel Office Hours Summary (Jan-Dec 2022)

Summary of Travel Office Hours (January-December 2022):

JOIN TRAVEL OFFICE HOURS
 

December 2022 - Office Hours Summary

Updates:

  • Travel Office Hours - Offered 1st Tuesday of each month from 10-11:30 a.m. with summary posted at Travel Website (under News). 
  • Workday – Expense Item Update Coming Soon – In the next month, you may notice some new attributes, revised or new instructional text associated with an existing expense item. 
    • The Travel Office reviewed all expense items for any needed updates and will continue to review any requested new expense items before they are loaded into Workday. 
    • Pay attention to NewsLink for an announcement on this topic.  You can also attend these office hour sessions or review the summary for an update on this upcoming change.
  • Workday – Business Purpose List UpdateEffective December 16th, the business purpose field selection list was condensed to support analytical review of the travel or expense transaction.
    • You will see the selections are grouped by type with a prefix of PCard, Reimbursement (Non-Travel) or Travel. 
    • Selections marked “inactive” (after 12/16th) will not permit submission with new entry of Spend Authorization or Expense Report. If selection is already in-progress status, an alert will prompt for a change to proceed with approval.
  • Workday- International Travel – Required StepEffective December 16th, the Acknowledgement of Understanding (AOU) Questionnaire will replace the DocuSign version for Traveler (Faculty or Staff) on the Travel website.
    • The AOU was made required with the Travel Guidelines released in June 2021, following the university’s suspension due to COVID-19.
    • Traveler must complete step or Spend Authorization does not advance in workflow for approval.
    • The Traveler will be notified by an onscreen prompt, reminders in Workday inbox, home screen prompts under “awaiting action” and by email.
    • Spend Authorizations submitted by an Expense Data Entry Specialist (EDES) will also notify the traveler by similar methods.
    • Questionnaire is triggered by destination field being international location (e.g., airfare, lodging) and the validation of an employee name on the Spend Authorization header.
    • EXCEPTION! If the Spend Authorization lines are not inclusive of a destination field or the employee traveler is part of a group Spend Authorization (set up with a Group ECM name), the traveler must revert to the DocuSign version and upload it to the Spend Authorization.

Reminders:

  • Airfare - Do NOT buy airfare without an approved Spend Authorization from Workday.
  • Correct Name on Spend Authorization - Be careful to create the Spend Authorization with correct name to avoid issues with approval and/or payment being issued.
    • Approval - Traveler’s Name (Not EDES’s Name-Approvers must review)
    • Payment - ECM’s Legal Name (person will not be able to cash the check if name is not correct)
  • External Committee Members (ECM) – ECM’s must be created with an address even if there are no reimbursable expenses; will not be able to create Expense Report without it.
  • Airfare Expense Report Processing – Travel Office will enter the Expense Report for your airfare prepaid through our contracted travel agency – Corporate Travel Planners (CTP).  Do not cancel or send back these Expense Reports.  The Service Center (UNIV) or Cost Center Manager (Health Systems) is responsible for:
    • Changing Worktags (if applicable)
    • Verifying any personal travel combined with business (including cost comparison adjustments)
    • Reviewing for policy requirements
    • Approving in a timely manner (including Traveler certification)
  • Mid - FY Spend Authorization Clean Up - Run “Find SA Summary-OSU” Report and review for any DRAFT Expense Reports that will prohibit Spend Authorization Closure.

November 2022 - Office Hours Summary

Updates:

  • Travel Office Hours - Offered 1st Tuesday of each month from 10-11:30 a.m. with summary posted at Travel Website (under News). 
  • New Workday Training Tenant
  • Enterprise & National Car Rental
    • Effective October 19th, update in pricing – Business Rental Summary was revised on the website.
    • The Business Rental Solutions (online reservation system) has modifications to include all trucks, vans, box trucks and stake beds are now available for booking online – no discount code needed and there is a separate link for truck business rentals.

Reminders:

  • Airfare - Do NOT buy airfare without an approved Spend Authorization from Workday.
  • Airfare Expense Report Processing – Travel Office will enter the Expense Report for your airfare prepaid through our contracted travel agency – Corporate Travel Planners (CTP).  Do not cancel or send back these Expense Reports.  The Service Center (UNIV) or Cost Center Manager (Health Systems) is responsible for:
    • Changing Worktags (if applicable)
    • Verifying any personal travel combined with business (including cost comparison adjustments)
    • Reviewing for policy requirements
    • Approving in a timely manner (including Traveler certification)
  • Itemization in Expense Reports - Itemization in Expense Reports should be limited to split funding (e.g., business meal-alcohol)
  • Airfare for Companion Travelers
    • Companion Travelers’ (spouses, partners, children) airfare must NOT be applied to a university payment tool.
    • Concur must NOT be used for personal travel; confusion with the booking process for a guest who has a business purpose and approved SA#.
    • Travel Agent can add companion to the same reservation, but payment must be personal (not SA#/university credit card)
    • If correction is needed, follow Repayment Process for Personal Expense Charged to University Payment Tools (PCard) Job Aid
    • Travel Office will create ER not tied to SA to avoid encumbrances issues when extra expense would over-expense the SA for the traveler’s approved totals.
    • Cost Center Manager/Service Center Role can enter cash sale number (CS#)  in memo to document deposit for the audit trail.
  • Trip Cancellations by Traveler
    • Contact travel agency (not Travel Office) to cancel airfare.
    • Cancel 90-minutes prior to departure time to retain any ticket value. After this timeframe or no-show, you lose all value of ticket.
    • After check-in, online changes cannot be made, contact full-service travel agent for assistance.
    • Determine if airfare class is refundable or non-refundable and obtain documentation.
    • Refundable means funds are returned to original credit card
    • Non-refundable means unused ticket credit for future travel
    • If expecting credit, don’t close Spend Authorization. Travel Office will expense the credit transaction against Spend Authorization, then traveler/unit can close it.
    • Closing a Spend Authorization can only occur during “Approved” status with NO Expense Reports or when all Expense Reports are in “Paid” or reconciled status.

