Process Travel and Business Expenses (Employees)

The following steps provide the process for travel and business expense reimbursement, including expense report creation and approval.

Travel Expense Reimbursement

Before travel:

  1. Travelers should familiarize themselves with the Rutgers Travel, Travel Incidentals and Meal Expense Policy  before booking travel. If traveling internationally, travelers can register their travel with Rutgers International Travel Registration.
  2. If a cash advance is needed, complete the Request Cash Advance in Oracle Expense Management, accessible through myRutgers Portal. The traveler, not the delegate, must complete this request. Use the Request Cash Advance job aid for assistance.
  3. Book travel, knowing the available methods of payment.

After travel:

  1. Retain all original receipts (for any expenses greater than $50) or for all meal expenses (non-per diem) regardless of expense amount, to begin the process of reporting expenses. See Reporting Travel Expenses for specific information.
  2. If receipts are lost, complete the Lost Receipt Certification Form. See Reporting Travel Expenses for specific information.
  3. Submit the expense report in Oracle Expense Management, accessible through the myRutgers Portal.
  4. Wait for unit and audit approvals.
  5. Receive reimbursement.

Related Job Aids and Training

Related Policies

Business Expense Reimbursement

In most cases, a business expense that involves the purchase of a good or service should follow the Make a Purchase process, rather than the University's reimbursement process. However, there may be circumstances, such as an emergency, where employees need to pay for a good or service out of pocket, and be reimbursed later.

  1. Be familiar with the Travel, Travel Incidentals and Meal Expense Policy 40.4.1 (PDF).
  2. Retain original receipts and begin process of reporting expenses. See Reporting Travel Expenses for specific information.
  3. If receipts are lost, complete the Lost Receipt Certification Form. See Reporting Travel Expenses for specific information.
  4. Submit the expense report in Oracle Expense Management, accessible through the myRutgers Portal.
  5. Wait for unit and audit approvals.
  6. Receive reimbursement.

Related Policy

Create an Expense Report

The Preparer is responsible for following the procedures necessary to create an expense report for a travel or business expense in the Expense Management module of Oracle. Employees can submit expense reports on their own behalf, or may choose a Delegate to do it for them.

  1. Open Oracle Expense module from the home page, accessible through the myRutgers Portal.
  2. Employees creating reports for themselves can go to Step 3. If creating a report for another employee, choose the employee's name from the drop-down list (must be delegated by employee) before going to Step 3.
  3. Select Create Expense Report under Actions on the right-hand side.
  4. Define expense report business purpose (event and reason for attendance) for reimbursement.
  5. Select payment method from drop down options.
  6. Add general attachments (if needed). Examples are conference and meeting agendas.
  7. Add expense items with actual dates and expense type, with required information and attachments.
  8. Save and submit expense report.
  9. Wait for unit and audit approvals.

Related Job Aids and Training

Related Policies

Approve an Expense Report

Once submitted via Oracle Financial Management system, the expense report is reviewed and approved for payment.

  1. The Project Approver and/or the Finance Approver reviews the submitted expense report, accessible through the myRutgers Portal.
  2. The Expense Management Auditor reviews and determines if audit criteria have been violated.
  3. If there is no violation, the Auditor approves the report and forwards for payment.
  4. If there is a violation, the Auditor returns expense report to the Finance Approver.
  5. The Finance Approver then sends the report back to the Preparer for correction and re-submission.
  6. Once it is re-submitted, the Auditor reviews and approves the report.
  7. The payment is processed.

Related Policies