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Information Series Travel & Expense Supervisor 101 Expense Report Approval Process A Division of the Office of General Services Begin
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Page 1: Travel & Expense - New York & Expense 101 For Travelers Supervisor Review Supervisors approving employee travel are responsible to: • in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.Know

Information Series

Travel & ExpenseSupervisor 101 Expense Report Approval Process

A Division of the Office of General Services Begin

Page 2: Travel & Expense - New York & Expense 101 For Travelers Supervisor Review Supervisors approving employee travel are responsible to: • in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.Know

Welcome

Supervisor Review 3

The BSC Information Series Supervisor 101 Expense Report Approval Process is an overview of everything you need to know to successfully review and approve your employees’ expense reports, including responsibilities, common errors and what to look for, and when to approve, deny or reject a report. This interactive guide allows you to jump to various travel topics and also provides direct links to important travel sites. As a prerequisite, all supervisors are required to have read Travel and Expense 101 for Travelers.

Taxable Travel 3

Required Approvals 4

State Contracted Travel Agent 4

Vehicle Rental Contract 4

Documents/Receipts Required 5

Meal Allowance 6

Transportation 6

Access to SFS 7

SFS Time Out Reminder 7

SFS Main Menu 8

Approve Transactions 8

Worklist 8

Review Warning Icons 9

Official Station 10

Dates of Travel 10

Normal Start/End Times 11

Leave/Return Time of Trip 11

Budget Reference Year 11

Accounting Details 12

Expense Line Review 13

Receipt Split 13

Itemize Hotel Bill 14

Return to State Charges 14

Non-Reimbursable Expenses 15

Amount Due to Company 15

Budget Status 16

Approve, Deny, Reject 16

Deny Expense Report 17

Reject Expense Report 18

Approve Expense Report 18

Worklist View 19

Governing Policy & References 20

Contact BSCTravel & Expense

Websitehttp://bsc.ogs.ny.gov

[email protected]

Phone518-457-4272

NextBack

2 Main Menu1220 Washington Ave.Building 5, Floor 6Albany, NY 12226-1900

Page 3: Travel & Expense - New York & Expense 101 For Travelers Supervisor Review Supervisors approving employee travel are responsible to: • in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.Know

Travel & Expense 101For TravelersSupervisor ReviewSupervisors approving employee travel are responsible to:

• Know the state’s travel rules and regulations.• Know traveler responsibilities and agency specific policies.• Know staffs’ official station and effect on travel reimbursement, including taxable

liabilities. (Refer to the Guide to Financial Operations, Chapter X1116, §6 for more information.)

• Grant prior approval when travel is necessary.• Review the travelers’ itinerary in advance to ensure the most economical

method of transportation is being used, and is in the best interest of the state.• Ensure all required documentation is attached.• Verify travel expenses are actual, reasonable and necessary.• Review and approve expense reports in a complete and timely manner.

When reviewing a traveler’s expense report (ER), the supervisor should:

• Completely review the ER. To ensure travelers are reimbursed as timely as possible, supervisors should review the entire ER and identify all issues pertaining to it. Travelers will then be able to fully correct and resubmit the ER, thus avoiding the supervisor sending it back and forth.

• Ensure all the general information in the ER is complete and accurate, including:

• Official station • Dates of travel• Times of travel (start time of travel on the day of departure, end time of travel

on the day of return)• Normal work shift start/end times (i.e. 9:00 – 5:00, 8:30 – 4:30)• Leave/return times of travel on days when extra meals are being claimed

• Chartfield (accounting) information is complete and accurate, especially budget reference.

• Budget reference year (Bud Ref equals the Fiscal Year) - for travel beginning 4/1/16 through 3/31/17 that is not federal or special revenue funds, use Bud Ref 2016-17.

• Ensure all required receipts and approvals are attached to the ER.• Ensure expense reports submitted into SFS by a proxy have a completed and

traveler signed AC-132S attached to the expense report:

• Refer to Travel Advisory 1, released by OSC on October 10, 2014: http://www.osc.state.ny.us/agencies/travel_advisories/travel_advisory1.htm

• Ensure travel card charges that should be specified “return to state” or “non-reimbursable” are properly accounted for.

