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Complying with travel policies.

The University has several policies and procedures related to reimbursement and prepayment of travel expenses. The following guide is designed to assist travelers with policy compliance, to avoid exceptions to University policy.

Please review the FAQ guide titled Avoid Exceptions , for a summary of the exceptions most common to EHE.

What are some best practices to avoid violating University travel policy?

• Obtain Travel Pre-Approval – The University requires travelers to obtain approval from their department chair or supervisor before their trip occurs. This approval needs to come through https://etravel.osu.edu/travel/ (preferred) OR a business leave request.
• Avoid Late Reimbursements (over 90 days) – The University requires travelers to turn in receipts if requesting reimbursement within 90 days of their return. Receipts can be emailed, mailed or dropped off to the EHE Service Center in 350 Campbell Hall.
• Hotel Nightly rate is within limits – The University requires travelers to obtain nightly hotel rates below 2x the federal lodging rate for that city or obtain the conference rate for the hotel. Hotel nightly rates above 1.5x the federal lodging rate require additional business purpose.
• Rental Cars: The University requires travelers to obtain the DW/CDW/LDW and liability insurance, regardless if your personal insurance covers car rentals. Book on the CTP site and OSU discounts and insurance is automatic.
• Airfare : Must use CTP to book flights. The University requires travelers to purchase economy flight seats for all domestic and under 5 hour international flights. International travel over 5 consecutive hours can upgrade to business class seating. Preferred seating (even if required by airline), airfare insurance, TSA pre-check, Global Entry and CLEAR membership expenses are not reimbursable.
• Reasonable transportation expenses – The University allows for transportation expenses for travelers, including taxi, Uber, and Lyft. As these expenses can fluctuate depending on demand, city, and other factors outside of the traveler’s control, higher expenses are expected but are requested to be reasonable. An example of an unreasonable transportation expense is upgrading the service provided (Lyft Lux, Uber Black, Black Car taxi service, etc.) instead of the standard service.
• https://portal.ehe.osu.edu/finance/service-center for information and forms from the College
• Federal Lodging & Per Diem rates https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates (Meal rates =“M&IE”)

Need hands-on help with general purchasing requests? Contact Melissa Savage ( [email protected] ) in 149 Arps Hall to set up a meeting to discuss best practices or to receive a tutorial regarding the eRequest system.

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Travel Instructions: Preapproval, booking, and reimbursement

Preapproval, booking, and reimbursement

This page includes instructions for:

Travel preapproval

Combining business and personal travel

Booking travel

• Requesting travel reimbursement

Screenshots of typical requests are also provided at the end of the document

To request permission to travel, faculty, staff, and grad students must submit a Spend Authorization (SA) through Workday. The SA must be approved prior to departure and before making any travel-related purchases. Travel is reviewed centrally, so approval times can vary widely. To be safe, we recommend that you allow at least 3 weeks to get approval for any travel.

For additional details, please see OSU Travel Policy and the Workday Spend Authorization Job Aid .

What follows is a brief overview of how to submit an SA. Items marked with an asterisk* require that additional documentation be attached to the SA. Required documentation is described in the Attachments section.

• Log into WorkDay ( https://workday.osu.edu/ )
• Type Create Spend Authorization in the search bar, hit enter, and click on the link that appears
• Under Spend Authorization Information complete all fields (even fields that are not identified as required)
• Under Spend Authorization Details* in the box labeled “Justification” describe and justify the travel (what, when, where, and why).
• Airfare: An estimated cost is fine. Please use the field labeled “Arrival date” to indicate the date on which you will return from your trip.
• Baggage Fees: These must be entered separately from airfare.
• Rental Vehicle*: An estimated cost is fine.
• Mileage (Federal Rate)*
• Lodging*: An estimated cost is fine. The university will only reimburse a standard/single room rate for one guest. You may arrive one day prior and depart one day after the business activity.
• Conference Registration: You must identify a “supplier” (e.g., International Communication Association).
• Dues and Memberships: You may also request approval to renew your membership to the professional association at the same time that you register for a conference.
• Ground Transportation: In the Memo field enter the mode of transportation (e.g.: Uber, Lyft, taxi, bus, subway, train) and in the Item Details - Business Reason field describe the trip’s purpose (e.g., home to airport, hotel to airport). You may combine all trips into one item.
• Parking: In the Item Details field describe the type of parking (e.g., airport parking, hotel parking).
• Per Diem (Pre-Trip): Enter the Destination and Number of Days at the bottom of this section and the dollar amount will be filled in automatically. Treat travel days as half a day.
• Travel justification: If attending a conference, you must provide (i) documentation of paper acceptance or presentation details, and (ii) documentation showing dates/location of conference (e.g., a screenshot of the conference website).  Please also describe any additional travel plans (e.g., adding personal travel, flying in/out different cities, etc.)  
• Rental vehicle: If you rent a vehicle instead of flying, you must attach a comparison flight and ASC cost comparison form. You will only be reimbursed for the less expensive option.
• Mileage: If you plan to drive your own car, please attach a Google Map documenting the distance (starting at Derby Hall) and attach both comparison flight and car rental quotes along with an ASC cost comparison form . You will only be reimbursed for the least expensive option.
• Lodging: If you are attending a conference and are unable to book using the conference hotel rate, you must include a justification (i.e., the hotel is sold out).
• If you need to stop before you are done, click “Save for Later” and record the 10-digit SA number.
• If you are done, click “Submit” and make a record of the 10-digit SA number.

Once your SA is approved, you may proceed with booking your travel (see “Booking travel”). If you have not received travel preapproval by at least 3 days before your expected travel date, please contact Brandon and Gwyn.

If you need to revise your SA (after step (7) above):

• Type My Spend Authorization in the search bar, hit enter, and click on the link that appears
• Find your SA number in the list displayed and move the mouse to the magnifying glass icon (🔍). An orange box containing three dots will appear. Click on this, and a pop-up menu will appear. Use the menu to select Spend Authorization > Change.

If you plan to combine business and personal travel or if you intend to fly in/out of different cities (other than home city/conference city), you must  note this in the original SA, including which dates are business travel and which are personal travel.

Once the SA is approved and you prepare to book your travel, you must also generate a cost comparison itinerary. The comparison is between the cost of the trip if it did not include personal travel to the cost of the trip including personal travel. To be eligible for reimbursement, the flight cost comparison must be generated using CTP at the same time that the flight is booked through CTP. 

