IDigBio Travel Guidelines

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Overview

iDigBio seeks to provide travel support to eligible invitees to our events, which include workshops, symposia, conferences, and training programs. This wiki page documents travel guidelines for all iDigBio internal (staff, faculty, students) and external (guest) travelers. We request that all travel, whether or not arranged, purchased, or processed by iDigBio, be coordinated through iDigBio so we can ensure our project’s compliance with NSF and UF travel policies and guidelines.

>>> All travel processed by iDigBio must comply with the UF GO travel directives ! <<<

iDigBio Travel Team

The iDigBio Travel Team is here to help you with your iDigBio-related travel questions and processing. Team members can also act on your behalf as a Delegate in UF GO. Please feel free to reach out!

  • Lauren Cohen, Deputy Project Manager with iDigBio at the University of Florida: Assists with travel logistics, creating Persons of Interest (POI), Travel Requests, and Expense Reports.
  • Jesse Grosso, Deputy Project Manager with iDigBio at the University of Florida: Assists with travel logistics, creating Persons of Interest (POI), Travel Requests, and Expense Reports.
  • David Jennings, Project Manager with iDigBio at the University of Florida: First-level approver of Travel Requests and Expense Reports.
  • Gil Nelson, Project Director with iDigBio at the University of Florida: Cost Object Approver for Travel Requests and Expense Reports.

Key Resources

General Guidelines

Travel Request and Authorization

Travel Requests (TR) in UF GO are used to plan, organize, estimate costs, and request approvals for iDigBio-related travel. Travel Requests are required and must be completed and approved before departing and/or making any travel arrangements. Participant or travel support is provided for the duration of an iDigBio event. Domestic travel includes one (1) travel day before and one (1) travel day after the iDigBio event. For international travel, guests are allowed up to two (2) days to reach their destination and two (2) days to return to official headquarters. If you arrive earlier or stay later than the iDigBio event, you will be responsible for your extra days’ lodging, meals, and other expenses.

Expense Report and Reimbursement

Reimbursement requests for travel expenses are submitted through an Expense Report (ER) in UF GO. Expense Reports should include all costs incurred during iDigBio-related travel, regardless of whether paid directly by the University (e.g., Air Card, PCard), a third party, or the traveler (e.g., personal credit card) and must reference the associated Travel Request. Reimbursements may only be made after travel has been completed. Expense Reports must be submitted within 30 days of trip completion.

Cost Comparison

Any trip that includes costs for upgrades, convenience, personal travel, and/or combined business travel will require a cost comparison to ensure that iDigBio is not paying for costs unrelated to or unallowable while travelling on official UF business. This includes personal extended stays at the business location, personal deviations to a non-business location in conjunction with official business travel, and non-reimbursable travel upgrades. The cost comparison must be obtained through UF GO or the University’s authorized travel agent at the time of booking to validate the reimbursable business-only portion of the fare. Cost comparisons must be included as supporting documentation on the Expense Report when personal travel or upgrades are included.

Booking Travel

All iDigBio-related travel must be booked through UF GO or the University’s authorized travel agent unless a documented exception is obtained from the UF Travel Office. Please work with the iDigBio Travel Team as your delegates to ensure compliance.

Travel and Transportation

All iDigBio travelers are to choose the most practical and economical mode of transportation and are generally to travel the most direct route. Consideration should be given to the total cost to iDigBio, considering the time of the traveler, impact on the productivity of the traveler, cost of transportation, and per diem or subsistence required.

International Travel

The Fly America Act (41 CFR 301-10.131 thru 301-10.143) requires all federally funded travel to be on a US flag carrier or US flag carrier service provided under a code-share agreement, except under specific situations. Exceptions must be documented prior to travel and pre-approved by the UF Travel Office. iDigBio does not reimburse any costs or fees for obtaining passports and/or visas.

