Travel

UH Hilo > Business Office > Easy Reference Guides

This is only a general guide for most frequent travel concerns for UH Hilo only and can change at any time. Formal instructions can be found at the eTravel Home Page - http://www.hawaii.edu/etravel/

Same Island Travel:

Same Day and Same Island trips ARE NOT considered to be on Official Travel Status. 

No travel request should be generated.

Overnight and Same Island trips ARE considered to be on Official Travel Status. 

  1. Travel Requests/Completions are required.
  2. Chancellor’s Approval is required for BOTH the Travel Request AND the Travel Completion.
  3. Proof of commercial lodging is REQUIRED.  (Still required even though traveler is not claiming reimbursement for lodging. A copy is sufficient if not claiming.)  Commercial lodging must be utilized to qualify as being on Official Travel Status.
  4. If claiming Mileage:  Need to input “Mileage” expense line from the drop down menu in eTravel.  Also, submit the fully executed FMIS 33 Mileage Voucher form.

Intra-State Travel:

Same Day business trip but with overnight personal time:

  1. Type of eTravel document should be inputted as “Same Day” travel if traveler could have returned the same day even though traveler stayed overnight. (Due to same day per diem/M&IE subcode is 4352 (Taxable) and Overnight per diem/M&IE subcode is 4350 (Non-Taxable).  **eTravel assigns subcodes automatically.
  2. Travel documents must include all travel days including personal time.
  3. Personal days must be noted in the justification section.
  4. Deduct personal days in the “Minus Days” column in eTravel.

Overnight:

  1. If a traveler needs to depart the night before a function/meeting due to an early start time the next morning a justification must be submitted or justified on the travel request.
  2. Car rentals in the State of Hawaii:  UHH employees are covered by the State of Hawaii’s insurance program when traveling for UHH business.  Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) and Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) should not be purchased.  These expenses are disallowed and not reimbursable. 
  3. Lodging paid by Purchase Order needs to be listed in the “Actual Expenditures” section under the “Others” expense line.
  4. Lodging paid by traveler and requesting reimbursement needs to be listed in the “Proposed Itinerary” section in the Lodging expense line.

Out of State - U.S. & Foreign:

  1. Travel Request: Chancellor’s Approval required.
  2. Travel Completion: Chancellor’s Approval required only if travel dates change and/or if the Travel Completion actual claim exceeds the Travel Request estimated claim by 10% or more.
  3. Car rentals OUTSIDE the State of Hawaii:  Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) are the only insurances allowed and are reimbursable.
  4. Airfare can be advanced if itinerary and receipt reflecting proof of payment is submitted.
  5. Airfare for trips that include personal time:  Actual itinerary must be submitted.  Also, an airfare quote reflecting itinerary and cost if traveler went only for Official UHH business must be submitted.  (For example:  A trip with an itinerary Hilo-Oregon-NY-Hilo - $2000 and Oregon is personal time and NY is Official UHH business; the quote must show only the business portion Hilo-NY-Hilo - $1500.  UHH will cover the cost of airfare if traveler went for official UHH business ONLY which is Hilo-NY-Hilo $1500 and the balance of $500 will be the traveler’s responsibility.  If the cost of airfare including personal time is LESS than airfare which includes only business then the entire cost will be reimbursable (or paid by PO). The Hilo-NY-Hilo itinerary will also determine the allowable business travel time to calculate the Per Diem/M&IE, etc.)

Foreign:

Currency Conversions:

  1. Use ONLY the Currency Converter from the eTravel Main Menu - http://www.hawaii.edu/etravel/.
  2. The date that the expense was paid is the date that should be used for the conversion. Round up to the nearest cent.
  3. Convert the actual TOTAL cost for EACH expense.  Do not use the Currency Converter Cheat Sheet to calculate manually.
  4. Attach a conversion print out for every foreign dollar receipt.
  5. If there is a USD conversion on the receipt, you would use that amount instead of the conversion since that is the actual amount paid. (No conversion print-out necessary.)

General:

  1. Lodging receipts must reflect proof of payment. (A lodging receipt showing “BALANCE” reflects an outstanding balance and cannot be used for a claim unless another form of proof of payment can be provided).
  2. If a hotel receipt includes a parking expense, you need to put that expense in the “Actual Expenditures” section under “TRANS: Parking”.  Do not include it with the lodging cost. (Different subcode)
  3. If a hotel receipt includes expenses for Phone/Fax/Internet, you need to put those expenses in the “Actual Expenditures” section under “OTHER: Phone/Fax/Internet”.  Do not include it with the lodging cost.  (Different subcode)
  4. Mandatory Resort Fees:  Resort fees are part of lodging so it should be claimed with the total lodging costs. (Do not list it under “OTHER” expense)
  5. Training Request:  Required if there is any type of training involved and/or required to pay a fee to attend the function.
  6. Business Days/Personal Days:  Travel documents must account for ALL business and personal days for entire trip.  Note all business and personal days in the justification section.
  7. All travel request documents must be submitted together. (Travel Request, Requisitions, Training Request, Supporting Documents, Itinerary, Quotes, etc., whatever documents that are required) Submitting separately will cause delays in processing all documents.  One document cannot be processed without the other(s).
  8. Business Telephone calls: Note destination(s) called for each phone number that traveler is requesting reimbursement.
  9. Travel ADVANCE Requests should be submitted to the Business Office AT LEAST 15 WORKING DAYS PRIOR TO TRIP.
  10. Travel with NO COST to UHH:  Do not use etravel for trips with no cost to UHH.  Prepare manual FMIS 4 travel forms for your departmental files only.  Do not submit to the Business Office since UHH is not funding anything and will not have anything to Approve.
  11. BU 07 Excess Lodging 3 Quotes (Effective 11/8/07):  When a Travel Request has Lodging costs that exceed the Federal Allowable Rates (FAR) by 10% or less – then 3 comparable lodging quotes are NOT NEEDED. If the lodging exceeds the FAR more than 10% - 3 comparable lodging quotes ARE REQUIRED.  (Excess Lodging must be Pre-Approved on the Travel Request.)
    For Example:
    • If the FAR is $100 and the Lodging is $110.00 then No quotes are required. ($100 x 10% = $110)
    • If the FAR is $100 and the Lodging is $110.01 then 3 quotes ARE REQUIRED.
  12. Car Rental Frequent Flyer Surcharges AND Taxes are disallowed and not reimbursable.  Please deduct from car rental claim accordingly.
  13. Non-Compact Car Rental requires a justification why a compact car was not rented.