Travel Advances

The athletic director or designee is responsible for compliance with National Collegiate Athletic Association regulations when requesting reimbursement for expenses not typically allowable by UTSA. When such expenses are included in a travel advance, the athletic director or designee signature certifies compliance. The department processes a Non-PO Voucher to request a travel advance to a coach for athletic team travel.

A travel advance can be used to pay for the following expenses, regardless of how the travel advance is issued to the traveler (travel advance payment method):

Airfare, lodging and registration expenses are paid using the One Card.

C. Account Codes

The Travel Account Codes job aid provides a list of travel expense account codes.

D. Requesting a Travel Advance

Departments should submit the advance request at least 10 business days prior to the trip departure date to ensure sufficient processing time.

Once approval of the TA has been completed in PeopleSoft, the department prepares a Cash Advance request in PeopleSoft.

If the request is greater than $10,000, the department must prepare a Travel Advance Request (TAR) form to obtain the additional approval of a vice president, dean, vice provost or associate/assistant vice president/dean. The approved TAR must be scanned and attached to the PeopleSoft Cash Advance request.

The Cash Advance request routes electronically in PeopleSoft for the following:

• Traveler/Employee Certification – the employee receiving the advance is required to log into PeopleSoft to certify and agree to the terms of the promissory note
• Supervisor approval
• Disbursements and Travel Services (DTS) approval

To issue a travel advance for student traveler M&IE, departments process a single payment voucher in PeopleSoft for each travel event and attach the signed and approved TAR. The student advance responsible party must also sign the TAR. Use the following expense account codes for student traveler M&IE up to the GSA rates:

• 62304 Travel Student Non-Employee
• 62305 Travel Student Foreign
• 62306 Partial Student Non-Employee
• 62307 Partial Travel Student Non-Employee Foreign

For detailed instructions on processing travel advances, see the Cash Advance Process for Travel and Participant Advances training course.

DTS notifies the travel advance recipient by phone or email when the travel advance is available for pickup (if check), or when it has been processed (typically four business days before the travel start date).

Travel advances issued to employees are paid via direct deposit according to the employee's PeopleSoft HCM (Human Resources/Payroll) system profile.

Travel advances issued on behalf of students and paid via direct deposit are made payable to the student advance responsible party and not the traveling student(s). The student advance responsible party is responsible for providing travel advance funds to the student(s) when needed.

Checks are only issued to faculty, staff and student employees as an exception if approved by the assistant vice president of supply chain or designee under extraordinary circumstances.

If the traveler requests a check, the individual must be set up as a vendor using PaymentWorks.

If payment by check is approved, the traveler must pick up the check at the Fiscal Services office. The traveler must present a valid photo ID upon pickup. A proxy may pick up the check; however, the proxy must present a valid photo ID and sign for receipt of the check on behalf of the traveler.

Travel advances issued on behalf of students and paid via check are made payable to the student advance responsible party, not the traveling student(s). The student advance responsible party is responsible for providing travel advance funds to the student(s) when needed.

The traveler must settle the travel advance within 30 days after returning from travel:

• Via a properly executed Expense Report. The traveler/department must link or associate the Expense Report to the Cash Advance in order to close out the Cash Advance in PeopleSoft. The Expense Report must include all required documentation (including receipts, if applicable). See Financial Guideline — Travel Reimbursement for more information
• By submitting supporting documentation to DTS to clear/close the advance, if the travel advance was processed using a non-PO voucher
• Note: Travel advances processed via single payment vouchers do not need settlement, because the costs are allocated directly to expense codes

Travel advance amounts not settled within 120 days of returning from travel may incur taxation. IRS regulations Section 1.62-2(h)(2) allow an employer to treat unresolved travel advance amounts as taxable income if the traveler does not reconcile and substantiate the advance within a reasonable time period after the travel has been completed. See Financial Guideline — Travel Reimbursement for travel settlement deadlines.

In the event the advance is reported as income and then later cleared, UTSA is not required to return any tax that may have been deducted from the employee's paycheck.

A traveler must settle an outstanding travel advance before a new advance will be authorized.

Travelers must return all other unspent travel advance funds to UTSA. A check or money order must be made payable to UTSA and must be deposited at either Fiscal Services office (Main or Downtown campus). The check should include the traveler's Employee ID, Cash Advance or voucher number, and RTA or TA number.

The traveler must also complete a Deposit Transmittal Form and

• Scan and attach the deposit receipt to the Expense Report in addition to any other supporting documentation; or
• Submit the Deposit Transmittal Form (and any other supporting documentation) to DTS, if a non-PO voucher was processed.