Policy No.: 105.52
Revision No.: 0
Effective Date: 5/1/97
Category: Travel
Title: Advance Approval/Encumbrances

There is no University requirement to obtain written advance authorization in connection with business travel. However, for encumbrance purposes, the University’s electronic purchase order requisitioning (EPOR) process must be used for out of town travel and situations where a cash advance is requested for student trips (Athletics, Student Affairs, etc.).

For a cash advance involving student trips, the procedure is as follows:

1. Using the EPOR process, a requisition should be generated to establish an encumbrance. The resulting purchase order (PO) would either have Summit Bank or employee, for situations not involving Athletics, as the vendor (with the coach for Athletics trips referenced on the PO). Once a PO is generated, the Accounts Payable supervisor must be notified by E-Mail that the PO has been created and must be acted upon by Accounts Payable. The E-Mail should contain the PO number, payee (and the coach’s name, if for Athletics) and amount.
2. For trips involving cash advancements, you must indicate a trip return date on the EPOR.
3. Upon receipt of the PO, Accounts Payable will use it as a check requisition to generate a check with the payee being Summit Bank, or the employee, for check cashing purposes.
4. The PO number must be provided to the University’s travel agent, if applicable. Upon completion of the trip, a travel and expense report must be completed with the PO number noted at the top of it. Accounts Payable will process the expense report against the PO and will reimburse the employee where actual expenses exceed the advance (the employee’s department is charged). Where the advance exceeded actual expenses, the excess must be deposited with the bursar with the PO number referenced and the general ledger account number 011405-1300 credited. The bursar receipt must be attached to the expense report submitted to Accounts Payable.

For out of town travel, the procedure is as follows:

1. Using the EPOR process, a requisition should be generated to establish an encumbrance with the vendor being the employee doing the travel.
2. The travel agency must be provided the PO number and the cost center number, and the agency will reference both numbers on their bill.
3. Accounts Payable will process the resulting travel & entertainment expense report against the PO and liquidate any remaining PO balance.

(mds-11/05/97)