Travel Expense Reports Web Training Guide

Module 3 - Creating a Basic Expense Report

Module Objectives

At the completion of this module, you should be able to:

• Check the status of your travel expense reports.
• Create and submit a basic travel expense report.
• Act as a proxy for another user.

Checking the Status of Your Expense Reports

As we learned in the last module, the first screen to appear after log in is the Universal In-Box, or Application Main Screen. From this screen you can check the status of the Expense Reports you have already submitted for review and approval.

This screen has several columns containing valuable information about the status of your Express documents which are defined in the table below:

Creating a Basic Expense Report  

1. Click the New Button on the Universal In-box screen.

2. The Main Expense Report Window appears.

   

3. Enter the required header information into the Expense Report Header section of the screen.  The FAU entered in the header section will carry through to each line item of the expense report and pertains to the entire expense report unless it is overridden when entering the individual expenses.  Note: Red fields are required.

   

   Field Name	Definition	User Action
   Title	Expense Report Title.	Enter the title for the expense report.
   Purpose	The purpose for this expense report.	Type the purpose or select it from the drop down list.
   FAU (Full Accounting Unit)	The FAU (Full Accounting Unit) that will pay for these expenses.	Select, or type a FAU (Full Accounting Unit) into this field.

   
   Helpful hints for entering the FAU:

   • Use spaces for a blank cost center, project, etc. (not necessary for blank Source at end).
   • Dashes will appear once you have entered the entire FAU.
   • Valid sub accounts for travel are 03, 05, 07, and 08.  The system will not accept other subs such as 02, etc.
   • The object code assigned automatically by the system.
   • Previously used FAUs will appear in your drop-down list.
   • Field will smart-fill as soon as you enter a previously used string (i.e. it will put in a whole FAU as soon as you enter 4).
   • The FAU entered in the header will be repeated in the line item. If you have a number of FAUs in your drop-down list.
   • If it's a new FAU, you have to delete and then edit.  You can't type over the FAU field.  Press Shift and End to highlight everything to the right (beginning where you need to change the information) and then press delete key to remove the rest of the old FAU.  Then complete the rest of the field.

    

4. Click on the more info button to complete the additional required fields in the header section.  Note: Red fields are required.

   

   Field Name	Definition	User Action
   Transaction Type	The transaction type field describes the nature of the transaction.	Enter, or select, the transaction type.
   Departure City	The city in which you started your trip.	Enter, or select, the city.  Note:  The list of cities will contain system-wide cities plus new ones that you create.  There may be duplicate cities in the drop-down list without the state and country.  The state and country are not important.
   Destination City	The city that you traveled to on University business.	Enter, or select, the city.  Note:  The list of cities will contain system-wide cities plus new ones that you create.  There may be duplicate cities in the drop-down list without the state and country.  The state and country are not important.
   Purpose if Other	The purpose of your trip if you selected other in the header section.	Enter the purpose of the trip if you selected other in the header section.   Note:  If you selected other, this field is a required field.
   # of Personal Days	The number of personal days included in the trip (if any).	Enter the number of personal days if the trip was extended at either end, or interrupted, for personal reasons.
   Organization Visited	The name of the organization you visited on your trip.	Enter the organization name for conferences.
   Contact at Organization	The name of the contact person (if any).	Enter the name of the organization's contact person (if any).

   
   

5. Once the header section is completed, you begin to enter the line item details for your expense report.  At this point, you could also begin importing charge card transactions (discussed in the next section of this module).  Since you are not importing a credit card transaction at this time, enter the required information into the Expense Details section of the screen.  Note: Red fields are required.

   

   Field Name	Definition	User Action
   Date	The date expense was incurred.	Enter, or select, the date.
   Expense Type	The expense type field describes the nature of the expense.	Enter, or select, the expense type that accurately reflects your expense.
   Amount	Expense amount field.	Enter the expense amount.
   Currency	Currency in which the expense was incurred.	Select the currency in which the expense was incurred.
   Use Euro Check Box	Not in use at UCLA.	Leave the box unchecked.
   FX Rate	The foreign currency exchange rate for the date of the expense.	Enter the exchange rate for the currency in which the expense was incurred for the date the expense took place.   The rates may be found by clicking on web links at the bottom of the expense report screen.
   FAU (Full Accounting Unit)	This field defines to which FAU (Full Accounting Unit) this expense will be charged.	Enter, or select, the FAU (Full Accounting Unit) to which you would like to charge this expense item.

   Helpful hints for entering the FAU:

   • Use spaces for a blank cost center, project, etc. (not necessary for blank Source at end).
   • Dashes will appear once you have filled an element such as sub, account, etc.
   • Valid sub accounts for travel are 03, 05, 07, and 08.  The system will not accept other subs such as 02, etc.
   • The object code is assigned automatically by the system.
   • Previously used FAUs will appear in your drop-down list.
   • Field will smart-fill as soon as you enter a previously used string (i.e. the system will automatically display the first FAU on your drop-down list as soon as you enter a 4).
   • Avoid using the arrow keys to select an FAU from the drop-down list.
   • If it's a new FAU, you have to delete and then edit.  You can't type over the FAU field.  Press Shift and End to highlight everything to the right (beginning where you need to change the information) and then press delete key to remove the rest of the old FAU.  Then complete the rest of the field.
    

6. Complete the Additional Details fields on the right hand side of the Expense Details screen.  These fields change depending upon the expense type you select.

7. Click the Enter button to complete each expense line item.

8. Click the Done button after you have entered all of your expense items.

9. Select Submit from the popup box to submit your expense report for approval.

10. A warning box will display to let you know what you need to do to submit any required receipts to the UCLA Travel Center.  Note:  Don't forget to send your receipts to the Travel Center and write the tracking number on the envelope.  

    Click on OK to continue. 

    

11. You will then need to enter the User ID of your department's final Express reviewer and Click OK .  Note:  If you do not know the Final Express reviewer of your expense report, consult with your department administrator.

    

    1. To find the Express reviewer's user ID (if you do not already know it), click on the magnifying glass icon .  The following screen will display:

       

    2. Enter the last name of your Express reviewer and click find .  A list of Express reviewers will display.  Click on the Final Express reviewer for your department or unit and then click on OK on the Find User ID screen.  You will be returned to the routing screen which should not display the User ID for the Express reviewer you selected.  Click OK to continue.

12. If your department or unit has an additional Express reviewer (such as a PI for contract and grant funds), you will need to enter the user ID for the additional Express reviewer on the following screen.  Note:  You may find the User ID for the additional Express reviewer using the same lookup process described  in a and b above. 

    If there is no additional Express reviewer, click Cancel to continue.

    

13. When your expense report is in the workflow or on its way to the Express reviewer(s), you will be returned the the Universal in-box where you can create or edit another expense report, begin a proxy session, or exit and logoff Express.  

    You can also check the history of your expense report by highlighting it and clicking on the Info button  .

    

Once the Expense report is in the workflow, the traveler (or proxy for non-employee) may receive email notifications for the following reasons:

• Invalid Final Express reviewer.
• Invalid FAU (FAU was valid when entered but has been deleted before the ER has made it through the workflow).
• Express reviewer did not review within 72 hours.
• ER is rejected by Express reviewer (the reason can be found by clicking on Info).
• Express reviewer requests more information (you will be prompted for required info when you open the expense report).
• Receipts were not received within seven days by the UCLA Travel Center.

You have reached the end of Module 3. Click the left arrow to return to the previous module. Click on the right arrow to continue on with the next module. Make a selection from the Table of Contents on the left. Go to the Express website http://www.express.ucla.edu. If you wish to exit, close your browser.