Lodging

All iDigBio travelers are to choose the most practical and economical lodging. Justification is required if the single room rate exceeds the maximum lodging amount per the Domestic or International GSA Per Diem Schedule. The University recommends using a commercial hotel unless the service is unavailable or cost-prohibitive. University Travelers may utilize alternative lodging options (e.g., Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway) on official business, but the traveler must provide a cost comparison with hotels closest to the event.

Meals

Meals not provided as part of an iDigBio event will be reimbursed according to State of Florida Statute 112.061 : $36/day = $6/breakfast + $11/lunch + $19/dinner. Reimbursement for travel meals is determined based on the actual length and time of your travel. Alcohol is never a covered expense.

Registration Fees

If registration fees are required for the iDigBio-related event, the Expense Report must include a copy of the conference/meeting/workshop agenda as well as a copy of your completed registration form showing the amount of the registration, what was included in the registration fee (meals, lodging, etc.), and the method of payment used.

Ground Transportation

Reimbursement will be provided for transportation between hotels, railroad stations, airports, restaurants for business meals, workplaces, meetings, or other documented locations associated with the official business travel, plus tips up to 20% when necessary for business purposes. Ground transportation to and from a restaurant for a non-business meal or for other personal reasons are not reimbursable.

Private Automobile

The cost of driving a private automobile will only be reimbursed up to the State of Florida mileage rate, currently $0.445 per mile (Fla. Stat. § 112.061 (3)). This rate covers the cost of fuel, maintenance/repairs, insurance, transportation, and operating costs; thus, when a guest traveler is reimbursed the State of Florida mileage rate, these separate costs are not reimbursable. Please contact the iDigBio Travel Team if you plan to drive over 200 miles to/from the event location.

Automobile Rental

iDigBio does not normally reimburse rental cars. If you require a rental car, then you must receive written authorization from iDigBio prior to travel. If approved, your delegate will make the reservation with AVIS/Budget under the State of Florida’s rental vehicle contract. The allowable rate class is compact/economy car; insurance and/or gasoline purchased from the rental car agency are prohibited. Vehicles in a higher rate class require a business justification (e.g., vehicle shared with multiple University travelers, transporting materials or equipment, etc.).


External Travelers (iDigBio guests)

iDigBio seeks to provide participant travel support to eligible invitees to our events. This section details additional travel guidelines for Guests who are traveling on behalf of iDigBio and the University of Florida (UF).

Additional Resources

Eligibility for Participant Support

If you have recevied a direct invitation to participate in an iDigBio event, then you may be eligible for travel cost support. The travel invitation from iDigBio will detail the terms associated with your travel reimbursement. However, please review the exceptions outlined below.

University of Florida (UF) Employees

In general, University of Florida (UF) faculty, students, and staff are not eligible for participant support regardless of whether or not you are employed by iDigBio. However, travel reimbursement using other funding sources can be coordinated through iDigBio.

Florida State University (FSU) and Arizona State University (ASU) Employees

In general, Florida State University (FSU) and Arizona State University (ASU) faculty, students, and staff employed by iDigBio are not eligible for participant support. FSU and ASU employees working on iDigBio should process travel through thier home instituions following their procedures. Any other FSU and ASU faculty, students, and staff may be eligible for participant support.

Government Employees

All federal and state agency employees should check with their legal counsel to determine if they are eligible to participate in iDigBio events and/or receive travel reimbursements, which will likely depend on their role at the particular event.

Local Participants

If a guest traveler’s headquarters or residence is within 50 miles of the iDigBio event location, then the participant must obtain approval from the iDigBio Project Director prior to claiming reimbursement for lodging and meals. Criteria for approval may include late-night or early-morning job responsibilities or excessive travel time because of travel conditions.

