Travel Expense Vouchers Bob Palmer, MD, Treasurer ACOG District VIII Port Townsend, WA

Preliminary Work Consider developing a Section/District Travel Expense Policy/Guidelines/Manual Consider sending out a Treasurer’s Letter to all attendees of your meeting two months in advance of the meeting Get an attendee list in advance Get a sign-in sheet at the meeting

Treasurer’s Letter Dates of meeting Location of meeting How to make approved reservations Number of nights covered for Fellows/JF Maximum nightly reimbursement for FLI Local transportation issues Guest charges, if any

The TEV (Travel Expense Voucher) The upper portion covers round-trip travel from the attendee’s home to the airport, round-trip economy/coach airfare, round-trip taxi’s from the airport to the meeting, luggage fees, airport parking, tolls and ferries; these items are not subject to the daily limit on FLI (Food, Lodging & Incidentals)

TEV Processing: 1 Look at the heading of the TEV: Is the TEV being sent to the correct Section?/District? Example: District VIII is (08); the WA Section is (86) Is the attendee using the correct TEV? Was the attendee sponsored by your Section, or by your District?

TEV Processing: 2 Separate the receipts, organize: Airline Baggage fees Hotel Meals Taxi’s Airport Parking Receipt required for any expense over $25

TEV Processing: 3 Airline: did the attendee fly coach/economy? Did the attendee include charges for seat upgrades, preferred boarding, reserved seats, fees for aisle or window seats, etc? Is the fare consistent with what others paid from the same city for this meeting? Is the complete receipt attached?

TEV Processing: 4 Hotel: is the original hotel receipt with a “zero balance” attached? Lodging costs include room, taxes, resort fee, if any, with taxes Misc: includes internet fees with taxes, housekeeping gratuities with taxes, porterage with taxes, in-room movie with taxes, basic entry to the health club

TEV Processing: 5 Meals: ask your attendees to indicate on the receipt how many diners were covered on the receipt, and how much of the receipt was the attendee’s portion. There is a maximum limit of $115 per day for meals, including food, beverage, tax and tip Meals also includes meals at departure airport and in-flight meals

TEV Processing: 6 After you verify all expenses on both the top and bottom portions of the TEV: Check to be sure the expense dates coincide with the authorized travel dates Add all meal costs, lodging costs and incidentals (Misc) and apply the maximum FLI rate approved for that meeting. Adjust the total accordingly.

TEV Processing: 7 Deduct Guest Fees, if any. Remember that spouses, partners, children attending Executive Committee or Advisory Council dinners have to be charged for their meals Circle and initial final approved amount Check to be sure attendee signed and dated the TEV

TEV Processing: 8 The Treasurer now signs and dates the TEV, and completes the financial coding Staple the receipts to the TEV Make a copy of the face of the TEV Ask your attendees to make a copy of the face of the TEV and all receipts Consider keeping a log of date TEV was received and date mailed to ACOG FSC

TEV Processing: 9 For accurate reimbursement of mileage between the attendee’s home and their departure airport, consider asking for a Mapquest.com printout; adjust your mileage rate every January 1st per IRS rules All ACOG reimbursement checks are paid in US$. Convert foreign currency at Check names off the sign-in list as you authorize payment

Travel Expense Vouchers Consider developing an Excel spreadsheet each year listing each meeting, each attendee, and amount reimbursed (Detail spreadsheet) Consider developing an Excel spreadsheet each year listing the total travel expenditures for each meeting (Summary spreadsheet) These will assist in the next year’s budget process