Reimbursements

To submit a purchase reimbursement, ensure the following documents are ready:

• Itemized receipt
• Business purpose 
• FDM Worktags
• List of attendees if reimbursing meal(s)  

To submit a travel reimbursement, ensure the following documents are ready:

• Airfare - itemized itinerary  
• Fees related to change/cancellation of travel plans - itemized itinerary 
• Lodging - itemized if not prepaid.  
• Car Rental - final rental agreement  
• Rail/Train - itemized itinerary 
• Meals - itemized receipt or pertinent info for calculated per diem 

There are many state and federal policies, and we recommend you visit the UW Travel page for best guidance.

Prior to requesting an advance via our UW Travel form, please gather the following information:

• Name of traveler
• Dollar Amount
• Proposed use of advance (i.e. meal per diem)
• Location and UW business reason for advance (i.e. Buenos Aires, Argentina for research)
• FDM values

Once the traveler has concluded their trip, a reconciliation of the advance will occur in WD.

The 90-day countdown on all receipts begins once travel is complete. Conference registration, airline, and lodging costs are included as part of the overall travel expense packet, and may be reimbursed prior to travel (if pre-paid), subject to the receipt requirements from UW Travel.

Dean’s approval is required if receipts are submitted for reimbursement more than 90 after the end of travel.

Important Note: Purchase Reimbursements submitted not as travel (such as registrations/memberships only-in this case, we have no travel dates or itineraries to reference), will still require the dept/caller to get Dean’s approval for receipts that exceed 90 days.

When submitting a reimbursement, please note there are separate forms to use depending upon the recipient. We’ve updated the naming conventions on our reimbursement forms to make this more clear for ticket submitters. For UW employees, please use the UW Reimbursements or the UW Travel form for purchase and travel reimbursements respectively. For non-UW employees or guests, please use the Guest Payments and Reimbursements form. Workday requires different information for these different populations, and we have crafted each form to meet these needs.

No. If someone in your unit has paid for personal services out of pocket, contact AST. You will need to submit an invoice payment request to AST.

To process reimbursements for food, submit itemized receipts, an attendee list for event-related meals, and a discretionary budget for per diem overages and alcohol. You can find more information on the UW Finance Food Approvals webpage.

You should make every attempt to retrieve a receipt from the supplier for the purchase. If a receipt cannot be collected, submit supporting documentation such as a bank statement. (Please see our $75 Waiver Policy)

If a receipt is in under someone else's name, the reimbursement will go to the person named on the receipt who paid for the expense. Additional contact information will be requested once we have reviewed the request.

No. This is not reimbursable as it does not provide the appropriate audit trail. To ensure you can be reimbursed for your UW business expenses, pay your expenses separately from others or request the receipts clearly delineate between payees.

Yes. If you are claiming expense on behalf of another, include their name and affiliation along with the receipt.

No. These types of apps do not provide a clear audit trail and are not currently accepted.

No. Expenses purchased using any rewards program, such as mileage points, credit card travel points, my wallet funds, gift cards or other personal rewards programs are not reimbursable. See State Ethics Board Advisory Opinion 03-03.

Yes, however, it is advised to NOT use personal gift cards when making purchases on behalf of the UW. Gift cards can be reimbursed because they are considered the same as cash. Amazon purchases should be made through a department Amazon Business Account or with a Procard. Remember that reimbursements should be used on a rare occasion when there is no other means to make the purchase.

Yes. Please note, all gifts cards are considered taxable income and must be reported to the Tax Office. We recommend using TANGO gift cards and we can purchase these cards for you. Remember that cash and cash-equivalent awards are taxable, regardless of the amount. Send your tax questions to taxofc@uw.edu.

Yes, all tangible items become the property of UW once they have been reimbursed and should be registered with the Equipment Inventory Office, if applicable. Once items are no longer used, or the person leaves the UW, the items must be returned to the department. You can find out more on the UW Surplus webpage.

There are many state and federal policies, and we recommend you look at the UW Travel Services page for best guidance. 

Here are a few key takeaways:

• Airfare - itemized itinerary  
• Fees related to change/cancellation of travel plans - itemized itinerary 
• Lodging - itemized if not prepaid
• Car Rental - final rental agreement  
• Rail/Train - itemized itinerary 
• Meals - itemized receipt or pertinent info for calculated per diem

Per diem is an allowance method by which UW handles lodging and meal reimbursement to an individual within Federal guidelines. Please see the UW Travel Services eligibility requirements for more details.

You may claim pre-travel reimbursements on itemized airfare and lodging receipts, including proof of payment (i.e. hotel confirmation is not sufficient).

No. Expenses purchased using any rewards program, such as mileage points, credit card travel points, my wallet funds, gift cards or other personal rewards programs are not reimbursable. See State Ethics Board Advisory Opinion 03-03.

Yes, the receipt should include proof of payment, date, vendor, and description of purchase. If a receipt cannot be collected, have supporting documentation available such as a bank statement. For more details regarding receipts, please visit the UW Travel Services page.

The following travel upgrades are reimbursable:

• Change Flight due to UW business needs 
  • A flight change is not reimbursable if missed/changed/cancelled flight expense due to negligent travel planning.  
• Flight Upgrades - i.e., seats 
  • Approval from department must include justification and be attached to the expense report  
• Flight Class Upgrades - i.e., first class 
  • Prior written approval and justification from a Vice President, Vice Provost, or Dean

Yes. Adding personal time/travel with a business trip is allowable when all of the following conditions exist:

• The primary purpose of trip is official UW business. 
• Approved leave is used during personal portion. 
• UW does not incur any extra expenses beyond what it would normally incur.

A comparison airfare is required to assure reimbursement is for UW business cost only. 

The best practice is to create the comparison airfare during the dates of your business travel at the time of booking, as this will most accurately represent the cost. For example, if you are traveling Monday - Wednesday for business, but take personal time Thursday - Friday on the trip, create a comparison airfare for Monday - Wednesday flights.

If a comparison airfare was not created before the trip (best practice), a future comparison can be built.

We strongly suggest that you register your international travel with Office of Global Affairs. Registering your trip protects you when you are traveling overseas in event of an emergency, conflict, or even a pandemic. By registering, Global Affairs can assist with emergency services if needed.

Yes, if a detailed breakdown of the individual costs can be obtained. Please see UW Travel Services for more detail on package deals.

A final rental agreement with clear trail of expenses, fees, and taxes is required. Note: TURO car share is not reimbursable as it is outside UW policy.

Rental vehicle: Yes, via gas receipt or the final rental agreement. 

Personal vehicle: You may be reimbursed for gas if the amount is less than or equal to the calculated mileage amount. Alternatively, you may be reimbursed for mileage. Please see UW Travel Services for more detail on mileage.

Prior to requesting an advance via our UW Travel form, please gather the following information:

• Name of traveler
• Dollar Amount
• Proposed use of advance (i.e. meal per diem)
• Location and UW business reason for advance (i.e. Buenos Aires, Argentina for research)
• FDM values

Once the traveler has concluded their trip, a reconciliation of the advance will occur in WD.