GETTING STARTED

Following receipt of an invitation to participate in an iDigBio event, a member of the iDigBio Travel Team will contact you to collect the personal information required to create a Person of Interest (POI) for you in UF GO, so we may process your Travel Request and Expense Report. As a guest traveler of iDigBio, your responsibilities include:

  1. Familiarizing yourself with these iDigBio Travel Guidelines as well as the UF GO Travel Directives.
  2. Working with the iDigBio Travel Team to get your Person of Interest (POI) established, which will require the following information:
    • Full Name
    • Date of Birth
    • Email
    • Phone Number(s)
    • Address
      • Home/Mailing (i.e., where to send a check)
      • Business
    • Banking Details (i.e., for direct deposit of your reimbursement)
  3. Responding to your Travel Delegate in a timely manner so they may create your Travel Request and book you travel.
  4. Mainaining all required receipts during your travel.
  5. Submitting your receipts and reimbursement request to your Travel Delegate in a timely manner so they may create your Expense Report.

Travel Request and Authorization

Participant or travel support is provided for the duration of the iDigBio event. Domestic travel includes one (1) travel day before and one (1) travel day after the iDigBio event. For international travel, guests are allowed up to two (2) days to reach their destination and two (2) days to return to official headquarters. If you arrive earlier or stay later than the iDigBio event, you will be responsible for your extra days’ lodging, meals, and other expenses.

  1. Please complete the iDigBio Travel Request Form to enable your delegate to create a Travel Request (TR). Provide exact costs if you already have firm travel plans for all fields; otherwise, provide an informed estimate by looking up specific flights, ground transit, and lodging options.
    • What are your travel dates?
    • Will this trip include personal travel?
    • How are you getting there (e.g., airfare, train/rail)?
    • Where are you staying?
    • How will you get around once there (e.g., taxi, Uber/Lyft, public transportation)?
    • Are there other travel-related expenses (e.g., registration fees, airline fees, personal mileage, parking, tolls)?
  2. Obtain authorization for your travel via a UF GO Travel Request prepared and submitted by your delegate. Guest travelers are responsible for ensuring they have an approved UF GO Travel Request prior to booking, making travel-related purchases, or departing on official business travel.

Cost Comparison

Any trip that includes costs for upgrades, convenience, personal travel, and/or combined business travel will require a cost comparison to ensure that iDigBio is not paying for costs unrelated to or unallowable while travelling on official UF business. This includes personal extended stays at the business location, personal deviations to a non-business location in conjunction with official business travel, and non-reimbursable travel upgrades. The cost comparison must be obtained through UF GO or the University’s authorized travel agent at the time of booking to validate the reimbursable business-only portion of the fare. Cost comparisons must be included as supporting documentation on the Expense Report when personal travel or upgrades are included.

Booking Travel

University guest travelers, with the aid of their delegates, should book all official UF business travel through the UF GO booking tool or with World Travel Service, the University’s approved travel management company.

All guest travelers must immediately notify iDigBio if travel must be canceled. Non-refundable airfare and accommodations purchased by iDigBio, less any fee penalties, may be used by the guest traveler at a later date for approved iDigBio business. Other expenses incurred by visitors who cancel their travel are not eligible for reimbursement under state and federal guidelines.

The University’s preferred method for making travel reservations (i.e., airfare and lodging) is the UF Air Card or PCard. Any travel-related expenses made by other means, including personal credit cards, are only reimbursable after trip completion (e.g., ground transportation, parking, baggage fees, etc.). Remember the guest traveler is responsible for any additional costs incurred for personal preference or convenience that are unallowable/unreimbursible using University funds (e.g., airfare upgrades, hotel room service).

Managing Travel Receipts

Expenses incurred for business travel and other expenses are reimbursable when adequately documented, approved, and in compliance with policies, directives, and regulations. The University expects the guest traveler to obtain receipts for all expenses they plan to have reimbursed. A receipt may take many forms (e.g., cash register receipt, copy of an order form, web receipt, or confirmation) and should identify the following:

  • Date of Purchase
  • Vendor Name
  • An itemized list of the purchased items (e.g., taxes on lodging, tips on ground transportation)
  • Total Amount
  • Proof of Payment

If the guest traveler cannot obtain a receipt containing all the required information, documentation should be submitted to demonstrate as many of the required items as possible. For example, a copy of the traveler’s credit or debit card statement identifying the expense’s date, location, and amount, or a rental agreement, may be submitted along with a description of the purchase. When utilizing a credit or debit card statement, the card type and last four digits of the card should be included, with any other private or unrelated information redacted. If other methods to obtain receipt documentation are not feasible, work with your delegat to submit a Missing Receipt Declaration with your Expense Report.

