Travel Basics

Who Completes This Task: Any Employee Who Travels for SPPS Business

Process

Pre-approval is required before incurring any travel or registration expenses when employees need to travel to workshops, conferences, or other business events that are out of the metro area and more than a day long.

Timeframe

Start the process two months before your planned travel as there will be delays at various steps.

Criteria

• Employee traveling on district business or for professional growth
• For travel expenses to be covered the following are needed
  • Approval
  • Verification of funding
  • Certification/assurance the employee will follow the rules

Steps - Prior to Travel

1. Submit a Travel Authorization Request form to your supervisor
   1. Traveler must sign step 1 of the form
      • Accept responsibility for following SPPS travel rules 
   2. Obtain budget administrator/supervisor signatures
      • Steps 2 and 3 of the form
2. Site or department clerical person submits completed forms through PeopleSoft at least 45 days prior to the date of the event
   1. Fully signed Travel Authorization Request
   2. Event brochure and registration
3. Upon approval, the employee will receive a Travel Authorization email containing all essential information
   1. Authorization includes instructions for how to book air and hotel
      • Use Districts travel agency (link will be in the authorization email)
      • If the traveler finds cheaper airfare elsewhere, they may purchase with personal funds and seek reimbursement after the trip
        • A comparison quote from Districts travel agency is required
   2. For hotel reservations, request the “government rate”
      • If a discounted government rate is unavailable, get the lowest rate possible
   3. Bring SPPS ID badge to check-in, in case proof of employment is needed
4. Notify Districts travel agency and the Travel Clerk within 24 hours of travel cancellation

 If the traveler books a non-refundable room and cancels the trip, the traveler is responsible for the cost.

Steps - During Travel

1. Exercise discretion and good business judgment regarding travel expenses
2. Be cost conscious, and spend the district’s money carefully and judiciously
3. Record expenses supported by documentation
   1. Itemized receipts are required beyond credit card slips
4. Do not earn frequent flyer miles
5. Do not earn hotel award points

Steps - Upon Return

1. Complete a Travel Expense Report
   1. Include itemized receipts for all expenses, unless an exception is noted in the Travel Reimbursement Rules
   2. Note the expenses are correct and complete
   3. Expenses must not be claimed for reimbursement from any other source or claimed as a tax deduction
2. Submit the Travel Expense Report within 15 days of returning from travel
   1. Send scanned receipts and expense report to travel@spps.org
   2. Send the originals to the Business Office Travel Clerk by interoffice or US mail

Consultant/Parent Travel

Travel costs paid for non-district employees must be approved by the board of education prior to the trip. It is the administrator’s responsibility to ensure that the Travel Authorization Request form is submitted in PeopleSoft’s employee self-service in a timely manner.

Documentation Required

• Approval email and verification of funding
• Certification/assurance the employee will follow the rules
• Event brochure and registration
• Travel authorization form