TRAVEL Quick Reference

October, 2004

Process Overview

Table of Travel related commands and their purpose.
Use this command To do this
TA Request approval of a trip for a traveler. This may also include TCard maximums, estimated reimbursables, travel advance, and travel related Purchase Orders.
TRPO Adding a Travel Related Purchase Order to an existing 'approved' Travel Authorization.
LETA List echarges for a Travel Authorization
LRPO List travel Related Purchase Orders
LTTA List Transactions for a Travel Authorization
LTTR List Transactions for a Travel Related po
LTRS List Transactions for Requestor and Status
LTPR List Transactions Pending Review
LPOV List Purchase Orders and travel authorizations for a Vendor
LPOS List Purchase Orders for a Status
? OR PF1 Display on-line Help!

NOTE: When you are ready to submit the TA, you must press PF10.

Submitting a Request for Travel Authorization

Below is a Step by Step Guide in submitting a Travel Authorization: A Travel Authorization contains three (3) screens.

Screen 1: Traveler and Trip Information

  1. Type "TA" in the Command field; tab to the Action field and enter an "S" (for Submit); then press Enter.
  2. If you know the traveler's Vendor ID, type that in the Traveler ID field. If you do not know the traveler’s Vendor ID, use the Vendor Search facility. To access the Vendor Search Facility from the Traveler ID field, press PF1. (See "Searching for a Vendor" for details on using the Vendor Search Facility.)
  3. If your traveler is not found through the Vendor Search Facility, press PF6 to create a Proposed Vendor. Please Note: When proposing a traveler name, the system will also require entry of the traveler's Social Security Number, so you must have this information when you propose the vendor.
  4. If a traveler has ever traveled for the U of A, he/she should be on the Vendor file (the file you searched with the Vendor Search Facility.) If you know your traveler has traveled before, review your search strategy and try again (try a phonetic search, etc.) before proposing a new vendor. Proposed vendors must be approved by the vendor maintenance person located in the Office of Business Affairs before the request for travel authorization may be approved by the Travel Office.
  5. When you propose a vendor, entering the information in the standard format will expedite the approval of the vendor. The accepted format for the vendor's name, for example, is Last, First. For more information on entering a proposed vendor, see "Proposing a New Vendor."
  6. Tab to the Traveler Type code field and enter the type of traveler for whom the request is being made (E=Employee; S=Student; G=Guest of the University; U=U of A board member; T=Group).
  7. Tab to the Grant Part field and enter "Y" ONLY if you are charging a grant (04xx) cost center for which there is a category designated for attendance at grant-funded workshops or seminars.
  8. Tab to the Blanket field and type "Y" if the expenses of the travel are to be covered by a blanket purchase order.
  9. Tab to the Event Dates field and enter the starting date of the event; then tab to the next field and enter the ending date of the event.
  10. Tab to the Travel Dates field and enter the starting date of the trip; then tab to the next field and enter the ending date of the trip.
  11. If the traveler will possibly incur charges on a University of Arkansas Travel Card (TCard), the estimated amount will be entered in the Travel Card Maximum field. Example: Airfare.
  12. Tab to the Destination field and press PF1 to activate the Destination Help Facility. If searching for a city within the US, type the appropriate State code and press 'Enter'. A listing of cities associated with the State Code you entered will be displayed.

    If searching for a city in a country other than the US, press PF1 while cursor is in the Country Code field and locate the appropriate Country Code. Press 'Enter' once you locate the Country and a listing of the cities within the Country will be listed.

    Please Note: If you cannot locate the appropriate city you must contact the Travel Office at 575-7951 to have the city added to the TDMM table so that you may proceed with submitting your Travel Authorization.

    If the Travel Authorization is a 'Blanket', the Destination field acts as a text field and allows entry of standard text. Example: In-State Blanket.