Travel Expense Reimbursement

  1. Please complete the iDigBio Travel Expense Report Form to enable your delegate to create an Expense Report (ER).
  2. Supply all of your travel-related receipts to your delegate.
  3. Ensure the Expense Report documentation is appropriately prepared and submitted to your assigned delegate within 30 days of trip completion
    • The Expense Report should list all costs incurred with the official business trip, regardless of whether paid directly by the University (e.g., Air Card, PCard), a third party, or the traveler (e.g., personal credit card). Reimbursements may only be made after travel has been completed.
    • All reimbursements will be made by check in U.S. dollars unless banking details were provided to your delegate at the time of POI creation. Please ensure your address is correct, and if you require an address change, notify your delegate immediately.
    • If you submit your request late, your reimbursement could be counted as 'other income' (see IRS Publication 463).


Internal Travelers (iDigBio staff, faculty, students, delegates)

This section details additional travel guidelines for iDigBio staff, faculty, and students at the University of Florida (UF). The most comprehensive information about work-related travel for UF employees can be found on the UF Travel Information website. The information below summarizes the most relevant details for iDigBio staff, faculty, and students.

Additional Resources

Delegates

The iDigBio Travel Team can act on your behalf as Delegates in UF GO to help you create Travel Requests and Expense Reports that are compliant with iDigBio's and the University's travel policies and guidelines. It is highly recommended that you use the iDigBio Travel Team as delegates for all iDigBio-related travel. Note that although Travel Requests and Expense Reports can be created by a delegate, they can only be submitted by the traveler. Follow the Manage Delegates instructions to add Lauren Cohen and Jesse Grosso to your UF GO Profile as delegates, which will enable them to assist you with your travel.

Approvers

All iDigBio-related travel must be approved by both the Project Manager, David Jennings, and the Project Director, Gil Nelson. Follow the instructions to add David Jennings as a User-Added Approver in the Timeline before you submit any iDigBio-related Travel Request or Expense Report. Note that Gil Nelson will be automatically added to the approval Timeline for any travel that uses iDigBio funding sources.

Travel Request Instructions

If you are working with a delegate from the iDigBio Travel Team, please complete the iDigBio Travel Request Form to enable your delegate to create a Travel Request (TR).

  1. Log in to UF GO, click Request, and then click Create New Request.
  2. Fill out the Header information:
    • Request Type: Select UFLOR Domestic Travel Request or UFLOR International Travel Request
      • International travel differs slightly from domestic travel; you should read the information from UF. In accordance with the State of Florida mandate, travelers must read and acknowledge all applicable UF regulations, policies, and directives through UF GO while traveling on UF business internationally.
      • For additional information regarding processes for international travel consideration, visit Knowledge Base: International Travel.
    • Request Name: (32 characters max) Name the report using the recommended format LastName_EventName_Location_Year.Month (e.g., Jennings_DD8_KS_2024.05)
    • Trip Type: (Domestic trips only) Select either In-State or Out-of-State
    • Traveler Type: Employee
    • Business Purpose: Select the appropriate business purpose
      • Workshops = Workshop/Presentation/Speaker
      • Conference = Conference/Professional Meeting
      • Other meeting = Business Meeting/Event
    • Benefit to Grant or University/Description of Travel: In a few sentences, describe the Purpose of Travel and the Benefit to the Stae, Grant, or University.
    • Business Travel Start Date: This is the start of the official business portion of your travel. Domestic travel includes one (1) travel day before the iDigBio event. For international travel, you are allowed up to two (2) days to reach your destination.
    • Business Travel End Date: This is the end of the official business portion of your travel. Domestic travel includes one (1) travel day after the iDigBio event. For international travel, you are allowed up to two (2) days to return to your official headquarters.
    • Final Destination Location: List the city and state (e.g., Gainesville, Florida)
    • Final Destination Country: (International trips only) Enter the country (e.g., Australia)
    • Will this trip include personal travel? Select Yes or No
      • If you selected Yes, then you will need to provide an initial cost comparison and attach to your TR to demonstrate that your personal travel does not add to the trip cost. iDigBio will not reimburse any costs related to the days of your trip deemed personal travel.
      • To create a cost comparison, search for your desired flight (or other mode of travel) in UF GO and print a PDF of the whole page of search results, filtered by acceptable itinerary and sorted by lowest price. Ensure the fares displayed are for non-refundable main cabin, economy, or coach class tickets. Do the same for the flight you would take if you did not combine personal travel with business. Attach both PDFs to your Travel Request.
    • Personal Travel Dates If you selected Yes, then include all personal travel dates/date ranges formatted mm/dd/yyyy – mm/dd/yyyy. If you selected 'No', leave this blank.
    • Are you taking UF property? Select Yes or No
      • In compliance with U.S. export laws, if a University traveler travels internationally with University-owned property (e.g., laptop), a Foreign Travel Request via the myAssets Portal must be authorized prior to travel (see Completing Foreign Travel or Shipment Requests).
    • Are you visiting an Entity while abroad? (International trips only) An entity is a university, government office, private business, or anywhere you are visiting while on official UF business.
    • Is this trip partially or fully paid by a Third Party? Select Yes or No
      • Travel paid by a third party, otherwise referred to as “no-cost” or “comp” travel, is domestic or international travel conducted in an official University capacity by the University traveler and reimbursed entirely or partially by a third party.
    • Chartfield Information: See Redmine for this information
    • Comment: It is highly recommended that the official event title, location, date range, and a link to the agenda are added as a comment. In addition, use this section to explain any included personal travel.
  3. Click Save and then choose Update if asked to propagate header changes.
  4. After the header information has been saved, add David Jennings as a User-Added Approver to the Approval Workflow if he is not already in the workflow. Go to Request Details, select Request Timeline, then click Edit Approval Flow and then the first +Add Step, and search by Jennings.
  5. Estimate your travel expenses.
    • You can add trip expenses, including airfare, lodging, rental vehicle, and other anticipated expenses. A Travel Request is considered an estimate, and the expense types available are at a high level; users will have granular expenses in the trip’s expense report. Provide exact costs if you already have firm travel plans for all fields in this part of the Travel Request. Otherwise, provide an informed estimate by looking up specific flights, ground transit, and lodging options.
    • For each expected expense, click Add under the Expected Expenses section. The following are some guidlines for the various expense types.
      • Entity Visit (International trips only)
        • If you answered Yes to the question Are You Visiting an Entity While Abroad?, then you must add the Entity Visit expense to the request.
        • Reason for Visit: List a detailed primary reason for the visit.
