Office Hours Summary (FY27)

Travelers who require disability-related travel accommodations that exceed standard travel policy requirements must work with the ADA Coordinator's Office for approval. When an approved accommodation results in a higher-cost airfare, Anthony Travel routes the request to the Travel Office for verification before booking. The Travel Office reviews the request against approved accommodation records and, if verified, authorizes Anthony Travel to proceed with the booking.

To improve transparency and streamline Expense Report review, the Travel Office will now add a comment to Expense Reports involving approved ADA travel accommodations. This notation confirms that the airfare exception was reviewed and authorized through the established accommodation process, reducing the need for additional documentation during Service Center review.

Questions regarding accommodation eligibility should be directed to the ADA Coordinator's Office.

The university's suspension of travel to and transit through designated restricted countries in the Middle East remains in effect until further notice. University leadership continues to monitor conditions and evaluate the need for any future changes to the restriction.

• As a reminder, Spend Authorizations involving restricted destinations are subject to an initial review by the Travel Office or Global Health & Safety before entering the normal approval process. In addition, university-contracted travel agencies and Concur are configured to restrict bookings involving designated restricted countries, helping support compliance with university travel requirements.
• Global Health & Safety is developing a formal exception review process that will allow certain travel requests to be evaluated based on trip-specific circumstances, risk factors, and available mitigation measures. For approved exceptions, the Travel Office will coordinate with the university's travel agencies to facilitate booking through a full-service travel agent.
• Travelers considering travel to a restricted destination should contact Global Health & Safety as early as possible to allow sufficient time for risk assessment, review, approvals, and travel planning.
• Units hosting international guests should also be aware that costs associated with extended stays, travel delays, evacuations, or other unexpected travel disruptions remain the responsibility of the hosting unit.

Questions regarding exception requests may be directed to ghs@osu.edu.

University Travel Policy requires faculty and staff business airfare to be booked through Anthony Travel (or their online booking tool, Concur). The information below explains how access to Concur and Anthony Travel is determined and what to do if direct booking access is unavailable.

Access to Concur and Anthony Travel is determined through a standardized weekly HR feed based on an individual's Workday employment classification. As employment status changes, individuals may be automatically added to or removed from the travel booking systems. Because these booking channels are connected to university payment methods, including the Airfare Credit Card, eligibility standards are applied consistently based on Workday HR data to help safeguard university resources and support appropriate use of university-funded travel.

If an individual cannot access the booking tools, two common issues should be reviewed:

• HR Status: Full-time employees and retirees with an active status are generally included in the travel system feed. Part-time employees, contingent workers, and retirees without an active status are not eligible for direct booking access and must work through a unit arranger.
• Special Characters in Names: Some travel systems do not support special characters even though Workday does. In certain cases, special characters may prevent an otherwise eligible employee from loading into the booking environment. Employees may choose to update their name in Workday or continue working through a unit arranger for travel bookings.

Because access is generated through an automated system process, the Travel Office cannot manually add travelers or override established eligibility requirements. If direct access is unavailable, travelers should coordinate with their unit arranger to make airfare reservations and manage travel bookings. 

When business travel plans change, the financial impact to your department depends on the type of airfare purchased.

• Refundable tickets are typically refunded back to the original form of payment in accordance with airline rules. The Travel Office processes the refund and records it on an Expense Report, returning the funds to the department.
• Non-refundable tickets generally do not provide a refund when canceled. Instead, the ticket value is retained as an unused airline credit that may be applied toward future travel, subject to airline restrictions and expiration rules.

As a reminder, university Travel Policy requires travelers to select the most economical airfare option that meets the business need. In most cases, this is a non-refundable fare. However, when arranging travel for guests, recruits, or other travelers with a higher likelihood of cancellation, a refundable ticket may be a practical option because canceled travel results in funds being returned directly to the department.

When working with an Anthony Travel full-service agent, travelers and arrangers should note that refundable airfare is not automatically offered due to its higher cost. If a refundable fare is desired, it must be specifically requested during the booking process.

When a non-refundable airline ticket is canceled, the value is typically retained as an unused ticket credit associated with the traveler. These credits can often be applied toward future university business travel, but travelers and departments should be mindful of expiration dates.