Topic: Travel Tools – Transaction Oversight (Continued from October session):

  • Travel ToolsIt is expected that you manage travel transactions through the business travel life cycle.  Reports are for everyone and not just for the business analyst role who is doing trend analysis and/or metrics for the unit.  You can use the following tools to find transactions and take action to ensure the travel is reconciled and closed within Workday.
  • Role: Traveler (only)
    • My Spend Authorizations
    • My Expense Reports
  • Role: Traveler/EDES/Approvers/Service Center
    • Find Spend Authorization (Summary and Detail)
    • Find Expense Report (Summary and Detail)
  • Workday Reporting Section at the Administrative Resource Center (ARC) There is a Reporting Overview and the following job aids to assist you with using reports in Workday.
    • Running a Workday Report
    • Saving and Using Report Criteria Filters
    • Scheduling a Workday Report
    • Using Workday Report Output

October 2022 - Office Hours Summary

Updates:

  • Travel Office Hours - Offered 1st Tuesday of each month from 10-11:30 a.m. with summary posted at Travel Website (under News). 
  • New! Introduction to Business Travel at OSU - A 10-minute introductory session is now available for OSU employees who travel or employees who arrange travel for others. Units are encouraged to share Introduction to Business Travel at OSU with new employees (or those who have busy schedules) for a high-level overview of Business Travel.  The brief session includes important policy highlights, useful resources, and directions on where to get help.
  • Coming Soon…New Travel Course - Another training offering is coming soon that will complement the existing self-guided curriculum in BuckeyeLearn titled Business Travel Life Cycle.  This new course is recommended for frequent travelers or arrangers who coordinate complex travel on behalf of others.  Registration is required. It will include detailed information on the 4 business travel life cycle modules with interactive demonstrations and discussion (Full day with breaks and extended lunch)
  • Updated External Committee Member (ECM) Job Aid – The steps to make changes to an ECM have been added to the existing job aid now titled ECM – Find|Create|Change an External Committee Member.
  • Updated Cash Advance Routing- Effective 9/1/22, when a Spend Authorization has a cash advance request, the Service Center Lead role (Non-OSP and OSP funding) will now have a more active role to approve/deny eligibility of cash advance against policy and will come right after the Cost Center Manager (CCM) in the business approval process.
    • You cannot close a Spend Authorization when a cash advance has not been reconciled.
    • You must reconcile the cash advance within 30 days of return date of the trip.
  • Student Travel Grants – If there is no university defined business purpose and the award is applied to their student statement of account or paid through a Miscellaneous Payment, a Spend Authorization is NOT required.
    • If there is a university defined business purpose and the award is transferred to a funding source to process expense reports, then a Spend Authorization is required.  NOTE: the student can use the contracted agency for airfare prepayment with an approved Spend Authorization number.

Reminders:

  • Airfare Expense Report Processing – Travel Office will enter the Expense Report for your airfare prepaid through our contracted travel agency – Corporate Travel Planners (CTP).  Do not cancel or send back these Expense Reports.  The Service Center (UNIV) or Cost Center Manager (Health Systems) is responsible for:
    • Changing Worktags (if applicable)
    • Verifying any personal travel combined with business (including cost comparison adjustments)
    • Reviewing for policy requirements
    • Approving in a timely manner (including Traveler certification)
  • Enterprise & National Car Rental Rate Increase - Effective October 19; rates on the Business Summary located on the Travel website will be updated soon.
  • CONUS/OCONUS Rates Updated in Workday The federal rates for lodging and meals & incidentals have been updated in Workday.
  • Phone Numbers in Emails Make sure you provide your phone number when emailing the Travel Office mailbox (travel@osu.edu) with issues that require immediate discussion. It is also helpful to have your phone number listed in your Workday profile.