  13. Tab to the Region Cd field and enter the appropriate region code (I=In-State; O=Out-of-State; F=Foreign).
  14. In the Purpose field, enter the reason for the trip (e.g., Society of Travel Reps Convention).
  15. Tab to the Purpose Code field and enter the code for the type of event (O=Official Business, E=Education and Training Seminars, C=Conferences and Conventions).
  16. In the Telephone field, enter your work phone number.
  17. Press Enter to have the computer validate the information you have entered so far. Then press PF8 to go to Screen 2.
    Note about validation:
    When the system validates a screen, it looks to see if it understands the format in which information has been entered and whether or not amounts are consistent with guidelines, etc. If validation errors occur, the system returns a message and places the cursor in the field where the correction needs to be made.

Screen 2: Reimbursables

  1. In the Transportation Type field, enter the code for the type of transportation the traveler will use for the trip (A=Air, P=Private Automobile, U=University Vehicle, G=Guest in Automobile, O=Other).
  2. If the trip will be made by private vehicle, enter the total number of estimated miles for the trip in the Miles field. By pressing the PF1 key while cursor is in the Miles field, the help facility will be available for selecting the appropriate mileage for the destination you have entered on Screen 1. These amounts may be modified to include any vicinity mileage being requested.
  3. Verify the number of full days shown in the Meals field. If requesting fewer days of meals, edit the amount shown. The system will default the daily meal rate based on the destination you have entered on Screen 1. This amount may be lowered, but not increased.
  4. Tab to the Special field. If the amount of the lodging will exceed the Federal Per Deim amount shown on the screen, you must select the appropriate code from the Lodging Special field. By pressing the PF1 key while cursor is in the Lodging Special field, the possible choices will be displayed.

    Please Note:If the traveler is going to a foriegn country, or is a guest of the university, a Lodging Special is NOT required.

    Entering "N" for travelers other than those on foreign travel or guests of the University causes reimbursable lodging limits to be set at the Federal Per Deim limit.

  5. In the Days of Lodging field, change the number of days if requesting fewer days of lodging.
  6. The system will default the Federal Per Deim rate in the Lodging Rate field. If a Lodging Special code has been specified, this amount may be increased. This amount may also be decreased.
  7. If the traveler is to be reimbursed for registration fees, tab to Reg field and enter a dollar amount.
  8. If the traveler plans to use a taxi for part of the trip, tab to the Taxi field and enter the estimated cost for Taxi fares.
  9. If the traveler plans to use a rental car for the trip, tab to the Rental Car field and enter the estimated cost of the rental car.
  10. If the traveler will have reimbursable expenses that cannot be listed elsewhere, tab to the Misc field and enter a description of the expenses; then tab to the next field and enter the estimated amount of the miscellaneous expenses. Example: Parking, Gas
  11. Tab to the CCC field and enter the cost center number(s) to which expenses for the trip will be charged. Then, in the Percent column enter the percentages of costs absorbed by each cost center (or if the cost centers are restricted to set amounts, enter those amounts in the Amount column).
  12. Press Enter to validate the information you have entered on Screen 2.
    Please Note:
    At the bottom of the screen there is a field called “Maximum Reimbursable Without Supplementing.” The system automatically calculates 10% more than what has been estimated. If you only want the traveler reimbursed for the amount of reimbursable expenses without the 10% overage, simply type over this amount with the amount shown in the Total Reimb Amt field. Any overage will be taken from the last cost center listed if you did not use percentages.
  13. Press Enter to validate any changes you made and then press PF8 to go on to Screen 3.

Screen 3: Travel Advance Info and Travel-Related PO’s

  1. If and ONLY if a travel advance is being requested, enter the amount of the requested advance in the Advance Request column.
  2. If No travel-related POs are going to be created, press Enter to validate on-screen information; then press PF10 to submit the Travel Authorization for approval through the Target (transaction routing) system. If there will be travel-related POs, go to the next step.

