Creating Travel Authorizations (DRAFT-In Progress)
Purpose: Use this document as a reference for how to create a Travel Authorization in ctcLink. You will find the Travel and Expense modules in the Finance Pillar.
Audience: Staff that is Traveling.
From the ctcLink Gateway main page, navigate to Financials Employee Self Service by selecting either the Financials Self-Service tile or the FSCM link.
A Travel Authorization (TA) is a Travel document created prior to travel showing estimated costs for travel. All approvals need to be completed prior to Travel Dates. Travel Authorizations are required by the Office of Financial Management (OFM).
Although many colleges have local travel policies, the Office of Financial Management (OFM) outlines Travel Management Requirements and Restrictions in Chapter 10 of the State Administrative & Accounting Manual (SAAM).
OFM provides Washington state per diem rates on their OFM Website for Travel. This page also provides a number of reference material links designed to help agencies better understand and fulfill travel requirements. A subset of those resource links are provided below for the convenience of task force reviewing the steps in travel outline in this guide:
Your Traveler Profile in the Travel & Expense system helps speed up the travel request process by storing default settings and personal information.
Navigation: Main Menu > Employee Self-Service > Travel & Expenses > Review/Edit Profile
- Organizational Data Tab: This tab stores the Business Unit and Default "Budget" (chartfield).
- User Defaults Tab: This tab stores the EXPENSE DEFAULTS and EXPENSE TYPE DEFAULTS adding these defaults will save time for future travel.
- Bank Account Tab: This tab stores the Bank Routing and Account Information for travel reimbursements.
For more information please see QRG Viewing or Modifying Default Accounting in Travel Authorizations.
To complete a Travel Authorization, you will need to know what Budget or ChartField values to be added in the Accounting Details section. If unsure what values to use, please check with your supervisor.
The video below demonstrates the following processes:
- Adding Header information (items before the detail section)
- Description, Business Purpose, comments, Billing Type
- Travel from, Travel to, Date form and to
There is no audio included with this video. Select the play button to start the video.
The video below demonstrates the following processes:
- Adding a row to your Travel Authorization
- Adding Line Details
- Adding Accounting Details
- Saving and Submitting a Travel Authorization
There is no audio included with this video. Select the play button to start the video.
Create a Travel Authorization
Note: Selecting the Save for Later button allows you to save the Travel Authorization without submitting it for approval. You can save the authorization even if it contains missing or invalid information, and return to modify it later.
Upon saving, the system displays a Save Confirmation page indicating that the Travel Authorization was successfully saved and highlighting any missing or invalid fields.
⚠️ Important: If you do not save and your session times out, all entered information will be lost and must be re-entered.
Navigation: Employee Self-Service > Expenses Tile > Create Travel Authorization
- The Employee Self Service page displays. Select the Expenses tile.
- The Expenses employee self-service page displays. Select the Create Travel Authorization tile.
- The Travel Authorization (TA) Entry page displays. The TA Entry page will default to your own Employee ID, i.e. Phoenix Reed. If you are authorized to enter a travel authorization on behalf of someone else, then you will need to look up the Employee ID first. If you are entering on behalf of someone else, in the top left corner of the page, select the green down arrow to the right of your name. Select Change Employee.
When the Change Employee link is selected, the Employee Search window displays. Enter or search for the specific Employee ID and select the side double arrows button.
- Use your own or select the Name/Empl ID that populates. The Travel Authorization Entry page displays.
- Enter a Description.
- Select a Business Purpose from the drop-down menu.
- In the Comments section, enter a Comment. ‘Comments’ entered in Fluid Travel Authorization creation are only viewable to approvers using Fluid Approvals (the Approval icon on the Navbar). Whereas ‘Notes’ that the Traveler adds in the Classic Travel Authorization creation nav path are viewable by Approvers using both Fluid and Classic Expenses Approvals.
- Select the Billing Type = Billable.
- Select Travel From location from the drop-down menu. The most common use will be to look up the Expense Location codes in Washington. Enter ‘WA’ in the field next to ‘begins with’. Select Look Up.
- Select Travel To location from the drop-down menu. The most common use will be to look up the Expense Location codes in Washington. Enter ‘WA’ in the field next to ‘begins with’. Select Look Up.
- Enter a date or use the calendar menu in the Date From field to select the first day of travel.
- Enter a date or use the calendar menu in the Date To field to select the last day of travel. The Trip Duration will update automatically.
- Scroll down to view the Details section and edit the Expense Type listed by selecting from the drop-down menu.
- Select the appropriate Expense Type from the drop-down menu.
- Enter a Description.
