Book Travel for Others with a CTS Ghost Card Account

The CTS card— formerly known as the APL e-Card—is a "ghost card" program, meaning you will not be issued a physical card. Instead, all the information normally provided on the card itself, like the account number and expiration date, is sent to you in a letter. A CTS Ghost Card Account allows airfare, hotel room and tax, and associated agency fees to be purchased in advance of a university business related trip. The program allows a credit account number to be used as a form of payment for the limited purchases. ConnexUC is the preferred booking option when using the account.

The corporate credit card prohibits booking or purchasing for other faculty/staff members. The CTS card may be used to book for other travelers for:

  • Airfare - only for economy/coach class
  • Hotel - room and tax only - no incidental charges
  • Associated agency fees

CTS cannot be used for relocation/moving expenses for new employees. Recruitment expenses are limited to the candidate only, no spousal and or, children’s airfares are allowable.

Requirements to Apply for a UCI CTS Account

  • Must be an active employee & administrative staff member at UCI.
    • If employed through Temp Services, the department must sponsor the applicant first by requesting an "Organization Override" from oit@uci.edu and include the new primary Chart-Org.
  • Employee must create a TEM Profile - step-by-step instructions.
  • Must be in the system User (54) OR C&G User (10035) role (set up in KSAMS by the DSA)
  • Must add the Default Account Number in your TEM Profile. View instructions (obtained from your department).
  • Employee must be granted the KSAMS role of “TEM Organization Profile Arranger”. Please contact your Department Security Administrator (DSA) to be granted access to this role.

If you do not add a Default Account Number to your TEM Profile, or if you do not have the KSAMS role of “TEM Organization Profile Arranger” you will receive an error message when applying for the UCI CTS Account.

For questions or additional assistance with KFS error messages, please contact the KFS Help Desk by emailing kfs@uci.edu.

How to Apply for the CTS Card

For Administrative Staff Members:

  1. Sign into ZotPortal, click on the KFS tab.
  2. Look for the KFS Travel and Event Management section.
  3. Click on Travel Card Applications: CTS Card Application
  4. Your account must be activated before use. In order to activate the account, please call the number on your acceptance letter.

How to Use and to Make a Purchase

After you've received notification from the traveler or from a department supervisor that travel arrangements need to be made in advance.

Locate your CTS Ghost Card Account Information

 To make an airline or hotel reservation and pre-pay you will need to provide account information for purchases, details are provided on your letter from US bank.
  • Account Number.
  • Expiration Date.
  • CVV2 Value.
  • If applicable, phone number or address on card:
    • Phone # - Your office phone provided on CTS Card application.
    • Address - Accounting Office Address.

Make an Airline Reservation / Airfare Purchase

 For flight purchases, provide information just as you would using a regular credit card.
  • Using ConnexUC, other travel agencies, online booking tools, or through airlines directly.
  • Be sure that the TSA information for the traveler is current and accurate.
Be sure to follow UC Policy and Procedures and review Fly America Act for foreign airline and airfare purchases using federal funds.

Make a Hotel Reservation / Hotel Payment
  1. Make hotel reservations / payment:
    • Call a hotel and reserve the appropriate rooms and nights for your traveler(s)
      • For incoming visitors we suggest using a local hotel with a UCI contract - Use UCI contact at the hotel whenever possible.
      • Do not use the CTS Card for relocation trips.
  2. Ensure that the CTS-Card is charged for room and tax only.
    • Clarify your request with contact or reservationist:
      • You want this account charged, not used to hold the reservation.
      • Reconfirm that the charge will only be for room and tax only, no incidental charges.
A separate credit card from the traveler will need to be obtained for incidental charges such as parking, Wi-Fi, meals, etc.

Make Sure to Obtain a Receipt or Confirmation

 Obtain appropriate form of documentation.
  • Airline/ airfare documents: either printed receipts from online purchases or faxed from travel agency, airline email confirmations sent to the traveler, must show the amount and air ticket number.
  • Hotel: obtain a confirmation number or reservation number for the hotel accommodation/s.

Notification of Newly Imported Expenses

 The CTS cardholder will receive an email from KFS regarding newly imported expenses that need to be reconciled. These expenses can be reconciled by creating a Travel Reimbursement document. Please keep in mind, all CTS charges should be processed (reconciled) within 45 days of the KFS email notification of newly imported charges.

Only the CTS cardholder can import their CTS expenses, so the cardholder must be the initiator.
  • For Employees, the initiator must enter the actual traveler's name in the Traveler Lookup.
    • This allows the traveler to certify that the expenses are true for university business.
  • For Non-Employees, the initiator must enter the actual traveler's name as a One-Time Payee. The signed Non-Employee Certification form is required for expenses paid on behalf of a non-employee with a CTS card since there is no reimbursement to the non-employee traveler.
    • The traveler will need to certify that the expense was paid on their behalf for university business purpose.
    • Please have the traveler sign the Non-Employee Certification form.
Send the signed form along with your back up documentation to the scanning department with the cover sheet.

How to Import Charges into a TR Document

 Go to the Actual Expenses Tab and under Imported Expenses click the magnifying glass by Look Up/Add Multiple Expense Lines.
  1. You will be directed to a page titled Historical Travel Expense Lookup, next to Travel Card Type Code use the drop down to select CTS.
  2. After you have selected CTS, click search and all imported expenses requiring reconciliation will appear. Select the charges you wish to import, be sure the charges are for the same trip. If you have multiple charges for different trips they should be processed on separate TR documents.
  3. After you have selected your charges click return selected and you will be directed back to the document where you will see the charges you selected listed under imported expenses.
Finish filling out the required tabs in your document and submit for approvals.