Accounts Payable and Travel Accounting Update & Reminders

Sent to the AFS-Update mailing list on June 9, 2022

Book Air and Lodging on Behalf of Others with a CTS Card

A CTS Ghost Card Account allows you to book airfare (economy/coach air tickets only) and lodging (room and tax only) for students, visitors, guests, and employees who don't have a corporate credit card. The program provides a credit account number (in lieu of a physical card) to be used as a form of payment for these limited purchases in advance of a university business-related trip. Please note:

• CTS cannot be used for relocation/moving expenses for new employees. Recruitment expenses are limited to the candidate only. The CTS card cannot be used for spouse, partner, and/or, children’s airfare or expenses.
• Expenses must be cleared and reconciled in KFS. Create a Travel Reimbursement (TR) document on a timely basis and import the expense. This will not pay the traveler named in the TR document unless there are actual out of pocket expenses to reimburse the traveler.
• Book all your air, car rental and lodging in the ConnexUC Travel Portal with BCD Travel, Southwest SWABIZ, or UC Travel Center. Air credits are easier to manage and track when booking with the ConnexUC travel agencies. Air credits stay in control of the department when booked through ConnexUC.

Learn more and apply for a card by visiting the CTS Ghost Card page.

Directory of Local Hotels with UCI Rates 

The local hotels with UCI-negotiated rates listed on our website all have unique qualities and services. Use the guide to choose the most suitable one for individual travelers or your conference needs. Visit the hotel websites to review their services and amenities. 

Reminder, if a visitor is on UCI business and books a local hotel, the reimbursable maximum daily lodging rate is $275 (before taxes and fees), based on the UC Policy G-28 Travel Regulations.

For more information, see the Directory of Local Hotels with UCI Rates. 

Travel Reimbursement: Important Document Fields

Do you prepare Travel Reimbursements (TR) in the Kuali Financial System? Below are some tips for filling out key sections of the reimbursement. 

Explanation: Include a brief description – the who, what, when, where and why.

Trip Type Code: In the Trip Overview Tab, select from the following options:

• In-State: when traveler is flying from California to a destination in California
• International: when traveler is fly FROM or TO an international city. For example, a visitor from Paris, France, flying to Los Angeles International Airport to visit UCI is International, not In-State.
• Out of State: When traveler is flying from California to another State or from another state to California.

Expense Type Code: In Actual Expenses Tab – Use the correct type for accurate University reporting.

• AF – Airfare – for purchased air ticket/s only
• AO – Airline Fee Other – for agency fee, airline seat fee, other airline related fee
• BG – Baggage Handling/Fee – for airline baggage fee only

Object Code in the Accounting Lines Tab

• 8350 – Travel Within the U.S and Possessions
• 8340 – Travel International

Non-Employee Reimbursements: the signed Non-Employee Certification form generated in the KFS Travel Reimbursement is required documentation. Inter-department expense claim forms are not an acceptable alternative based on UC Policy G-28 Travel Regulations. A DocuSign electronic signature is acceptable.

See our website for the full Travel Reimbursement e-Document Guide.

Do This Before Traveling to Sanctioned Countries 

Planning to travel to Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, or Ukraine (Crimea, Donetsk, & Luhansk Regions)? Before traveling on university business to any of the countries mentioned above, please contact the Campus Export Control Office. This is essential to ensure compliance with federal trade sanctions programs, which apply to university activities.

For more information, visit their website, Sanctioned and Embargoed Countries.

Employee Gifts for Length of Service – Allowable Gifts

Accounts Payable frequently fields questions about University of California policy as it relates to length of service gifts. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions:

What kind of gift is allowed? An item of tangible personal property may be presented to an employee for meritorious length of service to the university.

What is NOT considered “tangible personal property”? Under section 274 of the Internal Revenue Code, the following are not tangible personal property: cash, cash equivalents, gift cards, gift coupons, or gift certificates, vacations, meals, lodging, tickets to theater and sporting events. These types of gifts are subject to wage withholdings because they are not considered tangible person property for length of service awards.

What are the limitations?

• The award must be given for a length of service achievement
• The recipient must have completed at least five years of service
• The recipient must not have received a similar length of service gift in any of the prior four years.