While Anthony Travel sends reminder notifications approximately 90 and 60 days before a credit expires, travelers and departments are encouraged to proactively monitor outstanding ticket credits. Not all credits remain valid for a full year, and airline rules vary.

It's also important to understand that many credits reside within the traveler's airline profile and may be inadvertently applied to a personal reservation. To ensure credits are used appropriately for university business travel, travelers should work directly with a full-service Anthony Travel agent when redeeming an unused ticket credit. Due to system limitations, Concur should not be used to exchange tickets or apply unused credits.

Before planning to use a credit, verify the airline's specific expiration requirements. In many cases, travel must be completed by the expiration date, not merely booked before that date.

If a traveler cannot use a credit before it expires, another traveler within the same unit may be able to use the value, depending on airline transfer rules and any associated fees. To help preserve unused funds, the Travel Office is also expanding efforts to repurpose eligible ticket credits through the UATP program, supporting student travel and reducing the loss of unused airline value.

Following a competitive bid process and evaluation of alternative consortium opportunities, Ohio State has elected to continue participating in the Inter-University Council (IUC) vehicle rental contract with Enterprise/National and Hertz.

As part of the renewed agreement, updated rental rates will take effect November 1, 2026. While travelers may see a modest increase in rental costs, the contract continues to provide valuable benefits, including business rental insurance coverage and discounted leisure rental rates.

Travelers and arrangers should note that rental rates are determined by the vehicle pick-up date, not the reservation date. For example, a vehicle reserved before November 1 for travel beginning on or after November 1 will be charged at the new contract rates.

When estimating rental costs, remember that some locations, particularly airport rental facilities, may assess additional taxes, fees, and surcharges that are not included in the base contract rate.

Updated rental agency contract summaries will be available on November 1 and will include current rates, covered services, and information regarding location-specific fees and surcharges. Travelers and arrangers are encouraged to review these summaries when planning travel and evaluating rental vehicle costs.

Renting a vehicle outside the United States can involve significantly different requirements than domestic rentals, including local driving laws, insurance requirements, liability standards, and border-crossing restrictions.

Travelers should be aware that the insurance coverage provided through Ohio State's IUC rental agreements with Enterprise, National, and Hertz does not apply when a vehicle is operated outside the United States. This includes vehicles rented internationally as well as vehicles rented in the United States that will be driven across an international border, such as into Canada or Mexico.

Before reserving an international rental vehicle, travelers should contact the rental provider directly to understand any country-specific requirements, insurance obligations, border-crossing restrictions, and documentation needed to legally operate the vehicle. Depending on the destination and rental company, the purchase of additional insurance coverage may be necessary.

When evaluating transportation options abroad, travelers are also encouraged to consider alternatives such as rail travel, public transportation, taxis, and rideshare services. In many international destinations, these options can be more cost-effective, easier to navigate, and may reduce travel-related risks and administrative complexity.

New business mileage reimbursement options were implemented in Workday this week, making it easier for travelers to request reimbursement while better supporting different types of business mileage.

As a reminder, mileage reimbursement is available for authorized university business travel with a documented business purpose, as well as approved business use authorized by a unit. Normal commuting between an employee's home and regular work location remains a personal expense and is not eligible for reimbursement.

• Mileage:  The Mileage expense item is intended for traditional point-to-point business travel, such as driving to conferences, meetings, training events, and other business destinations.  When locations are entered, Workday uses Google Maps functionality to calculate mileage based on the shortest logical route. If actual business miles differ due to traffic, construction, road closures, safety considerations, or other legitimate business reasons, users may override the calculated mileage and enter the appropriate amount. Supporting comments should be provided when adjustments are made.
• Mileage (Blanket):  The Mileage (Blanket) expense item is designed for recurring, authorized business travel that occurs over an extended period. Examples include routine visits to Extension offices or other regularly scheduled business travel throughout the fiscal year. This option requires an approved Blanket Spend Authorization and a completed Mileage Log. Multiple trips may be combined into a single reimbursement request, allowing travelers to submit mileage periodically rather than creating a separate reimbursement for each trip.