Expenses should only be incurred once Spend Authorization approval is received.

All faculty and staff business travel airfare must be procured through the university's contracted travel agency Corporate Travel Planners (CTP). Graduate students are not required to book through CTP.

Go to CTP’s website ( https://busfin.osu.edu/buy-schedule-travel/travel ) and click  Book Travel Online . Use the  Trip Search  tool to find your preferred flight itinerary, view rates, etc. You can also use this function to gather flight cost comparisons when applicable (see below).

You should also confirm that Brandon can access your account. Under  Profile/Profile Settings, click on Setup Travel Assistants  to add [email protected] as a travel assistant and check “Can book travel for me.”  Faculty or staff should check that Brandon Moore “Is my primary assistant for travel.”  Graduate students should also check that Brandon Moore “Is my primary assistant for travel.”

Please contact Brandon with any questions or concerns.

Go to OSU Discount Car Rentals ( https://busfin.osu.edu/buy-sell-travel/travel/rental-car-discounts ), log in with your OSU credentials, and scroll down to Make a Business Reservation. Select the links for Enterprise, National or Hertz to view rates or place a reservation.

Requesting travel reimbursement 

All reimbursement documentation must be submitted within 60 days . The traveler is no longer eligible for reimbursement beyond the 60-day limit.

• Use this template to prepare an expense report summarizing all expenses for which you are seeking reimbursement.  File soc_travel_reimb_form_rev_092822.xlsx 26.01 KB
• If you combined personal and business travel, you will need to provide a receipt for the purchased flight, a quote for the comparable flights (created at the time of purchase), and ASC cost comparison form
• Email the report and the receipts to the appropriate administrative staff: Brandon Moore (.4566)

The school’s administrative staff will submit the reimbursement requests through Workday on faculty/staffs’ behalf.

Screenshots of a sample request

Top section

Spend Authorization Lines

Attachments

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Travel process: tips and tricks.

Authorization for business travel must be documented with a Spend Authorization (with an APPROVED status) before travel expenses are purchased with university or personal payment methods and before departure.  The Spend Authorization must include the business purpose, estimated expenses and applicable support documentation.

Expense Reports must be generated to reconcile PCard transactions and/or reimburse eligible travel costs in a timely manner.

Travel Policy

Travel Website

Workday Access for Spend Authorization and Expense Reports

Note: If a  payee must be paid via wire, a Supplier Invoice Request (SIR) must be created to issue payment. Once the SIR is complete, the spend authorization should be closed.

Business travel at OSU is structured based on the Travel Life Cycle model that supports fiscal accountability and ensure a smooth end-to-end travel experience.

* Workday approvals route based on various parameters (for example, transaction amount, expense item type, worktags, etc.).

** Use contracted agencies to book airfare and rental car. Pay for other travel expenses using PCard or personal funds (for reimbursement) and maintain receipts.

Frequently Asked Questions

See Travel FAQ

The following reports can be used to provide oversight and perform analytics on Spend Authorizations and Expense Reports. Reports can be scheduled to automatically run within Workday and notifications can be set to alert users that the report is available in Workday.

Full Inventory of Operational Reports - view the Expenses/Travel reports tab

Training and Practice Aids

For general support, please contact your college or department administrative support team, Service Center support team, and/or your Fiscal Support Team. 

For Additional Assistance and inquiries, please contact the Travel, PCard & Expense Team at 614.292.9290 or [email protected] .

Search form

Travel office hours summary (january-december 2024).

[email protected] | April 3, 2024

Fiscal Year-End Support: Travel Working Lab

[email protected] | March 18, 2024

See more information about the Travel Working Lab for FY-End

Join Us! Travel Information Session: Cash Advances

[email protected] | March 8, 2024

The University Travel Office is offering a special information session following our April Travel Office Hours to provide guidance and resources with requesting and reconciling cash advances for business travel.

Travel - Office Hours (monthly)

Marie Peterson | March 1, 2024

See more information about Travel Office Hours.

Join Us! Travel Information Session: Combining Business with Personal Travel

| February 16, 2024

The University Travel Office is offering a special information session following our March Travel Office Hours to provide guidance and resources to assist with planning and arranging business travel that includes personal travel.

Join Us! Travel Information Session: International Travel

| January 10, 2024

The University Travel Office is offering a special information session to provide guidance and resources to assist with planning and arranging international business travel.

Mileage Rate Update - January 2024

[email protected] | December 15, 2023

Effective January 1, 2024, the mileage reimbursement rate will increase from 65.5 cents per mile to 67 cents per mile for all business miles driven from January 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2024.

Travel Office Hours Summary (Jan - December 2023)

[email protected] | July 1, 2023

Summary of Travel Office Hours (January - December 2023)

Fiscal Year-End Support: Travel Working Session

[email protected] | March 8, 2023

See more information about Travel Working Sessions for FY-End

Mileage Rate Update - January 2023

Marie Peterson | January 1, 2023

See more information about mileage update.

Travel Search in Workday:

My spend authorizations (pre-trip / “t#”), my expense reports (post-trip reimbursements), travel quick guides:, csw spend authorization quick guide (staff), csw travel expense reports quick guide (staff), pre-trip form :.

• Use this to request your Spend Authorization (the new T#)
• Be sure to list all anticipated expenses
• If adding personal travel to trip a comparison airfare quote is required

Post-Trip Form :

• Use this to request your travel reimbursement
• Be sure to attach a conference agenda if applicable

Mileage Log : 

• Use for only mileage reimbursement (trips outside of Main Campus)
• Submit up to 10 trips in one form
• Requires Google Maps supports
• Must be submitted within 60 days of first trip

Alternative Mileage Log :

• Use this as an alternative to our online form
• Tracks odometer mileage in lieu of Google Maps supports
• Great for Field use

CTP / Concur:

Book your airfare & rental car through concur.

• Concur is required for airfare and rental cars (Enterprise, National, & Hertz)
• Must have an approved Spend Authorization
• Avoid non-refundable basic economy class
• Instructions on Assigning Travel Assistant 

Contact Corporate Travel Planners (CTP):

• Online Help Desk : 877-727-5188, 8am – 7pm EST Mon – Fri
• Agent Assist Booking : 855-784-9282, 8am – 7pm EST Mon – Fri
• After Hours/Emergency : 833-200-0261, 7pm – 8am EST Mon – Fri & All Weekend Hours

Additional Resources:

Osu travel site, training and guides.

