Cash advances are travel-related payments made before a trip begins. They should be used sparingly.
Cash advances are allowed when:
- The travel requires special handling, such as foreign travel, group travel for athletics, bowl games, student groups, etc.
- Employee Travel Card Cash Advances
- Non-Employee Cash Advances
- Reconcile a Travel Card Cash Advance
- Reconcile a Cash Advance
Employee Cash Advances
Travel Card
Employees that have a UC Travel Card should get a cash advance directly from any major bank's ATM with the associated PIN.
There is a 2.5% or $2 minimum/$10 maximum fee for each cash advance. The cash advance limit is 20% of the card limit. Advance limits can be increased upon request.
Cash Advance Request in AggieExpense
Use the AggieExpense Request form to prepare and submit a cash advance request.
Cash advances are allowable for employees:
- within 30 calendar days of the trip/event start date, and
- if the employee does not have a Travel Card.
- Employees are required to apply for a Travel Card if they are traveling on UC business at least once a year, or paying for event expenses as a regular part of their job.
- The user creates a travel request in AggieExpense that includes a Cash Advance
- Once submitted, the request routes for approval.
- Traveler → Fiscal Officer → Department Approver
- 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, if additional information is needed).
Airfare is not permitted as a cash advance, except by exception request. All airfare for UC travel should be booked through AggieExpense or ConnexUC travel agencies, which permit direct billing to the UC.
Non-Employee Cash Advances
The sponsoring department should pay for airfare, lodging, and transportation for the guest...
- Guest airfare should be booked through AggieExpense.
- 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.
Guests can be reimbursed for out of pocket expenses once the trip concludes. If paying up front would cause a financial hardship for the traveler, then a cash advance can be requested. Cash advances are allowed within 30 calendar days of the trip/event start date.
Reconcile a Travel Card Cash Advance
- Create an expense report in AggieExpense.
- Assign the imported credit card transaction to the report.
- Use Expense Type - Travel Card Cash Advance.
- Itemize the expense to show how the money was spent.
- If unused cash remains, use Expense Type - Travel Card Cash Return.
- 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 AggieExpense Report to reconcile the cash advance.
- The expense form in AggieExpense 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
- Create an expense report in AggieExpense.
- Assign the cash advance to the report. Click Details → Cash Advances → Available. The Cash Advances window appears.
- Select the check box for the cash advance that you want to associate with the current report.
- Click Assign Cash Advance to Report.
- Add expense entries onto the report, itemize if necessary.
- If unused cash remains, use Expense Type - Cash Advance Return.
- 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 AggieExpense 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.
Questions?
Please email the Travel Help Desk.