• Overnight per-diem meals placed on the state travel card should always be specified as “return to state charges”.

• When necessary, ensure traveler obtains a credit for any sales tax charged on in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.

• Sales tax for out-of-state lodging and vehicle rentals is a reimbursable expense.

• Do not mass approve expense reports. Each report must be opened individually and reviewed for accuracy.

• Review work assignments for compliance with the “One Year Rule.”

Note: There is currently no email notification function available in the Statewide Financial System (SFS). It is suggested that the supervisor e-mail the traveler (or proxy) when they deny or reject an expense back to the traveler.

Taxable TravelSupervisors must monitor an employee’s travel to alternate work locations to ensure compliance with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requirements on taxable travel.

• Employees travel reimbursements are taxable if their travel from their home to their job assignment is considered “commuting.”

The IRS generally requires withholding and W-2 reporting for the following types of travel reimbursements:

• Per diem amounts paid in excess of the rates allowed by the federal government which are not supported by receipts.

• Meal allowances paid for non-overnight travel or day trips. • Mileage reimbursements in excess of the maximum federal rates. • Reimbursement for expenses incurred at a single location when the job

assignment is realistically expected to last in excess of one year, or does in fact exceed one year.

• Reimbursement for travel expenses from an employee’s residence to his or her main place of business (i.e. the place where the employee works more time than any other work location – also known as the employee’s tax home). If an employee regularly works in more than one place, the employee’s tax home is the general area where the employee’s main place of business or work is located.

• Please visit the Guide to Financial Operations Chapter XIII, Section 6 for additional guidance: http://www.osc.state.ny.us/agencies/guide/MyWebHelp/#XIII/6.htm%3FTocPath%3DXIII.%20Employee%20Expense%20Reimbursement%7C_____6

Contact BSCTravel & Expense

Websitehttp://bsc.ogs.ny.gov

[email protected]

Phone518-457-4272

NextBack

3 Main Menu1220 Washington Ave.Building 5, Floor 6Albany, NY 12226-1900

Page 4: Travel & Expense - New York & Expense 101 For Travelers Supervisor Review Supervisors approving employee travel are responsible to: • in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.Know

Travel & ExpenseSupervisor 101 - Expense Report Approval ProcessRequired Approvals

B-1184 approval is required for:

• All out-of-state travel, regardless of cost (B-1184 Attachment A)• In-state travel expenses of $500 or more (B-1184 Attachment B)

Agency finance office approval is required for:

• Lodging exceeding the maximum rate• Agency-specific waivers varying from OSC and established guidelines (e.g.,

trip calculator, specific project exemptions)• Airfare not acquired through the OGS Travel Agent Services contract (in

order to obtain non-contracted flights, the trip must result in, at a minimum, a cost savings of $200 per round trip)

Statewide Contracted Travel Agent

Child Travel New York, Inc./Direct Travel was awarded the Statewide Travel Management Services contract. Child Travel New York, Inc. is a full service business travel agency that provides travel agent assistance for all aspects of official state travel. If a traveler requires the services of a travel agency, they should contact Child Travel New York, Inc. to arrange for those services.

Contact Information for Child Travel New York, Inc.: Reservations: 518-292-9000 or 800-774-0655Email: [email protected] Hours Emergency Assistance: (800) 774-0655, Option 8

For more information on the contract, including FAQs, please visit the OGS website page located at: http://www.ogs.ny.gov/purchase/snt/awardnotes/7900522536ContractorInfo_TMS.pdf

Statewide Passenger Vehicle Rental Contract

When a traveler is required to use a rental vehicle for traveling on state business, the most economical method of travel should be used. Generally, a traveler should select a compact or standard vehicle and use the state contract with Enterprise-Rent-A-Car, Hertz or National Car Rental agencies. For more information please visit the OGS Office of Statewide Travel website located at: http://ogs.ny.gov/BU/SS/Trav/default.asp

Also, travelers must provide the proper account codes to the contract vendors at the time of reservation. The account codes guarantee that travelers are getting the State discounts and rates for their rental, and not overcharged. These codes are:

• Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental – XZ24A19Pin #WSC (if prompted)