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Travel Reimbursement Form

Use this form for either Cash Advance Reconciliation and/or reimbursement. Considerations before beginning your reimbursement:

• ensure all receipts are itemized and show proof of payment. A screenshot of the credit card statement showing payment is acceptable if no proof of payment on receipt.
• There is no need to include expenses that were prepaid for you. 
• scan your receipts or saved emails/documents as a PDF for upload. (combine using Adobe Acrobat or  CutePDF )
• if your conference registration covered meals, include that in the comments section.
• if you took personal travel in conjunction with business travel, you must include the dates/times and flight comparison if applicable.

If a conference rate was provided and  not utilized, please explain in the comments. For lodging rates that fall between 1.5x - 2x the daily max lodging per diem rate will need additional justification. 

In the comment box below, list any meals that were provided as part of your registration fee, included on your flight, and/or hotel package (such as free breakfast). These meals may not be included for reimbursement.

If you prefer, meal receipts can be submitted for actual meal expenses.

For per diem, amounts, please review the rates here.  

Mileage rate after January 1, 2020 is $0.575 cents per mile . The rate for 2019 was $0.58/mile .  Please upload a Google map of your beginning/final destinations for mileage. 

Taxis, subway, bus fare, etc.

Baggage fees, tolls, etc.

Please be sure to choose file and then hit upload before submitting your form to ensure attachments are received.

• One file only.
• 2 MB limit.
• Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, tif, txt, rtf, html, pdf, doc, docx, xls .

Be sure your receipts show proof of payment or additional documentation may be required. If you're not able to upload your receipts, please bring/mail receipts to Lynaya Elliott. You will receive an email from the Arts & Sciences Business Service Center requesting your electronic approval to certify the travel expenses once your reimbursement has been processed. 

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The objective of the Travel Policy is to ensure efficiency and fiscal accountability for university business travel. The University will pay for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred for authorized business travel. All travel expenses paid with university funds must comply with the University’s  Expenditures ,  PCard ,  Internal Controls ,  Purchasing , and Human Resources policies.  Additional sponsor requirements and/or federal regulations may apply to expenditures charged to sponsored projects. Contact the Office of Sponsored Programs for clarifications. Travelers need to familiarize themselves with the travel policy prior to making travel arrangements.

Travel Policies

General Travel Information:

• Please visit the  Ohio State Travel webpage  for resources like current travel guidelines, travel agency contact information, the university travel policy and other resources.

Rental Cars: 

• Please see  Rental Car Information
• You are required to purchase LDW, CDW, DW and Liability insurance.
• Rental car expenses that do not include the required insurance cannot be paid with university funds.

Faculty and Staff Travel

Spend Authorizations/Travel Request

What's a Spend Authorization?  A "Travel Request" in Workday is called "Spend Authorization".

A travel request should be submitted as soon as you intend to take an OSU-funded trip.  

• Domestic travel: 2 weeks
• International travel: 4 weeks

Please submit your travel request using  Workday .  Please see the " Create a Spend Authorization" job aid  for step-by-step directions on submitting a travel request.

Travel requests will be processed within a couple business days of submission.  Upon approval, you will receive an email notification including your travel number so that you may proceed with making your travel arrangements.

All travel requests require supporting documentation upload documentation (PDF/Screenshot) at the time of submission:

• Email approval from your advisor approving the trip and the funding source information for your trip i.e., worktags, grant number, etc.
• Conference or meeting invitation.
• Agenda and itinerary details that justify meals calculation (if not available, note it on the request).
• Expense line estimate documentation to demonstrate expected cost.
• Travel Comparison Form and quotes to demonstrate cost comparison when personal travel is added to business (see more details “Prepayments and Reimbursement/Expense Reports” section below). 

Additional Details: 

• Examples satisfactory JUSTIFICATION: Attend the March American Physical Society Meeting, March 14-18, 2022 in Chicago Illinois to learn about advances in the field and meet potential collaborators.
• Including your advisor's name on the SA is helpful. 
• No acronyms allowed, please spell out all abbreviations.

Ohio State requires you to use university travel partners to reserve flights and car rentals. We also have options to prepay other travel expenses; however, you no longer need to wait until you return from a trip to submit a reimbursement request ("Expense Report" in Workday). Please see the following instructions on how these expenses can be prepaid.

To book a flight with our designated travel agency, Corporate Travel Planners (CTP), go to the  OSU Travel Website , and from the "Book Online" dropdown menu, click on "Login to Concur". If you have found a lower fare outside of the Concur Booking Tool, please complete  CTP's Airfare Price Matching Request  and will review your request and respond within one business day. CTP also has the ability to split your transaction if you have business travel included with personal travel.

Please see the  Concur Online Booking Tool: Tips and Tricks  resource guide for a walkthrough of the Concur booking tool.

Corporate Travel Planners Concur Booking Tool can be used to reserve a car, also, this will not be prepaid through Concur, but it will secure the reservation with OSU regulations. You may also call the numbers listed on the university's  Rental Car Discounts  page. The CTP Travel Agent can add a rental car reservation to your airfare quote as needed. This is not prepaid like the flight but can be reserved. 

• National, Enterprise and Hertz are the preferred vendors.
• If a third party is reimbursing the car rental, we recommend using the university vendors, which will include required insurances, LDW and CDW, and any other protection for other unexpected incidents.
• Economy size must be chosen unless a reason for larger size is provided.

If would like a larger car without just because personal preference, a cost comparison can be done to reimburse the cheaper option, economy vs larger size.

Registration

This could be prepaid but you must request it from your admin person well in advance of the registration deadline. If you decide to pay with your personal funds, save the receipt and submit an expense report for reimbursement within 60 days of payment on receipt.

ASC Travel Comparison Form

Processing of travel reimbursements can be complicated when extending travel time for personal reasons or when choosing to drive (rental or mileage) instead of flying . The College of Arts and Sciences Business Services Center has developed the ASC Travel Comparison Form (linked below) that will help to compare the different modes of travel and situations based on the Ohio State travel policy. All travel reimbursements submitted that include personal time in conjunction with business travel and/or mileage in place of flying require the ASC Travel Comparison Form and all supporting documentation (flight comparisons, mileage maps, etc.)

