Travel
Need help with your travel? We are available via email, zoom, phone, or come visit us in Hulbert Hall 305.
TRAVEL TIPS
- Travel Process in Workday (PDF)
- 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.
- Step-by-Step Guides:
Before Travel
What do I need before I begin my travel?
You will need to submit a spend authorization.
You will need to submit a spend authorization AND have additional requirements completed.
Additional Requirements for foreign travel:
- International Travel Required – Additional Detail (PDF) – Filled out and emailed to Travel for Dean’s approval
- Dean’s Approval
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 B.P.P.M. 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:
- What you need to fill out the Expense Report (PDF.)
- Tutorials: **Training videos coming soon**
- Create Expense Report – Travel (MP4)
- Adding Expense Lines within your Expense Report:
- Expense Line – Lodging (MP4)
- Workday Lodging Information and Breakdown (PDF)
- New: Data must match the first day of the travel date.
- Expense Line – Airfare (MP4)
- Expense Line – Mileage (MP4) – For Multiple Mileage Claims; please make sure to attach your mileage lof when submitting this form in the email. (Mileage logs must include departure and destination location and each specific purpose of the trip).
- Expense Line – Meals (MP4)
- NEW: Date must match the first day of the travel date.
- Expense Line – Other (MP4)
- Expense Line – Lodging (MP4)
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.
Forms
Tutorials **Training videos coming soon**
Create Spend Authorization (MP4)
Create Expense Report – Travel (MP4)
- Add Expense Lines:
- Expense Line – Lodging (MP4)
- Expense Line – Airfare (MP4)
- Expense Line – Mileage (MP4)
- Expense Line – Meals (MP4)
- Expense Line – Other (MP4)
Create Expense Report – Confirming Reimbursement (MP4)
Spend Authorization – Travel:
- Spend Authorization – E.C.M. (PDF)
- Once filled out, please submit it to Travel for request processing.
- Email must include Workday funding information provided by WSU contact.
Expense Report – Travel:
- Expense Report – E.C.M. (PDF)
- Once filled out, please submit it to Travel for request processing.
- Email must include Workday funding information provided by WSU contact.
Expense Report – Confirming Reimbursement:
- Expense Report – Confirming Reimbursement (PDF)
- Once filled out, please submit it to Travel for request processing.
- Email must include Workday funding information provided by WSU contact.
Mileage Micro Training (MP4)
Lodging & Meals Micro Training (MP4)
Available via Microsoft Teams ONLY. Email Adriana Rivera to have the training shared.
Frequently Asked Questions
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 B.P.P.M. 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 (B.P.P.M 95) for travel offers information about what mileage is reimbursable.
We also offer a mileage log (excel) that can be filled out every month as well.
Mileage reimbursement; departure & destination locations noted in the memo line.
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 – B.P.P.M. 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. (B.P.P.M. 95.05)
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. Reffering to the B.P.P.M. 95.05:
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.
According to the B.P.P.M. 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 Pheonix, AZ from 3/1/18 through 3/17/18
- Daily per diem allowance: $174 (lodging) + $59 ( meals and incidentals) = $233
- Number of days in travel status: 16
- Total advance: ($233 x 16) = $3,728
Returning Advances: (B.P.P.M. 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 neida.ramirez@wsu.edu**