Types of Travel Cards
Travel Cards (TCards) are for business use only!
Travel Cards issued by UMB are special VISA credit cards.
They work similarly to your personal credit cards, except the charges are
billed directly to the University and paid by the University Business Office.
The U of A supports two types of cards:
-
Administrative Travel Card
-
Traveler Travel Card (future)
Administrative TCard
Allows for the purchase of airfare and registration for
individuals traveling on behalf of the U of A. This can include employee,
student, and guest travel as long as it is for a valid business trip and
a Travel Authorization has been entered in BASIS for the individual.
TheAdministrative TCard is normally in the name
of the individual within a department who is responsible for the processing
of travel related tasks.
Charges incurred on the Administrative TCard are
downloaded daily to the UPS sub-system of BASIS and approved by an individual
within the department.
Traveler Travel Card
Employees who travel a minimum of 3 times per year with
travel expenses of approximately $2,000 per year will be eligible for a
Traveler TCard, if the employee AND their department elect.
The employee will have the option of not only charging airfare
and registration, but also hotel, car rental, meals, etc. to their TCard.Unlike
the Administrative TCard though, ANY charge incurred will download as a
receivable to the CARDHOLDER The cardholder is to ONLY incur
charges on this TCard that directly relate to a trip that they are on!
NEVER charge items on the Traveler TCard that
relate to someone else's travel unless this a GROUP Travel and the cardholder
is the responsible party for group!!
Charges incurred against a Traveler TCard are offset
by the filing of the cardholder's Travel Claim. Any amount still owed by
the cardholder, will be billed to the cardholder by the Treasurer's Office.
(Similar to a Travel Advance)
PERSONAL CHARGES NOT RELATED TO A BUSINESS TRIP ARE STRICTLY
FORBIDDEN. THIS CARD IS ONLY TO BE USED FOR VALID U OF A TRAVEL WHERE THE
TRIP TIES TO A TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION.
Improper use of the Travel Card will result in consequences
ranging from suspension of card to termination of employment and possible
criminal prosecution.
Obtaining a Travel Card
Any individual for which a Travel Card is going to be
requested must first complete an online Procurement Authorization within
the BASIS system. Once this Procurement Authorization has been submitted
and approved by the Cost Center managers for the default cost center entered
via TARGET, the Travel Office will verify that the proposed cardholder
will either be making the airline reservations for the department OR has
sufficient travel to warrant having a card. Information will then be given
to UMB to setup a cardholder account.
Prospective Cardholders MUST attend a training
session and sign a Cardholder Agreement Form before receiving their Travel
Card.
Travel Cards are not transferable. If someone's card use
is discontinued, the Travel Card MUST be sent to the 'administrator' of
the Travel Card program and the Procurement Authorization in BASIS must
be cancelled.
Maximum Spending Limits on Travel Cards
The following limits are the maximum amounts allowable
for a Travel Card per month. When the Procurement Authorization is requested,
these amounts may be lowered.
-
Monthly Transaction Limit: $5,000
(The Travel Office may increase the monthly amount if
the need warrants)
Cardholder Responsibilities
University Travel Cardholders are responsible for:
-
Attending training and signing Cardholder Agreement PRIOR to issuance of
a Travel Card.
-
Keeping their Travel Card and Card Account Number confidential. The only
person authorized to use a Travel Card is the person to whom it is issued.
-
ONLY USING THE TRAVEL CARD FOR UNIVERSITY BUSINESS ASSOCIATED WITH A
VALID TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION.
-
Understanding that intentional misuse or abuse of the Travel Card will
result in the immediate revocation of charging privileges and possible
disciplinary and criminal prosecution.
-
Obtaining detailed receipts, when applicable, and turning those receipts
into the person in their department responsible for approving the charges
in the BASIS system, if charges were incurred on an Administrative TCard.
-
Obtaining receipts and turning those receipts into the person who is responsible
for processing the Travel Claim, if charges were incurred on a Traveler
TCard.
-
Reporting a lost or stolen Travel Card immediately to the Travel Card Administrator
at 479-575-7951 and UMB at 1-9800-821-5184.
-
Not accepting cash in lieu of a credit to the Travel Card account when
returns are made.
-
Making sure that the Travel Claim for trip is filed within 5 days of return.
Authorized Purchases
The employee whose name appears on the Travel Card is
authorized and responsible for all charges on the card. It is the responsibility
of every Cardholder to safeguard their card and card number against use
by unauthorized individuals within or outside of the University.
Under no circumstances may the Travel Card be used
for items of personal use or Non-University purposes.
Allowable Purchases for Administrative TCard
Airfare and registration may be purchased for any traveler
for which a valid Travel Authorization is entered in BASIS for the trip.
These charges are approved online in BASIS and supporting documentation
sent to the Travel Office.
Allowable Purchases for a Traveler TCard
-
Airfare
-
Registration
-
Hotel
-
Meals
-
Registration
-
Car Rental
REMEMBER: The only time the Traveler TCard is to
be utilized is for travel for the CARDHOLDER, unless the Cardholder is
also responsible for a Group Travel.