      • Airfare
        • Commercial airline reservations should be made when it is the most efficient and economical means of travel, considering the traveler’s time, impact on the productivity of the traveler, cost of transportation, and per diem or subsistence required. The expectation is that University travelers, or their delegates, select the least expensive airfare within the main cabin (i.e., economy class) consistent with business requirements while on official business travel. For international trips, if total flight time (in air) is over 9 hours, the trip is eligible for upgrade using University funds.
        • For the Departing Airport and Arriving Airport fields, enter the airport code or arrival city.
        • Use the Ccomment fields to explain any details, such as if you are comparing costs of nearby airports.
      • Train/Rail
        • University travelers using long-distance train/rail service should book fares within the main cabin class (e.g., economy, coach) that are reasonably priced and consistent with business requirements.
      • Car Rental
        • iDigBio does not normally reimburse rental cars. If you require a rental car, then you must receive written authorization from iDigBio prior to travel.
        • If approved by iDigBio, University travelers requiring a rental vehicle during official business travel must utilize the UF GO Booking Tool to reserve with AVIS/Budget under the State of Florida’s rental vehicle contract. The allowable rate class is compact/economy car; insurance and/or gasoline purchased from the rental car agency are prohibited. Vehicles in a higher rate class require a business justification (e.g., vehicle shared with multiple University travelers, transporting materials or equipment, etc.).
        • For international travel, vehicles should be rented only from legitimate, licensed, insured, and regulated agencies abroad. When renting a vehicle internationally, it is recommended that coverage for accident insurance, personal insurance, and roadside assistance be purchased from the rental provider in that country.
        • Add a Comment with the justification for the rental vehicle. This is mandatory.
      • Lodging
        • There are limits on how much you can spend per night on lodging. Justification is required if the single room rate exceeds the maximum lodging amount per the applicable Domestic or International GSA Per Diem Schedule. In determining whether a hotel rate is excessive, consideration should be given to geographic area, seasonal fluctuations, and distance from the intended assignment location (e.g., conference/convention block rate).
        • The University recommends using a commercial hotel unless the service is unavailable or cost-prohibitive. University Travelers may utilize alternative lodging options (e.g., Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway) on official business, but the traveler must provide a cost comparison with hotels closest to the event.
        • Any University Travelers who lodge within 50 miles of their headquarters or residence must have approval from the department/unit head prior to claiming reimbursement. Criteria for approval may include late-night or early-morning job responsibilities or excessive travel time because of travel conditions.
        • Add a Comment with indicating the hotel name (if known) and xx nights @ $rate
      • Ground Transportation
        • Estimate the total amount of ground transportation needed for your trip, including to/from the airport at departure and destination as well as transportation needs at the destination. If in doubt, use $100 as a guesstimate.
        • Add a Comment indicating: travel to/from the airport; taxi/rail at the destination
      • Conference/Seminar/Workshop Registration
        • Enter ther complete name in the Conference/Seminar/Workshop Name field (e.g., Envisioning a Biological Collections Action Center: Field Museum)
        • Provide details about the conference in the Comment field including the dates, location, and a link to the agenda and/or conference page.
      • Travel Meals Domestic or Travel Meals International
        • For Domestic travel, UF provides a standard allowance rather than reimbursing you for the exact cost of meals. This is convenient because you do not need to save meal receipts. This also means you should pay out of pocket for meals, not with your PCard. Meals for domestic travel are reimbursed at $36/day, which breaks down to $6/breakfast + $11/lunch + $19/dinner.
        • For International travel, University Travelers are reimbursed for the actual cost of lodging along with a meal and incidental expenses (M&IE) allowance as established by the U.S. Department of State.
        • Use the Comment field to indicate whether any meals will be included in an event registration.
      • Other Travel Expenses
        • Estimate the total amount of other expenses needed for your trip, such as parking, baggage, tolls, etc. If in doubt, use $100 as a guesstimate.
        • Add a Comment indicating: parking, baggage, tolls, etc.
      • Mileage
        • If you a driving your personal vehicle, enter the number of miles calculated by using Google Maps or similar using the most efficient route.
        • Add a Comment that includes the departing and arriving addresses, and if it is a round trip.

