Before You Start
- When a traveler is unable to pay for travel expenses out of pocket, a cash advance may be provided to the traveler ahead of their travel departure date.
- Cash advance is only for travel expenses that cannot be paid with a department travel card (T-Card, BTA).
- For example, a trip including $300 for airfare, $200 for lodging, $100 for conference registration, $120 for meals, and $50 for ride share services could qualify for a $170 cash advance to cover meals and ride share services. The airfare, lodging, and registration fees can all be paid ahead of travel using a department travel card and therefore do not qualify for cash advance.
- The cash advance is requested through a Spend Authorization.
- Each expense line has a box labeled Cash Advance Requested, which should be checked if the expense item requires cash advance.
- Standard Spend Authorizations route for approval at the department level; however, when a cash advance is indicated, an additional level of approval is added. In these cases, Travel Management is the last level of approval.
- When a Spend Authorization with cash advance is submitted, the approval routing is:
Traveler → Traveler’s supervisor → Cost Center Manager → Travel Management (Expense Partner)
- When a Spend Authorization with cash advance is submitted, the approval routing is:
Rules and Responsibilities
- The request for cash advance must be made at least five days prior to travel.
- Items that qualify for cash advance are items that cannot be paid ahead of time with a travel card; this can be summarized as meals and transportation services.
- Items that do not qualify for cash advance are items that can be paid ahead of time with a travel card (e.g., airfare, registration fees, lodging, shuttle fees).
- Any unused advance amount must be repaid to UAMS within 15 days of return.
- Repayment is made at the Treasurer’s Office and requires a Record of Deposit Form. Treasurer’s Office is located in Central Building 1st Floor, Room M1092.
- A help sheet to complete the Record of Deposit Form is included in the Additional Help and Information section.
Additional Help and Information
- See Help Page – Spend Authorization for Travel for complete information about Spend Authorizations.
- See UA System QRG – Request a Spend Authorization with Cash Advance for step-by-step instructions to submit the task in Workday.
- Form – Record of Deposit is used to return unused cash advance to the Treasurer’s Office.
- Help Sheet – Travel Reimbursement Payment Instructions. These instructions are provided by the Treasurer’s Office. Questions about the Record of Deposit form should be directed to the Treasurer’s Office.