ASC Travel Comparison Form      

Travel Comparison Job Aid

Accommodation Requests

If you need a travel accommodation, requests should be made through Ohio State's  ADA Coordinator's Office .

Reimbursements/Expense Reports

According to the latest travel policy update, you no longer need to wait to request reimbursement; however, "The traveler must submit an expense report with itemized receipts and other applicable supporting documentation within 60 days of the expense being paid or incurred." Please see the "Create an Expense Report" job aid in the Administrative Resource Center for step-by-step directions to request a reimbursement.

Meals/Per Diem

• Full Per Diem: look up the federal rate for the city/cities you will be traveling to on the GSA for Domestic locations and Federal site for International locations . For this option the amount is set amount and cannot be modified.
• Reduced/Partial Per Diem: specify the flat rate amount you'd like to receive each day in place of full per diem. (This is submitted in the Workday Spend Authorization under "actual meal” expense item and with the memo indicating “reduced/partial per diem will be claimed” as there is not a selection for "partial per diem", and then use the spreadsheet template for calculating meal costs for reimbursement.)
• Decline all per diem for entire trip (add note on the spend authorization).
• Reimbursement of actual meal expense by submitting itemized receipts, we do not recommend this option .

Include this this expense on the expense report for reimbursement along with the details receipt form the car rental agency.

• Receipt must be for one person unless otherwise noted.
• The university will permit payment of lodging expenses at reasonable single (room rate and taxes only) or conference rate.
• It is strongly recommended that all travelers have separate room accommodations.

Ground Transportation

• This includes expenses for taxis, Uber, Lyft, etc. Receipts are required for Uber/Lyft.

3rd Party Reimbursement

• If any expenses are expected to be reimbursed by another institution, please specify in the justification what expenses or amounts that you expect to receive, you will need to pay out of pocket and request reimbursement form the third party . 
• If third party is paying for the full trip and no OSU reimbursement is expected, a spend authorization is still required to be submitted and approved pre-trip.

Cash Advance

Cash Advances may be the last option, unless they discussed with your group admin.

Note: Worktags from the Spend Authorization may not carry over to the expense report automatically, please check the SA and manually enter the same ones before submitting expense report.

Spend Authorization Training and Videos:

The university's Administrative Resource Center has some training and videos about  Travel Authorization and Expensing Overview .

• Introduction to Business Travel at OSU (10 minutes video)
• Business Travel Life Cycle (2 hrs. video)

*(This includes Grad and Post-Doc students employed by Physics Department)

Guest Travel

All guest travel should be submitted to your admin person as soon as the guest has accepted our invitation to visit campus. Please email the following details to process the Spend Authorization for Non-Worker and secure the completed supplier form guest’s travel request. A fillable form is also linked below, with fields for all of the guest travel information listed here.

• Guest’s Name (as it appears on the government issued form of identification that will be shown at the airport).
• Guest’s email address.
• Guest's cell phone number.
• Guest's date of birth.
• Funding Source.
• Business Purpose: (Name of guest) will be traveling to The Ohio State University to (description of activity).
• Departure Date.
• Return Date.

Important: University policy allows for travel to begin and end one day before and after the business purpose.  If it is necessary to travel beyond these dates, please explain why.  If personal travel is involved, please provide with the dates related to business purpose + personal dates, since admin person will need to complete an ASC Travel Comparison Form and applicable quotes are required, details above on section “Prepayments and Reimbursement/Expense Reports”.

• Departure City: (If not departing/returning from Columbus please explain why not)
• Return City.
• Airfare/Personal Auto Mileage/Rental: $
• Does airfare need prepay?
• Does lodging need prepay?
• Hotel: $

(Please give a  preferred hotel and a second choice  so that a reservation can be made)

• Mileage = total miles * $.67: $
• Rental Car: $              Gas: $
• Shuttle, Taxi, etc.: $
• Business Meal(s): $
• Honorarium: $

NOTE: If driving (rental car or mileage) admin person will need ASC Travel Comparison Form and applicable quotes are required, details above on section “Prepayments and Reimbursement/Expense Reports”.

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Travel info, breadcrumb menu, travel tips:.

• 2024 mileage rate: $.675
• Use updated Ground Transportation LOG , Workday will calculate new mileage amount when date in Expense Lines is first day of travel from the LOG
• Get travel in within 60 days
• Use first travel date on log for expense line date
• Only one month per LOG
• IF BLANKET Spend Authorization is split to 2 LINES or more, can attach SAME LOG in EACH LINE, each line will use the different Worktags
• SA= Spend Authorization- can only edit if no expenses have been put in, if inadvertently closed or over the budgeted amount, no new SA can be created- put in COMMENT of SA# and explanation of why closed
• ADD attached approval if using Worktags not in your approval hierarchy 

OVERNIGHT TIPS:

• Pay for meals personally- get reimbursed via Per Diem (Pre-Trip for Spend Authorization/Post-Trip for Expense Report)
• No need to use both 'Lodging' and 'Lodging with Fees and Taxes' for Expense Items–as one invoice is to be paid, this could be when you could use the Itemization section of the Expense Report to separate out if any expenses like “Parking” are on the invoice, input to its own Spend Category in Itemization
• If not getting conference rate, check the GSA rates, allowable up to 1.5 times the standard
• Determine estimated cost of overnight trip before Creating Spend Authorization: (mileage= personal miles; ground transportation= taxi, bus, shuttle, tolls; baggage (coming and going); lodging, registration, per diem, parking (airport? hotel?); remember to attach map and agenda that shows meals
• Determine if needing cost comparison worksheet as an attachment: Driving vs Flying, Vacation in Conjunction with Business, international form for international travel
• Expense PCard charges within 7 days of payment
• University only pays for lowest reasonable expenses
• CTP (Corportate Travel Planners) - must use CTP for “continuity of care” so the University can be involved in getting employees home should some disaster occur. Keep documentation from CTP in case of cancellations, if credit is issued put ER# of original charge in entry for the credit. DO NOT USE PCard for CTP expenses- CTP uses their own credit card to pay and charge your SA. Must have an approved SA in order to get airfare purchase with CTP.

When is a Spend Authorization needed?