Topic: Travel Tools – Transaction Oversight:

  • Travel ToolsIt is expected that you manage travel transactions through the business travel life cycle.  Reports are for everyone and not just for the business analyst role who is doing trend analysis and/or metrics for the unit.  You can use the following tools to find transactions and take action to ensure the travel is reconciled and closed within Workday.
    • Role: Traveler (only)
      • My Spend Authorizations
      • My Expense Reports
    • Role: Traveler/EDES/Approvers/Service Center
      • Find Spend Authorization (Summary and Detail)
      • Find Expense Report (Summary and Detail)
  • Workday Reporting Section at the Administrative Resource Center (ARC)There is a Reporting Overview and the following job aids to assist you with using reports in Workday.
    • Running a Workday Report
    • Saving and Using Report Criteria Filters
    • Scheduling a Workday Report
    • Using Workday Report Output

 

September 2022 - Office Hours Summary

Updates:

  • Travel Office Hours - Offered 1st Tuesday of each month from 10-11:30 a.m. with summary posted at Travel Website (under News). 
  • New! Introduction to Business Travel at OSU - A 10-minute introductory session is now available for OSU employees who travel or employees who arrange travel for others. Units are encouraged to share Introduction to Business Travel at OSU with new employees (or those who have busy schedules) for a high-level overview of Business Travel.  The brief session includes important policy highlights, useful resources, and directions on where to get help.
  • Coming Soon…New Travel Course - Another training offering is coming soon that will complement the existing self-guided curriculum in BuckeyeLearn titled Business Travel Life Cycle.  This new course is recommended for frequent travelers or arrangers who coordinate complex travel on behalf of others.  Registration is required. It will include detailed information on the 4 business travel life cycle modules with interactive demonstrations and discussion (Full day with breaks and extended lunch)
  • Business Process Change (Univ Only) - Effective August 30, Spend Authorizations that have a cash advance will be re-routed to the Service Center lead prior to the Department Leader in the workflow approval process. The Service Center will be responsible for checking for appropriateness and eligibility against policy and will have the ability to send back the Spend Authorization if necessary.
  • Personal Check Box on the Expense Report - Effective July 22, validation was added Workday to prevent Expense Report submission when the ‘Personal Expense’ checkbox is selected. When  Personal Travel is Purchased in Connection with Business Travel (Airfare) follow this job aid at the Administration Resource Center (ARC) - Repayment Process for Personal Expense Charged to University Payment Tools (PCard)

 

Reminders:

  • Airfare Expense Report Processing – Travel Office will enter the Expense Report for your airfare prepaid through our contracted travel agency – Corporate Travel Planners (CTP).  Do not cancel or send back these Expense Reports.  The Service Center (UNIV) or Cost Center Manager (Health Systems) is responsible for:
    • Changing Worktags (if applicable)
    • Verifying any personal travel combined with business (including cost comparison adjustments)
    • Reviewing for policy requirements
    • Approving in a timely manner (including Traveler certification)
  • Truck Rental via Car Rental Agencies – Truck reservations must be done over the phone with the contracted car rental agency. Contact the Travel Office to obtain the appropriate agency discount code and phone number to complete the reservation.  
  • Contracted Travel Agencies – Use the contracted agencies throughout the trip for assistance with cancellations/delays. Visit Contact a Travel Agent to obtain contact information and after-hours agent information. This contact information can also be found at the top of your travel itinerary.
  • Spend Authorization Approval - Spend Authorizations must be in approved status PRIOR to purchasing airfare on the university’s ghost credit card with any of the contracted travel agencies. We are tracking areas that purchase without authority.
  • External Committee Member (ECM) – You MUST enter an address when creating an External Committee Member (non-employee/guest) in Workday to avoid system errors and payment delays.  See ECM – Create an External Committee Member job aid for step-by-step instructions.  This job aid also contains how to create an ECM for Group Travel.

 

August 2022 - Office Hours Summary - Special Edition

SPECIAL EDITION:  Travel Challenges 2022 - OSU Partners Discussion

OSU travel partners, Corporate Travel Planners (CTP), Hertz Car Rental and Southwest Airlines were in attendance to discuss travel challenges, share some insight and recommendations to improve the business travel experience in spite of these challenges.  

  • Travelers should anticipate industry wide impacts to the travel experience - when appropriate, choose a virtual option.
  • OSU Travel Partners are doing their best to monitor and communicate with travelers but here are some things to think about or expect when traveling.
    • Higher Costs
    • Long lines at airport and car rental locations
    • Lengthy hold times with travel suppliers
    • Staffing shortages with airlines, hotels and airport facilities
    • Airline delays and cancellations
    • Rental car limited fleet
  • Preparation Considerations:
    • Reset “normal” expectations
    • Install airline/rental car app – this can assist with real time notifications and save time at check out for a rental car
    • Pack extra items (e.g. snacks, prescriptions) in your carryon bag
    • Plan for extension of services (e.g. pet/child care)
    • Complete airline check-in guidelines on your itinerary
    • Check your flight status before departing for airport

