Outreach/Events Travel Overview
Outreach Travel Planning
Request for Travel Authorization (RTA) creation
Using the Request Forms site, use the information provided to create an RTA for the proposed travel for the outreach event. Refer the Handbook of Business Procedures 11.2 to follow the approved guidelines for completing an RTA.
Authorization is complete when the RTA has been approved in DEFINE – to complete this, you must email the account holder (Director) to prompt them to review the RTA once it is complete.
Tip: Add one day before and one day after travel dates in case there is a travel delay or emergency to ensure the traveler gets reimbursed.
RTA Document
To help with reimbursement processing, please add the RTA Document ID to the Outreach event invitation in outlook. You will need this document number when creating the reimbursement request.
Registration, Flights, and Car Rental
After the RTA is created, you can start to make reservations for the traveler if they request your assistance. A ProCard can be used to hold reservations or pay for registrations if needed – be sure to keep the receipts for reconciliation. Here are the services that are commonly used for travel planning for the HUB/SB Office:
Concur – Flights (Southwest Airlines is preferred): Have the RTA Doc ID handy, you will need it to complete the reservation.
Enterprise Car Rental – Car Rental: use the discount code found on the travel management services website to book with the corporate rate: https://travel.utexas.edu/
Note: you must be authorized as a Travel Assistant on Concur to be able to complete travel reservations for another person.
Hotel
There is not a preferred hotel chain that is booked for the HUB staff. Hotels are chosen by the traveler and are subject to the state account maximum reimbursement rules. Locate the state maximum reimbursement by using the GG1 Command in DEFINE and locating the State and City where the traveler is staying.
Hotels are not typically booked on the ProCard for travelers as those expenses are not allowed. If the traveler requests you to book, be sure that the ProCard you are using is not going to be charged for the stay. Request the card information from the traveler if needed.
You must provide the traveler with the Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax Exemption Certificate if staying in Texas as State lodging taxes will not be reimbursed.
Find a copy of the Exemption certificate here: https://financials.utexas.edu/hbp/part-11/5-travel-reimbursements
Reimbursement
Reimbursement occurs when the traveler returns with receipts from travel. Receipts that were used during the travel time can be reimbursed and can include, parking, food, and other cost receipts related to travel. A detailed process can be found in the link for the Handbook of Business Procedures:
https://financials.utexas.edu/hbp/part-11/5-travel-reimbursements
All reimbursement requests must be completed through the Request Forms site – the same site used to create the RTA.
For all state account travel, a cover sheet of the DEFINE payment voucher (VP5) must be printed and signed either wet ink or Docusign.
Once the request has been finalized, the receipts must be combined for submission to the traveler for signature, then added into the Image Retrieval System, and the finalized document has been added to the Image Retrieval System you can move on to forward the document on for approval.
Tip: Do not forward the document in DEFINE for approval until AFTER you have printed the cover sheet and have obtained the traveler signature. The Image Retrieval System (https://utdirect.utexas.edu/acct/image/image_pdf.WBX) will not accept documents if the DEFINE document has been routed forward for approval.