Quick Steps: Enter Expense Report / Reimbursement Request in iOU

Who does this?  Stanford staff with access to the iOU system

When?  Stanford faculty, staff, students, or visitors incur expense in support of University business. Expense Reports should be entered within 10 days after expense is incurred or travel is completed.

How?  Expense reports / reimbursement requests are processed using the Reimbursement module of Stanford's iOU System. Expense reports / reimbursement requests must be approved by an authorized approver other than the originator.

 

Enter Expense Report / Reimbursement Request in iOU (11 steps)

Gather required information and documentation in preparation for entering the expense report in iOU:

1. Ensure that the expenditure(s) meets University policy by reviewing: Policy Notes: Reimbursable Business Expenses.
2. Review iOU Reimbursement Request Checklist to ensure request meets procedural and documentation requirements.

Launch the iOU Reimbursement module from Stanford's Oracle Financials system:

1. https://ofweb.stanford.edu.
2. Enter your SUNet ID and password if prompted.
3. Click SU iOU Public link in the Navigator section.
4. From iOU home page, click Reimbursement tab.

Note:  Getting Access to iOU

Complete General Information screen:

1. Select reimbursement Category from the pull down menu.
2. Select Yes to Are you sending backup documents.



Note:  Select No only when no backup documents are required, e.g. when request is for mileage reimbursement or if each of the expenses being reported is less than $75.


3. Enter all or part of the Payee's last name and click the "flashlight" icon.
4. From the Search and Select: Payee pop-up window, locate and select payee name and correct payee site.



Note1:  Direct Deposit is the preferred "Remit to Site." For employees not enrolled in Direct Deposit, the "Remit to Site" will be the "Mailing Address" maintained in StanfordYou directory. If a "Mailing Address" is not entered in StanfordYou, the employee's "Permanent Address" in StanfordYou will be used.

Note 2:  Add new payee and/or site to list if necessary.

Note 3:  If payee is the same as the person incurring the expense, ensure that the payee name matches the name on the receipts.


5. Click Select button to close the pop-up window.
6. Some reimbursement categories will prompt: Any portion to STAP? Default is no.
7. Optionally, click Add Line button to enter other persons other than Payee who incurred expenses.
8. Enter Payment Handling Information.
   • Select Payment Priority: Standard or Rush.
   • For Payee Sites other than Direct Deposit, Payment Type and Delivery Option will default to Check and U.S. Mail. Optionally, select other options from the drop-down lists.
   
   
   
   Note:  A one-time mailing address may be entered by selecting Alternate Address as the Delivery Option.
9. Enter your Business Purpose.



IMPORTANT NOTE:  Review Guidelines for Writing a Clear iOU Business Purpose to ensure your entry meets requirements and to avoid processing holds. The first 30 characters will be displayed on Expenditure Reports and in the iOU Transaction Queue.


10. Enter Start Date (or use calendar tool).
11. Enter End Date (or use calendar tool).
12. Select Yes or No: "Does this reimbursement involve travel outside the United States?"




United States includes the 50 states, DC, Commonwealths of Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands; Guam, American Samoa and the US Virgin Islands. If travel originates outside of the U.S. or includes a destination outside of the U.S., indicate Yes.




Note:  Stanford designates travel to and from Mexico and Canada as Foreign Travel. However, some sponsored projects may dictate that travel to and from Mexico and Canada be classified as domestic. Check fund source documents when traveling for sponsored projects.


13. Click Continue button.



Note:  The system will save your General Information and assign a transaction number.

Note:  If there are Stanford Travel Card (Stanford issued MasterCard) charges associated with the expense report, complete Step 4-5; if there are no Stanford Travel Card charges, go to Step 6 .

From the Travel Card Charges screen:

1. Under Travel Card Charges, the card number for the payee will appear. A drop down function will appear if the payee has both an individual and a department card. If there is more than one card number, select the appropriate card number.
2. Select the transactions associated with the traveler’s trip.
3. Click Continue button.

Complete the Travel Card Charge Lines screen:

1. Under Business Lines section, you may Set Default Allocation Favorite by selecting a favorite.



Note:  Everyone who submits any type of financial transaction must be familiar with the rules for allowability of costs in order to properly code transactions. For assistance, see Resources & Job Aids: Proper Coding of Allowable and Unallowable University Expenditures.


