Creating Expense Reports

Purpose: Use this document as a reference for creating an expense report from a blank expense report in ctcLink.

Audience: All travelers

Note: The Expense Report can be used for more than travel reimbursement, it can be used for other reimbursements. Check your local business process on other reimbursements that are not travel related.

An Expense Report (ER) is Travel document created after travel to record actual cost of travel; it may also produce a reimbursement and/or reconcile a Cash Advance. It is used for ALL Employee Reimbursements and replaces A-19.

To complete an Expense Report, 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.

Create an Expense Report

Navigation: Employee Self-Service > Travel and Expenses > Expense Reports > Create/Modify

Note:  Depending on your role, the Empl ID will default into the field. If you are authorized to enter an expense report on behalf of someone else, then you will need to look up the Empl ID first.

  1. The Expense Report search page displays.  
  2. Enter or lookup Empl ID.
  3. Select the Add button.

Note:  From the Create Expense Report page you can start from a blank expense report (the default setting) or use the Quick Start drop-down button to create from an existing expense report or from a template.

  1. The Create Expense Report page displays.  
  2. Select the Business Purpose from the drop-down menu.
  3. Enter Report Description.
  4. Select the Default Location from the drop-down menu.
  5. Under the Expenses section, Select the Date from the calendar menu.
  6. Select the Expense Type from the drop-down menu.
  7. Enter Description.
  8. Select Payment Type from the drop-down menu.

For more information on Payment Types please see QRG Expense Document Payment Types.

  1. Enter Amount.  Amount will not be available if the line is for a mileage-based expense type.
  2. If the line is for a mileage-based expense type, select Transportation ID from the drop-down menu.
  3. If the line is for a mileage-based expense type, enter Miles. (The green arrows icon will auto calculate or recalculate the mileage rate).
  4. If the line is for a per diem rate-based expense type, enter Location.  Note: Do not need to use line level location if default location in the header (top of document) is correct. (Line location overrides header default location).
Filling out ER
  1. Select the arrow to expand the Accounting Details.
  2. Depending upon your EMPLID setup, the Accounting Details may auto-fill. If the Accounting Chartfields are blank, enter or lookup valid values for:
    1. Oper Unit.
    2. Fund.
    3. Dept. Within the drop-down menu, search for Description contains “travel” in the description. Select the corresponding Dept.
    4. Class.
    5. State Purpose.
    6. Scroll to the right to view or add additional fields.
  3. Select the Attachments link to attach a document at the header level of an expense report.

The selected Expense Type will auto generate the aligned GL Account. i.e. 5080030 = Private Auto Mileage.

Verify or add Chartfields
  1. The Expense Report Attachments window displays. Select the Add Attachment button. The File Attachment window appears. Select the Chose File button and navigate to the location where you stored your attachment and select it.
  2. Select the Upload button.
  3. Select OK when finished uploading Attachment(s).
Attachments example

Use the Expense Report Attachments page to add new attachment(s) and/or remove attachment(s) from the Expense Report. Notice that the attachments link has a “(2)” after it. This means that there are two attachments. The system updates this number every time you add or delete an attachment.

  1. Enter any additional attributes or details for the Expense Report line item as necessary, such as indicators for:
    • Non-Reimbursable
    • No Receipt
    • Attendees
    • Ticket Number

Depending upon your college business unit setup, you maybe required to attach receipts at the Line Level or select No Receipt and enter a comment.

  1. If the Expense Report needs lines added or removed, select the Add a New Row [+] or Delete a Row [-] icon.  If new lines are added, repeat steps 8 - 22 above.
Add more lines
  1. Select Save for Later. Notice the page changes from Create Expense Report to Modify Expense Report. Your Report ID has also been generated and is in 'Pending' status.

Selecting the Save for Later link to save the Expense Report without submitting it for approval lets you save the report with or without invalid or missing information, and you can modify it later.

When you select the Save for Later link, Expenses displays the Save Confirmation page to indicate that it successfully saved the Expense Report and indicates if missing or invalid information exists.

  1. Select the Summary and Submit link.
Save for later generates Report ID
Submit Expense Report
  1. The Modify Expense Report Summary and Submit page displays. Select the checkbox to certify that the expenses submitted are accurate and comply with expense policies.
  2. Select the Submit Expense Report button.

The ER Summary and Submit page is a great place to review your Expenses totals (Amount due to employee, non-reimbursable expenses, etc) for accuracy. FYI, If ‘Amount due to Employee’ is 0.00, no payment will generate. If this is not expected, then do not submit. Instead, close this window and review your expense lines to remove ‘non-reimbursable’ where appropriate.

Toggle from the Summary and Submit page and the Expense Details page to review and/or update as needed.

Submit report
  1. The Expense Report Submit Confirmation page displays.
  2. Select OK.
Confirm ER submitted and select ok

Optional to refresh the View Expense Report page to view the Approval History.

View Expense Report Status
  1. Process complete.
View Error Messages / Add Line Attachments
  1. Expenses Red Arrow Flag:   Select the drop down red arrow flag to display all errors that need to be addressed.
  2. No Receipt Comment Error:  Select the No Receipt bubble to add a comment.
  3. Attachments Icon:   Select the paperclip icon to add expense line attachments.
Sample of error messages

Video Tutorial

The video below demonstrates the process actions described in the steps listed above. There is no audio included with this video. Select the play button to start the video.

Video Tutorial Via Panopto

View the external link to Creating Expense Reports. This link will open in a new tab/window.

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