Cost Comparison

Any trip that includes costs for upgrades, convenience, personal travel, and/or combined business travel will require a cost comparison to ensure that iDigBio is not paying for costs unrelated to or unallowable while travelling on official UF business. This includes personal extended stays at the business location, personal deviations to a non-business location in conjunction with official business travel, and non-reimbursable travel upgrades. The cost comparison must be obtained through UF GO or the University’s authorized travel agent at the time of booking to validate the reimbursable business-only portion of the fare. Cost comparisons must be included as supporting documentation on the Expense Report when personal travel or upgrades are included.

Booking Travel

University travelers must book all official UF business travel through the UF GO booking tool or with World Travel Service, the University’s approved travel management company, unless a documented exception is obtained from the UF Travel Office. Working with the iDigBio Travel Team as your delegates will help you to ensure compliance.

The University’s preferred method for making travel reservations (i.e., airfare and lodging) is the UF Air Card or PCard. Any travel-related expenses made by other means, including personal credit cards, are only reimbursable after trip completion (e.g., ground transportation, parking, baggage fees, etc.). Remember the traveler is responsible for any additional costs incurred for personal preference or convenience that are unallowable/unreimbursible using University funds (e.g., airfare upgrades, hotel room service).

Expense Report Instructions

If you are working with a delegate from the iDigBio Travel Team, please complete the iDigBio Travel Expense Report Form to enable your delegate to create an Expense Report (ER).

Expense Reports can be created by a delegate, but they can only be submitted by the traveler.