If you are registering for a virtual meeting or single-day in-person meeting, the expense can be put on a pcard and submitted on an expense report without being tied to a spend authorization. Your mileage to the in-person meeting, if applicable, can be submitted along with your regular monthly mileage on your blanket spend authorization. We are not able to submit registration expenses against blanket spend authorizations.

Any overnight travel requires a separate spend authorization specific to the overnight trip, and all associated expenses (registration, mileage, per diem, etc) should be submitted on expense reports tied to that specific spend authorization.

• If a virtual conference/session- no travel, only registration- then the registration is considered non-travel and no SA needed- *** it’s important to clearly mark virtual in the business purpose and/or memo
• If NO travel involved or claimed for a conference/session (held in your office or within same miles as commute) and registration is the only expense- then the registration is considered non-travel and no SA needed.

NOTE: Carpooling will need a separate SA, in case of expenses that could arise- as in last minute change of plans and have to drive after all, or if splitting cost of mileage, etc.

NOTE: when traveling on OSP grants submit a separate SA

What if the registration is internal and nothing to tie back to the SA in Workday?

• The internal registration won’t get tied to the SA, but should still be reflected as an expected cost, so put a LINE in the SA request for REGISTRATION.

How does the Spend Authorization get tied to the Expense Report put in for travel expenses?

• When in Header page (first screen) of Create Expense Report- choose the 3 rd radio button,   Create New Expense Report from Spend Authorization , then click the drop down arrow to choose the correct SA
• See Blanket In-State Mileage and  Overnight Travel job aids
• This brings in your payroll default Worktags. Make sure these are changed to match the approved SA where you are expensing the travel

Do I have to fill out ITEMIZATION in the expense report?

• Only needed when splitting out Spend Categories, such as hotel bills if they include parking, or other charges on the bill to be separated out to another SC (NOT to separate out fees/taxes)

If I use the PCard for registration, hotel or other travel expenses, how will that get tied back to my travel Spend Authorization?

•  See this NEWS article: Reassigning Expense Credit Card Transactions
•  Expect a wait time for the system to ‘catch up’ as the PCard Manager works through this process and for it to show up in the assignees Workday

How can I cancel a Spend Authorization?

• In the case when F2F conferences have been cancelled or changed to ‘virtual’ conferences, the SA’s should be canceled, here’s the NEWS article: To Close Spend Authorizations
• When the job aid mentions 'related actions' click on the 3 dots in the red header bar to get the ACTIONS gray column to show up- then you HOVER over the Spend Authorization… and should see next step, which must be to END

Complete the Travel Comparison Worksheet prior to travel and attach to the Spend Authorization in the following situations: o Drive vs. Fly o Mileage vs. Rental Vehicle o Personal Travel in Conjunction with Business Travel

City of Columbus Certificate of Exemption, Hotel /Motel Excise Tax

The ohio state university tax status (when traveling out-of-state).

Know the tax exemption status of the state in which you are traveling. The state-by-state information about sales tax shows the university’s tax status in each state and provides the applicable tax exemption certificates. If a supplier asks for a tax-exempt number, Ohio State’s employer identification number 31-6025986 can be provided.

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The objective of the Travel Policy is to ensure efficiency and fiscal accountability for university business travel. The University will pay for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred for authorized business travel. All travel expenses paid with university funds must comply with the University’s Expenditures  [pdf], PCard  [pdf], Internal Controls  [pdf], Purchasing  [pdf], and Human Resources policies.  Additional sponsor requirements and/or federal regulations may apply to expenditures charged to sponsored projects. Contact the Office of Sponsored Programs for clarifications. Travelers need to familiarize themselves with the travel policy prior to making travel arrangements.

Travel Policies

General Travel Information:

• Please visit the Ohio State Travel webpage for resources like current travel guidelines, travel agency contact information, the university travel policy and other resources.

Rental Cars: 

• Please see  Rental Car Information
• You are required to purchase LDW, CDW, DW and Liability insurance.
• Rental car expenses that do not include the required insurance cannot be paid with university funds.

Faculty and Staff Travel

Spend authorizations.

What's a Spend Authorization?  A "Travel Request" from eTravel is now a "Spend Authorization" in Workday.

A travel request should be submitted as soon as you intend to take an OSU-funded trip.  Please submit all travel requests at least six weeks in advance as many university and college travel awards require that you apply this far in advance of the trip. 

All travel requests require supporting documentation.  Please upload documentation at the time of submission. Alternate arrangements should also be made to cover any responsibilities you are unable to fulfill while you are away.  Please note these arrangements in the comment section of your travel request.

Please submit your travel request using Workday .  Please see the " Create a Spend Authorization" job aid for step-by-step directions on submitting a travel request.

Travel requests will be processed within a couple business days of submission.  Upon approval, you will receive an email notification including your travel number so that you may proceed with making your travel arrangements.

Accommodation Requests

If you need a travel accommodation, requests should be made through Ohio State's  ADA Coordinator's Office .

Travel Prepayments

Ohio State requires you to use university travel partners to reserve flights and car rentals. We also have options to prepay other travel expenses; however, you no longer need to wait until you return from a trip to submit a reimbursement request ("Expense Report" in Workday). Please see the following instructions on how these expenses can be prepaid.

To book a flight with our designated travel agency, Corporate Travel Planners (CTP), go to the  OSU Travel Website , and from the "Book Online" dropdown menu, click on "Login to Concur". If you have found a lower fare outside of the Concur Booking Tool, please complete   CTP's Airfare Price Matching Request  and will review your request and respond within one business day. CTP also has the ability to split your transaction if you have business travel included with personal travel.

Please see the  Concur Online Booking Tool: Tips and Tricks  resource guide for a walkthrough of the Concur booking tool.

Corporate Travel Planners Concur Booking Tool can be used to reserve a car.  You may also call the numbers listed on the university's  Rental Car Discounts  page.

Due to a university process update, effective October 1, 2020, hotel expenses must be reimbursed.

Registration

Please contact the Fiscal Associate at [email protected] to prepay your registration.

Reimbursements/Expense Reports

According to the updated travel policy, you no longer need to wait to request reimbursement; however, "The traveler must submit an expense report with itemized receipts and other applicable supporting documentation within 60 days of the expense being paid or incurred." Please see the "Create an Expense Report" job aid in the Administrative Resource Center for step-by-step directions to request a reimbursement.