Detailed receipts, when applicable, are attached to the
Travel Claim and sent to the Travel Office for processing against the Travel
Claim.
Unauthorized and/or Inappropriate Card Use
The Travel Card MUST never be used to purchase items that
are NOT associated with a valid Travel Authorization, even if the cardholder
intends to reimburse the University.
The purchase of first class tickets is not allowable without
express approval from the U of A Travel Office. Purchase of a first class
ticket without prior approval by U of A Travel Office will result in immediate
cancellation of the cardholder's TCard.
A cardholder who makes an unauthorized purchase with a
Travel Card, or uses the Travel Card in an inappropriate manner, will be
subject to loss of any authority to retain or use the Travel Card; disciplinary
action up to and including termination; and possible criminal prosecution
and restitution.
Purchase Process
When purchasing Airline Tickets, the Travel Card may be
used to purchase airfare through a Travel Agency or an internet site in
good standing.
If you are ordering over the phone you should provide:
-
Account Number
-
Card Expiration Date
-
Provide complete billing and delivery address
Returns and Exchanges
Most of the airline tickets that the U of A purchases
are non-refundable purchases. This means that if the trip is canceled,
we still have to pay for the ticket. In many instances though, a portion
of the value of the ticket can be used on another trip.
If purchasing the ticket with an Administrative TCard
you will still approve the charge on EIC along with entering the TA number
that was approved for the trip. (Make sure the TA is still in an 'open'
status). In the extended description document that the trip was canceled
and that at some point in the future, a portion of the dollar value of
this ticket will be used on another trip.
If airfare was purchased with a Traveler TCard
and the trip was not taken, a Travel Claim must still be filed in order
to offset the airfare charge, if the U of A is not going to receive a refund.
This is the only way that the 'receivable' will be offset. Otherwise the
cardholder will receive an invoice from the Treasurer's Office for the
amount of the ticket.
This is also true for other prepaid items, such as Registrations.
Receipts/Documentation
Whether a purchase is made in person or via telephone,
internet, fax, or mail, the Cardholder is responsible for obtaining purchase
documentation from the merchant. The following types of purchases will
REQUIRE
receipt
documentation.
Administrative TCard
Airfare: The following information MUST be clearly
identified on the documentation:
-
Passenger Name
-
Dates of Travel
-
Destination
-
Cost of Ticket
-
Merchant Name
Registration
-
Name of person who is registered
-
Cost of the Registration
-
Name of the Meeting, Conference, etc
Traveler TCard
-
Itemized Lodging Receipt
-
Itemized Car Rental Receipt
-
Registration Form and Receipt
-
Airfare with all information
-
Other receipts as deemed appropriate per Travel Regulations
These documents MUST be given to the administrative person
in your department responsible for approving the electronic charges sent
from UMB and filing your Travel Claim for expenses related to trip.
When charges are approved, on the Administrative TCard
the document number assigned to the charge, Example: T49494, should be
written on the receipt and either sent to the Travel Office for scanning
OR attached to the Statement of Traveling Expenses.
If a cardholder does not submit the required documentation
along with their Travel Claim within a timely fashion after the end of
the trip (usually within 5 days) a written warning will be sent to the
cardholder for the first offense. Habitual failure to submit documentation
will result in the suspension of the card; the user and their TARGET approver
will be notified by e-mail. To reinstate privileges, a memo from a user's
TARGET approver giving adequate justification will be required and all
TCard supporting documentation submitted to bring the cardholder's reconciliations
up to date. Upon receipt and approval of that justification, the Business
Office will establish a time for the user to attend Travel Card training
again.
If using a Traveler TCard and detailed receipts,
when applicable, are not included with the Travel Claim, the Travel Claim
will not be processed until the receipts, or justification for lost receipts,
has been obtained.
Disputing a Charge
If the cardholder and the supplier cannot resolve the
issue, a Cardholder Dispute Form must be completed and mailed or faxed
to the Travel Card Administrator, Carol Wade, at Travel Office, ADMN 317,
or fax 575-2838. She will forward this request to UMB for action.
-
Regardless of the status of the dispute, payment will be made to UMB. Adjustments
will be made upon resolution.
Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Travel Card
Cardholders are required to immediately report any lost
or stolen Travel Card to UMB toll-free at 1-800-821-5184 (24 hours a day,
365 days a year). The cardholder MUST also immediately notify the Travel
Card Administrator at the first opportunity during normal U of A business
hours at 479-575-7951.
Post Auditing of Charges
Travel Cards will be audited primarily by the Travel Office.
As the Travel Claims are filed, TCard receipts will be reviewed at that
time. The Travel Office will also be tracking charges where the Travel
Claim has not been filed in timely manner.
The Travel Office will also monitor the download of Traveler
TCard charges to insur that the charges are related to valid business trips
and that the Travel Claim and any amounts still owed by the Traveler are
reimbursed in a timely manner.
Internal and Legislative Auditors will also be reviewing
TCard receipts for compliance.
Policy -Travel Card