Travel

Need help with your travel? We are available via email, zoom, phone, or come visit us in Hulbert Hall 305.


Before Travel

What do I need before I begin my travel?

You will need to submit a spend authorization. 
What you need to fill out the spend authorization (PDF.)
You will need to submit a spend authorization AND have additional requirements completed.
Additional Requirements for foreign travel:
What you need to fill out the spend authorization (PDF)
No spend authorization is needed.
If you are traveling within Washington as an employee, a Spend Authorization does not need to be completed. Please see WSU’s BPPM 95.01 for further detailed information.
Once you complete your travel, you will create an Expense Report.

After Travel

What do I need after my travel is complete?

Here is a helpful list of what you’ll need to fill out the Expense Report:
To avoid tax implications, please submit an Expense Report within 60 days after the travel is completed.
When I create a new expense report from spend authorization, do I need to click on the Final Expense Report box? A: Yes, this helps close out the Spend Authorization attached to the expense report and releases encumbered estimates not spent.


Resources

Find Expense Report by searching in Workday: My Expense Reports

Find Spend Authorization by searching in Workday: My Spend Authorizations

Global Travel

If you need support from the Global Travel Agency, their online office is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mountain Time. They can be reached at 800 548-2202 or at the direct line 208 387-1000, or by email to their Corporate Department.

Global Travel Team:

  • Janice Meyers
  • Jill Huffman
  • Linda Polk
  • Shelbi Hoffman
  • Tina Jones

Global Travel website

Concur

Concur Website

Concur contact: Judy Karrels – 208-387-1112

Motor Pool vs. Personal Vehicle Usage

BPPM 95.11 Normally, the use of a privately-owned motor vehicle is based upon University-related requirements rather than the personal preference or convenience of the traveler. A WSU traveler may use a privately-owned motor vehicle for official University travel when: A Motor Pool vehicle is not available, or It is more advantageous or economical to the University to use a privately-owned vehicle than a Motor Pool vehicle as determined by the approving administrator.

Multi-State Travel Policies Memo

For more information, please contact:

Ellen Yeates

509-335-4563

eyeates@wsu.edu

  • See the FAQ to know which type of purchasing card can be used for different travel expenses.
  • Expense Reports Meals and Lodging – The date must match the first day of the travel date.
    • Lodging – The arrival Date needs to match the Expense Line Date (Arrival when you arrived and Departure when you left)
    • Meals – The departure Date needs to match the Expense Line Date (Departure when you started to travel and arrival when you came back)
  • Meals – Provided means you provide yourself with a meal.
  • Grant Award Line End Dates – Be aware of end dates and what is the most updated grant worktag to be used for your travel needs.
  • Mileage reimbursement – Remember to provide the departure & destination locations noted in the memo line. A screenshot from google maps works very well to help verify mileage.

Announcements

Did you know..

NEW mileage rate is 0.67 per mile starting January 1st, 2024.
Updated Per Diem & Mileage Rates in WA State: (PDF)

As of October 1st, 2023, there are new per diem rates posted for WA State. POV Mileage Rate updated as of January 1st, 2024.

Motor Pool Procedure for CAHNRS Travelers

With the implementation of Workday, there has been some confusion about how the Motor Pool process works for CAHNRS travelers. The CAHNRS Travel Team will continue to facilitate the reservation process for vehicles as we…

Travel Process in Workday

Ever wonder what happens to with your travel reports in Workday? Here’s a chart to help see the process for both employees and non-employees in Workday.

Travel Process in Workday (PDF)


Tutorials


Frequently Asked Questions

The preferred method of payment for air, rail, or bus fare is the department’s CTA, also
known as the Central Travel Account. (See BPPM 95.04)

