The Accounting, Budgeting, and Financial Planning Department (ABFP) would like to thank the FSEHS staff for being so patient during our recent move to the Technology Building 3 rd Floor. The following changes/improvements are a result of our efforts to make the reimbursement process faster, more accurate, and customer friendly. The Accounting, Budgeting & Financial Planning Department appreciates your valuable feedback and will continuously strive to provide you with superior customer service.

I. SUMMARY OF THE CHANGES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008

• The department’s email (fsbudget@nsu.nova.edu) can be used to ask questions or communicate concerns to the department without the need to know any specific email addresses.
• For vehicular University travel after January 1, 2008, the reimbursement mileage rate is 50.5 cents per mile. Please include Map quest. (Please read details for qualifying reimbursable mileage).
• Mileage can only be claimed for miles driven on NSU business in your personal vehicle.  NSU will only reimburse up to 300 miles driven one way, or 600 miles total trip.
• Mileage will not be reimbursed without a completed Transportation Reimbursement Form.  The mileage claim form is linked to the Travel Expense Report Form and must be completed first, if applicable.
• For ARIBA, the details for mileage must be submitted on the mileage expense page.
• Detailed receipts will be required for ALL meals which exceeds the: $10 for breakfast, $15 for lunch & $25 for dinner – plus meal tips.  (NSU uses an Internal Revenue Service “Accountable Plan” it is not a per diem system).  
• Tips for meals will only be reimbursed at a maximum of 20%.
• Receipts are needed for tolls, taxi/shuttle/limo, bus services and parking fees for reimbursement.
• Travel Itinerary from the Travel Office must be submitted with the Travel & Expense Report. 
• Hotel Folio and passenger tickets must be submitted with the Travel & Expense Report
• Auto Rental invoice and receipt must be submitted with the Travel & Expense Report.
• Gas receipts are only reimbursable with rental car receipts
  *Auto Rentals must be returned with a full tank of gas. Avis charges $12/gallon, and the traveler will be responsible for additional gas charges.
• Conference Itinerary must be submitted with the Travel & Expense Report.  FSEHS will not reimburse for food, if it is given at the conference.  
• The ABFP Dept can pay your hotel if you send in your reservation number and dates 4 weeks in advance.  This should be submitted to Paula Mitchell paulmitc@nsu.nova.edu  For tax exempt states, you are responsible for the taxes if NSU does not pay, especially for FL.  The ABFP Dept does not know to pay the hotel if you do not submit the information.
• Miscellaneous tips are a maximum of $3.00 (three dollars) per day.
• Given the new airline fee structure, NSU will only reimburse for the first checked bag (a valid receipt is needed for reimbursement of the checked bag if applicable).
• NSU will NOT reimburse for overweight baggage.
• To speed up the reimbursement process, please do not staple hotel folio, vehicle rental or other receipts to an 8X11 blank paper. Please use clear tape to attach all 4 corners of receipts to a blank white piece of paper in an orderly and upright fashion. 
• For ARIBA, please scan all documents in one file and attach to the Travel & Expense Report.
• Non-Instructional travel must be authorized.
• A traveler has 45 days to submit the Travel & Expense Report for reimbursement.  Please do not accumulate your Travel and Expense reports for submission. Please make copies of all documents, (for your records), submitted for reimbursement.
  **It is the individual’s responsibility to read the FSESH travel expense policy on the web at http://fin.nova.edu/depts/budget/travel_expenditures.htm or http://www.schoolofed.nova.edu/budget/travel_expenditures.htm before they travel or make unauthorized expenditures.
• New Travel Expense Report Forms can be obtained at: http://fin.nova.edu/depts/budget_accounting.htm or http://www.schoolofed.nova.edu/budget/payment-form.htm
  II.  DETAILS FOR SPECIFIC CHANGES/IMPROVEMENTS:
• Please use the updated travel reimbursement forms that can be accessed from the F.I.N. and FSEHS websites.  OR, the ARIBA online system.
• All detailed receipts are needed for meals that exceed the following: Breakfast $10, Lunch $15, & Dinner $25 – plus meal tips.  Meal expenses cannot be combined to have a more expensive other meal, for example, you cannot combine breakfast and lunch. It is not a per diem system. Please contact us if you have any questions at fsbudget@nsu.nova.edu.
• If meals are for two or more NSU guests, the following should be documented on or near the original itemized receipt: 
  1. Purpose of meeting