2. Select each Expense Line
   • Select an Expense Type – choices will be determined by Category previously chosen in the General Information section.
   • The Transaction ID associated with the Travel Card charge will be displayed, along with the Transaction Date, Transaction Amount and Business Amount.
   • Click the Details Required / Optional button to enter details about the expense line. (For meals, the details screen will allow you to enter alcohol details, if appropriate.)
   • Only if required, select Yes to Receipts Missing and click Lost Receipt Form link.
   • Select the Classification.
   • As required, click the Itemize button.
   • The remarks entered in the Notes field upon validation show in the Remarks (Optional) field and may be edited.
3. Under the Business Allocations section, enter Business Allocations for the Expense Line amounts by completing:
   • Project
   • Task
   • Award
   • Expenditure Type
   • Percent – if splitting to more than one PTAE
   • Allocation Amount
   • Allocation Reason (required for multiple PTAs)
4. To split allocations for an expense line, click Add Allocation Line button.



Note:  Split allocations require an explanation.


5. Complete the Non-reimbursable Lines in the same manner as above, if there are non-reimbursable charges.
6. Click Continue button.

Complete Expense Lines screen:

1. Under Lines section, select Expense Type.



Note:  Everyone who submits any type of financial transaction must be familiar with the rules for allowability of costs in order to properly code transactions. For assistance, see Proper Coding of Allowable and Unallowable University Expenditures.


2. Enter dollar Amount for the expense line.
3. If applicable, select Yes to Receipts Missing and click Lost / Missing Receipt Form link.
4. Click Details Required button (as needed) to enter details about the expense line.



Note 1:  For air travel expense, you must enter valid airport codes (search options are available).

Note 2:  If you are requesting Per Diem reimbursement for Meals and Hotels, you will be asked to identify the Country for each entry.


5. If applicable, select the appropriate country from the Select a Country pull down menu in the Foreign Expense Location section.



Note:  If the expense relates to multiple foreign countries, select one of the applicable countries.


6. Enter Remarks if appropriate.
7. Under Allocation section, enter the Project, Task, Award and Expenditure Type for the expense line.
8. To split allocations for a line expense, click Add Allocation Line button.



Note:  Split allocations require an explanation.


9. To add additional expense lines, click Add Expense Line button.
10. Click Continue button.



Note:  The Expense Line information is saved.

If the Payee of the request has an outstanding advance, at this point you will be prompted to clear one or more advances.

Complete Advance Clearing screen:

1. Locate the appropriate advance to clear and enter the dollar amount to be cleared (this is the amount actually spent) in Clear Amount column.



Note 1:  Whether it is the full remaining amount of the advance or a partial amount, the amount you indicate to be cleared will be deducted from the reimbursement total.

Note 2:  If some of the advanced funds are unused, see Quick Step: Return Unused Advance Funds.


2. Click Continue button when all appropriate advances have been cleared to go to the Approver routing screen.

An approver is required for each PTAE used. The iOU system will provide you with routing options.

Complete Approver Routing screen:

1. As required, click Add Line button to add additional approvers. Select Approver or FYI for each individual added.



Note:  The Approver should be someone who does not report to the Payee, directly or indirectly.


2. As required, select an approver to designate a sequential or parallel routing Sequence Number.



Note:  One of the easiest and fastest ways to create an approval routing is to use the My Favorites feature.


3. Enter Action Comments as needed.
4. Click Continue button when the approval routing is complete.

Review / Edit transaction from Transaction Review screen:

1. Click Edit button for the section(s) you wish to modify.
2. Click Submit button when all edits are complete.

Print bar code Confirmation page:

1. Click Print button.

Note:  The Confirmation (bar code) page provides confirmation that the transaction has been successfully completed.

Attach backup documents to your iOU reimbursement / expense report:

Note:  Backup documents are required for any line items $75 or more.

1. Gather copies of the receipts that support your reimbursement / expense report.
2. Place the Confirmation (bar code) page on top of your backup documents.



Note:  The Confirmation (bar code) page must be page 1 of your fax.


3. Fax the confirmation page and backup documents to the designated fax number on the Confirmation (bar code) page.
4. Check the transmission status of the outgoing fax. A status of OK confirms that the fax has been sent successfully.
5. Check Transaction Review page to confirm backup documents were attached.



Note:  Within minutes of sending the fax, the online images can be viewed in iOU.

 

What Happens Next?

• Receipts and back up documents are electronically attached to iOU transactions using a standard fax machine.
• The bar code sheet can be reprinted in the future to fax additional documents if necessary. To reprint the bar code page, click the "Reprint Barcode" button on the bottom section of the Transaction Review page.
• Transactions requiring backup documents will not be routed to an approver until documents have been faxed in and electronically attached. If the backup documents are not received and the originator has indicated that backup documents will be attached, the iOU system will send an email within 24 hours indicating that documents have not been received.

Questions?

• Contact the Buying and Paying Support Center:
  • Call 650-723-BPSC (2772)
  • Email buyandpay@stanford.edu
  • Submit a HelpSU ticket
• For additional training, see:
  • FIN-0401: Processing Travel Card Charges in iOU
  • FIN-0455: iOU Reimbursements / Expense Reports
  • FIN-0456: iOU Advances