With the rollout of the new options, the previous Mileage (Federal Rate) expense item has been designated Do Not Use (DNU). New Spend Authorizations and Expense Reports can no longer be submitted using the old expense item. Existing transactions already in progress will continue to process normally through completion.

To support these changes, the Travel Office has published a new Mileage Guide on the Travel website. The guide provides examples and practical guidance for common and unique mileage scenarios, helping travelers determine the appropriate reimbursement method and mileage calculation.

An updated Mileage Log is also now available for recurring travel reimbursed through the Mileage (Blanket) option. The revised log is designed to simplify documentation and support more efficient reimbursement processing.

When planning business travel, travelers should carefully evaluate whether using a personal vehicle is the most appropriate option for the trip.

While mileage reimbursement is available for authorized university business travel, travelers should understand that operating a personal vehicle for business purposes may involve different risks and responsibilities than driving a university-contracted rental vehicle. In the event of an accident, a traveler's personal auto insurance carrier may need to be involved, and coverage may differ from the protections available through the university's rental car agreements.

Travelers should also remember that the costs and risks associated with vehicle ownership remain the responsibility of the vehicle owner. For example, if a windshield is damaged by road debris during business travel, the cost of repairs or any applicable insurance deductible is the traveler's responsibility. These types of ownership and operating expenses are already included in the mileage reimbursement rate and are not reimbursable as separate expenses.

For some trips, a rental vehicle obtained through the university's contracted suppliers may be the better choice. In addition to negotiated pricing, rentals through the university's agreements include valuable protections such as Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), Loss Damage Waiver (LDW/DW), and liability coverage, helping reduce financial exposure for travelers and departments.

When deciding between a personal vehicle and a rental car, travelers and arrangers should consider factors such as trip distance, duration, overall cost, and potential risk exposure. Taking a few moments to evaluate these considerations can help ensure the selected transportation method best supports both the business need and sound risk management practices.

This oversight process should begin as soon as a PCard is issued. Establishing a regular review routine can help ensure transactions are submitted on time, supported with appropriate documentation, and promptly reviewed for any unauthorized activity.

A valuable tool for managing this process is the Credit Card Transactions - OSU report in Workday. Used by PCardholders, Expense Data Entry Specialists (EDES), and fiscal staff, the report provides detailed transaction information and visibility into transaction status throughout the expense process.

The report can be used to:

• Identify transactions awaiting submission or approval
• Locate reassigned transactions
• Review purchasing activity
• Monitor fiscal year-end processing
• Reconcile activity against monthly bank statements
• Identify transactions that may become overdue

One of the report's most useful features is the ability to quickly identify transactions that have not yet been approved on an Expense Report, allowing PCardholders and support staff to take action before submission deadlines are missed.

As part of routine oversight, PCardholders should also review their monthly bank statements to verify business purchases and identify any unauthorized or potentially fraudulent activity. The Credit Card Transactions - OSU report complements this review by providing additional detail regarding merchants, transaction amounts, approval status, and processing activity.

Access to the report requires either the Expense Data Entry Specialist (EDES) role or the Expense Analyst role in Workday. Individuals needing access should submit a request through OSU IT for the appropriate security role.

As a best practice, PCardholders and their support staff should review the report at least weekly to maintain compliance, support timely expense processing, and help safeguard university resources.

Timely reconciliation of PCard transactions is a shared responsibility between PCardholders and Expense Report approvers. To remain compliant and avoid unnecessary issues, all parties involved should take action promptly when transactions load into Workday.

• PCardholders must submit transactions on an Expense Report within 10 business days of the transaction loading into Workday.
• Approvers should review and process Expense Reports promptly to avoid unnecessary delays and keep transactions moving through the approval process.

Timely submission is especially important because aging transactions can lead to card suspension. When a transaction reaches 60 days without being submitted, warning notifications are issued. If a transaction remains outstanding at 90 days, all cards assigned to that PCardholder will be suspended.

Submission is only the first step. Once an Expense Report has been submitted, everyone involved should make every effort to keep it moving through approvals. Delays often occur after submission, making timely review and approval just as important as timely reconciliation by the cardholder.

In situations requiring additional follow-up, such as missing receipts, disputed charges, sales tax corrections, or amounts owed back to the university, the Expense Report should generally continue through the approval process whenever appropriate. These situations should be evaluated based on risk and materiality, with the goal of resolving exceptions through the appropriate channels without unnecessarily delaying transaction processing.

