Step By Step Guide
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The first step is to plan your trip and estimate your expenses. First determine your means of transportation. If you will be traveling by air or rail and/or will be staying overnight in a hotel, you will need to make reservations. You may utilize the UM contract travel agencies or you may make your own reservations. By using one of the UM contract Travel Agencies, you may have the transportation costs billed directly to the University, rather than paying out of pocket. Certain expenses, such as registration may also be paid directly by the University. See Prepaid Expenses for more infomation. If you will be traveling by auto, read the sections Use of UM Vehicle and Use of Personal Vehicle. If you wil be renting a car, read the section Car Rentals. In estimating your other costs, use the Expense Statement as a guide for the types of expenses to be reimbursed. The sections in this handbook entitled Meal Rates, Mileage Rates and Miscellaneous Expenses will help you in estimating your expenses. Be sure to check the Contents list to the left for other information pertinent to your trip.
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The next step is to prepare the Travel Request. A Travel Request should always be prepared prior to the trip. This ensures that you are covered by University's Workers' Compensation Insurance while traveling. The Travel Request is submitted electronically by your Division's Administrative Assistant throught the ELF system. A paper form of the Travel Request can be printed directly from this Web Site which can be used to assist the Administrative Assistant in the preparation of the electronic Travel Request. The Administrative Assistant will submit the electronic form to your Divisional Director for approval. Your Divisional Director will forward the approved request to the Libraries' Travel Coordinator in the LPO. The Libraries' Travel Coordinator will approve the Travel Request in the ELF system. See also Libraries' Approving Authority. If the Travel Request must be received by the Travel Agency by a certain day/time in order to secure a certain airfare rate, be sure to inform the Travel Coordinator. The Director and the Administrative Assistant will receive an automated email when the request is approved in the ELF system.
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While on your trip, remember to obtain receipts for all expenditures.
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The next step, after returning from the trip, is to submit the Expense Statement. The Expense Statement is submitted electronically by your Division's Administrative Assistant throught the ELF system. A paper form of the Expense Statement can be printed directly from this Web Site which can be used to assist the Administrative Assistant in the preparation of the electronic Expense Statement. The Administrative Assistant will submit the electronic form to the Libraries' Travel Coordinator in the LPO. The Libraries' Travel Coordinator will approve the Expense Statement in the ELF system. See also Libraries' Approving Authority. If the travel expense relates to Professional Travel, Training & Staff Development, your reimbursement will be limited by your remaining travel allocation balance. If the travel expense relates to Administrative Travel, Training & Staff Development, you will only be reimbursed up to the approved amount on the Travel Request form. If the actual expenses you will be reimbursed for are more than the estimated expenses on the Travel Request, you will need to submit a supplemental Travel Request for the additional amount using the same procedures for submitting a Travel Request, except the question "Is this a Trip Adjustment?" should be marked "Yes" and fill in the original Travel Request #. Expense Statements should not be submitted until after the trip, it will not be accepted before.
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Your last step is to wait for reimbursement. See the section entitled Due Dates to determine when reimbursement should be expected.
This Handbook is for the use of UM Libraries staff only. All others should contact the University of Maryland Travel Services Office.