Southwest Airlines Discussion

  • Southwest Staffing Update
    • Southwest Airlines hit a major milestone in June – growing their total, active full-time Employee base to more than 61,000, which is higher than the number of Southwest Employees pre-pandemic at the end of 2019
    • Since January, Southwest hired nearly 10,000 new Employees across the Company, with the vast majority of those hired into operational roles.​​​​​​
  • Prior to Travel - Southwest Recommendations
    • Try to arrive to airport on time...Southwest will do their best to still get the flight out at scheduled departure time
    • When planning your trip, give yourself ample time before your event to arrive to your destination (consider your connections and possible delays)
    • Download the Southwest Airlines mobile app, check-in 24hrs before your flight, and make sure you download your boarding pass prior to arriving at the airport
    • Check your flight status prior to leaving for the airport, and arrive at the airport 2hrs before scheduled departure, especially if you’re checking a bag
      • Check out www.tsa.gov/precheck to learn how you can enroll in TSA PreCheck
      • Ensure your liquids abide by TSA’s 3-1-1 rule: 3.4oz, fit in 1 quart-sized bag, 1 bag per Passenger
      • If you’re travelling in a Group, assign a point person to work with the Customer Service Agent for boarding passes and assistance checking luggage 
      • Never place medicine, keys, wallet, or any must-have item in your checked luggage
      • Pack a jacket in your carryon so you can remain comfortable
      • Charge all your devices and travel with a charger, even for day trips
      • Bring a refillable water bottle so you’re not relying on purchasing one at the airport
  • During Travel – Southwest Recommendations
    • If you encounter an irregular operation (e.g., delay or cancellation), our auto-re-accommodation system will place you on the next available flight to your final destination – check your Southwest app to see what flight you’ve been re-accommodated to, and what alternate flights might be available (if necessary)
      • If there’s a different flight you’d like to take that’s available, try first to change your flight via the Southwest app
      • If you aren’t able to change via the app, call OSU’s contracted travel agency for additional assistance. If the OSU contracted travel agency is unable to assist, go to the ticket counter at your gate and a Customer Service Agent will be able to provide an alternate solution
      • In the event you have to cancel your flight or take a different form of transportation to your final destination, Southwest will refund your Southwest ticket, or you can keep the flight credit for future use
      • Southwest can offer accommodations to help travelers impacted by irregular operations, depending on what type of delay or cancellation they’re experiencing (e.g., mechanical vs. weather)
      • Patience is key. In the airport and while onboard, be patient with employees while they work to assist you
      • If you incur any unexpected expenses (hotel, car rental, food purchases) as a result of a flight disruption, save your receipts for potential reimbursement
      • Remember…weather on the ground is not always indicative of the weather at 30k feet; airlines are also impacted by Air Traffic Control staff shortages which is not within the airline's control.
  • Post Travel – Recommendations
    • If you need assistance post-travel, your contracted travel agencies at CTP and Anthony Travel are your main points of contact
      • OSU contracted travel agencies have access to Southwest's exclusive Premier Partner Desk where a dedicated team of agents are ready to support your business travel needs
      • In the event Southwest wasn’t able to get your to your final destination due to irregular operations:
        • Southwest can refund the full portion of the unused ticket back to the original form of payment 
        • Flight credits may also be held for future use, and as of July 28, 2022, they never expire
      • If you still made it to your final destination, but you encountered a lengthy delay or other flight disruption:
        • Reach out to your contracted travel agencies, and we’ll do our best to extend a gesture for a more positive experience
        • In most scenarios, our Premier Partner Desk Account Managers will work with our Finance Team for reimbursements incurred as a result to cancellation or significant flight disruption

Hertz Rental Car Discussion

  • Latest Update on Rental Car Industry
    • Global Microchip shortage continues to impact Rental Car Industry
    • Industry vehicle availability is limited during summer peaks
    • Remain ultra-focused on maintenance and providing clean and safe vehicle
    • 24 - hour check-in and exit pass- available with mobile app
    • Vehicles might have higher mileage than before
    • One-way rentals might be harder to find. More expensive.
  • Renting Reminders
    • Make your reservation early
    • Download app for fast and easy account access
    • Add flight information to your reservation
    • Confirm airport and rental location business hours as they might have changed with staffing shortages
    • If your travel plans change, make sure to change your reservation
    • Check-In requirements:
      • The name on the reservation must match the person picking up the vehicle.
      • Credit card in your name
      • Valid driver’s license that matches the name on the credit card
      • Buck-ID or OSU affiliated validation

July 2022 - Office Hours Summary

Updates:

  • Travel Office Hours - Offered 1st Tuesday of each month from 10-11:30 a.m. with summary posted at Travel Website (under News). 
  • Airfare Prepayment Card Selection with CTP
    • Effective July 1, 2022, there is only 1 airfare prepayment credit card to select when purchasing airfare through the contracted travel agency (CTP) or their online booking tool (Concur).
  • Airfare Transaction Expense Report Processing
    • Effective July 1, 2022, the Travel Office absorbed the process of expensing prepaid airfare transactions purchased through CTP or Concur. This does not include Athletics or Group airfare transactions.
      • The Service Center (UNIV) or Cost Center Manager (HS) is responsible for:
        • Changing Worktags (if applicable)
        • Verifying personal travel (including cost comparison adjustments)
        • Reviewing for other policy requirements
        • Approving in a timely manner (including Traveler certification)
  • Spend Authorization Mass Close
    • Beginning in July 2022 and annually thereafter, the Travel Office will be conducting the Spend Authorization Mass Close process to release pre-encumbrances on aged (1 year from header return date) Spend Authorizations.
      • To ensure proper closure of eligible Spend Authorizations, units are responsible for:
        • Cancelling any “draft” or “in progress” Spend Authorizations that are not intended for approval
        • Cancelling any “draft” or “in progress” Expense Reports that are not intended for approval
      • In July 2022, any Spend Authorization with a return date of July 2021 or before will meet the aged criteria.
  • Southwest CreditsFor a limited time and first-come-first served basis, credits are available through full service agent with an approved SA# at Corporate Travel Planners (INDV business travel) or Anthony Travel (Athletic business travel).
  • Southwest Airlines’ New Fare Class Wanna Get Away Plus fare class may be more expensive but is transferrable to another traveler if needed.  Travel policy states to select the most economic option that meets the business need.  If you need more information, contact one of the university's contracted agencies.
  • NEW Travel Training Opportunities Coming Soon! Online courses are not for everyone…soon we'll deliver more interactive training with an opportunity for an in-person workshop that will assist all travelers and travel arrangers with understanding the business travel life cycle and available resources.