ASC Travel Comparison Form

Processing of travel reimbursements can be complicated when extending travel time for personal reasons or when choosing to drive instead of flying.  The College of Arts and Sciences Business Services Center has developed the ASC Travel Comparison Form  (linked below)  that will help to compare the different modes of travel and situations based on the Ohio State travel policy. All travel reimbursements submitted that include personal time in conjunction with business travel and/or mileage in place of flying require the ASC Travel Comparison Form and all supporting documentation (flight comparisons, mileage maps etc.)

Spend Authorization Training and Videos

Please see BuckeyeLearn for a 40-minute eLearning module on submitting spend authorizations and expense reports .

The university's Administrative Resource Center also has a 7-minute video on how to create an expense report in Workday .

Guest Travel

Please see the Guest Spend Authorization Job Aid for step-by-step instructions on requesting guest travel in Workday.

All guest travel should be submitted to  [email protected]  as soon as the guest has accepted our invitation to visit campus. Please email the following details and a vendor completed and ink-signed  vendor setup form  in order the process the travel request. Please note that guest travel requests may not be processed for up to two weeks during busier times of the year. A fillable form is also linked below, with fields for all of the guest travel information listed here.

• Guest’s Name (as it appears on the government issued form of identification that will be shown at the airport):
• Guest’s email address:
• Guest's cell phone number:
• Guest's date of birth:
• Funding Source:
• Business Purpose: (Name of guest) will be traveling to The Ohio State University to (description of activity).
• Departure Date:
• Return Date: (University policy allows for travel to begin and end one day before and after the business purpose.  If it is necessary to travel beyond these dates, please explain why.  If personal travel is involved, please provide us with an  airfare comparison [pdf]  based on the dates related to the business purpose.)
• Departure City: (If not departing/returning from Columbus please explain why not)
• Return City:
• Airfare/Personal Auto Mileage/Rental: $
• If we need to prepay airfare and lodging, with this be through Corporate Travel Planners (CTP) or the PCard?
• Mileage = total miles * $0.575; ( airfare comparison [pdf]  required)
• Rental Car  Guidelines [pdf]
• Hotel: $  (Please give a  preferred hotel and a second choice  so that a reservation can be made)
• Shuttle, Taxi, etc.: $
• Business Meal(s): $
• Honorarium: $

Graduate Student Travel Funding

The Department of English offers funded English graduate students $500 annually to utilize between July 1 and June 30 in support of conferences and meetings where the student is engaging in professional work at regional, national and international levels by presenting a paper within the United States or abroad. Please note that funding is not available for chairing and moderating panels. Travel to appropriate libraries, archives and field sites for the purposes of professional research, both in the United States and abroad, is also permitted under this program. In addition, MFA students who are traveling to a writing retreat for which there is a competitive selection process or  The Journal  who are traveling to the AWP to assist with the book fair can also apply for these funds. There will be no rollover of any fund balances across fiscal years.

Department of English Graduate travel award applications should be submitted as early as possible to ensure a timely processing of the application and award.  All travel requests require supporting documentation.  You can upload documentation to your application at the time of submission. Alternate arrangements should also be made to cover any responsibilities you are unable to fulfill while you are away.

Federal regulations require that all scholarships and financial resources, excluding compensation, received by a student be included as part of their financial aid package. In order to comply with federal regulations and university procedures and to simplify the process for everyone, the Department of English processes student awards through the Office of Student Financial Aid (SFA).

Upon award approval, the student will receive an email notification and the Department of English will notify SFA of the award and the associated budget.  SFA will then process the award which will post to the student’s Statement of Account in  BuckeyeLink .  Account balances are refunded to students within three business days.

Please note students must setup student direct deposit in order to receive financial aid refunds electronically, otherwise a paper check will be mailed to the student’s home address listed in BuckeyeLink. Direct deposit can be  setup through BuckeyeLink , which is different from employee payroll direct deposit.

[pdf] - Some links on this page are to Adobe .pdf files requiring the use of Adobe Reader. If you need these files in a more accessible format, please contact  [email protected] .

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Reimbursement

Reimbursement requests.

There are 3 steps for reimbursement:

Before the conference:

1. All supported travelers have to fill out the attached form (Vendor Form) so they can be entered into the Accounts Payable system.

2. Second step is to get University approval for individual travel. We need the below information from each one of you. City, State you’re flying from/name of airport, flights must be on US Carriers. Destination Place/Airport flying to (Columbus airport CMH) Date of Departure Date of Return, see note below Estimated expenses up to $XXXX (give an estimate in $ amount), airfare, hotel, miscellaneous transportation, etc and vendor form from Step 1. Send all of this to Kerry Moore ([email protected])

After the conference :

3. Third step is reimbursement, please send all receipts in pdf file. Receipts should show the proof of payment, accepted airfare receipt must show the itinerary and the payment. Please email all your receipts to Kerry Moore ([email protected]).

Hotel Rooms

For presenting students and their mentors, hotel rooms will be automatically paid for by the Mathematics Department. Since you will not pay for you rooms there is also no reimbursement for lodging expenses.

If invited students or mentors require different lodging arrangements and plan to seek (partial) reimbursement, they must contact the organizers before the conference for approval.

Plane tickets should be with US carriers, in coach class, and as inexpensive as reasonably possible. Flight itineraries must start at or near your home address and end at an airport in or near Columbus. Connecting flights during the same days of travel are acceptable. In fact, we expected most flights to be connecting as these are usually the cheaper options. However, multiple leg/point flights and/or itineraries with interruptions of a day or more are not reimbursed without prior approval. Particularly, this includes itineraries in which the destination of your return trip is different from where you started out on your trip into Columbus.

If you have circumstances that require such indirect itineraries please

• Contact the organizers before the conference for approval, and
• Fill in form #6 and provide supporting documents: Airfare cost comparison has to be done at the same time of buying the ticket (printed copy of the comparison fare should be attached).

You need to provide a copy of the receipt of your plane ticket for reimbursement. Print outs of receipts of electronically booked flights are acceptable. Boarding stubs are not needed as documentation. Note: when you reserve online a print-out of just an itinerary is not acceptable. You must print out titled receipt proving actual purchase of ticket.