Maximum amount allowed? $400.00, cannot exceed the per-person limit.

For a complete summary of employee awards and gifts, view UC Policy G-41: Employee Non-Cash Awards and Other Gifts.

Tips for Completing DVs – Invoice or Receipt Numbers

For accurate reporting purposes and as a best business practice to prevent duplicate reimbursements, please enter only one line item, per receipt in the “Accounting Lines” tab of each Disbursement Voucher (DV). For example, if four receipts were submitted and are being reimbursed on one DV, please enter at least four separate Accounting Lines.

When there is an invoice number or receipt number, this number should be entered in the INVOICE NUMBER field for the respective line item. See the image below for the location: 

Employee/Student On-Campus Parking is Not Reimbursable

Departments should be mindful that employee or student on-campus parking fees are not a reimbursable expense – no exceptions. If you have any questions about campus parking, please contact Transportation & Distribution Services at 949-824-7275 or parking@uci.edu. You can also visit their website for more information.

Use of Corporate Credit Cards & PALCards on Campus

Corporate credit cards and PALCards cannot be used to pay campus departments. This includes UCI Parking, UCI Ticket Offices or UCI TouchNet Marketplace transactions. Cardholders are reminded in their card training and follow up emails regarding such transactions.

When Should I use Reason Code B on a DV?

Reason code B is for the reimbursement of actual out-of-pocket expenses. The proper purchasing procedures for goods/services is through UCIBuy, PALCard or PO. In exceptional circumstances, when an out-of-pocket purchase of a good needs to occur, a department can submit a reimbursement on a DV Reason Code B. Back-up documentation must include:

• Proof of payment, including the payment method used.
• Explanation of the reason the urgent need for the purchase was made outside of proper purchasing methods.
• Signed Payee Certification must be obtained or ad hoc’d approval to the Payee, certifying they understand this was an exception and the purchase was made for official University Business. 
• If the purchase reimbursement totals over $500, an ad-hoc approval to the Chief Procurement Officer, Snehal Bhatt, must be added to the DV Route Log. 

Please note reimbursements on DV Reason Code B should be minimal due to the fact they are exceptions. See our website for more information about Payment Reason Codes.

TEM Travel Policy Training Guide & Corporate Card Overview

Training sessions are available online through the UC Learning Center (UCLC). These training sessions review travel policies and best practices and information on the UCI corporate travel card program. Follow the links below to view the courses on UCLC:

• TEM Travel Policy Training Guide
• Corporate Travel Card Overview

Follow the instructions on UCLC to register for the courses online.

Questions About Policies, DVs, Corporate Credit Cards, or CTS Cards?  Contact Travel Accounting by sending us an email to travel-accounting@uci.edu or visit our website for more useful information at https://www.accounting.uci.edu/travel/. Missed our last reminder? Read it here.

Accounts Payable Reminders

Important Note: Please notify Accounts Payable once your Purchase Order has been approved and finalized so AP can process your invoices in a timely manner.

Please send all invoices to accounts-payable@uci.edu.

 Throughout the year we receive many inquiries about whether an invoice has been processed. You can check the status of your invoice by doing the following:

1. Click the magnifying glass to go to Document Search
2. Enter the Document Type: PO and click search to update the fields
3. Enter the purchase order number and click search
4. Click on the Document ID
5. Scroll down to View Payment History and expand the tab.
6. Find the invoice you are looking for from the list and click Disbursement Info to pull up the check/ACH information

• Invoices under $10K will automatically be paid per the net terms of the PO.
• Invoices over $10K will route to the Fiscal Officer for approval and invoices over $100K will route to the Asst Controller for approval prior to being paid.
• Sub-award Purchase Orders (PO) must have two lines.
  • Line 1 - for $25,000, which is UCI’s federal negotiated rate.
  • Line 2 - for the remaining amount.
• All invoices must have a valid purchase order. The purchase order must be:
  • Open
  • Approved
  • Have available funds to pay all open invoices through June 30, 2023.
  • Amended and FINAL prior to sending an invoice to AP for High Value/High Risk, Contract or Recurring Payment PO’s.

Business Hours Accounts Payable is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Our team is in the office on Wednesdays at 120 Theory, Suite 200, in the UCI Research Park.