The following information presents descriptions of five different options that can be used to pay for business travel expenses. If you need assistance, contact the Financial Services Help Line at 410-704-5599.
- VISA Procurement Card - limited
- Invoice from Vendor
- Diners Club Travel Card Program
- Personal Funds Use
- Advance from Working Fund
During a typical business trip, a traveler may use several of these payment options.
1. VISA Procurement Card - limited to registration fees
While the Diners Club Travel Card is the preferred method for payment of travel expenses, the VISA Procurement Card can be used to pay for registration fees. The VISA Card cannot be used to pay for other travel expenses such as Airlines, Hotels, or Restaurants. These vendor categories are blocked and the transaction will be rejected.
- The University pays VISA Procurement Card expenses directly. Therefore:
- When completing the Travel Expense Voucher Form, do not add registrations paid by the VISA Procurement Card into the body of the form (Section II - Itemized Expense Work Sheet).
- Instead, at the top of the form in the box labeled, "How did you pay for airfare, hotel, and registration fees?" check the VISA Procurement Card box under registration fees
- When completing the Travel Expense Voucher Form, do not add registrations paid by the VISA Procurement Card into the body of the form (Section II - Itemized Expense Work Sheet).
Some vendors will agree to invoice the university for travel related expenses such as registration and/or training fees, lodging, or transportation expenses.
- Invoices should be prepared for payment.
- Attach and complete the standard coding block.
- Obtain authorized signatures.
- Forward the invoice to Accounts Payable for processing.
- When completing the Travel Expense Voucher Form, do not add expenses paid by invoice into the body of the form (Section II - Itemized Expense Work Sheet).
- Instead, at the top of the form in the box labeled, "How did you pay for airfare, hotel, and registration fees?" check the invoice box under the appropriate expense type (airline, hotel, and/or registration fee).
3. Diners Club Travel Card Program
The Diners Club Corporate Card is available to all Towson University faculty and staff business travelers. This is an optional program offering a means for simplifying travel record keeping and for paying most travel costs.
- Frequently Asked Questions about the Diners Club Corporate Card Program.
Features of the Diners Club Corporate Card Program include:
- Individual Card: An individual credit card is issued in the employee's name and billed to the employee's address.
- Extra thirty (30) days to pay : The card holder is personally liable for payment and has an additional time period to make payment of current charges, up to thirty (30) days from the due date printed on the statement the charges first occurred.
- Coverage: The card can be used to pay for most travel related expenses including airfare, lodging, meals, and rental cars. The card may NOT be accepted for registration fees - continue to use the Procurement Card or submit a voucher to Accounts Payable for those fees.
- Strip Billing: Airfare and Train fare charged to the card will be "strip-billed" directly to the university and charged to the cardholder's designated department. Only a "memo item" reference to the charge will appear on the cardholder's statement.
- Club Cash Program: This is an optional program that allows cardholders to obtain cash for business expenses at ATM machines worldwide up to $200/day and $500/week. There is a $6.00 non-reimbursable transaction fee.
- Insurance:
This feature offers comprehensive travel insurance that includes:
- Up to $350K of travel accident insurance
- Rental Car Collision/Loss Damage Insurance
- Excess, Lost or Stolen Baggage Insurance
To obtain an application form for the Diners Club Corporate Card, contact the Financial Services Help Line at 410-704-5599.
Travelers are encouraged to use personal funds to pay for nominal travel costs associated with day trips. Employees are reimbursed for travel expenses incurred after the trip is completed and a properly authorized Travel Expense Voucher Form (Forms Directory) is submitted to the Working Fund Office. Reimbursement will be received in one of the following ways:
- Travel expense reimbursements of
$100 or less (Petty Cash) are reviewed by the Accounts Payable Office
and then paid in cash or by check. Traveler must indicate one of
the following options on the Travel Expense Voucher:
- Pick up at the Payroll Office Service Window in the Admininistration Building, 4th floor. Or,
- Pick up at the Bursar's Office Payment and Rebate Check Disbursement Center in the Enrollment Services Building, Room 336.
- Check mailed to employee's home address from State Treasurer's Office in Annapolis.
- Travel expense reimbursements over $100 are reviewed by the Working Fund Office and submitted for payment to the Maryland State Comptroller's Office.
- Reimbursement checks are printed and mailed to the employee's home address fromthe Maryland State Treasurer's Office in Annapolis, Maryland; or, if the traveler receives payroll funds by direct deposit, the expense reimbursement will be received through direct deposit. The process takes 2 - 3 weeks.
5. Advance from Working Fund Office
The university has a very limited fund available to university travelers who desire an advance before traveling. Advances are generally limited to money to pay for meals, ground transportation, tolls, parking, and other miscellaneous expenses.
Advances are obtained by filing a Working Fund Advance Request Form with the Working Fund Office:
- Advance Request Forms and detailed instructions for completing the Forms may be obtained by contacting the Financial Services Help Line at 410-704-5599 or from the Forms Directory on our Web site.
- Signatures required on the Advance Request Form:
- Original signature of the traveler.
- If a properly signed Travel Authorization Form is on file, the Advance Form does not require the Authorized Budget Signature.
- For overnight travel, a properly authorized Travel Authorization Form (Forms Directory) must be on file with the Working Fund Office before advances are disbursed.
- Advance checks are made payable to the traveler or designated vendor and are drawn against Bank of America.
- The traveler will be notified when the check is ready for pick up at the Working Fund Office, 7720 York Road, 4th floor. Service window hours:
- 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday
- 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Travelers who request and obtain advances must file a properly approved Travel Expense Voucher (see Forms Directory) within five business days of return from their trip. Any overpayment to the traveler must be returned to the Working Fund Office in the form of cash or personal check made out to Towson University. (Checks returned for insufficient funds are subject to a $50.00 returned check fee.)
If you need assistance, see Financial Services Help Line contact information below.
Financial Services
Administration Building, 4th Floor
Working Fund Service Counter hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday 8:30 am to 12:30 pm,
Tuesday and Friday 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
Financial Services Fax Numbers
Financial Services HelpLine: 410-704-5599
Email: finservehelp@towson.edu
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