Cash advances are processed and approved in eTravel. Once you have a T#, create a new payment request.
Select “Cash Advance” from drop down box and click “Continue”.
In the line items, remove all but one.
Category/Other, Type/Other, Description/”Cash Advance”, Amount/$$
Do not attach receipts, do not add comments as to what this money will be used for. We don’t want to document it like we are reimbursing a traveler for expenses before the trip starts, because this is not allowed.
Click “Save and Continue” and “Submit for Approval” to submit. This goes to the BSC for approval. It gets reviewed with priority. Once it’s approved, the cash advance is administered on the next check run day (Tues/Thurs) and is direct deposited into the employee’s account if they have direct deposit setup.
Cash advances can only be entered two weeks prior to departure date. This is reasonable because traveler is expected to have their airfare and registration prepaid and all other expenses not incurred until traveling.
Do not include prepayments in the amount for cash advance.
Travel Reimbursements that include Cash Advances, must be processed within 30 days of the return date. They do not follow the normal 90 day rule. Any not processed within 30 days is an exception. eReports doesn’t automatically list which reimbursements have cash advances and which do not, so Admin must keep track of cash advance travels somehow.
You cannot do cash advances for travels that include personal travel or third party payments unless you can well document what expenses the third party will cover and that is not included in the cash advance amount.
Travel Policy: [Aug 2019]
1. Cash advances must not be used to front payments for travel expenses (e.g., individual airfare) that are
accommodated by other established university payment methods.
2. A cash advance may be issued to a traveler when the following circumstances would cause undue
financial hardship:
a. Ohio State student traveling on behalf of the university – 100% of the total estimated cost can be
advanced.
b. Ohio State faculty or staff leading a group of students – 100% of the total estimated cost can be
advanced.
c. Ohio State faculty and staff traveling internationally – 80% of the total estimated cost can be
advanced.
3. Expenses associated with a cash advance must be documented by original, itemized receipts or
equivalent documentation and must be reconciled and substantiated within 30 days of completion of the
trip.
4. Any cash in excess of the approved reimbursable expenses must be returned to the appropriate unit
account or sponsored project within 30 days of completion of the trip.
Traveler must return any excess of cash advance funds at reimbursement by writing a check to OSU for deposit, within 30 days of return date.
Box/Physics Admin Info/Resources/ASC Cash Advance Process FAQ-2019
CASH ADVANCE RECONCILIATION PROCESS:
ASC Cash Advance Reconciliation Process
Per the OSU travel policy:
“Expenses associated with a cash advance must be documented by original, itemized receipts or equivalent documentation and
must be reconciled and substantiated within 30 days of completion of the trip”
Please refer to the cash advance reconciliation process flow. ALL cash advance reconciliations will require a new reimbursement
payment sequence. The process is the same for both UNIV and OSURF.
Below is a screenshot indicating how the cash advance needs to be accounted for in the payment request.
1. Create a new payment request as a reimbursement. If the reconciliation is being submitted greater than 30 days of
completion of the trip it will require an exception. Please attach the completed ASC Exception Form to the new payment
request.
2. List all of the expenses claimed, and then add a “category” line with the “Type” of “Other”. For the description you will put
“cash advance”. List the amount of the cash advance with a negative ex. ($1000.00). The expense total will reflect what is in
excess of the cash advance and eligible for reimbursement.
3. If no reimbursement will be made or if the traveler owes OSU money you will change the Payment amount to $0.00. It is
important to look at the “Payment Amount” line prior to submitting if it is different that the “Expense Total”.
• There should never be a negative Payment Amount.
4. After the BSC has reviewed the cash advance and it is complete, the BSC Fiscal Associate will open the original
cash advance sequence and will update the status.
If the traveler needs to repay OSU for unused advance funds, it has to be done “within 30 days of
completion of the trip”. Once the cash advance has been verified by the BSC and the repayment
amount has been validated, please request the repayment and deposit ASAP. Attach the deposit
confirmation on the original cash advance sequence. See this link for complete info:
ASC Cash Advance Process FAQ (003)