Travel Card Procedures

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• Policy Document
• Procedures
• Guidelines
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PURPOSE

The purpose of this guideline is to define the appropriate use of the NYS Travel Card.

SCOPE

This Travel Card Program is intended to reduce the amount of employee out-of-pocket expenses when traveling on behalf of SUNY Fredonia. The Travel Card program is a privilege. You are being entrusted with a valuable tool – the Travel Card – which is to be used for business travel expenses only when you are in “Travel Status.” Because you will be making a financial commitment on behalf of the State University, you must strive to obtain best value for the University by following established travel policies and guidelines as appropriate.

PROCEDURE

OBTAINING A TRAVEL CARD:

• Employee will complete a Travel Card Agreement and Acknowledgement Form (AAA).
  • Employee will submit the form to their Supervisor for approval.
• Supervisor will forward the completed AAA Form to Director of University Accounting.
• The Director of University Accounting will review the request, confirm need for card, and
• prepare application.
• New Travel cardholders and existing cardholders upon the card’s 3-year renewal cycle must attend a mandatory training/refresher session on the appropriate and non- appropriate use of their travel card and sign an Agreement and Acknowledgment Form (AAA).
• Cardholders upon receipt of their card should go online and register for online access. Go to the following link and select “Self Registration for Cardholders” https://home.cards.citidirect.com/CommercialCard/Cards.html
• Employee use is in accordance to the following policies and guidelines:
  • OSC Bulletin G-236 Appropriate Use of the New York State Citibank Travel Card
  • Travel Card Agreement and Acknowledgement Form
  • General travel rules of SUNY Fredonia’s Travel Guideline #810

TRAVEL CARD USE:

• Reference the OCS Travel Manual and Fredonia Travel Guideline #810
• You must submit a Travel Authorization (TA) for every trip you take. The Travel Authorization must be approved by your supervisor and should be submitted 4 weeks prior to the trip. A Travel Authorization is required for every trip, even if it is for “Insurance Purposes Only.”
• You may use the Travel Card to pay for travel expenses when you are in “Travel Status” on official State University business only. You may not use this credit card for personal charges. The State University and the Office of the State Comptroller may audit the use of your card and take appropriate action on any discrepancies or unauthorized charges. Any evidence that your card has been used fraudulently will require an investigation, after which disciplinary action may result. Fraudulent use may also result in criminal prosecution.

• Allowable use of the Travel Card includes costs for:

Commercial transportation
Rental vehicle
Lodging
Meals (as detailed below)
Registration/Conference fees
Taxis/Parking
Subway
Fuel (when not using personal vehicle)
Visa/Passport
Historical/Cultural Site/Museum
Miscellaneous expenses while in travel status
Telephone Charges (related to official State business)
Unanticipated work supplies

• The Travel Card should not be used for:

Fuel for personal vehicle
Food expenses for staff meetings and retreats
Personal use of any kind
Alcoholic beverages
Incidentals on hotel bill (gym/spa charges, and movie rentals)
Cash advances

Purchasing Meals with Travel Card:
If cardholders choose to use the Travel Card to pay for meals, the allowance for meals, including gratuities shall be limited to actual cost up to the maximum Per Diem meal allowance. An itemized receipt for meal purchases is required. Alcoholic beverages cannot be paid with Travel Card.

Claiming Meal Per Diem on Travel Voucher:
Meals may be reimbursed on the Travel Voucher & State Travel Card Reconciliation Form on a Per Diem basis based on location of lodging. If meals are provided or paid by another source related to the scheduled event, the traveler will not be reimbursed. IF the traveler is opting to claim reimbursement at the full meal Per Diem meal allowance, then the travel card may not be used to purchase food and beverages.

RECONCILING A TRAVEL CARD:

• ALL charges on the Travel Card must be supported by a Travel Voucher & State Travel Card Reconciliation Form and Travel Authorization.
• The travel card billing period ends on the 22nd of each month
• On the 23rd travelers will receive an email notification from the University Accounting Office
• to go online and review their credit card statements.
• The original receipts for all items charges on the State travel card need to be submitted,
• with a corresponding Travel Voucher & State Travel Card Reconciliation Form for each trip, to the University Accounting Office (Maytum 401) before the end of the next billing cycle (ex. Employees will receive bill on February 23rd, charges to be reconciled by March 22nd).
  • Timely submission of all documentation will make this reconciliation process successful.
  • This process helps to ensure there is no duplicate payment of expenses and that all expenses related to one trip are accounted for.
• As part of the monthly reconciliation and travel voucher submission, any charges that are unable to be offset against allowable costs/expenses per SUNY guidelines must be paid back to Fredonia via check. The check will be made payable to “Citibank” and sent to the Director of University Accounting together with the Travel Voucher & State Travel Card Reconciliation Form for that trip.
  • An incident of the unallowable cost/expense will be sent to the Internal Control Director for review and action.
  • Per the State-wide Financial System (SFS), Fredonia can only pay the monthly statement in one monthly payment. Any late submissions may result in a late fee being charged to the campus. Should a late reconciliation create a late fee charge, the late fee will be charged to the department late in reconciling.
• Average monthly credit limit on the Travel Card will be $2,000. Failure to submit monthly documentation and reimbursement will result in an immediate credit limit reduction to $1 until such time the breach is corrected.

LOST OR STOLEN CARD:

• If your corporate travel card is lost or stolen, you must notify Citibank and the Director of University Accounting immediately.

TRAVEL CARD INACTIVITY:

• If there is no activity on a card for 18 months or more, the cardholder’s credit limit will be reduced to $1.00. This limits the institution’s liability, but avoids premature cancelation of card.
  • The cardholder will be notified via e-mail of credit limit reduction.
• Cardholder must notify Director of University Accounting when card usage is anticipated (so the credit limit can be increased).
• Any card inactive for 24 months will be canceled
  • Card holder will be notified via e-mail to immediately destroy the Travel Card
• It is the responsibility of the cardholder and/or their supervisor to promptly notify the Director of University Accounting when there is a change in cardholder information, card is lost or stolen, or when the Travel Card is no longer needed.
• The State University may change the terms and conditions or its policies and procedures concerning use of this corporate travel credit card at any time and you must comply with these changes.