Before the Trip
Step 1: Who Can Travel and what is considered Travel?
Who
- Any current Employee*
- Any Currently enrolled Student*
- NAU Affiliate*
*Must have a current Travel Certification is on file with travel specialist
What
- Travel involving NAU business, including any mileage, even around town
- Food and lodging will only be reimbursed when the trip is over 50 miles from the traveler’s duty post.
Step 2: What Travel should be pre-authorized?
All Travel on behalf of Northern Arizona University must be pre-authorized, by the employee's supervisor via email, even if expense will not be paid by the university. This will ensure that:
- Travel plans have been authorized by the appropriate departmental approving authority.
- A Travel Authorization document (TA) request must be submitted in Advantage for out-of-state travel. The document should be submitted sufficiently in advance of the departure date to allow for the orderly review of the request. This applies to all state, local or grants account.
- Funds are available.
- The travel has a legitimate business purpose; in the best interest of the university.
Step 3: How can I help assist my travel specialist with my travel?
Fill out a Travel Worksheet (link) with the following information:
- The Traveler's name
- The Traveler's employee ID
- The dates of travel
- The destination of the trip
- The purpose of the trip, which must be in the best interest of the university.
- The lowest available coach or equivalent fare should be selected. Tickets should be purchased in advance to take advantage of fare discounts. (ie. 21 day advance purchase).
- Any exceptions:
- Requesting a travel advance request when applicable.
- Personal time will be taken in combination with travel.
- Use of private, chartered aircraft.
- Vehicle taken out of state (whether private, rented or state-owned).
Step 4: How do I fund travel?
- The VISA Purchasing Card is widely accepted, and the University requires the Cardholder to use the Purchasing Card to purchase certain approved travel related items. To view Purchasing Card policies pertaining to travel click here The Purchasing Card is a corporate liability card. (NAU pays the bank directly). Therefore, no personal purchases will be allowed using the Purchasing card.
- Conference Fees can be paid with a Purchasing card or on a TA document.
- Airfare can be paid with a Purchasing Card.
- Prepayments, such as hotel deposits, can be paid with a Purchasing Card.
- The traveler can pay with person funds and turn in an expense report. A check will be mailed once a TP (Travel Payment) is processed by travel specialist.
- The traveler can request a Travel Advance. The use of travel advances is restricted to unusual situations and requires documentation to be submitted by the unit representative justifying the advance
Step 5: What is an acceptable receipt?
An acceptable receipt has the following:
- An itemized list of what was purchased
- The amount of purchase
- The date(s) of the purchase
- The name of the vendor and the business purpose of the purchase
- If the trip was to a conference you will need to provide your travel specialist with your receipts a copy of the conference brochure. This will show the designated lodging, any meals included in the registration fee, which will need to be taken off the per diem, and the opening and closing dates of the conference.
- Print off a copy of the Travel Guide brochure which will help give you additional information.
Step 6: Enjoy and have a safe trip!