Reminders:

  • Federal Mileage Rate Increased to 62.5 cents/mile for Remainder of 2022 - If you have travel that overlaps or spans between both timeframes, you’ll need to enter two separate lines (same expense item) with different rates/amounts on the Expense Report in Workday.
  • Don’t Use Personal Checkbox on Expense ReportsThe inappropriate use of the personal checkbox is creating downstream accounting issues.  Workday fix is expected in mid July.
  • Visit the ADA Coordinator’s Office website (https://ada.osu.edu) to request a travel accommodation.
    • Complete and submit a Travel Accommodation Request Form
      • Do not upload any personal or HIPPA restricted documentation to Workday...simply add a comment that you have the ADA approved documentation available for audit validation.  
      • If for some reason a CTP agent needs clarification, they can reach out to the Travel Office for approval but shouldn’t hold up procuring airfare. 
  • Key Task – Running Travel (SA/ER) Reports - We have been talking about travel reports in our last few sessions regarding the types of reports, how to run, benefits of using them, latest updates and enhancements.  We hope you are more comfortable running these reports and incorporating them into your weekly tasks to properly monitor your workload.

July Discussion Topic/Demo – Travel Summer/Fall 2022

  • Travelers should anticipate industry wide impacts to the travel experience - when possible, choose a virtual option.
  • Our Travel Partners are doing their best to monitor and communicate with travelers but here are some things to think about or expect when traveling.
    • Higher Costs
    • Long lines at airport and car rental locations
    • Lengthy hold times with travel suppliers
    • Staffing shortages with airlines, hotels and airport facilities
    • Airline delays and cancellations
    • Rental car limited fleet
  • What can travelers do to prepare for travel?
    • Reset “normal” expectations
    • Install airline/rental car app – this can assist with real time notifications and save time at check out for a rental car.
    • Pack extra items (e.g. snacks, prescriptions)
    • Plan for extension of personal services (e.g. pet/child care).
    • Complete airline check-in guidelines on your itinerary
    • Check your flight status before departing for airport

Next month…we will be inviting our travel partners (Travel Agency, Airline and Car Rental representatives) to provide a current industry update and how we can be better prepared for traveling in the coming year.

 

June 2022 - Office Hours Summary

Updates:

  • Travel Office Hours - Offered 1st Tuesday of each month from 10-11:30 a.m. with summary posted at Travel Website (under News). 
  • Workday Homepage – Configure your saved categories to include “Expenses” for searching of travel transactions with new homepage format.
  • BuckeyeLearnNew encumbrance training titled Commitments and Obligations with a Spend Authorization component – Any terminology updates will be completed on travel related job aids.
  • Workday Travel ReportsThree Spend Authorization Reports to be decommissioned on June 30, 2022. Users with saved filters and worklet configurations for the following reports are asked to delete them prior to the decommission date of June 30, 2022. Saved filters can be applied to the new reports in early June.
    • Find Spend Authorizations – OSU; New version – Find Spend Authorization Summary - OSU
    • Find Spend Authorization Lines; New version – Find Spend Authorization Details - OSU
    • Find Spend Authorization Lines for Organization
  • Workday Assistance – Travel Office hosting a Travel Year-End Working Session – June 10, 2022 from 1pm - 2:30pm.

Reminders:

  • No roll forward of pre-encumbrances/commitments with Spend Authorizations
    • Wait to enter Travel Blanket requests until July for FY23
    • When possible, enter Spend Authorizations and Expense Reports in the same fiscal year to minimize accounting impact
    • If a spend authorization and corresponding expense report(s) cross fiscal years, the Spend Authorization is still usable, but this will incorrectly reflect your pre-encumbrances/commitments (over or understated) in the General Ledger
    • ONLY 1 Spend Authorization number per traveler for a trip!

June Discussion Topic/Demo - Year-End Activities

Why is it so important to complete year-end activities?