Units should also remember that they remain responsible for monitoring and reconciling transactions associated with employees who are on leave or who have separated from the university. Outstanding transactions should continue to be processed timely and should not be allowed to age simply because the original cardholder is unavailable.

If you are unsure how to handle a specific situation, contact your Service Center, Service Lead, or the PCard Office for assistance. Staying current with transaction review and approval helps maintain compliance, prevents card suspensions, and supports efficient financial operations across the university.

A reminder that PCard cancellation is a critical part of the employee offboarding process and an important control to help protect university resources.

In accordance with the PCard Policy, cards must be cancelled immediately when a PCardholder:

• Retires
• Terminates employment
• Transfers to another unit
• Assumes duties that no longer require management or use of a PCard

PCard responsibilities cannot be transferred to another employee. Because PCard transactions are tied to the individual cardholder and routed through that employee's Workday profile for reconciliation and audit purposes, a new application must be submitted for any replacement cardholder.

Before a PCardholder leaves a position or becomes ineligible to hold a card, units should ensure all outstanding PCard transactions have been reconciled through an Expense Report. Addressing unreconciled transactions before offboarding can help avoid additional administrative effort and delays after the cardholder's departure.

To review active cards within your area, authorized users can access the Find Credit Cards - OSU report in Workday.

Promptly cancelling unneeded cards and monitoring active accounts helps strengthen internal controls, reduce the risk of unauthorized use, and support compliance with university and banking requirements.

During Office Hours, we discussed the importance of obtaining and retaining receipts at the time of purchase whenever possible. Receipts often provide key details needed to support the business purpose of an expense, demonstrate policy compliance, and facilitate timely review and approval.

Occasionally, receipts may be lost, unavailable, or lack sufficient detail. In these situations, reasonable efforts should be made to obtain replacement documentation from the merchant. However, the level of effort should be proportionate to the nature, risk, and dollar amount of the transaction.

• For lower-dollar, low-risk expenses where a receipt is not available, a documented explanation may be sufficient. For example, if a parking facility does not issue receipts, an explanation supporting the business purpose may adequately support the expense.
• Higher-dollar or higher-risk transactions typically require additional efforts to obtain supporting documentation. At the same time, attempts to obtain missing receipts should be conducted using sound business judgment and should not continue for months in a manner that delays reconciliation and submission of the Expense Report.

When reasonable efforts have been exhausted, documenting the circumstances, noting the actions taken, and processing the transaction as an exception may be the most appropriate path forward.

During Office Hours, we provided a reminder about the appropriate use of itemizations on Expense Reports.

Itemization allows a single expense to be split into multiple expense lines when different portions of the transaction require separate accounting treatment. This may include assigning different expense items, funding sources, or worktags to portions of the expense.

Itemization is not required for every expense and should be used only when a policy requirement, accounting need, or business circumstance necessitates separate reporting or allocation.

Common examples include:

• Business meals that include alcohol: Because alcohol must be charged to an allowable discretionary funding source, the alcohol portion should be itemized separately from the meal expense.
• Hotel folios with multiple charges: Lodging, taxes, parking, internet fees, and other hotel-related expenses may require different expense items or accounting treatment. When applicable, these charges should be itemized rather than reported as a single lodging expense.

As a final reminder, take a moment to review the guidance provided throughout the Spend Authorization and Expense Report processes in Workday.

Instructional text appears throughout these transactions, including at the top of pages and within the details section of individual expense items. These instructions may provide policy reminders, documentation requirements, links to helpful resources, or guidance for completing specific fields and attributes.

When entering expense information, carefully review all instructional text as well as any alerts, warnings, or error messages generated by the system. These messages are designed to help ensure expenses are coded correctly, required information is provided, and policy requirements are met before submission.

It is also important to remember that Workday guidance, field requirements, and system messaging may evolve as new functionality and enhancements are introduced. Even experienced users should take a moment to review the information displayed on the screen rather than relying solely on past experience.

A few extra seconds spent reviewing instructions and system messages can help prevent errors, reduce follow-up questions, and support more efficient expense processing and approval.