• Hertz – 65909

Both Hertz and Enterprise have NYS reservation booking tool links that can be found on the OGS website located at: http://www.ogs.ny.gov/purchase/snt/awardnotes/7200122273ContractorInfo.pdf

Benefits of booking online:

• Available 24/7 from your home or office• Easy to navigate website customized for NYS• Ensure the accuracy of the rates and terms of the NYS contract• No waiting on hold or having to call back because of busy office personnel• Immediate confirmation to print and take with you to the rental location• Ability to modify/cancel reservations as needed

The vehicle rental Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) are available at: http://www.ogs.ny.gov/purchase/snt/awardnotes/7200122273FAQ.pdf

Contact BSCTravel & Expense

Websitehttp://bsc.ogs.ny.gov

[email protected]

Phone518-457-4272

NextBack

4 Main Menu1220 Washington Ave.Building 5, Floor 6Albany, NY 12226-1900

Page 5: Travel & Expense - New York & Expense 101 For Travelers Supervisor Review Supervisors approving employee travel are responsible to: • in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.Know

Documentation/Receipts Required

Expense Type Documentation Required (regardless of cost)

All meals charged to state travel card Receipt

Day trip meals when claiming higher per diem allowance Receipt

Hotels Receipt

Miscellaneous and incidental expenses Receipt

Conferences and seminars Conference and/or seminar brochure or agenda; Proof of payment for registration fees

Agency specific exemptions varying from established guidelines (e.g., trip calculator)

Finance officer approval

Non-contracted airfare with cost savings at a minimum of $200 or more per round trip

Submit an Air Travel Service Contract Exemption form and forward to the statewide travel coordinator at: [email protected]

Charge on the state travel card Receipt

Transportation by common carrier (e.g. train, bus, airplane) Ticket stub if purchase price is printed on the stub; receipt and ticket stub if purchase price is not printed on the stub

Taxi Receipt

Rental Car Receipt showing return time

Tolls – E-ZPass E-ZPass statement with applicable charges indicated when using personal account

Tolls – Cash Receipt

MTA Metro card purchases (subway passes) Receipt

Gas purchases claimed on expense report Receipt

Travel & ExpenseSupervisor 101 - Expense Report Approval Process

Contact BSCTravel & Expense

Websitehttp://bsc.ogs.ny.gov

[email protected]

Phone518-457-4272

NextBack

5 Main Menu1220 Washington Ave.Building 5, Floor 6Albany, NY 12226-1900

Page 6: Travel & Expense - New York & Expense 101 For Travelers Supervisor Review Supervisors approving employee travel are responsible to: • in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.Know

Verifying Expense Allowance MealsIn order for travelers to be eligible to claim meals, they must be in official travel status. To be in official travel status, the traveler must be 35 miles or more from both their home and their official station.

The supervisor is to ensure the times of travel and normal work hours are included in the ER. This is especially important if the traveler is claiming “extra” meals.

• Breakfast: Verify the traveler left 1 hour or more before their normal start time• Dinner: Verify the traveler arrived 2 hours or more after their normal end time

Note: For receipted day trip meals, receipts will be required with few exceptions. Meals will be reimbursed the amount shown on the receipt up to the maximum amount of the per diem allowance specified for the area of travel. Business units have the discretion to, on occasion, allow reimbursement if a receipt is misplaced or illegible and there is no reason to question the legitimacy of the expense.

Verifying Expense Allowance/TransportationWhen reviewing the method of transportation, ensure ER is in compliance with required receipts, NYS contracts, guidelines and recording of expenses:

Rental Vehicles

• Verify rental receipt is attached to the ER.• If other expenses are included in the rental receipt (E-ZPass, fuel) ensure the

receipt has been “split”.• Verify state travel card was used and size of vehicle rented.

Personal Vehicle

• Verify the amount of miles being claimed.• Verify if trip calculator is attached (for 100+ miles in a given day).• Verify whether the mileage expense is:

• Detailed by day and reflected on different expense entries.• Lumped into a single expense item (with supporting AC-160).

• Check for agency finance office waiver if full personal car mileage is claimed.• Check if the traveler is traveling within 35 miles of their home and official

station. If so, verify the traveler is following the rules for proximity mileage.