Not sure if your department has a CTA card? Check with the Travel Team: travel.bc@wsu.edu
  • You must have an approved Spend Authorization submitted in Workday prior to
    purchasing airfare.
  • By using the CTA card, you do not have to carry the balance of the purchase on a
    personal credit card.
  • Departments/Programs are eligible to accrue reward miles for future travel.
  • Many departments also use Concur (Global Travel’s online booking tool for WSU) so
    travelers can schedule their own flights.
Traveler Personal Credit Card – A personal credit card may be used to purchase airfare
  • Traveler cannot seek reimbursement for the purchase until after the travel has been
    completed.
  • Payments prior to a trip are considered an advance per the State, so they are not
    allowed to be reimbursed until after the trip. Advances for airfare are prohibited per
    the State.
WSU Travel Card – University travelers are to use the Travel Charge Card for business-related
travel and entertainment expenses as defined in the University travel policies. (See BPPM
Chapter 95
) University travelers should not charge any expenses on the travel card that are
not reimbursable by WSU.
  • The individual cardholder is personally responsible for paying all charges on the card
    by the statement due date. The account is not a revolving credit account. Partial
    monthly payments are not permitted. Any late fees incurred are the sole
    responsibility of the cardholder.
  • If choosing to purchase airfare in advance it is the responsibility of the cardholder
    to pay the balance of the card in full regardless of whether the travel has been
    completed or not.
  • Prohibited purchases include any personal items and any non-official travel related
    expenditures.
  • If the traveler will not be getting directly reimbursed for the expenses via an Expense
    Report, then the Travel Charge Card is not an acceptable form of payment.

Before you start travel: Spend Authorizations are only required for Out of State or Foreign Travel. If you are traveling within Washington as an employee, a Spend Authorization does NOT need to be completed. Please see WSU’s BPPM 95.01 for further detailed information.

Here’s a quick how-to:

How to cancel a spend authorization? (PDF)

For an expense report, you would follow similar steps to cancel.

The CDC Travel page shares updated travel information for domestic and international travel.

The U.S. General Services Administration page for Per Diem Rates, you’ll find rates for Lodging and Meals. The map on the page also shows per diem rates for other countries as well.

You can find your Spend Authorizations or Expense Reports in Workday by searching:
  • My Spend Authorizations
  • My Expense Reports

On our travel page, under Forms -> Other Forms -> Motor Pool Request

WSU’s Business Policies and Procedures Manual 95 for travel offers information about what mileage is reimbursable.
Travel Mileage (PDF)
We also offer a mileage log (excel) that can be filled out every month as well. Reminder – departure & destination locations should be noted.

Once you see that your expense report is with the Expense Partner, this is WSU Central Travel. It will go through the final review. It takes about 10 business days for payment to be issued out once the funding manager approves not when the expense report is submitted. Review the Travel Process in Workday PDF under Travel Tips.

No there is no minimum, they just can not go over per diem meals and lodging for the days they have gone, but they can request less.

Reference – BPPM 95.05
Faculty and staff employees can request travel/cash advances ONLY if they will be in travel status for no less than 15 days.
Nonemployee students and graduate students (even if on paid assistantships or appointments) are able to request a travel/cash advance even if in travel status for less than 15 days.
Guarantee for Advance of Funds to Non-employee students
University policy limits cash or travel advances to faculty and staff employees only. The responsible dean or director may request an exception to the Travel Advance policy in order to advance funds to a non-employee student.
To ensure payment to the university in the event the recipient defaults in accounting for and/or returning the funds, the dean or director completes and signs a Guarantee for Advance of Funds to Non-employee Student certification form. The dean or director enters the applicable worktags of the gift account that is to support any outstanding balance of funds.
The dean or director must attach the certification form to the Spend Authorization in Workday.
Amount of Advance
According to the BPPM 95.05 under Amount of Advance:
The best practice is to avoid advancing the traveler more than they will spend. It is recommended that the advance amount be no more than the total per diem allowance for the number of days in travel status.
Example
Travel to Phoenix, AZ from 3/1/18 through 3/17/18
Example on how to use the per diem page if travel was to Phoenix Arizona.
Traveling to Phoenix Arizona in March 2018. The per diem rate for lodging is $174 and per diem for one day of meals and incidental expenses is $59.
If the daily per diem allowance is: $174 (lodging) + $59 ( meals and incidentals) = $233. We will take the number of days in travel status: 16 and multiple our daily allowance total by 16 to attain out Total Advance amount ($233 x 16) = $3728.
Returning Advances: (BPPM 95.20)
Any unexpended portion of a travel advance must be returned to WSU at the close of the authorized travel period. (SAAM 10.80.60)(PDF)
A university employee who does not repay an advance is considered to be in default. The University may withhold amounts due from the employee’s salary or wages.

WSU Compliance and Risk Management – International Travel is where you can find the information on International Travel Insurance.


** If you need the content provided on this page in a different format, please contact travel.bc@wsu.edu**