Travel and Expense Reimbursement
Expense Types for e-Reimbursement
Printable version of web page (PDF).
A pre-trip Travel Authorization or a post-trip Expense Report includes one or more Expense Types. The e-Reimbursement
system automatically assigns an account code to each expense line based on the Expense Type and Expense Billing Code
entered by the Traveler (or Alternate/Delegate). The assigned account code cannot be changed by a Traveler or Alternate/Delegate. The Approver or Auditor may change an assigned account code for the following two circumstances:
1. Expense Type, Other Non-Travel
2. One or more expense report line items are to be charged to a UW–Foundation account
The three e-Reimbursement Expense Billing Codes are:
Note: Traveler can be an employee, non-employee, or relocating employee.• In-state: all trip related costs where the trip destination is within the traveler’s headquarter state
• Out-of-state: all trip related costs where the trip destination is outside the traveler’s headquarter state, but within
their headquarter country
• Foreign: all trip related costs where the trip destination is outside the traveler’s headquarter country
The following table describes the 28 Expense Types used in the e–Reimbursement system:
EXPENSE TYPE |
DESCRIPTION |
POLICY LINKS |
ACCOUNT CODES
|
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
In-state |
Out-of-state |
Foreign |
|||
Additional fees charged by an airline after an air reservation has been ticketed. Examples include: baggage fees, aisle/window seating fee, ticket change fee, and rebooking fee. |
Change fee:
|
2800 |
2801 |
2802 |
|
Airline tickets for travel via common carrier (major airline). Reimbursement limited to coach class airfare. |
Domestic airfare: Policy 201.A - Air Travel (domestic airfare) Foreign airfare: |
2800 |
2801 |
2802 |
|
Booking, reservation or service fee billed as a separate item and paid to travel agency or commercial booking sites to provide travel reservation related services. |
Travel agencies: Travelport Q&A: |
2800 |
2801 |
2802 |
|
Athletics Dept. Use Only: Team pre/post game meals and snacks, including tax, gratuity and/or service charges |
State of Wisconsin/UW/NCAA guidelines: Meals: |
2860 |
2861 |
2862 |
|
Athletics Dept. Use Only: Team breakfasts, including tax, gratuity and/or service charges |
State of Wisconsin/UW/NCAA guidelines: Meals: |
2860 |
2861 |
2862 |
|
Athletics Dept. Use Only: Team lunches, including tax, gratuity and/or service charges |
State of Wisconsin/UW/NCAA guidelines: Meals: |
2860 |
2861 |
2862 |
|
Athletics Dept. Use Only: Team dinners, including tax, gratuity and/or service charges |
State of Wisconsin/UW/NCAA guidelines: |
2860 |
2861 |
2862 |
|
Long-distance (inter-city) bus and train expenses. |
Train travel: |
2800 |
2801 |
2802 |
|
Business-related communication charges; e.g., e-mail or Internet connectivity, FAX transmissions, phone calls, photocopy charges under $50, postage, prepaid phone cards, teleconferencing charges, telegrams, shipping charges (not related to moving or relocation expenses) |
Business Communications, Prepaid Phone Cards, and Phone Calls-Personal: Photocopy charges: |
2870 |
2871 |
2872 |
|
Car rental where renting a vehicle is the most cost-efficient means of transportation or when the efficient conduct of UW business precludes the use of other means of transportation. |
Vehicle Rental: Policy 201.D-Vehicle Rental and Gas |
2810 |
2811 |
2812 |
|
Food, beverages, and related expenses (e.g., room charges) for group meals, receptions, meeting/conferences, and refreshment breaks including tax, gratuity, and/or service charges. Must include a participant list. |
Meeting/conferences: |
2890 |
2891 |
2892 |
|
Purchase of gasoline for:
|
Gas charges claimed in lieu of mileage: Policy 201.B-Gas charges claimed in lieu of mileage |
2810 |
2811 |
2812 |
|
Local transportation charges incurred via local airport/hotel shuttle, city bus, ferry, rail, or subway. |
2820 |
2821 |
2822 |
||
Expenses incurred by the traveler for overnight lodging at facilities licensed as a hotel, motel, campground or tourist rooming house. |
2850 |
2851 |
2852 |
||
Weekly/monthly lodging for employees who are required to remain in one location for an extended period (30 days or more) and may include apartments or private homes if the cost is more economical. |
