Cash advances are travel related payments made before a trip begins.  They should be used sparingly.

• ​Employee Travel Card Cash Advances
• Employee Cash Advances
• Non-Employee Cash Advances
• Reconcile a Travel Card Cash Advance
• Reconcile a Cash Advance

Employee Travel Card Cash Advances

There is a 2.5% or $2 minimum/$10 maximum fee for each cash advance. The cash advance limit is generally 20% of the card limit. 

Cash advances on the Travel card are allowed when:

• The travel requires special handling, such as foreign travel, group travel for athletics, bowl games, student groups, etc., or
• Advance is needed within two weeks, or
• Employee has paid an expense out of pocket and cannot wait until after the trip to be reimbursed.

Airfare is not permitted as a cash advance, but by an exception request only.  All airfare for UC travel should be booked through AggieTravel or ConnexUC travel agencies, which permit direct billing to the UC.

Travel card cash advances are issued from any major bank’s ATM or teller using the Travel card and associated PIN (advance limits can be increased upon request to the Travel Help Desk). 

Employee Cash Advances

Use the AggieTravel Request to prepare and submit a cash advance request.

Cash advances are allowed to employees within 30 days of the trip/event start date or if the expense has already been paid, and one of the following is true:

• The travel requires special handling, such as foreign travel, group travel for athletics, bowl games, student groups, etc., or
• Advance is needed within two weeks, and traveler does not have a Travel card, or
• Traveler is required to apply for a Travel card.

Cash Advance Approvals

1. The user creates a travel request in AggieTravel and includes the cash advance request on the request header.
2. Once submitted, the request routes for approval. 
   • Traveler → Fiscal Officer → Department Approver 
3. Once approved, the cash advance request is sent to a Cash Advance administrator in Accounts Payable who either issues it or returns it to the employee (for example, for additional information). 

Airfare is not permitted as a cash advance, except by exception request. All airfare for UC travel should be booked through AggieTravel or ConnexUC travel agencies, which permit direct billing to the UC.

Non-Employee Cash Advances

Cash advances are allowed to non-employees within 30 calendar days of the trip/event start date or if the expense has already been paid

• Guest airfare should be booked through AggieTravel
• Guest lodging should be booked through Preferred Booking Program, Hotel Agreements
• Guest transportation and conference registration can be paid by a host using their Travel card

Reconcile a Travel Card Cash Advance

1. Create an expense report.
2. Associate the imported credit card transaction to the report.
3. Use Expense Type - Travel Card Cash Advance.
4. Itemize the expense to show how the money was spent.
5. If unused cash remains, use Expense Type - Travel Card Cash Return (Return to UC). 
   • The traveler writes a check to UC Regents in the amount of the unused funds. The traveler's business office deposits the check using CashNET. The deposit should credit the department’s account – the one that is used on the Expense Report to reconcile the cash advance.
   • The expense form in AggieTravel will require the CashNET deposit number be entered. Use object code 200R when processing the CashNet deposit.
   • Attach a copy of the CASHNet deposit as the receipt. 

Reconcile a Cash Advance

1. Create an expense report.
2. Associate the cash advance to the report. Click Details → Cash Advances → Available. The Cash Advances window appears.
3. Select the check box for the cash advance that you want to associate with the current report.
4. Click Assign Cash Advance to Report.
5. Add expense entries onto the report, itemize if necessary.
6. If unused cash remains, use Expense Type - Travel Card Cash Return (Return to UC). 
   • The traveler writes a check to UC Regents in the amount of the unused funds. The traveler's business office deposits the check using CashNET. The deposit should credit the department’s account – the one that is used on the Expense Report to reconcile the cash advance.
   • The expense form in AggieTravel will require the CashNET deposit number be entered. Use object code 200R when processing the CashNet deposit.
   • Attach a copy of the CASHNet deposit as the receipt.