V. Travel Advance Procedures
Introduction
Travel advances will be issued, as needed, to University faculty and staff traveling on University business, if the expected cash expenditures of the trip exceed $200. The advanced funds must be accounted for by submitting an Expense Report in Chrome River after travel.
A travel advance will not be issued for payments such as honoraria, any student travel, or other substantial costs that can be prepaid, prearranged or invoiced.
Purpose
The purpose of a travel advance is to provide a means for travelers to seek funds in advance of travel. The advance will be maintained as an open accounts receivable until the travel advance is cleared with a properly approved Expense Report in Chrome River.
Completing the Request for Travel Advance
A travel advance request is made by submitting a Travel Advance Request on Chrome River, FDU’s online travel and expense reporting system. Chrome River can be accessed by going to expensereport.fdu.edu. The detail of expected cash expenditures must be sufficient to support the need for a travel advance. The request should be submitted at least 7 days prior to the departure date.
Travelers may request an advance of up to $500. Requests in excess of $500 must have the approval of a Vice President or Campus Executive. Upon approval, the advanced funds are issued by Accounts Payable to the traveler and the advance appears in the traveler’s Cash Advance folder in Chrome River.
Responsibility of Traveler After Trip
After travel is complete, advanced funds should be accounted for by submitting an Expense Report in Chrome River and applying the advance amount within the Cash Advance folder. If actual expenses were greater than the advance, the University will reimburse the traveler the net amount due. If the actual expenses are less than the advance, the traveler must reimburse the University the difference. The excess amount is cleared from the traveler’s Cash Advance folder by selecting the Travel Advance Return tile and entering the unused travel advance amount. A check for the excess, made payable to Fairleigh Dickinson University, should be forwarded to the Finance department.
A travel advance will be held as a receivable from the traveler until a supporting Expense Report is processed by the Finance Department. A travel advance must be settled promptly (generally within 15 working days after completion of the trip), and before other advances or reimbursements are requested. Admissions recruiters traveling for an extended period of time have 15 working days from the end of their traveling cycle to settle their advances.
Failure to Account for an Advance on a Timely Basis
An employee may have only one travel advance outstanding at any given time. Failure to account for a travel advance within 60 days will result in:
- The suspension of travel advance privileges.
- A payroll deduction.