17.F Payment and Reimbursement

A per diem is a pre-determined and pre-approved amount that will be reimbursed per day to faculty members who are traveling on University business. Per diems are used only on an exception basis, usually for travel outside of the U.S. for an extended period of time. The amount varies by city and country. No receipts are necessary for reimbursement when traveling on a per diem allowance. For more information, contact the Accounts Payable and Travel Office at 764-8212.

The University is moving away from using Purchase Orders to pay for University-related expenses. Faculty are advised to check with their departmental or unit administrator for more information. Please note: if a purchase order is used, a Travel and Business Hosting Expense Report is required to be filed.

Faculty and staff who regularly incur business expenses on behalf of the University may apply for a University of Michigan PCard. If the application is accepted, the individual receives a card in his or her name and is responsible for the charges made on the card. Personal expenditures are not permitted, and transactional limits apply. Charges made to the card for University business expenses including travel and business hosting expenses are paid directly by the University, thus eliminating the need for individual reimbursement.

Monthly PCard statements are available online, and these statements must be reconciled on a timely basis. The statement and appropriate receipts should be forwarded to the Department Purchasing Card Administrator for approval. The Flint Campus requires additional approvals. See the UM-Flint purchasing website at <www.umflint.edu/resources/offices/purchasing>.

For more information, including the PCard application form, contact the Purchasing Card Group at 734-647-7333, e-mail them at <purchcard@umich.edu> or visit the website at <www.umich.edu/~purch/AP/PCard/index.html>.

17.F.4 Reimbursement/Travel and Business Hosting Expense Report

Reimbursement is allowed for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in connection with approved travel for University business, such as presenting results of approved research and attendance at professional conferences. Reimbursement is allowed only when the expense will not be reimbursed by another source. Before undertaking an off-campus research project, traveling on University-related business, or hiring an assistant for research projects, faculty members should check the guidelines of the appropriate school or college, home department, Division of Research Development and Administration, and the granting agency. An event identifier number is used to document the business purpose of the travel and other required information. It is required for all approved University business travel, and may be obtained from the website located at <www.umich.edu/~purch/AP/Travel/EventIdentifier.html>.

See SPG 501.04-1 for travel expense guidelines, checklists, and documentation requirements. It is important to also check with your department, as units may have more restrictive guidelines regarding spending limits, required documentation, etc. A Travel and Business Hosting Expense Report may not be used for any gifts, including cash and cash equivalents such as gift certificates.

Travel expenses that have been paid by the traveler are reimbursed through the mechanism of a Travel and Business Hosting Expense Report. Within 30 days of the completion of the trip, the report must be submitted together with all required supporting documentation. Required documentation includes receipts for all lodging and non-taxi travel, and all other items over $75. These reports must be signed by the traveler and approved and signed by the traveler’s Higher Administrative Authority (usually a dean, director, or department chair). No one may approve his/her own report, nor may they approve the report of someone to whom they report either functionally or administratively. Some reports may require additional approvals. Approved reports should be submitted to the appropriate Accounts Payable and Travel Office at ISR, Hospital, Main Campus (Wolverine Tower), Flint, or Dearborn Travel Offices. For office locations and phone numbers, see SPG 501.04-1, Appendix A-1, available on-line at <spg.umich.edu>.

17.F.5 Expense Advances

Travel expenses are ordinarily charged to a PCard or are incurred and later reimbursed through a Travel and Business Hosting Expense Report. If these options, including use of the PCard’s ATM feature, are not available, a traveler may request an Expense Advance. For faculty and staff, the minimum amount is $500 and is accounted for on the Travel and Business Hosting Expense Report. The advance request must be signed by the same approver(s) that will approve the Travel and Business Hosting Expense Report. See Section 17.F.4, or check with your department administrator.

Faculty Handbook: University Travel and Reimbursement: