RRHEC – Travel Training

1. RRHEC – Travel Training Updated: May 2009

2. Travel Training Topics • Who is eligible & what does RRHEC pay for? • What is allowable/not allowable? • How much is reimbursable? • What are the mileage limitations? • What is the process? • What is the purpose of the forms? Where do you send the forms & When can you expect to get paid? • Who can help? • Who sets the rules? • Useful links to travel related information. • Samples

3. Who is eligible & What does RRHEC pay for? • Texas State University Faculty • RRHEC pays for mileage to teach class only if you are headquartered* in San Marcos. Faculty with the RRHEC designated as their headquarters do not get reimbursement to teach classes here but if you teach classes in San Marcos, your academic department may reimburse you • Adjunct/Per Course Instructors Are Not Eligible • Texas State University Staff • RRHEC pays for mileage related to pre-approved business travel (local and out of town) • RRHEC pays for lodging and meals related to pre-approved overnight business travel

4. What is allowable/not allowable? • Allowable • Mileage • Toll charges (receipt or statement required) • Meals (only if overnight travel required) • Lodging (only if overnight travel required) • Registration fees • NOT Allowable • Alcoholic beverages • Excess baggage charges for personal belongings • Tips & gratuities • Laundry & cleaning • Entertainment (movies, etc.) • State of Texas hotel occupancy tax • Full list can be found at: http://uweb.txstate.edu/gao/ap/travel/PocketGuide.pdf

5. How much is reimbursable? • As of January 2009, current mileage rate is 55.0 cents* • For overnight - In-State travel: • Meals not to exceed $36 a day • Lodging not to exceed $85 a day • For overnight - Out-of-State travel: • Reimbursed at rates listed on the federal Domestic Maximum Per Diem Rates website: https://fmx.cpa.state.tx.us/fm/travel/out_of_state/index.php • *NOTE: Rates subject to change. Please visit the University’s travel web page http://www.txstate.edu/gao/ap/travel/ for updated information.

6. What are the mileage limitations? • Round trip from San Marcos to the RRHEC is 107 miles (53.5 miles each way) unless you start off or end off at a location that is closer to your destination (for faculty members this would be the RRHEC) than your headquarters (for faculty members this would be San Marcos campus). • Under no circumstances can the round trip to/from San Marcos be more than 107 miles • If your starting or end point is closer to your destination than headquarters, you can only claim mileage from those points • NOTE: Please see examplesincluded at the end of this presentation.

7. What is the process? • Faculty • At the start of each semester, a travel application should be completed estimating the mileage that may be reimbursed for that semester • Once the semester has ended and no later than 30 days after the date of the final exam, a travel expense reimbursement form and the additional travel related form must be completed • The travel application form can be found at http://gaoserv3.accounting.txstate.edu/saptapp.asp • The travel expense reimbursement form may be found at http://www.txstate.edu/gao/ap/travel/forms.html • The additional travel related information form will be available on the RRHEC website • Staff • For any pre-approved overnight trips, a travel application is required at least 30 days before travel date • The travel expense reimbursement form should be completed no later than 30 days after travel date • For business related mileage expenses, a travel application is not required but the travel expense reimbursement form must be completed at a minimum on a quarterly basis (November, February, May and early August).

8. Travel Application Process – Step 1 • Go to the following website: http://www.txstate.edu/gao/ap/travel/ • Select Resources & Forms (located immediately below the picture) • Once in Resources & Forms web page select Travel Application • Please see samples at the end of this presentation for further assistance. Click on this button.

9. Travel Application Process – Step 2 This is a 6 digit vendor number assigned by the accounting department via a vendor maintenance form. If you don’t have a vendor number or don’t remember your vendor number, please contact: 245-9911 or the administrative assistant in your teaching department. RRHEC staff please contact the Assistant Director at 64423. Once you’ve entered your vendor number click on this button.

10. Travel Application Process – Step 3 Please Note: A travel application is required for each semester. This application must be submitted to the attention of Lupita Mireles at the RRHEC no later than 15 days after the start of every semester. Fall semester 2009: Begin date: 8/27/08 Return date: 12/16/08 For RRHEC related travel only: Fund Number: 2000011009 Cost Center: 1312000000 Amount: Please enter an estimated amount

11. Travel Application Process – Step 4 Please select the appropriate type of traveler you are: faculty or staff. Click on this button.

12. Travel Application Process – Step 5 • Print out the application and sign it. • Submit it to the RRHEC Assoc. Director (Lupita Mireles) – suite 401e • Sample: This number will be used in the travel reimbursement form. Please sign this form. We can not forward to the travel office without your signature here.

13. Travel Reimbursement Process- Step1 • Obtain the latest form from the RRHEC’s web site: http://www.rrhec.txstate.edu/faculty-staff/fsforms.html • Once you click on the form, you will be prompted to save or open. Save the form.

14. Travel Reimbursement Process- Step2 At a minimum, the items highlighted in yellow must be completed. This is a 6 digit vendor number assigned by the accounting department via a vendor maintenance form. If you don’t have a vendor number or don’t remember your vendor number, please contact: 245-9911 or the administrative assistant in your teaching department. RRHEC staff please contact the Associate Director at 64423. • Complete Page 1 – Tab: Front Page In State This number is obtained when a travel application is completed. For sample, please see travel application process –step 5. The cost center and fund number must be entered here. For RRHEC related travel during the period 9/1/08-8/31/09 use the following: Cost center: 1312000000 Fund: 2000011009 Once entered the form automatically copies the information to these columns indicated by the arrow. Toll charges: receipts or copy of statement required. NOTE: Useful checklist! Your signature (original) is required. The request will not be processed without the required signatures. The Travel office will not accept faxed or scanned signatures! Please Note: This form is password protected. Only certain areas can be modified.

15. Travel Reimbursement Process- Step 3 Point to Point means place/location to place/location. Please don’t use round trip amounts. For example: If you are headquartered in San Marcos and taught a class on 9/1/08 in Round Rock, you would enter the following: Date: 9/1/08 City from: San Marcos City To: Round Rock Mileage: 53.50 Date: 9/1/08 City from: Round Rock City To: San Marcos Mileage: 53.50 Assuming you returned back to San Marcos after your class. Note: If the distance between your departure city and your duty point is more than the mileage from your departure city and your headquarters, then please use your headquarters in the city from field. The mileage reimbursement may not exceed what would have been paid had the employee traveled between the employee’s headquarters and the duty point. In this case, 53.50 miles. This is the amount that must be reported in the mileage column. If you leave closer to the duty point than your headquarters, then you will use that mileage. • Complete page 2 – Tab: Back Page In State San Marcos (duty point) Residence 55 miles * RRHEC (headquarters) 53.50 miles (official) * Miles shown are one way and for illustration purposes only. This section is required to be completed. The Travel Office will not process the form without a benefit being reported. Include a description of the purpose of your trip: For example: Used personal vehicle to teach Math 5310 at RRHEC. Left at 8:00am and returned at 4:00pm.

16. Travel Reimbursement Process- Step 4 • If necessary, complete page 3 – Tab: Back Page More Mileage

17. Travel Reimbursement Process- Step 5 (Faculty Only) • Please complete Additional Travel Related Information Form

18. Travel Reimbursement Process- Step 6 (All Staff and Faculty who are not claiming 53.50 one way or 107 round trip mileage) Include documentation of how mileage was calculated (see sample below):

19. What is the purpose of the forms? Where do you send the forms & When can you expect to get paid? • Forms • The travel application is what “reserves” the funds for your travel. That way you are assured that funds will be available when you submit the reimbursement forms. • The travel expense reimbursement form is the form that is used to request payment (reimbursement). • Submit completed and signed travel applications and travel reimbursement forms to the RRHEC Associate Director located in suite 401e. • If the forms are completed correctly, you may expect payment within a 2 to 3 week period after they are submitted to the travel office.

20. Who can help? • Academic department’s administrative assistants • RRHEC Associate Director (on a limited basis) • E-mail address: mm73@txstate.edu • Phone: 512-716-4423 or 64423 if calling from either campus. • Travel office personnel: • E-mail address: travel@txstate.edu • Phone: 512-245-2775 or 52775 if calling from either campus.

21. Who sets the rules? • State of Texas Travel Regulations Act • General Appropriations Act • State Comptroller of Public Accounts • State Travel Management Program

22. Useful links to travel related information. • Texas State University’s Travel Office: http://www.txstate.edu/gao/ap/travel/ • Round Rock Higher Education Center’s website: http://www.rrhec.txstate.edu/

23. Sample 1- Faculty: Returning home after class taught at RRHEC and home is further than headquarters • Headquarters: San Marcos • Destination: Round Rock • Home Location: New Braunfels • Reimbursement Type: Mileage only • Reimbursable Mileage: • Miles driven from San Marcos to RRHEC (53.5 miles) and RRHEC to San Marcos (53.5 miles). • Can only claim mileage to and from headquarters even though home is further south than San Marcos campus.

24. Sample 1- Faculty: Returning home after class taught at RRHEC and home is further than headquartersPLEASE DO NOT USE THIS FUND NUMBER FOR FY2009 (9/1/08-8/31/09); USE FUND NUMBER 2000011009

25. Sample 1- Faculty: Returning home after class taught at RRHEC and home is further than headquarters

26. Sample 1- Faculty: Returning home after class taught at RRHEC and home is further than headquarters

27. Sample 2 - Faculty: Returning home after class taught at RRHEC and home is closer to destination • Headquarters: San Marcos • Destination: Round Rock • Home Location: Austin • Reimbursement Type: Mileage only • Reimbursable Mileage: • Miles driven from San Marcos to RRHEC (53.5 miles) and RRHEC to Austin (24.98 miles). • Can only claim mileage from headquarters to RRHEC and RRHEC to home.

28. Sample 2 - Faculty: Returning home after class taught at RRHEC and home is closer to destinationPLEASE DO NOT USE THIS FUND NUMBER IN FY2009 (9/1/08-8/31/09); USE FUND NUMBER 2000011009

29. Sample 2 - Faculty: Returning home after class taught at RRHEC and home is closer to destination

30. Sample 2 - Faculty: Returning home after class taught at RRHEC and home is closer to destination

31. Sample 1-Staff: Leaving from home to attend meeting in San Marcos and returning to RRHEC • Headquarters: Round Rock • Destination: San Marcos • Home Location: Austin • Reimbursable Mileage: • Miles driven from home in Austin to San Marcos (44.18 miles) and San Marcos to RRHEC (53.5 miles) • Can only claim mileage from home in Austin to San Marcos and miles from San Marcos to RRHEC.

32. Sample 1-Staff: Leaving from home to attend meeting in San Marcos and returning to RRHEC PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS FUND NUMBER IN FY2009 (9/1/08-8/31/09); USE FUND NUMBER 2000011009

33. Sample 1-Staff: Leaving from home to attend meeting in San Marcos and returning to RRHEC