1. Travel Integration with Finance Elisabeth Turnbull-Brown 6 July 2016

2.  The HR portal has an automated matrix mapping for travel: between the travel activity, the position type, the subgroup and the General Ledger/Commitment item.  The mapping is for both entitlement travel and official travel. The GL and commitment item is always derived, it can not be altered by a user.  Examples of travel activity: home leave, travel for training, assignment travel etc  Example of position types: Post, Temporary Finite duration (GTA – through staffing table), Temporary Replacement (GTA – lump sum)  Example of sub groups: Professional, Field Service, General Service, National Officer etc  Common error: Traveller picks incorrect travel activity causing incorrect posting. GL and Commitment item determination for travel 2

3. Position TypeSubgroupGL codeGL description Finite DurationField Service71113411SB Fnte Durtn FS Home leave Travel General Service (int recruitment) 71113811SB Fnte Durtn GS Home leave Travel Professional71113211SB Fnte Durtn Prof Home leave Travel PostField Service71101611SB Post Field Svs Home leave Travel General Service (int recruitment) 71102611SB Post Gen Svs Home leave Travel Professional71101211SB Post Professional Home leave Travel Temporary Replacement Field Service71114211SB Temp Replcmt Fld Svs Home leave Travel General Service (int recruitment) 71114611SB Temp Replcmt GS Home leave Travel Professional71114011SB Temp Replcmt Prof Home leave Travel Home Leave - Example 3

4.  Default coding block comes from post funding but can be amended.  Postings from the travel module will be subject to the budget check regardless if it relates to business travel or entitlement travel.  Therefore it is necessary for the Finance and Budget teams to review the budget position on a regular basis and make redeployments as necessary if a travel is to be taken but is blocked by no budget available.  This is particularly important for entitlement travel as payroll can override the budget control so the post and GTA classes can be blocked.  The first posting for travel by the staff member is statistical and will not hit the budget until it goes through the certification and approval. There will only be a hard error at the certifying officer level, and budget is only committed once travel is fully approved (by travel office). Budget check for travel postings 4

5.  Once the travel is approved in the portal the following will occur for travel where the UN pays ticket, DSA, terminals etc: 1. Ticket plus travel agent fee is committed then immediately expensed in FI and put into ticket billing clearing account. 2. Commitment is created for staff portion – DSA, terminal 3. Advance is posted for staff member (usually 100%) 4. When invoice for ticket is received it is paid from the clearing account. Once the travel is completed and expense report submitted and approved the following will occur for travel where the UN pays ticket, DSA, terminals etc: 1. DSA and terminal commitment is charged for the expenses claimed. Commitment is reduced and expensed in FI. 2. Advance is cleared against staff member. Process for travel postings once approved 5

6. Total cost of $1663 Ticket cost = $600 Travel agent fee = $27 Terminal = $202 DSA = $834 FMAVCR02 drill down on 11.5.16 when trip was approved : full amount $1663 committed, ticket and travel agent fee expensed immediately (see next page). Batch is used every two hours to bring postings from portal into ECC. Example of travel posting: Trip 111744 6

7. Travel agent fee = $27 (expensed in 64ERP and transferred to 64KTA Amex fund as revenue) Ticket = $600 (expensed in 64ERP, put in ticket billing clearing) Example of travel posting: Trip 111744 7

8. Payment of advance to staff member on 11.5.16 when travel approved: $1036: ($834 for DSA and $202 for terminal) Example of travel posting: Trip 111744 8

9. 3 June 16 – Expense report approved and posted (rest of commitment is liquidated – see AVC screenshot. DSA and terminal expensed in FI and staff member advance is cleared. Example of travel posting: Trip 111744 9

10. 1.Please refer to Christophe Monier memo of 14 June 2016, shared by Balkissa on 16 June 2016. 2.Please refer to message sent to all staff on 20 June 2016 from Umoja and OCSS regarding the issues. 3.You can refer to the following link for FAQ including current known defects in travel and the status of data fixes and system fixes. https://umoja.un.org/sites/umoja.un.org/files/travel-tips/trfaq.html Main issues that have budgetary impact: a)Erroneous wiping out of commitments due to system defects b)FM AVC check not fully operational at expense report stage (some travellers changing coding block from originally approved commitment) Known travel issues related to finance 10

11.  Where PFD or mission assistance may be required:  1. Where commitments were wiped and not posted against budget – some redeployments are requested as there is not sufficient budget remaining to reinstate the commitments.  2. Where erroneous changes were made during expense reports, a redeployment may be requested to incorrect combination (for example functional area) to allow posting, before reversing redeployment back to correct combination.  3. Monitoring of budget so negative balances do not occur (particularly for post and GTA classes). This can block batch for all postings and stop staff and ticket being paid. Known travel issues related to finance 11

12.  Always put request in well in advance of travel – even more than 16 days!  Remember your trip number as this will always be the reference when discussing with Amex, EO or Accounts.  Always indicate you want an advance unless the travel is very small as this is an easy automated posting.  Suggest as first option you request through EFT to your bank account as this is also the easiest automated posting (through payroll is not as quick).  Ensure you put in expense claim, there is a backlog in Accounts but a very large percentage of staff have not submitted claims and the recovery batch will soon be activated. Tips for your own travel 12

13. Questions 13