Private Car

Travel by car is reimbursed at 54.5 cents per mile traveled. We reimburse only the distances between your home address and Columbus. Note: The distance traveled also includes your return trip. That means, if your home is 100 miles from Columbus, you will be able to claim $109. Note, we do not reimburse fuel costs. To receive reimbursement you must provide:

• Printed mileage from Google maps from your home address to OSU (printed google maps showing the all addresses, giving the number of miles is not sufficient).
• A printed airfare cost from Travelocity, Expedia, etc. showing the cost of the ticket had you flown. The dates should be the same as the driving dates. If flying is cheaper, the traveler will be reimbursed for the cost of airfare instead of mileage unless there are other passengers in the vehicle who also attending the conference.

Other parking expenses will require justifications and documentations. Overnight stays during car travel will usually not be reimbursed. If you have special circumstances that require overnight stays please contact the organizers before the conference.

You must get approval from the organizers before the conference in order to have the costs for a rental car reimbursed. Upon approval we reimburse the costs of rental fees and gasoline for which there is documentation. We do not reimburse insurance costs.

The conference will provide (free of charge) dinner banquets Tuesday night, breakfast Wednesday and Thursday morning, as well as lunch on Wednesday for invited participants. 

Cost and Receipt Sharing

If you plan to split one cost item (e.g., car travel) between several participants please indicate this clearly on your reimbursement request. The reimbursement request of each participant sharing a cost should contain: A copy of the receipt/documentation for the shared cost for each participant. A separate sheet of paper for each participant that explains who the cost is shared with and what the share of the respective participant is. Similarly, if the same receipt is used for several participants (e.g., multiple plane ticket bookings) each participant has to include a copy of the receipt in the reimbursement request, explain who else is on the receipt, and everyone's share of the receipt.

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New Benefits and Pay Dashboard in Workday

A new benefits and pay dashboard in Workday now makes it easier to access your most important benefits and pay information in one place. The new dashboard, called the Benefits and Pay Hub, combines the previous Pay and Benefits apps with more comprehensive details about your compensation history, recent paychecks, health benefits, and more.

You can access the new display from the Workday home page by clicking on “Menu” or “View All Apps” and selecting “Benefits and Pay Hub.” Make sure the navigation pane is open on the left side of the screen. To open, click on the “open” arrow to expand the navigation pane. Hide the navigation by clicking on the “close” arrow.

The overview page displays:

• Announcements
• Quick links to payment elections, benefits changes and tax documents
• Current benefit costs and details
• Recent pay and pay history
• Current compensation summary and history
• Bonuses and other one-time payments

Use the left-hand navigation for convenient access to the benefits, pay and compensation sections as well as “Suggested Links” for frequently used tools such as your health and wellness spending accounts, Workday’s “Model My Pay” feature and retirement information.

The Benefits and Pay Hub only changes how you view and interact with your pay and benefits in Workday.

Log in to Workday now to view your new Benefits and Pay Hub.

If you have any questions, contact HR Connection .

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Is It Safe in Moscow?

Stanislav Solntsev / Getty Images

When you visit Moscow , Russia, you’re seeing one of the world’s largest, and most expensive, capital cities . While there is a history of violent crime against foreign journalists and aid personnel in Russia, a trip to Moscow is usually safe for mainstream travelers. Most tourists in Moscow only face potential issues with petty crime, though terrorism is also a concern. Visitors should stick to the principal tourist areas and abide by the local security advice.

Travel Advisories

• The U.S. Department of State urges travelers to avoid travel to Russia because of COVID-19 and to "exercise increased caution due to terrorism, harassment, and the arbitrary enforcement of local laws."  
• Anyone exploring more of Russia should avoid "The North Caucasus, including Chechnya and Mount Elbrus, due to terrorism, kidnapping,   and   risk of civil unrest." Also, travelers should stay away from "Crimea due to Russia’s occupation of the Ukrainian territory   and   abuses by its occupying authorities."  
• Canada states travelers should use a high degree of caution in Russia due to the threat of terrorism and crime.  

Is Moscow Dangerous?

The Moscow city center is typically safe. In general, the closer you are to the Kremlin , the better. Travelers mainly need to be aware of their surroundings and look out for petty crime. Be especially careful in tourist areas such as Arbat Street and crowded places like the Moscow Metro transit system. The suburbs are also generally fine, though it is advised to stay away from Maryino and Perovo districts.

Terrorism has occurred in the Moscow area, leading authorities to increase security measures. Be more careful at tourist and transportation hubs, places of worship, government buildings, schools, airports, crowds, open markets, and additional tourist sites.

Pickpockets and purse snatching happen often in Russia, perpetrated by groups of children and teenagers who distract tourists to get their wallets and credit cards. Beware of people asking you for help, who then trick you into their scheme. Don’t expect a backpack to be a safe bag bet; instead, invest in something that you can clutch close to your body or purchase a money belt . Always diversify, storing some money in a separate location so that if you are pickpocketed, you'll have cash elsewhere. Keep an eye out for thieves in public transportation, underground walkways, tourist spots, restaurants, hotel rooms and homes, restaurants, and markets.

Is Moscow Safe for Solo Travelers?

Large cities like Moscow in Russia are overall fairly safe if you are traveling alone, and the Moscow Metro public transit is a secure and easy way to get around. But it is still a good idea to follow basic precautions as in any destination. Avoid exploring alone at night, especially in bad areas. You may want to learn some basic Russian phrases or bring a dictionary, as many locals don't speak English. However, in case you need any help, there are tourist police that speak English. Also, exploring with other trusted travelers and locals or on professional tours is often a good way to feel safe.

Is Moscow Safe for Female Travelers?

Catcalling and street harassment are infrequent in Moscow and the rest of Russia and females traveling alone don't usually have problems. There are plenty of police officers on the streets as well. Still, it serves to stick to Moscow's well-lit, public areas, avoid solo night walks, and use your instincts. Women frequenting bars may take receive some friendly attention. Females can wear whatever they want, but those entering Orthodox churches will be required to cover up. Though women in Russia are independent, domestic violence and other inequality issues take place regularly.

Safety Tips for LGBTQ+ Travelers

Russia is not known as a gay-friendly country. However, Moscow is one of the more welcoming cities with a blooming LGBTQ+ community and many friendly restaurants, bars, clubs, and other venues. Hate crimes in Russia have increased since the 2013 anti-gay propaganda law. Openly LGBTQ+ tourists in this conservative country may experience homophobic remarks, discrimination, or even violence, especially if traveling with a partner. Also, while women hold hands or hug publicly—whether romantically involved or not—men should avoid public displays of affection to prevent being insulted or other issues.