2850 |
2851 |
2852 |
||
Overnight lodging for anyone other than the person requesting reimbursement at a facility licensed as a hotel, motel, campground, or tourist rooming house. |
Lodging: |
2850 |
2851 |
2852 |
|
Total dollar amount spent per day on breakfast, lunch and dinner combined, including tax and maximum 15% tip when the trip includes an overnight stay or when travel does not include an overnight stay, but has a meal with a documented business purpose. Documentation of business purpose must include details of the UW business topics discussed and/or business conducted during the meal AND list of attendee names |
2860 |
2861 |
2862 |
||
Meals purchased on behalf of others, including the person requesting reimbursement, including tax, gratuity and/or service charges. Must include a participant list. |
Hosted meals: |
2860 |
2861 |
2862 |
|
Meal costs in connection with same day travel (no overnight lodging involved) are generally considered taxable income to the employee. The meal reimbursement might be considered nontaxable when the meal has a documented business purpose. Documentation of business purpose must include details of the UW business topics discussed and/or business conducted during the meal AND list of attendee names. |
Meals: |
2863 |
2864 |
N/A |
|
Reimbursement for miles driven for UW-related business when the traveler takes his/her privately owned vehicle.
|
Policy 201.B-Fleet Vehicles vs. Privately Owned Vehicles including Mileage, Parking, and Gas |
2830 |
2831 |
2832 |
|
Best judgment business-related purchases ($5,000 or less) if the purchase complies with the UW-Madison’s purchasing policies and procedures, accounting policies and procedures, and with extramural funding agency restrictions. Miscellaneous supplies are to be purchased through Materials Distribution Services (MDS) or via the Purchasing card when possible.
|
Policy 201.Q-Other Non-Travel Number PPP 3-Best judgment order $5000 or less |
3101 |
3101 |
3101 |
|
Incidental travel related expenses not identified by any other category. Examples include bottled water (during foreign travel); passport/visa/travelers check/currency exchange fees, tips/gratuities not associated with meals or events, airport luggage carts, laundry, toll charges, porterage, travel by ship, etc. |
Other travel: |
2870 |
2871 |
2872 |
|
Parking charges incurred at locations other than the employee’s permanent work site while on authorized official business. |
Policy 201.B-Fleet Vehicles vs. Privately owned vehicles including Mileage, Parking, and Gas |
2870 |
2871 |
2872 |
|
Fee charged to attend an event such as a conference, workshop, seminar, training session or meeting. |
2840 |
2841 |
2842 |
||
Direct Costs associated with the moving of household goods including: line haul, insurance surcharge, seasonal rate adjustment, long carry, stairs, elevator, piano or organ, extra labor, ferry, appliance service, packing, purchase of containers and packing material and unpacking. |
2880 |
2881 |
N/A |
||
Incidental Costs of relocating paid as a stipend as a fixed amount up to $1000. This is paid in connection with the move; no receipts are necessary. The intention of the stipend is to help defray costs not paid for as Direct Costs. Examples not paid by direct costs are: valuation (additional insurance), extra pickup of household goods; storage for the convenience of the employee; warehouse handling, extra auto (hauling or towing); en route travel costs (meals, lodging, tolls, etc.); overtime loading; loading or unloading of automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, specialty vehicles; weight additives for transporting any bulky articles; and other costs associated with the move. |
2884 |
2884 |
2884 |
||
Temporary lodging reimbursement associated with relocation may not exceed 45 days and shall not exceed the in-state lodging maximum for a single rate. The 45 days need not be consecutive. Meals are not reimbursable. Temporary lodging is a non-qualified (taxable) reimbursement. |
2883 |
2883 |
2883 |
||
Local transportation charges incurred via taxi |
Taxi/Airline Limousine: Policy 201.G-Taxi/Airline Limousine |
2820 |
2821 |
2822 |
|