  ·      Name of attendees
        ·      Attendee’s title and name of organization.
        ·      Please indicate your meal portion on the receipt. OR
        ·     For ARIBA, the details must be submitted on the appropriate meal page.
  ***NSU will only reimburse expenses for approved business reasons.

• Reimbursement for meals will depend on the time of day that employee starts and ends the business trip.  (Example:  departure at 1:00 pm, no breakfast reimbursement.)

• When submitting Travel Expense Reports with receipts, all receipts must be taped to a separate sheet of 8.5 X 11” blank white paper in an orderly and upright fashion, preferably grouped by date or type.  Please do not cover any receipt lettering with tape, because it makes it impossible to read. Hotel folios, rental car, and toll receipts must be submitted for reimbursement.  Gas receipts will only be reimbursed if the auto rental information is attached for the NSU approved vehicle rental. 

• For ARIBA, please scan all documents and receipts in one file and attach to the Expense Report.
  All valid receipts for reimbursement must include:
  §       Name of Business
  §       Business Address
  §       Date
  §       Detailed Purchases
  §       Amount

• Documentation will be returned without processing if it is not submitted in the appropriate form. The Travel Expense Reports are being scanned for digital record-keeping at Main Campus and must not have loose papers or staples. If you need additional assistance please contact us.
  §       Stapling of receipts will not be accepted; your travel expense report will be returned to you in the mail causing delays in your reimbursement.

• Mileage Reimbursement for authorized and appropriate University business has increased to 50.5 cents per mile for travel after January 1, 2008.  Mileage claim forms (if applicable) must indicate:
  §       Date of trip
  §       Purpose of trip
  §       Each Origin (Departure address & City)
  §       Each Destination (Arrival address & City)

• Transportation Reimbursement Form should be utilized to claim mileage, parking fees, tolls and taxi/limousine service.  Data entered on this form is automatically totaled and then posted to the Travel Expense Report.  Users then go to the Travel Expense Report to complete documentation of other reimbursable trip expenses. Please include Map quest.

• For ARIBA, the details for mileage must be submitted on the mileage expense page.  Map quest and/or other documentation must be scanned in a file and attached to the Expense Report.

• According to NSU and the IRS policy, “Travel” is defined as more than a 50 mile roundtrip and/or at least one (1) overnight stay.  This policy will determine whether the traveler gets reimbursed for meals and other travel expenses.  (This policy does not pertain to travel to and from our primary work location.)

• Full-time Faculty and Staff cannot be reimbursed for mileage to and from their primary work location.

• Private vehicles should be used ONLY for trips less than 300 miles one way.  Unless pre-approved by management on a case by case basis.

• NEW BILLING INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS FOR FASTER PAYMENT CYCLE.   ALL INVOICES must be addressed to FSEHS Accounts Payable and indicate a Contact Person or Program at FSEHS to aid in verification process of receipt for goods and/or services.  Be sure when initiating orders for goods and/or services that invoices are mailed to the billing address below, (may be different than the shipping address):

Nova Southeastern University
c/o FSEHS Accounts Payable
1750 NE 167 Street
Technology Building, 3rd Floor
North Miami Beach, FL 33162-3017

As the Accounting, Budgeting, and Financial Planning Department continues to evolve, we will do our best to incorporate your suggestions and concerns into our policies and procedures to keep Fischler “Ahead of the Curve”.