Travel Back to Basics Heidi Retzer UB Travel Services

Travel

Back to Basics

Heidi Retzer

UB Travel Services

Agenda

What needs to be done

How to know it’s right

Tools to help

Getting it done correctly matters

●Reduce phone calls and emails

●Budget control

●Follow policies Check with Chair, Dean,

Department Head etc. first for internal policies.

●Everyone is Happy

What needs to be done

Become familiar with terms and definitions

●Travel status (must be in travel status to claim meals and/or lodging)

35 miles from home and UBNo N’s (Niagara Falls, Niagara on the Lake)

●Conference single room rate 1

Over lodging per diem

●Per diemAllowance for the day

What needs to be done

Become familiar with terms and definitions

●CTACentral Travel AccountDirect billing for airfare and Amtrak

State-all employeesRF

●Fly America ActFederally funded RF grantsInternational travel

●Agenda/Program 2

What, where, when

What needs to be done

Understand general guidelines

LodgingItemized paid lodging receiptCopy to support meal request 5

Lodging with family and friends

MealsPer DiemsReceipts not usually necessary

Purpose of Travel Program/agenda or detailed purpose of travel

FormsState travel voucher 6

Mileage statementResearch travel voucherResearch mileage statement 6

Etravel

Transportation Cost-effective Air travel policy

What needs to be done

Gather pertinent information

●ReceiptsLodging receiptTransportation

●Agenda

●Forms

How to know it’s right

Look for key items on the hotel bill

●identify city

●Daily room rateConfirm 1 in room 3

●Other items (internet, food, parking)

●identify date of stay

●Confirm bill paid 4

●Tax exempt within NYS

To determine per diem

Conference single room rate example

Finding per diems UBBusiness Administrator-Travel-Per diem To obtain the per diem rates for the Continental US (CONUS) use this link CONUS Per diem Rates Meal allowance breakdown for areas within the Continental US (use with rates obtained from CONUS per diem schedule) United States Meal Allowance Breakdown

Primary Destination* (1) County (2, 3) 

Standard Rate Applies for all locations without specified rates

77

District of Columbia Washington DC (also the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church and Fairfax,

and the counties of Arlington and Fairfax, in Virginia; and the counties of Montgomery and Prince George's

in Maryland)

211

Finding per diems continued

Get daily meal rate from GSA site

Use NYS/RF breakdown for breakfast and dinner amounts If the meal rate listed in the 

GSA* CONUS Rate is: The amount allowed for 

breakfast is: The amount allowed for dinner is: 

$71  $14  $57 $66  $13  $53 $61  $12  $49 $56  $11  $45 $51  $10  $41 $46  $9  $37 

How to know it’s right

Determining meal per diems

●Per diem is 24 hour period

Check in

Check out

●Review agenda

● First and last day of travel eligible if traveler leaves home before 7am on first day, arrives home after 7pm on last day

How to know it’s right

Meal definitions

Meal per diem cannot be claimed if the following meals are included/provided

BreakfastDinnerBanquetBuffet

Meal per diem can be claimed when the following meals are included/provided

ContinentalReceptionPartyCocktail Party

How to know it’s right

Review transportation expenses

Airfare• CTA, Fly America Act

Car Rentals• Insurance

• Collision Damage Waiver• Varies by form of payment and car rental

agency contract information• Tax exemption within NYS• Cost effective• Conference travel

Taxis, tolls and parkingPurpose

• Receipts• Necessary?

How to know it’s right

Know how the trip is funded

●State fundingAirfareSignature requirements 7

●Research fundingAirfareSignature of PI 7

Sponsor guidelines 8

Who is traveling 9

How were other expenses paid 10

Tools to help

Complete the appropriate form

1. Conference single room rate

2. Agenda missing

3. More than 1 in room

4. Need paid in full hotel bill

5. Copy of hotel bill for per diem meals

6. Take out commute from daily mileage

7. Original signatures

8. RF need country of citizenship for non-employees

9. RF relationship of individual to project

10. How were other expenses paid

Top ten reasons vouchers are delayed

Tools to help

Valuable resources at your desktop www.ubbusiness.buffalo.edu

• UBS Website• Per diem• Currency converter• Policy information• Forms

• NYS Tax exemption

• Travel Office staff• Email• Phone• Individualized training

Tools to help

Contact Information www.ubbusiness.buffalo.edu

Office Location, mailing address and fax number 208 Crofts Hall, North Campus, Buffalo, NY 14260-7012 Fax: 645-3460

Research Travel Specialists Karen Scott kescott@buffalo.edu 645-4536 (Bank of America Travel card)Meg McDole memcdole@buffalo.edu  645-4535 (RF CTA)Dorothy Solomon das11@buffalo.edu 645-4534

State Travel Specialists Leslie Gardner lgardner@buffalo.edu 645-4537 Cindy Zogaria  czogaria@buffalo.edu  645-4538 (State CTA)

Travel Services Manager and Travel Card Program Administrator Heidi Retzer hretzer@buffalo.edu 645-4532

Thank you

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