  • ​​​​​​It is policy…travel transactions create pre-encumbrances and expenses that affect ledger accounts, and they must be reconciled. ​​​​​​
  • When accounting transactions are complete, units can manage budgets and know available balances to make financial decisions.
  • Meet Office of Sponsored Program grant deadlines
  • Expense PCard transactions – we already paid the bank but need to internally move that expense to the appropriate worktags
  • Prepare for Mass Spend Authorization Close - July

 

Review FY22 Year-End Close Review Checklist for Finance and Supply Chain at the Controller’s website:

  • Run Reports to identify transactions to be processed
    • Credit Card Transactions – OSU (to identify transactions not yet on an expense report and those in ‘draft’ or ‘in progress’ status)
    • My/Find Expense Reports - OSU (to identify transactions on an expense report in ‘draft’ or ‘in progress’ status)
    • My/Find Spend Authorizations - Detail (to identify transactions that need to be cancelled or closed)
    • Airfare and PCard Transactions assigned by 6/16/2022 must be expensed (submitted and approved) by 6/30/2022
    • Spend Authorizations and Expense Reports must be processed as appropriate (e.g., Create, Submit, Approve, Cancel and/or Close)

 

May 2022 - Office Hours Summary

UPDATES:

  • Travel Office Hours - Offered 1st Tuesday of each month from 10-11:30 a.m. with summary posted at Travel Website (under News).  Stay tuned for updates regarding moving to Zoom platform.
  • Airline Industry Update – Be prepared for delays and cancellations this summer due to a pilot shortage.  Allow ample time between flight connections (at least 4 hours for international flights).
  • Workday Updates at the Spend Authorization:
    • ​For lines with airfare, the Travel Agency field is required.  Do not enter the airline name or other/unrelated content. Instructional text was added to assist in entering the following correct options into this field.
      • 'Corporate Travel Planners (CTP)' must be entered for Individual Business Travel
      • 'ScholarTrip' must be entered for Group Business Travel (10+ travelers with same itinerary) 
      • 'Anthony Travel' must be entered for Athletic Business/Team Travel
      • 'Other' should be entered if guest/student does not use the above referenced agency

REMINDERS:

  • Individual Business Travel – CTP’s Online Booking Tool (Concur):
    • Access to Concur is for active EMPLOYEES only – a travel arranger can book for non-employees (students and/or guests) or they can always contact a full-service agent for booking.
    • All required fields in the profile of the traveler and travel arrangers must be complete for system to work properly.
    • Frequent Flyer Program IDs must be exactly as they appear on your card.  No special characters (e.g., *,/,&).
    • TSA Pre-Check Number (aka Known Traveler Number) – No guarantee for expedited screening (airport dependent).

DISCUSSION TOPICS:

Blanket Spend Authorizations are used to track and reimburse (in-state) transportation expenses like mileage, parking, rental car, gasoline and tolls for an individual per fiscal year.

Workday Fields Unique to Blanket Spend Authorizations:

  • Begin entering travel blankets on or after July 1st so funds are encumbered in FY23 (do not change budget date field)
  • Travel Start/End Dates
    • UNIV: July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023
    • OSP: Based on grant open/close dates
  • Business Purpose = Blanket
  • Expense Items = Mileage (local trips), Car Rental (Extended trips), Gasoline (for rental vehicle), parking, toll, etc. No overnight hotel accommodations-this would require a unique spend authorization.
  • Amount – Estimate high; do not want to run out of funds before the end date of travel.
  • Cost Comparisons – when destinations are known, cost comparison documentation between mileage and rental car can be attached to show cost variance.

Expense Reports against Blanket Spend Authorizations:

  • Blanket spend authorizations usually have at least multiple expense reports (depending on how many times throughout the year the traveler is reimbursed – keep in mind the 60-day reimbursement deadline per policy).  All linked expense reports will be in the Spend Authorization Details section of the header.
  • Remember not to check “Final ER for SA” checkbox until the last expense report (spend authorizations cannot be re-opened in Workday).
  • You can also choose to Close the Spend Authorization to unencumber all unused funds at the end of the blanket period.

April 2022 - Office Hours Summary

UPDATES:

  • Travel Office Hours - Offered 1st Tuesday of each month from 10-11:30 a.m. with summary posted at Travel Website (under News).  Stay tuned for updates regarding moving to Zoom platform.
  • Travel Website - “Contact the OSU Travel Office” button has been added to the travel office website, so customers do not have to scroll down to our Contact Us section when needing to email the travel office with questions.
  • Unused Tickets 
    • Fare rules will differ by airline and by the actual fare purchased:
    • Refundable fare is returned to original form of payment
    • Non-refundable fare routes to profile as credit voucher for future business use
    • Basic economy fare has no refund or credit
    • Non-legacy airlines have complex rules for cancellation
    • Must use credit before expiration (both purchase and travel by)
  • Workday Updates at the Spend Authorization:
    • ​For lines with airfare, the Travel Agency field is required.  Do not enter the airline name or other/unrelated content.
      • 'Corporate Travel Planners (CTP)' must be entered for Individual Business Travel
      • 'ScholarTrip' must be entered for Group Business Travel (10+ travelers with same itinerary) 
      • 'Anthony Travel' must be entered for Athletic Business/Team Travel
      • 'Other' should be entered if guest/student does not use the above referenced agency
  • Workday Update for Administrators: If an administrator is going on vacation or leave, they can set up a Delegation in Workday to assign transactions (or tasks) to other individuals for a short period of time.  See Delegation job aid at the Administration Resource Center (ARC) for step-by-step instructions.

REMINDERS:

  • Travel Policy: Employees are required to procure airfare from our contracted travel agencies.
    • Between the continued impact of COVID and political unrest in Ukraine-the University will continue to prioritize duty of care over cost.  The university will continue to evaluate.
    • Encouraged for students and guests
    • All subsequent airfare due to itinerary changes must be procured through contracted agency for airfare compliance; visibility to flights – coordination of emergency plan.
    • Each traveler will be granted an exemption up to a maximum of two times during their employment (e.g., lifetime maximum).
  • Contracted Travel Agencies (Airfare): Employees are required to procure airfare from the university's contracted travel agencies.
    • Individual Business Travel - Corporate Travel Planners (CTP)
    • Group Business Travel (10+ same itinerary) – ScholarTrip
    • Athletic Business Travel – Anthony Travel
  • Contracted Rental Car Agencies: Travelers are required to procure rental car services from the university's contracted rental car agencies.
    • All Business Travel – Enterprise, National or Hertz
    • Includes required insurance in discounted rate

DISCUSSION TOPICS:

Workday Travel Reports – All reports are being analyzed for opportunities to leverage functionality to reduce the number of reports or make enhancements for overall better user experience.  Any changes or enhancements will be communicated via NewsLink.

Spend Authorization Reports 

  • My Spend Authorization (Traveler) - answers the question “Where can I find a list of my spend authorizations?”
  • Find Spend Authorization – OSU (Traveler and/or EDES) - answers the question “Where can I find a list of spend authorizations that I created for someone else?”
  • Find Spend Authorization Lines - answers the question “Where can I find a list of spend authorizations for my Unit (Cost Center Hierarchy)?”

Expense Reports 

  • My Expense Reports (Traveler) - answers the question “Where can I find a list of my expense reports?”
  • Find Expense Reports – OSU (Traveler and/or EDES) - answers the question “Where can I find a list of expense reports that I created for someone else?”
  • Find Expense Report Lines - answers the question “Where can I find a list of expense reports for my Unit (Cost Center Hierarchy)?”

Historical Reporting (Pre-Workday data from eTravel)

  • Data located in the Reporting and Analytics Environment (RAE)
  • See Historical eTravel Reports in Tableau job aid in the Administrative Resource Center (ARC)
    • Travel Request Data
    • Payment Request Data
    • Exception Report Data

March 2022 - Office Hours Summary

UPDATES:

  • Workday Updates at the Spend Authorization:
    • ​For lines with airfare, the Travel Agency field is required.  Do not enter the airline name or other/unrelated content.
      • 'Corporate Travel Planners (CTP)' must be entered for Individual Business Travel
      • 'ScholarTrip' must be entered for Group Business Travel (10+ travelers with same itinerary) 
      • 'Anthony Travel' must be entered for Athletic Business/Team Travel
      • 'Other' should be entered if guest/student does not use the above referenced agency
  • Corporate Travel Planners (CTP/Concur) - issue resolutions:
    • A new phone system has been implemented that offers a call back feature during periods of where call volume is high.  If you elect not to hold for an agent, you can select prompt for a call back when an agent is available.
    • Increased agents assigned to the OSU account to accommodate the uptick in travel since the university's suspension.
    • Concur Online Booking Tool issues resolved with unused credit records and trip itinerary library restored.
  • Spend Authorization or Expense Report: Be sure to provide a complete Business Purpose in the Justification field in the header of the Spend Authorization.  The Justification (also known as the policy required Business Purpose) must answer who, what, when and most importantly how/why the trip benefits the mission of the university.  When applicable, you should include attendee list (name, affiliation, title) and other supporting documentation. Do not be vague and spell out acronyms. Refer to the Travel Policy for more details.
  • Expense Report:  When processing an Expense Report for travel related expenses, be sure to tie the Expense Report to the Spend Authorization.  This is accomplished by selecting the correct Spend Authorization (associated with the traveler) at the Expense Report header.  For specific guidance, refer to Step 2 in the Create an Expense Report (Travel) job aid at the ARC.

DISCUSSION TOPICS:

Closing a Spend Authorization

Closing a Spend Authorization officially documents the trip and associated expenses have been completed, formally unencumbers funds estimated for the trip and prevents any additional expenses from being applied.

  • Options to close a Spend Authorization include:
    • (End User) Select "Final" ER checkbox in the last expected Expense Report to be processed against the Spend Authorization
    • (End User) Manually close the Spend Authorization
    • (Central Office) Allow the Spend Authorization to be batched to close by annual central process
  • Reasons to close a Spend Authorization
    • Trip cancelled before departure date (and after Spend Authorization approval) with no expenses to apply to an Expense Report.
    • Trip completed with no expenses to apply to an Expense Report.
    • Trip completed with no expenses to apply to an Expense Report and any prepaid expenses (e.g. airfare on ghost card) have been fully expensed with an Expense Report in “Paid” status.