  1. Log in to UF GO,
  2. Open the Travel Request for the trip and click Create Expense Report.
    • Creating an Expense Report from an approved Travel Request is efficient because it pulls the expenses listed on the TR into the ER. The 'Request' field in an expense item will reference the associated Travel Request item.
    • Make note of the Travel Request ID because you will need to manually enter it in the Traveler's myUFL TA/UF GO Request ID field for every expense item.
  3. Under Report Details, select Report Header to verify the travel dates and funding details are accurate.
    • Expense reports on C&G funds 201 will need to have the following fields:
      • Travel Start Time is the time you left your home or official headquarters. This is easily obtained from an Uber/Lyft receipt.
      • Travel End Time is the time you returned to your home or official headquarters. This is easily obtained from an Uber/Lyft receipt.
      • Official Headquarters is the city or town nearest to the area where most of the employee’s work is performed.
    • Make changes to the Report Header as needed. You can edit all header fields, including Chartfield information.
    • Use the Comment sections to add any important travel-related details you may want the approvers to know.
  4. Click Save and then choose Update if asked to propagate header changes.
  5. After the header information has been saved, add David Jennings as a User-Added Approver to the Approval Workflow if he is not already in the workflow. Go to Report Details, select Report Timeline, then click Edit Approval Flow and then the first +Add Step, and search by Jennings.
  6. Detail your travel expenses.
    • A traveler may have a Travel Expense Report that contains both out-of-pocket and PCard charges for their trip.
    • In UF GO, travel-related PCard or Air Card transactions are reconciled in a travel expense report. The PCard or Air Card charge is loaded into the system and available in the user’s UF GO profile.
      • If there is a pending expense that you would like to import into the report, click Add Expense, select Available Expenses, click the check box for an expense to add to the report, and click Add to Report.
      • You will need to merge the estimated expense line created in the travel request with the actual PCard or Air Card charge. Select the expense lines you wish to merge by clicking on the check box on the left-hand side, and then click the Combine Expense button to merge two expense line items.
      • Each expense needs to be verified and additional details entered. Select an existing expense and click Edit, then enter information on required fields.
      • Add receipts to an expense line by clicking on the Add Receipts button:
        • Receipts for all air, rail, lodging, and rental vehicle expenses must be provided. Receipts must be provided for all other expense types if the expense exceeds $25.00.
        • The University traveler is responsible for obtaining receipts for all expenses they plan to have reimbursed. A valid receipt must identify the following:
          • Date of purchase
          • Vendor name
          • An itemized list of the purchased items (e.g., taxes on lodging, tips on ground transportation)
          • Total amount
          • Proof of payment
        • If the traveler cannot obtain a receipt containing all the required information, documentation should be submitted to demonstrate as many of the required items as possible. For example, a copy of the traveler’s credit or debit card statement identifying the expense’s date, location, and amount, or a rental agreement, may be submitted along with a description of the purchase. When utilizing a credit or debit card statement, the card type and last four digits of the card should be included, with any other private or unrelated information redacted. If these other methods to obtain receipt documentation are not feasible, a Missing Receipt Declaration may be completed within the UF GO Expense Report
        • The Transaction Date field for each expense will be automatically filled out for purchases made by PCard or Air Card. If personal funds were used, then you will need to enter the transaction date from the receipt.
    • Tips for documenting details on selected expense types:
      • Use the Comment fields as much as possible to make it easy for your approver!
      • Airfare
        • Trip Type and Business Purpose should automatically populate from the Report Header
        • Type of Class: Enter the class of ticket you purchased (e.g., Economy for Main Cabin). Justification must be added in the Comment for any other class.
        • Reservation Source: This will be Concur Online Booking of you booked through UF GO. Justification must be added in the Comment for any other source.
        • Payment Type: Select Pending Transaction if you used a UF Air Card or PCard. Otherwise, select Personal Funds.
        • Comment: Required for things like if you booked your ticket outside of UF GO.
      • Airline Fees
        • Comment: Required to explain what the fee was for (e.g., baggage fees).
      • Conference/Seminar/Workshop Registration
        • Make sure you attach your completed Registration Form and Agenda.
        • Comment: Include a link to the agenda and/or conference website.
      • Travel Meals Domestic
        • Meals included in event registration (e.g., lunch provided by a conference) cannot be claimed for reimbursement.
        • Enter the number of meals you are claiming.
          • Breakfast = Travel begins before 6:00 AM and extends past 8:00 AM
          • Lunch = Travel begins before noon and extends past 2:00 PM
          • Dinner = Travel begins before 6:00 PM and extends past 8:00 PM
        • Use the first day of travel for the Transaction Date.
        • Departure Time is the first day of travel, and Return Time is the last day of travel.
        • Add a 'Comment' if meals were included as part of an event registration.
      • Travel Meals- International
        • For international travel, University Travelers are reimbursed for the actual cost of lodging along with a meal and incidental expenses (M&IE) allowance as established by the U.S. Department of State.
        • Within a Travel Expense Report, the UF GO Travel Allowance feature applies the appropriate U.S. Department of State M&IE Allowance based on the accurate entry of the Traveler’s itinerary.
        • The following incidentals are included on the Travel Allowance and cannot be itemized separately:
          • Laundry services
          • Maid service
          • Portage
          • Taxi/Rideshare Tip
        • Meals included in event registration (e.g., lunch provided by a conference) cannot be claimed for reimbursement.
        • Add a 'Comment' if meals were included as part of an event registration.
      • Mileage - Personal Car
        • Use the first day of travel for the Transaction Date.
        • Enter the From address (e.g., personal address) and To address (e.g., local airport). University travelers or their delegates are to use the “Mileage Calculator” feature embedded within the UF GO Expense Report to determine mileage for reimbursement calculations.
        • Were other travelers with you? Enter additional travelers under attendees.
        • Add a Comment regarding mileage (e.g., full addresses and whether the travel was a round trip).
      • Parking/Tolls/Road Charges
        • Add a Comment regarding expense type (e.g., long-term airport parking).
      • Some expenses require itemization to separate parent expense types from child expenses.
        • Lodging
          • The University does not reimburse personal expenses, such as guest accommodations, room service, early check-in, entertainment, and other non-business charges.
          • Are you sharing a room? Enter who you shared a room with under attendees.
          • Comment: Required for things like if you booked your ticket outside of UF GO.
          • Itemization: For each night of lodging, separate the Lodging expenses from the Lodging Tax expenses.
        • Ground Transportation
          • Travelers will be reimbursed for bus, subway, or other mass transportation, shuttle, taxi fares, or other ride services, plus tips up to 20% when necessary for business purposes. Reimbursement will be provided for transportation between hotels, railroad stations, airports, and restaurants for business meals, workplaces, meetings, or other documented locations associated with the official business travel. Ground transportation to and from a restaurant for a non-business meal or other personal reasons is not reimbursable.
          • Were other travelers with you? Enter additional travelers under attendees.
        • Comment is required to document the to and from locations. In addition, mention any details regarding the trip fare total, explaining if there are fees/surcharges or a driver tip.
          • Itemization: For each night of lodging, separate the Lodging expenses from the Lodging Tax expenses.
            • For Domestic travel, separate the Driver Tip and put the remainder under Ground Transportation.
            • For International travel, remove the Driver Tip because you can only claim Ground Transportation (tips are included in the M&IE allowance).
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