Travel Expense Reports Web Training Guide

Overview

This guide is intended to provide you with the skills needed to use Express as it applies to the University's travel expense reporting policies and procedures.

After reviewing the modules in this guide, you should be able to:

• Explain the University's travel expense reporting business process.
• Create expense reports using Express.

Module Objectives

At the completion of this module, you will:

• Understand the University’s workflow.
• Have a basic understanding of a web expense report.
• Know how to use Online Help.

What is Workflow?

The glossary defines workflow as the flow an Expense Report will proceed through after it is submitted by a travler or the approval route that a University document takes within an organization.  

Express Reporting Sample Workflow

1. User Creates Expense Report.
2. The expense report is automatically routed to the specified Express reviewers for approval via the custom Express Workflow.
3. The expense report is automatically routed to travel for audit and receipt verification.  Receipts are verified and then the expense report is exported to PAC (the Purchasing and Accounts Payable system) and posted to the General Ledger.
4. Payment is made either to GE Capital (for purchases on the corporate card) or to the traveler (for purchases using personal funds).

The Web Expense report

One of the main features of Express is the online expense report which will allow travelers (or a proxy) to enter travel expenses online on the web.  Travel vouchers will no longer be completed and there should be no reimbursement delays due to lost vouchers or missing information.  

In addition, Express has incorporated University travel policy and will issue messages if there is a policy exceptions.  The traveler will be able to enter an explanation for any policy exceptions that he or she feels are justified.  Express reviewers will then be able to accept or reject these policy exceptions individually and also be able to approve individual line items on each expense report as well as the entire expense report.

A sample expense report is shown below:

The main expense report window is divided into sections and allows the user to enter all expenses associated with a University business trip.  For those travelers who use the University corporate charge card, the system allows the traveler to import the charge card transactions directly into the expense report and then payment is made directly to GE Capital.  

Travelers may allocate expense reports to different FAU's and may also charge individual line items to various FAU's if necessary.  Hotel bills typically include charges for more than one nights lodging, meals, and other items so when a traveler enters or imports a hotel expense, another screen can be accessed to itemize the information on the hotel bill.  Travelers can print a copy of the expense report, save it and work on it later, or submit it to the Express reviewer.

The following table lists the different parts of the expense report:

Expense report header section - The information entered in the header section applies to the entire expense report unless changed when entering the line item details.
Expense report line item details section - This section is used to enter individual expenses or line items.  The information displayed in this section is entered for each expense but the system will display the data entered on the first expense and allow you to make changes as necessary.  If the expense type requires additional information, more fields will display in the yellow box to the right of the main details.
Expense report details list section - Once the traveler finishes entering data in the expense report details section and clicks on enter, the data entered will be displayed in a list for the traveler to review.  Changes can be made by highlighting the item and re-entering data in the details section.
Additional Data Capture - For each expense report, additional header information is required according to University Travel policy.  Travelers enter this information on the Additional Data Capture screen which is accessed by clicking on the more info button in the header section of the expense report.
Itemize screen - Once you enter an expense that needs to be itemized on your expense report, you can click on the itemize icon to display the itemize screen and easily itemize your expense.
FAU Allocation - For those travelers who need to allocate an expense report or a line item to various FAU's, the allocation screen is available in the header section (varies slightly from the one shown on the right) and from the line item details section.

When an exception to policy occurs, a screen will pop up identifying the policy and provides space for the traveler to enter an explanation. 

Express reviewers of the expense reports will have access to a special inbox or work queue which contains information on the expense reports submitted for review.  University policy requires that each department have two final Express reviewers for the department and that Express reviewers review the expense report within 72 hours.  Express also allows departments to add additional Express reviewers if necessary to meet funding requirements or other established internal procedures.

Online Help

Express contains a valuable online help resource that will provide you with context-sensitive step by step procedures to complete the transaction and screen that you are currently working in.  Online Help is accessible via the Help Button from any screen.  To access Online Help:

1. Click the Help Button .

2. The system will open a browser window containing help pertaining to the screen you are on in the system. You may also search the help text using a table of contents or alphabetical index.

   

3. To close the Online Help screen, you may either minimize or close the browser window. You will not affect your Express session by opening or closing the Online Help.

You have reached the end of the Overview.   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.