Train

• Verify receipt showing amount paid, and the train stubs are attached to the ER.• Confirm Amtrak rates are within the government rate

(currently, $128 round trip).

Bus (Greyhound/Trailways)

• Verify receipt is attached to the ER.

Mass Transit

• Verify receipt(s) are attached to the ER. If no receipts attached, verify the “no receipt” box is checked, and verify comments have been entered into the “no receipt pop-up” box by clicking on the cloud next to the “no receipt” box.

Airfare

• Verify receipt showing the amount paid is attached to the ER.

• Verify the state travel card was used (must be used for all airfare).

• Verify boarding passes are attached to the ER.

Example: Verifying a receipt in SFS if no receipt is available

Travel & ExpenseSupervisor 101 - Expense Report Approval Process

Contact BSCTravel & Expense

Websitehttp://bsc.ogs.ny.gov

[email protected]

Phone518-457-4272

NextBack

6 Main Menu1220 Washington Ave.Building 5, Floor 6Albany, NY 12226-1900

Page 7: Travel & Expense - New York & Expense 101 For Travelers Supervisor Review Supervisors approving employee travel are responsible to: • in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.Know

Travel & ExpenseSupervisor 101 - Expense Report Approval Process

Contact BSCTravel & Expense

Websitehttp://bsc.ogs.ny.gov

[email protected]

Phone518-457-4272

NextBack

7 Main Menu1220 Washington Ave.Building 5, Floor 6Albany, NY 12226-1900

Accessing SFS To access the SFS Portal directly for Travel entry, go to *https://fin.sfs.ny.gov/. To go to the SFS main page, go to http://www.sfs.ny.gov/ . If you click on “Agency Financials Portal” tab, this will also bring you to the SFS log in screen for Travel entry. You will need an SFS User ID and Password.

Time Out Reminder SFS times out after 20 minutes. When SFS times out, you see the screen to the right. Click on “Sign in to PeopleSoft” to get back to the log in screen. Information that is not saved will be lost after SFS times out.

Terms of ServiceBe sure to check to agree to the SFS Online Terms of Service.

To view the “Terms of Service,” click

on the hyperlink in the SFS login screen.

Page 8: Travel & Expense - New York & Expense 101 For Travelers Supervisor Review Supervisors approving employee travel are responsible to: • in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.Know

SFS - EE1 Main Menu

To Approve Transactions in Your Worklist: From the Main Menu, click on “Manager Self-Service,” “Travel and Expense Center,” “Approvals,” then click on “Approve Transactions.” This will bring you to your worklist where you will be able to approve, deny or reject expense reports submitted by your travelers.

Worklist: From the “Worklist,” the items ready for approval will be displayed. The supervisor will select the ER to be reviewed by clicking on the “Description” hyperlink, or the “Transaction ID” hyperlink.

Travel & ExpenseSupervisor 101 - Expense Report Approval Process

Contact BSCTravel & Expense

Websitehttp://bsc.ogs.ny.gov

[email protected]

Phone518-457-4272

NextBack

8 Main Menu1220 Washington Ave.Building 5, Floor 6Albany, NY 12226-1900

Page 9: Travel & Expense - New York & Expense 101 For Travelers Supervisor Review Supervisors approving employee travel are responsible to: • in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.Know

Review Warning Icons

If you see this sign, the ER “may” contain errors. This graphic is a list of the types of review warnings SFS will give you, and what you should do when you see one.

Click on Warning Icon

ReviewWarnings

Duplicate Item in the Same Report

Duplicate Item on a Previous Report

Duplicate Report (in entirety)

Tax Implications

If duplicate expenses exist, “Deny” ER “Approve” ER if expense is actual (i.e. incurred same toll station during trip)

“Deny” ER to have traveler remove expense line “Approve” if expense is legitimate omitted from a previous report (i.e. incurred same toll station during trip)

“Deny” ER if traveler “copied” a report and did not change dates“Reject” ER if it is a complete duplicate and already paid“Approve” if expense is legitimate (i.e. forgot tolls on a previous report)

Check ER to ensure correct meal expense types were used. (Two sets of train tickets purchased on the same day)

