Travel Expense Claim Instructions
Claimant’s Name
Enter the claimant’s full name.
EMPL/SSU/STUDENT ID#
Enter the claimant’s issued SSU ID number. If a candidate or vendor, leave blank or put N/A.
Title/Position
Enter the claimant’s title/position (i.e. President, Professor, Accountant, Student, Volunteer Registered with SSU HR, SSU Student, etc.). If candidate or vendor notate position as appropriate or leave blank.
Residence Address
Reimbursement will be issued to address on file with Accounts Payable. If not on file, AP will reach out.
Headquarters
Form defaults to Sonoma State University. You will need to override this and fill in your headquarters if different from SSU.
Department
Enter the department where the claimant works/reports. If vendor or candidate, please enter the department related to your reimbursement.
Claimant’s Name
Enter the email where the claimant can be reached on campus, other headquarters, or vendor.
Page
Enter the correct page number using. If submitting a claim with multiple pages, all pages must be appropriately signed and approved.
Date and Time
Enter the date and time of departure including month and year, on the appropriate line using the twenty-four clock (military time). Enter the time of return on the date of return including month and year. It is mandatory that the departure and return times of the trip be included. For meals less than 24 hours without an overnight stay, meal reimbursements associated with trips without an overnight stay must be reported to the IRS as taxable income. The amount will be reported to Payroll and included in Box 1 of the employee’s W-2 form.
The general rule of thumb for claiming meals for a trip of less than 24 hours is breakfast can be claimed if departure is two hours before the normal work schedule begins and dinner can be claimed if return is two hours after the normal work schedule ends. Under no circumstances will expenses for lunch be reimbursed for travel of less than 24 hours. Meals cannot be claimed within the 25-mile radius of SSU.
Location
Enter the name of the city and state where the expense was incurred. For mileage, you must enter full street address and include a map substantiating the claimed mileage amount.
Lodging
The nightly lodging rate for domestic travel may be found in the CSU Travel Policy, Appendix D. The maximum lodging rate does not include taxes and other related charges. University employees are always expected to seek the best value whenever they obtain lodging. Lodging shall be reimbursed based on actual costs incurred as supported by an original itemized receipt up to the maximum daily lodging rate.
Travelers to foreign destinations will receive a fixed amount per diem for lodging in accordance with the Federal Maximum Travel Per Diem Allowances for Foreign Areas published monthly by the . Receipts will not be required for reimbursement when using per diem.
Meals
The reimbursement of daily M&IE for travel is a per diem allowance as set forth in Appendix E: M&IE Reimbursement Limits. Travelers are eligible for 75% of the total per diem rate on the first and last day of travel. Expenses above the per diem rate will not be paid and are the responsibility of the traveler.
Daily per diems must be reduced when applicable according to CSU Travel Policy. In addition, when the entire length of a trip is less than 24 hours, M&IE shall not be reimbursed unless the traveler is away from home overnight as part of the business trip and is supported by a lodging receipt.
Incidentals
Enter the total actual cost of incidentals not to exceed the maximum authorized amount of $7 per calendar day, if travel is within the contiguous U.S. Incidental expenses can only be claimed if travel includes an overnight stay at a hotel. Please refer to Appendix D of the CSU Travel Policy for International travel.
Cost of Transportation
Enter the actual cost of transportation plus tip (up to 20% max) as applicable, i.e. rental car, taxi, airfare, shuttle or bus. An itemized receipt is required for an expense of $75 or more.
Type Used
Enter the abbreviation for the method of transportation using the dropdown function. “A” for commercial airline, “B” for bus, shuttle, or airporter, “DC” for department owned vehicle, “PC” for privately owned car, “R” for railroad, light rail and BART, “RT” for rental vehicles, “T” for taxi and Uber, and * for multiple methods of transportation, “SC” for state owned vehicle. If multiple methods of transportation are used, include details in the Purpose of Trip, Remarks, and Details section of the Travel Claim.
Parking, Tolls
Enter actual parking charges and bridge tolls, and attach receipts for parking expenses of $75 or more.
Private Car Use
Enter the number of miles traveled by private vehicle; the total dollar amount will calculate when the mileage is filled in online.
Business Expense
Enter business expense items which could include business phone calls, emergency purchases, conference registration fees, gas, baggage fees, and internet access charges. Provide explanation of why expense is being claimed in the purpose/remarks section of the travel claim. Original receipt required if expense is $75 or more.
Total Expenses for Day
Enter the total amount expended on each day of the trip, this amount will automatically calculate if online form is used.
Expenses Paid by ProCard
If a ProCard is used to pay for a Conference/Meeting Registration fee and/or local Enterprise Rental Car expenses, enter actual expenses in the appropriate box. The copy of the “Use of ProCard for University Travel Expenses” Form and any required back-up documentation must be attached to the claim to substantiate the expenses. NOTE: The CSU Travel Policy prohibits duplicate payment for a cost that was directly billed to and paid by the University.
Expenses Paid by EREQ/PO
Enter amounts not charged to the traveler but paid by the university.
Total Cost of Trip
Enter the total amount of expenses. This will automatically calculate when the online form is used.
Minus Travel Advance
Enter the amount of travel advance received, if applicable.
Business Purpose of Trip, Remarks and Details
Enter a brief statement of the purpose of the trip, if the claim has several trips for the same purpose, one statement will suffice for those trips. Business expense detail is required; enter other details or remarks for expenses, if necessary.
Select Business Unit
Using the dropdown function, select the appropriate Business Unit that the travel expenses will be charged to. Please be advised, unable to split reimbursement between business units.
Chartfield string
Enter the account number, fund, and department that the travel expenses are to be charged to.
Amount
Enter the expense amount to be charged to the corresponding chartfield string (amount must be entered or the claim will be sent back.). If there are funding limitations, the department is responsible to enter the reimbursement allowable amount (based on actuals). If actuals are less than the budget amount, claim full actuals. If actuals are more than the budget amount, the traveler/dept must reduce the amount of the corresponding chartfield string to reflect the allowable reimbursement amount and make note in Business Purpose section.
Total to be Issued to Traveler
Enter the balance due to the claimant. (The difference between the claim total less the travel advance.)
Mileage Rate
Enter the rate of reimbursement being claimed for private vehicle use if different current mileage reimbursement rate. This will automatically calculate and fill in the daily mileage expense column.
Online Travel Certification Training
All claimants must complete the Travel Certification Form and attach the completed form to each Travel Expense Claim.
Claimant’s Certification and Signature
Claimant's signature certifies that expenses claimed were actually incurred. Wet signature required.
Signature of Cost Object Approver with Delegation of Authority (DOA)
Wet signature required. Signatures are compared against trust and delegation of authority signatures on file.
Signature of Approving Official
Wet signature required.