Quick Steps: Request a Travel Advance in iOU

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

When?  Under certain circumstances it may be appropriate to request a cash advance to pay for travel (e.g., airfare or pre-paid lodging) for students or staff members who travel infrequently for University business.

How?  Travel advance requests are processed using the Advances module of Stanford's online iOU System

 

 

Request a Travel Advance in iOU (7 steps)

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

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

Note:  Getting Access to iOU

Complete General Information screen:

1. Select Travel as the Transaction Category Type.
2. Select Yes or No to Are you sending backup documents?.



Note:  Advances for travel must include supporting backup documentation such as airfare receipt showing proof of payment.


3. Enter all or part of the Payee name.



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


4. From Search and Select: Payee pop-up window, locate and select payee name and correct payee site.
5. Click Select button to close the pop-up window.
6. Enter SU Clearing Contact name.



Note:  Must be a Stanford employee


7. Enter Yes or No to Will Payee above be the Payee on the Reimbursement when the Advance is cleared?.
8. Enter Payment Handling information if requesting "Rush" processing or alternate delivery methods (e.g. Will Call, Wire Transfer, etc.)



Note:  If the Payee Site you selected is where you want the check / payment to go, and there are no additional requirements or requests for payment handling, you do NOT need to select any Payment Handling Information.


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. Enter Expected Clearing Date (if different than default date).



Note:  Advances should be cleared within 14 days of completion of business travel.


13. Select Yes or No for Foreign Travel.



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.


14. Click Continue button.



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

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.



Note:  Travel Advance Expenditure Type is automatically filled in.


3. Enter Remarks if appropriate.
4. Under Allocation section, enter the Project, Task, and Award.
5. To split allocations for a line expense, click Add Allocation Line button.



Note:  Split allocations require an explanation in the Allocation Reason field.


6. To add additional expense lines, click Add Expense Line button.
7. Click Continue button to go to Approver Routing screen.



Note:  The Expense Line information is saved.

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

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

Complete Approver Routing screen:

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



Note:  One of the easiest and fastest ways to create an approval routing is to use the My Favorites feature. You can search for an approver by Project and Task by clicking on the Group icon.


2. As required, select an approver to designate a sequential or parallel routing Sequence Number.
3. Enter Action Comments as needed.
4. Click Continue button when the approval routing is complete.



Note:  The approval routing is saved. The transaction is ready for you to review.

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 travel advance transaction:

1. Gather copies of the documents that support your travel advance request.
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. Back up documents are electronically attached to iOU transactions using a standard fax machine.
5. Check the transmission status of the outgoing fax. A status of OK confirms that the fax has been sent successfully.
6. View the online images in iOU to confirm it is legible.



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

 

What Happens Next?

• Under IRS rules, advances not cleared within 60 days of the trip completion date will be forced cleared by Disbursements and the advance amount will be tax-reported to the designated payee. Advances are cleared when the reimbursement request is entered in iOU. See Quick Steps: Enter Reimbursement Request in iOU.
• Unused advance funds must be returned to Disbursements. See Quick Steps: Return Unused Advance Funds.
• 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 every 24 hours indicating that documents have not been received, until they are received.
• The bar code sheet can be re-printed in the future to fax additional documents if necessary. To re-print the bar code page, click the "Reprint Barcode" button on the bottom section of the Transaction Review page.

Questions?

• Please 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