- Enter Amount, note that the Amount field will not be available for a mileage-based expense type.
- For each Expense Type row, select the Details button to enter additional identifiable information.
Confused on which Expense Type to pick??
Try the Expense Type Identifier
Expense Types are essential for ensuring accurate financial reporting and compliance with state policies when traveling on behalf of Washington State agencies, including community and technical colleges.
The Office of Financial Management (OFM) oversees statewide budget planning, allocation, and policy alignment. To receive and spend state funds, colleges and agencies must follow OFM’s financial and administrative policies. These policies are documented in the State Administrative & Accounting Manual (SAAM), which OFM develops and maintains.
Statewide Accounting refers to the centralized system managed by OFM that ensures consistent, transparent, and accurate financial reporting across all state entities. Month-end and year-end accounting data from all colleges is reported by SBCTC at the Enterprise level and sent to the Office of Financial Management (OFM).
Expense Types are directly linked to account codes that colleges use to report how funds are spent during travel. These codes categorize expenditures (e.g., lodging, meals, transportation) and ensure they align with state guidelines. These account codes are also key in who approves the travel. For example an expense type that is identified as "Over Per Diem" might be directed to a different approval chain than those that are identified as "Local In State".
In short, Expense Types help translate travel-related costs into standardized financial data that supports transparency, compliance, and informed decision-making across Washington’s public institutions.
- The Travel Authorization Fluid main page displays. For each Expense Type row, select the Accounting details icon.
- The Travel Authorization Distribution page displays. The Amount auto populates from the previous page. Enter or lookup the following valid ChartField values, such as;
- The Operating Unit.
- The Fund.
- The Department.
- The Class.
- The State Purpose.
- Select Done after your Accounting Details are completed.
- You can continue to add additional lines to the Travel Authorization (TA). Select the Add a New Row [+] icon to add a projected expense line.
- A new Projected Expenses row displays below.
- You can continue to add items to the Travel Authorization (TA). Select the Add a New Row [+] icon to add another projected expense.
Grant/Project/Program related ChartStrings require additional field values:
- If Grant/Project related, enter or lookup the PC Bus Unit, Project, and Activity ID.
- If applicable, add the Program Code.
- If need to Split Payment: select the Add a New Row [+] icon to add an additional accounting Chartfields line.
- Select the luggage tag icon to expand (and/or collapse) to view the entire Chartfield values, also known as a ChartString.
- The Line Detail window opens. Depending upon the Expense Type, enter Line Detail or Per Diem criteria;
- Update the Date field.
- Select a Payment Type from the drop-town menu.
- Billing Type remains Billable.
- Update Originating Location if necessary.
- Enter Miles.
- Select the Transportation ID from the drop-down menu.
- Select Done.
Note: The Transportation ID will only populate if you have added it to your Profile.
If a Per Diem type is selected, Travel To Location must be entered BEFORE Per Diem Expense Types.
The Attachments or paper clip icon links are available at the Travel Authorization header-level or at the individual expense row-level.
Select the Attachments icon to upload any documents;
- Select Add Attachment.
- Select My Device icon.
- Find the files on your Device and select Open.
- Select Upload.
- Once you see the Upload Complete message, select Done.
- You will be back in the Attachment page.
- You may now enter a Description for the attachment you have already uploaded, select Add Attachment to add another attachment, Select Edit to delete your current attachment, or select Done.
A request for Cash Advance (CA) is a Travel document created to facilitate payment to the traveler before travel; and can be applied across multiple Expense Reports. A Cash Advance can be created at the time of Creating a Travel Authorization, or anytime sufficiently in advance of travel to allow for the request to process through all approval layers and check generation.
Consult staff at your college (supervisor, travel coordinator) to determine if this is an allowed request
- Select the Actions menu drop down arrow and select the Create Cash Advance link.
- Then select the GO button.
- The Create Cash Advance page displays. Enter the following information:
- Advance Description.
- Source.
- Description.
- Amount of Cash Advance.
- Select the box to certify the advance submitted are accurate and comply with expense policy.
- Select the Submit Cash Advance button.
- You can complete the Travel Authorization now by selecting the Submit button.
- When you select the Submit button, a Submission Certificate window will display. Select OK to finalize the submission. Expenses displays a Submit Confirmation banner appears at the top of the page indicating you have submitted the travel authorization.
After you submit the travel authorization, you cannot modify it unless an approver returns it to you or you 'Withdraw' it before any approval actions are made. To withdraw an eligible TA, select the Withdraw button.
Video Tutorial Via Panopto
View the external link to Adding Items to your Fluid Travel Authorization. This link will open in a new tab/window.
0 Comments
Add your comment