Safety Tips for BIPOC Travelers

Moscow  and other big cities in Russia have sizable populations of various cultures, so discrimination against BIPOC travelers is rarer than in other parts of the country where it can become dangerous. Some people living in Russia who are Black, Asian, Jewish, and from other backgrounds have experienced racial discrimination and violence. Tourists won't usually experience overt racism but may be the recipients of some stares. If anyone should bother you, be polite and resist being taunted into physically defending yourself.

Safety Tips for Travelers

Travelers should consider the following general tips when visiting:

• It's best not to drink the tap water. If you do, boil it before drinking, though showering is safe and the amount used to brush teeth is generally not harmful. Mineral water is widely drunk, especially at restaurants, and if you prefer not to have it carbonated ask for “ voda byez gaz” (water without gas).
• If you need emergency assistance in case of fire, terrorism, medical issues, or more, dial 112 in Russia for bilingual operators.
• Be judicious about taking photographs, especially of police or officials. This can potentially bring unwanted attention to yourself by members of law enforcement who won’t mind asking to see your passport. Also avoid snapping photos of official-looking buildings, such as embassies and government headquarters.
• Carry your passport in as secure a manner as possible. If you get stopped for any reason by the police, they can fine or arrest you if you don't have the document with you. Also, keep photocopies of your passport, the page on which your travel visa appears, and any other documents that relate to your stay in Russia.
• Use official taxis only and steer clear of illegal taxi companies, especially at night. Ask your hotel to call a reputable taxi company.

U.S. Department of State. " Russia Travel Advisory ." August 6, 2020.

Government of Canada. " Official Global Travel Advisories ." November 19, 2020.

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Is It Safe in Jamaica?

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Local time Moscow

Introducing Moscow

About moscow.

• Weather / Best time to visit
• Images of Moscow

While you’re there

• Getting around
• Attractions, tours and tickets
• Things to see
• Things to do
• Restaurants

Plan your trip

• Travel to Moscow

Russia Information

• About Russia
• Passport & visa
• Public Holidays
• Money & duty free
• Food & drink

Book your flights

• Moscow Domodedovo International Airport
• Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport
• Moscow Vnukovo International Airport

Moscow Travel Guide

Despite the Soviet past, today’s Moscow is a dynamic, cutting-edge city – and the most populous in Europe. Well-heeled Muscovites flaunt their wealth by sipping Champagne with sushi at elite restaurants and shopping for designer labels at frighteningly expensive boutiques. Meanwhile, a growing middle-class has seen a proliferation of hip bars and trendy cultural centres.

While the Russian capital has striven to move on, recent tensions with the West have stirred up memories of the past. Moscow has previously led the way with protests against Vladimir Putin, but even with the tumbling ruble and economic sanctions, his popularity remains strong.

This doesn’t make Russia a no-go area, and Moscow – with its cosmopolitan, globe-trotting denizens – is not the formidable crucible often depicted. In summer, temperatures soar and the city’s vast parklands flourish. The historic Gorky Park received a complete makeover in 2012, installing free Wi-Fi and even a beach, while the Soviet behemoth that was the Rossiya Hotel has been demolished to make way for an ambitious central park.

Before that project comes to fruition, there is Red Square to marvel at, not least the mind-boggling St Basil’s Cathedral. Built by Ivan the Terrible in the 16th century, its multi-coloured domes and acid-trip patterns seem to defy logic. Nearby is the 14th-century Kremlin and seat of the tsars.

Indeed architecture is one of the city’s main attractions, especially for aficionados of Soviet buildings. All too many have been destroyed to make way for gleaming 21st-century skyscrapers, but Stalin’s unmistakable Seven Sisters still stand tall against the modern towers.

The city is naturally keen to celebrate its great writers, composers and artists too. This sophisticated city boasts world-class institutions like the Bolshoi Theatre, the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory and the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts.

As for nightlife, the city is becoming increasingly hedonistic – whether jazz, rock or vodka is your thing, there are plenty of options. Even the culinary circuit has come on leaps and bounds, though an evening at one of the city’s growing stable of world-class restaurants requires considerable investment. This is, after all, a capital of oligarchs.

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Live out your secret agent dreams while you perfect your plotting with these spy-inspired destinations

Book Accommodation

Featured hotels, izmailovo (gamma-delta).

Constructed to accommodate visitors to the 1980 Olympics, the concrete towers of the Izmailovo boast a staggering 8,000 rooms. Institutional in atmosphere, and located far out in the northern suburbs, the hotel is handy for the enormous Izmaylovo Market and has decent city centre links. There are several onsite restaurants and in-room Wi-Fi is available too.

Peking Hotel

Built in 1956 as a little sister to Stalin's Seven Sister skyscrapers, and intended as post-war headquarters for the secret police, Moscow's Peking Hotel is a heritage hotel with a small 'h', in a good location just northwest of the centre. Although slightly old-fashioned, its 130 rooms are comfortable enough, with satellite TV and en-suite bathrooms.

Warsaw Hotel

Although its location may not be one of Moscow's most picturesque, the Warsaw Hotel is convenient for Gorky Park. Considering the quality of the competition, this is one of the best cheap options in the city, with clean and comfortable rooms, albeit in a rather dated style. Wi-Fi is complimentary and the Oktyabrskaya Metro station is right next door.

Golden Apple

A boutique hotel on a refreshingly human scale, the Golden Apple offers imaginative styling and a personal touch that many 5-star hotels lack. Behind the baroque facade, its minimalist rooms are cosy, and there's an onsite restaurant and an open-plan bar too. Staff speak excellent English and there's Wi-Fi access, a gym and a sauna.

Historical Hotel Sovietsky

In the 1950s, Joseph Stalin decreed that the famous Yar restaurant should be upgraded to a hotel and the Historical Hotel Sovietsky was born. It quickly became a showcase for the image of sophistication that the Soviet government wished to present to the world, and its 107 rooms still conjures up the nostalgia of this period in history.

Hotel Danilovsky

It's hard to imagine a more atmospheric place to stay than the 12-century precincts of the historic Danilovsky Monastery. Set amidst chapels and gardens, the hotel is a modern construction, but the rooms are comfortable and all have a view of the stately monastery buildings. There's a sauna and bar onsite too.

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