February 2022 - Office Hours Summary

UPDATES:

  • Decommission of eTravel and eRequest Systems - Access historical data (pre-Workday) in Tableau Server.  See Job Aids at the ARC for access and guidance.
  • Unused Airline Credits - Travelers/Arrangers encouraged to utilize unused airline credits before expiration.  Traveler/Arranger responsible for tracking unused credits that result from eligible flight cancellations and using for future authorized business travel.  Consult your unit's SFO for available credits from 2020 cancellations for your area Arrange use of unused airline credits with the university's contracted agency.  Some credits may (airline dependent) be transferrable to other university business travelers.
  • Payment Options for Hotel - Hotel payment options are limited to PCard or personal credit card (reimbursement).  No direct bill is available through the university's contracted agency.
  • Travel Communication with "Do Not Reply" Senders - Email communication sent from automated systems with "Do Not Reply" in the sender name are not monitored for response.  Refer to Itinerary or reservation documentation for contact resources.
  • ECM Set-up - (1) Non-Work ECM must have appropriate Country (Citizenship) selected (particularly for NRA) and (2) Group ECM must use the Committee Name "Expense for Group Travel".  See Job Aid at the ARC for guidance.

DISCUSSION TOPICS:

Risk Management Discussion (Guest Speakers) 

  • Resources
    • Visit Website for more information (updates and FAQs coming soon)
    • Contact:  Stacey Houser (Director of Risk Management & Insurance) or Terry Rodeman (Insurance Administrator)
  • Rental Car vs. Personal Vehicle (Business Use)
    • Rental Car is recommended as the most economic option that provides required insurance for business travel.
    • Risks and personal liability should be considered when electing to drive a personal vehicle for business travel.
    • Refer to Travel Policy and FAQs for more guidance.
  • Airbnb vs. Commercial Lodging (Business Use)
    • Commercial Lodging with single occupancy room per business traveler is recommended option for safety and liability reasons.
    • Risks and personal liability should be considered when electing to reserve Airbnb for business travel.
    • Refer to Travel PolicyFAQs or contact Risk Management for more guidance.
  • COVID Safety and Liability 

Selecting Applicable Airfare Payment Card for Individual Business Travel (CTP)

  • With all airfare bookings with CTP, traveler/arranger must designate whether this is for sponsored (OSP/grant funded) or non-sponsored (University funded) travel.
  • If booking with full service agent by phone/email, you should be asked "sponsored or non-sponsored" - your response will dictate the applicable university credit card for the purchase.
  • If booking in Concur (CTP's online booking tool), you must indicate "sponsored or non-sponsored" at purchase by card selection and on the final submission prompt page.
  • Contact the Travel Office if uncertain.

Checklist for Trip Changes or Cancellation

  • If Trip is Cancelled, Postponed or Converted to Virtual Event
    • Contact travel agency to amend or cancel airfare (based on fare rules, may result in voucher, credit refund or additional airline fees for rebooking)
    • Contact hotel, car rental agency or conference host to amend or cancel reservations (refer to cancellation policies)
    • Submit an Expense report for any expenses or credit refunds
    • As applicable to status, Close or Cancel Spend Authorization to unencumber other expense line estimates
      • If trip rescheduled, a new Spend Authorization should be generated
      • If virtual event, refer to unit requirements for Business Leave

January 2022 - Office Hours Summary

UPDATES:

  • Travel Office Hours - Offered 1st Tuesday of each month from 10-11:30 a.m. with summary posted at Travel Website (under News). 
  • Mileage Rate Update - Effective January 1, 2022, the mileage reimbursement rate increased to 58.5 cents per mile. 
  • Business Leave - Effective January 10, a new optional process has been developed for employee business leave using Workday’s Request Process (see NewsLink and Job Aid).  ​This could be used for faculty/staff that are attending non-travel events (e.g., virtual conference or meeting) and will be away from routine work schedules. Do not use Spend Authorization for non-travel authorization.

DISCUSSION TOPICS:

Travel Steps Summary:

  • Review FY2022 Travel Guidelines
  • Plan Business Travel: Review travel policy, planning guides and gather trip estimates
  • Generate a Spend Authorization (SA) for travel approval in Workday
    • An approved SA required before purchasing travel expenses (e.g., airfare) and before departure
    • See Job Aid at the ARC.
  • Refer to the Travel Website to book/reserve travel expenses:
    • Contact one of the contracted travel agencies to book airfare (required)
      • CTP – Individual Business Travel (or login to Concur)
      • ScholarTrip – Group Business Travel (10+ same itinerary)
      • Anthony Travel – Athletic Business/Team Travel
    • Contact one of the contracted travel agencies to reserve hotel
    • Review business travel discounts options
  • Enter an Expense Report (tied to an approved SA) in Workday
    • Expensing a prepayment (OSU Airfare Card or PCard)
      • Select the credit card charge/credit from the credit card transaction section to pull the information to the expense line and the amount will be indicated as “company paid” and thus correctly expensed.
      • Upload the receipt documentation that shows method of payment and paid amount.
    • Requesting a reimbursement
      • Enter your expenses and the total amount will be indicated as “reimbursement” and thus correctly expensed.
      • Upload the receipt documentation that shows method of payment and paid amount.
    • See Job Aid at the ARC.

*Refer to Business Travel Life Cycle Curriculum for comprehensive training.

Approvers Checklist for SA and ER

  • Review any alerts
  • Review justification or purpose of trip
  • Review any cash advance requests for eligibility and appropriateness
  • Review attachments and comments
  • Review worktags