Review Warning Icons

If you see this sign, ER contains comments or instructions

Review Comments

Make sure previous issues have been

resolved

“Deny” ER if issues weren’t addressed/corrected “Approve” ER if in accordance with established guidelines

Travel & ExpenseSupervisor 101 - Expense Report Approval Process

Contact BSCTravel & Expense

Websitehttp://bsc.ogs.ny.gov

[email protected]

Phone518-457-4272

NextBack

9 Main Menu1220 Washington Ave.Building 5, Floor 6Albany, NY 12226-1900

Page 10: Travel & Expense - New York & Expense 101 For Travelers Supervisor Review Supervisors approving employee travel are responsible to: • in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.Know

Official StationA traveler’s official station is their usual work location. The official station is determined by the agency, not the employee, and is to be in the best interest of the state.

When reviewing expense reports, supervisors are required to:

• Ensure the official station is listed correctly:

• In the event the official station field is incorrect or blank, the supervisor should notify the agency’s Employee Data Administrator (EDA). The EDA is responsible for updating and maintaining this information in SFS and will be able to correct this field.

• If the official station is not listed in the expense report, the traveler should have noted the official station in the comment field of the expense report.

• Supervisors should be ensuring this information is present in the expense report and reviewing it for accuracy.

Example: Verifying the traveler’s Official Station

Official Station Albany, NY

Dates of TravelThe dates of travel in the general information area must match the submitted receipts supporting the expenses being claimed:

• The “From” date must be the first day of travel (or night of lodging).

• The “To” date must be the date travel ended or checked out of hotel.

• For overnight travel, the dates for meal per-diems being claimed must be accurate, and correspond to the traveler’s actual trip dates.

The dates of travel for day trips can either be one specific date or multiple day trips within a month (no more than one calendar month on an expense report).

Note: The dates travel card charges are posted by Citibank and loaded into SFS cannot be changed in the ER by the traveler or the proxy.

Travel Dates

4/1/2015 4/3/2015

Example: Verifying the traveler’s Travel Dates

Travel & ExpenseSupervisor 101 - Expense Report Approval Process

Contact BSCTravel & Expense

Websitehttp://bsc.ogs.ny.gov

[email protected]

Phone518-457-4272

NextBack

10 Main Menu1220 Washington Ave.Building 5, Floor 6Albany, NY 12226-1900

Page 11: Travel & Expense - New York & Expense 101 For Travelers Supervisor Review Supervisors approving employee travel are responsible to: • in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.Know

Normal Start/End TimesExpense reports should include the traveler’s normal work hours - typical start and end time. (i.e., 8-4, 7:30-3:30, 9-5, etc.). When a traveler has a non-traditional work shift, the actual times worked for the shift should be included in the ER.

• This information can be reflected in the notes field, or in the “details” of the expense line.

Normal Work Hours4:30 PM

Example: Verifying Normal Start/End Times

Leave/Return Time of TripThe leave and return times of a trip also must be included in the ER if day trip meals or an extra breakfast or extra dinner is being claimed. This is to verify time eligibility requirements are met. This information can be reflected in the comments field of the expense report or in the “details” of the expense line. AM and PM should be included, or military time can also be entered.

Start Time (HH:MI) 6:00 AM *End Time(HH:MI)

7:30 PM

Budget Reference Year = Fiscal YearThe Budget Reference Year is the “Fiscal Year” in which the expenses were incurred. The Fiscal Year starts on April 1 and ends on March 31 of the following year. For example:

• Travel that occurred on or after April 1, 2016, the ER would be coded with a Bud Ref Year of 2016-17.

• Travel prior to April 1st should be coded to the Fiscal Year/Bud Ref Year in which the travel took place. Once these funds lapse on June 30th, the current Bud Ref Year is to be used in order for the expense reports to pass budget check.

• Special Revenue and Federal funded travel may assign a different Bud Ref (Fiscal Year) in the accounting details. Usually the project and/or activity chartfields are filled in the accounting details when assigned to the ER. (This should not be confused with the “Federal Calendar Year” travel that starts October 1 and ends on September 30 the following year).