Creating Travel Related POs from Screen 3

  1. If travel will be by air, and a PO is going to be issued, tab to the first line under the Travel-Related Purchase Orders section, enter an “A” in the first field, and press Enter. A list of the authorized U of A Travel Agencies will be displayed. Select the Travel Agency you wish to use, by tabbing to the vendor name and pressing 'Enter'.

    REMEMBER: Select the correct vendor address once you have the vendor number in the Vendor ID field.

    If any of the displayed information is incorrect, update it with the correct information; then enter the expected amount of the airfare and the maximum amount that can be paid for this airfare. (This is important in case the TA is not approved in time to receive discounts.) If the expense will be shared by cost centers different than those indicated, update the cost center numbers and indicate either percentages or dollar amounts for each of the cost centers. If only one cost center will be used, delete the other one. Tab to the Handling Codes section and enter any appropriate special handling codes (use PF1 to obtain a listing). Press PF10 to save the travel-related PO information.

    Please Note: If you have a TCard within your department you are NOT to purchase your airfare on a PO. You should be purchasing your tickets with the TCard.

  2. If registration fees are to be paid (for conference attendance, for example), tab to the next field in the Travel-Related Purchase Orders section and type “R”; then press Enter to display information for the travel-related purchase order. In order to select a vendor, you must use the Vendor Search Facility. If the vendor does not exist in the vendor search facility, press PF6 to propose a vendor. Update the information using the same guidelines as in Step 3; then press PF10 to save your changes.

    IMPORTANT: A registration form must be filled out and faxed to the Travel Office before the Travel Office will give final approval to the TA. Once you submit the TA for approval, write the TA number on the registration form and fax to the Travel Office.

  3. If other purchase orders are to be generated to pay for travel-related expenses, tab to the next field in the Related Purchase section and press Enter. This screen will not display any information. Enter all the information for the travel-related purchase order; then press PF10 to save the Travel-Related PO and return to Screen 3.
  4. Once all the travel-related purchase orders have been created, press PF10 to submit the request for Travel Authorization for approvals through the Target (transaction routing) system.
  5. Action Codes

    The action code identifies the type of operation you want to perform with a command. Action codes can be entered in the Action field either before or after a Command is initiated. Action codes appearing below the banner indicate the action currently being performed.

    Code Action
    C Copy
    D Delete
    R Review
    S Submit
    V View
    W Withdraw

    Phone Help

    If you need assistance and cannot find the answer in this or other travel documentation, please call the Travel Office at 5-7951.

    Searching for a Vendor/Traveler

    Proposing a New Vendor

    If you cannot find the vendor after a vendor search (above), or if you need to propose a new address or name for an existing vendor, you can request these additions/changes through the Proposed Vendor window. Your proposed vendor will then be routed to the Business Affairs Vendor Maintenance representative for approval and addition to the Vendor File.

    To propose a vendor:

    Although review of the TA may begin as soon as you submit it, final approval of the TA by the Travel Office is not possible until the proposed vendor is approved by the Vendor Maintenance Person located in Business Affairs.

    Supplementing (Updating) a Travel Authorization

    A TA may only be updated if it has been through the Target process and has a status of O.

    Note:  The phone number must be re-entered on update.

    If changes have been made to Screen One, press Enter to validate before going to Screen Two. Screen Two will display the reimbursement request from the original TA. It will also only show the calculated totals. If you want the system to recalculate, you must enter your information again.

    Anytime you are increasing the amount of reimbursable expenses requested, you must tab to the Max Reimb Without Supplementing field and delete the total; then press Enter for the system to recalculate this amount. THE SYSTEM WILL NOT ACCEPT A TOTAL IN THIS FIELD THAT IS LESS THAN THE ESTIMATED REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES REQUESTED.

    Copying Documents

    You can use the Copy action to copy travel authorization requests along with their travel-related purchase orders. This capability is particularly useful when several travelers in the department are going on the same trip and have similar estimated expenses. Once a travel authorization request is copied, you can make changes to reflect estimated expenses or other information unique to one of the travelers.

    To copy a travel authorization request: