Travel Expenses on Purchasing Card
Employees may charge most of their travel expenses directly to their departmental purchasing card rather than using a personal charge card and submitting expenses for reimbursement. Departmental expeditors may pay travel expenses directly for UI visitors (faculty recruits, guest speakers, etc) rather than submitting a claim voucher and invoice for payment or reimbursing the traveler after the trip. The purchasing card is intended for UI business related expenses only and should not incur charges that result from personal use.
This tool is provided to you for convenience, but also comes with a high level of personal responsibility. Although your department will be paying these expenses directly for you, it does not diminish the need for you to keep good records and to retain the required receipts in order to reconcile your expenses. Please review the information provided below regarding appropriate use of your purchasing card for travel expenses and reconciliation of those charges.
Allowable Expense
(including exchange fees and travel agency service fees.)
Receipt/Documentation Required
Itinerary provided by the travel agency at the time of booking that shows routing, dates, and class of service as well as cost.
*social events (golf outings, tours, etc) held in conjunction with conferences and/or spousal/guest registrations should be paid for personally and should NOT be charged to the Purchasing card.
Receipt/Documentation Required
Registration form or other conference materials that verify the amount charged to the purchasing card and specify what is included in the registration/workshop fee. Please remember no memberships are allowable on the purchasing card.
*for motor pool or rental vehicles only. Gasoline for personal vehicles is not allowed on the pcard. The traveler should claim mileage on a travel reimbursement instead.
Receipt/Documentation Required
Itemized receipt.
Receipt/Documentation Required
Housing form, email or other documentation from the hotel or housing bureau that verifies the amount of deposit required and charged.
*including room charges, taxes (out of state only), business phone/faxes, local or phone access charges. Please note that personal expenses such as movie, personal phone calls other than a 10 minute call home each day, bar or spa charges should be paid for personally upon check out and should NOT be charged to the purchasing card. The accommodations and rates must be reasonable, due consideration being given to the locality and to the nature of business for which the travel is authorized. Reimbursement is for the actual single room rate. If more than one guest is noted on the traveler’s receipt, a notation must be provided to indicate either (1) the additional guest(s) are authorized UI expenses; or (2) the single rate is the same as the double rate; or (3) actual amount claimed is reduced to the single rate. When making reservations, UI employees should identify themselves as such and find out whether a special rate is available. Lodging costs within an employee's official station are not allowable.
Receipt/Documentation Required
The traveler should submit a detailed receipt, which shows all motel/hotel charges included in the total charged to the pcard. If the traveler paid for more than his/her own travel, the name(s) of the additional traveler(s) must be included in the comments on the Purchasing Card Travel Claim. If two employees share the cost of a double room, they should request a separate receipt for each portion of a shared room rate.
*rail, shuttle service, taxi, etc.
Receipt/Documentation Required
Rail itinerary or receipt given by travel agency at time of booking. Shuttle service receipt given at time service is provided (unless charge is posted in advance of service). Always obtain a receipt for all charges made to the pcard.
Rented or Chartered Transportation. Automobiles and airplanes may be rented or chartered for use on official travel when that is the most economical and practical means of transportation. Anyone making arrangements to use charter flying services or private aircraft for UI business should first check with the Administrative Affairs Office to see whether it is on the approved list of vendors.
The University of Idaho has access to contracted rental car rates through the state of Idaho. [Visit Travel Services Transportation for more information.]
Receipt/Documentation Required
Final itemized receipt given upon return of car, showing an itemization of all charges, including daily/weekly rate, refueling charges, taxes, etc. The rental agreement given at the time of rental is not sufficient.
Receipt/Documentation Required.
Always obtain a receipt for all charges placed on the U of I Purchasing Card Program including Parking.
Parking Meters may be documented by a receipt of a cell phone snap shot as support for the expense item.
For Parking expenses that are paid personally, receipts are only required if the expense is greater than $25.00
For more detail on travel regulations, preferred agencies, discounts, etc, please refer to our web page Travel Services.
Reconciliation is done by submitting a Purchasing Card Travel Claim with electronically attached receipts via the Travel Web Forms. An electronic Travel Authorization for the trip should be completed and approved prior to the travel taking place or expenses for that trip being incurred. The cardholder must approve the Purchasing Card Travel Claim and it must also have a departmental approval.
If you have questions regarding the information on this page, please contact travel@uidaho.edu.