Example: Verifying Leave/Return Time of Trip

8:30 AM

Travel & ExpenseSupervisor 101 - Expense Report Approval Process

Contact BSCTravel & Expense

Websitehttp://bsc.ogs.ny.gov

[email protected]

Phone518-457-4272

NextBack

11 Main Menu1220 Washington Ave.Building 5, Floor 6Albany, NY 12226-1900

Page 12: Travel & Expense - New York & Expense 101 For Travelers Supervisor Review Supervisors approving employee travel are responsible to: • in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.Know

Accounting DetailsThe accounting details are set by the agency and assign the funds that will pay for the travel being submitted. The agency is responsible for this information and ensuring it is up-to-date and accurate. Supervisors should be reviewing this information as part of their review of expense reports.

• An expense report will not pass budget check if the accounting details are incorrect or there are insufficient funds available.

• Supervisors may check with their agency budget office to ensure funding is accurate.

Example: Verifying Accounting Details

Accounting Details

Accounting Details

Chartfields

2016-17

Travel & ExpenseSupervisor 101 - Expense Report Approval Process

Contact BSCTravel & Expense

Websitehttp://bsc.ogs.ny.gov

[email protected]

Phone518-457-4272

NextBack

12 Main Menu1220 Washington Ave.Building 5, Floor 6Albany, NY 12226-1900

Page 13: Travel & Expense - New York & Expense 101 For Travelers Supervisor Review Supervisors approving employee travel are responsible to: • in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.Know

Expense Line ReviewThis is an example of what an expense line will look like in an expense report. Supervisors are to review each expense line to ensure that claims are within established guidelines.

*Date *Expense Type *Description *Amount61.00

Receipt SplitWhen an invoice contains multiple expenses, and they need to be separated, the traveler will need to “split” the invoice.

For vehicle rentals, when there is a fuel charge on the vehicle rental invoice, the traveler will need to “split” out the fuel charge to separate it from the “rental charge”.

Example: A rental invoice contains gas charges. The $65.42 invoice must be split showing “Vehicle Rental” and “Fuel for Travel.” In this instance, the actual rental cost was $38.00 and the gas cost was $27.42. This needs to be reflected in the ER.

After “Receipt Split” is complete, the two expense types will be displayed separately in the body of the expense report.

Vehicle Rental

Fuel for Travel

Travel & ExpenseSupervisor 101 - Expense Report Approval Process

Contact BSCTravel & Expense

Websitehttp://bsc.ogs.ny.gov

[email protected]

Phone518-457-4272

NextBack

13 Main Menu1220 Washington Ave.Building 5, Floor 6Albany, NY 12226-1900

Page 14: Travel & Expense - New York & Expense 101 For Travelers Supervisor Review Supervisors approving employee travel are responsible to: • in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.Know

Itemize Hotel BillWhen a hotel bill contains multiple expenses, they need to be separated or “itemized” by expense types.

Example: A hotel invoice with parking charges, $171.00. The invoice must be “Itemized“ showing “Receipted Lodging” and “Parking Fees”. In this instance, the actual lodging cost of $149.00 and the parking cost of $22.00 would need to be itemized.

Note: Hotel bills are “itemized,” and all other invoices with multiple expenses are “split.”

After the hotel bill is “itemized,” the two expense types will be displayed separately in the body of the expense report, as shown in the example below:

Receipted Lodging $149.00

Return to State ChargesAll meals charged to your state travel card must be specified as “Return to State” on the expense report and offset by an actual meal expense type (e.g., PDiem-Ovrngt Extra Bfkfst, PDiem-Ovrngt Meals, PDiem-Pub Official Day, or Receipted Day Brkfst). There are some charges that may also be specified “Returned to State” in the event a third party is reimbursing the state (or the traveler) for the charge.

When a charge is given the expense type “Return to State Charges,” SFS will automatically give the report a positive and a negative dollar amount. With the negative line added, it will subtract the amount owed to the State from another expense.

Example: $38.79 was charged to the state travel card at the Hard Rock in NY City. Once the meal per-diem is entered, the $38.79 will be subtracted from the meal per-diem.

Return to State Charges $38.79

-38.79

Parking Fees $22.00

Travel & ExpenseSupervisor 101 - Expense Report Approval Process

Contact BSCTravel & Expense

Websitehttp://bsc.ogs.ny.gov

[email protected]

Phone518-457-4272

NextBack

14 Main Menu1220 Washington Ave.Building 5, Floor 6Albany, NY 12226-1900

Page 15: Travel & Expense - New York & Expense 101 For Travelers Supervisor Review Supervisors approving employee travel are responsible to: • in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.Know

Non-Reimbursable ExpensesSupervisors are to ensure that travelers state travel card is used for business purposes only. When travelers place erroneous or non-reimbursable charges on the State travel card, the transactions are to be specified in the ER as “Non-reimbursable.” A comment should be included in the detail of the ER for non-reimbursable transactions incurred.

The non-reimbursable expense will be deducted from the total reimbursement due the traveler. If no reimbursement is due, the ER will result as “Due Company.” As a result, the traveler will owe the funds back to the State (see next slide).

The BSC auditors will notify the traveler/proxy via email copying the supervisor instructing how to reimburse the state for monies owed. Supervisors are to follow-up with their travelers to ensure restitution has been made.

Amount Due to Company (Non-reimbursable and Return-to-State Expenses)When a travelers owes the state monies the ER will calculate the balance due. In the expense report it will state “Amount Due to Company.”

Travel & ExpenseSupervisor 101 - Expense Report Approval Process

Contact BSCTravel & Expense

Websitehttp://bsc.ogs.ny.gov

[email protected]

Phone518-457-4272

NextBack

15 Main Menu1220 Washington Ave.Building 5, Floor 6Albany, NY 12226-1900

Page 16: Travel & Expense - New York & Expense 101 For Travelers Supervisor Review Supervisors approving employee travel are responsible to: • in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.Know

Budget Status• A report can only be approved once it passes budget check. When a report’s “Budget Status” is “Valid,” the report is ready for approval.• If a report does not pass budget check, the “Budget Status” will say “Not Checked” (Not Ck’d) and the report cannot be approved. The report will stay in the supervisors

worklist until there are sufficient funds available.• If there are “Errors” in the “Budget Status,” or monies have expired, the supervisor will have to deny the report back to the traveler for modifying.• Since there are no email notifications in SFS, the supervisor should email the traveler to inform him/her their report has been denied and requires modification.

Approve, Deny, Reject Expense ReportsAfter the supervisor completes a thorough review of the expense report, it is time to take the appropriate action:

• Approve: When the report is in accordance with established guidelines and can be forwarded for reimbursement.• Deny: “To Modify” or edit a report that requires additional information or receipts.• Reject: When a report is not to be sent to the BSC for processing (i.e. a duplicate report already processed). A rejected report can no longer be modified or resubmitted.

Travel & ExpenseSupervisor 101 - Expense Report Approval Process

Contact BSCTravel & Expense

Websitehttp://bsc.ogs.ny.gov

[email protected]

Phone518-457-4272

NextBack

16 Main Menu1220 Washington Ave.Building 5, Floor 6Albany, NY 12226-1900

Page 17: Travel & Expense - New York & Expense 101 For Travelers Supervisor Review Supervisors approving employee travel are responsible to: • in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.Know

Deny Expense Report• When a report requires editing, such as missing information, the supervisor must enter a comment in the comments field prior to sending the report back to the traveler.

If no comments are entered in the field, the below pop-up warning will prompt.

• Once the supervisor enters a comment, and clicks on “Deny”, a confirmation page will appear.• Click “OK” to complete the deny process.

Travel & ExpenseSupervisor 101 - Expense Report Approval Process

Contact BSCTravel & Expense

Websitehttp://bsc.ogs.ny.gov

[email protected]

Phone518-457-4272

NextBack

17 Main Menu1220 Washington Ave.Building 5, Floor 6Albany, NY 12226-1900

Page 18: Travel & Expense - New York & Expense 101 For Travelers Supervisor Review Supervisors approving employee travel are responsible to: • in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.Know

Reject Expense Report• When a report must be rejected and returned to the

traveler, like denying, comments must be entered in the comment field. Click on “Reject” and a confirmation message will prompt (below).

• Click “OK” to reject the report back to the traveler.• Reminder: Once a report has been rejected,

it becomes stale, and cannot be modified or resubmitted.

Approve Expense Report• When a report is ready for approval, supervisors

need to click “Approve” to submit the report to the next level of approval.

• The confirmation message below will prompt. Click “OK.”

Travel & ExpenseSupervisor 101 - Expense Report Approval Process

Contact BSCTravel & Expense

Websitehttp://bsc.ogs.ny.gov

[email protected]

Phone518-457-4272

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18 Main Menu1220 Washington Ave.Building 5, Floor 6Albany, NY 12226-1900

Page 19: Travel & Expense - New York & Expense 101 For Travelers Supervisor Review Supervisors approving employee travel are responsible to: • in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.Know

View of Worklist after Action on Expense Reports• Once reports have been acted upon the worklist should be cleared• It is recommended that supervisors monitor their worklist routinely to ensure travelers’ reports are acted upon timely.• Under “Transactions to Approve”, there are no further reports shown to be reviewed by the supervisor.

Transactions to Approve

Travel & ExpenseSupervisor 101 - Expense Report Approval Process

Contact BSCTravel & Expense

Websitehttp://bsc.ogs.ny.gov

[email protected]

Phone518-457-4272

NextBack

19 Main Menu1220 Washington Ave.Building 5, Floor 6Albany, NY 12226-1900

Page 20: Travel & Expense - New York & Expense 101 For Travelers Supervisor Review Supervisors approving employee travel are responsible to: • in-state lodging expenses and/or vehicle rentals.Know

Governing Policy

All travel and expense transactions are processed by the Business Services Center (BSC) in accordance with all rules and regulations applicable to Executive Department agencies including:

• Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) travel reimbursement rules and regulations and OSC Travel Manual: http://osc.state.ny.us/agencies/travel/travel.htm

• Office of General Services (OGS) statewide travel contracts and trip calculator: http://ogs.ny.gov/BU/SS/Trav/default.asp

• Statewide Financial System (SFS): http://www.sfs.ny.gov/

• Division of the Budget (DOB) B-1184 policies and procedures: https://www.budget.ny.gov/guide/bprm/bulletins/b-1184_rev14.html

• New York Codes, Rules and Regulations

a) Title 2, Part 8 Traveling Expenses

• OSC Guide to Financial Operations (GFO); Employee Travel Expense Reimbursement: http://www.osc.state.ny.us/agencies/guide/MyWebHelp/#XIII/4/4.htm%3FTocPath%3DXIII.%20Employee%20Expense%20Reimbursement%7C4.%20Employee%20Travel%20Expense%20Reimbursement%7C_____0

• State Finance Law

a) Article 7, Section 109 Proofs Required Upon Audit by the Comptroller

• Penal Law

a) Title K, Article 175, Section 175.35 Fraudulent Claims – Offering a false instrument for filing is a Class “E” Felony

References

• BSC Travel & Expense forms, publications, and frequently-asked-questions: http://bsc.ogs.ny.gov/content/travel-expense

• Office of the State Comptroller Travel Manual: http://osc.state.ny.us/agen-cies/travel/travel.htm Note: OSC is in the process of updating their FAQ’s and will include information regarding required receipts when receipts are unattainable, misplaced or illegible.

• Office of the State Comptroller – Guide to Financial Operations (GFO): http://www.osc.state.ny.us/agencies/guide/MyWebHelp/

• Office of General Services, GOER Trip Calculator: http://www.ogs.ny.gov/BU/SS/Trav/Calculators.asp

• Office of General Services Travel Contracts: http://www.ogs.ny.gov/bu/ss/trav/

• Citibank Visa Corporate Card Registration: https://home.cards.citidirect.com/CommercialCard/Cards.html?classic=2

• US General Services Administration (GSA) Travel Rates: http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104877

Travel & ExpenseSupervisor 101 - Expense Report Approval Process

Contact BSCTravel & Expense

Websitehttp://bsc.ogs.ny.gov

[email protected]

Phone518-457-4272

Back

20 Main Menu1220 Washington Ave.Building 5, Floor 6Albany, NY 12226-1900


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