entering an expense report...nu travel, purchasing, asrsp policies and ... • employees/proxies who...

NUFinancials Supply Chain

FMS807

Entering an Expense Report 1/26/2009

© 2009 Northwestern University

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Entering an Expense Report Upon completion of this guide you will be able to Enter an Expense Report: • For travel or non-travel reimbursement • For yourself or as proxy for someone else • With single, or multiple expense lines • Charged to a Grant or Non-Grant chart string • Using one or more chart strings

What rules govern expense reports? • NU Travel, Purchasing, ASRSP policies and

Entertainment and Courtesy Guidelines • The individual requesting an expense report must be

listed in the HRIS database • Expenses must be charged to the proper source of

funds within 90 days of occurrence • Expense Reports must not be altered in any way which

violates University Policies What does an Expense Report affect? • Expenses created from Expense Reports will be

reflected in reports as “expenses” once they are budget checked, even if all approvals have not been processed.

• Sponsored Project Expenses - F&A will not be applied to these expenses until they have been completely approved.

When is an Expense Report not used? • When travel/expense has not yet occurred • For reimbursing individuals who are not employees (use

a Visitor’s T&E, DPR or Contract Services form – as applicable)

Who can submit an Expense Report? • Employees who incurred expenses for legitimate

business purposes • Employees/Proxies who are authorized to enter

expense reports on behalf of another employee

Note: Once entered into NUFinancials, the expense report must be printed, electronically approved (via workflow), signed by the employee being reimbursed and the department approver. The Expense Report is then sent to ASRSP (as applicable) and/or Accounts Payable with original itemized receipts attached.

Additional Resources Expense Policies website http://www.northwestern.edu/finsys/ps/travel/index.html

Where to get help? Contact the Help Desk at 847-491-HELP (4357) or email [email protected]

http://www.northwestern.edu/finsys/ps/travel/index.html

mailto:[email protected]


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Step 1: Login to the NU Portal https://nuportal.northwestern.edu/nuportal/login.html Navigation: NUPortal Faculty or Staff Purchasing and Payments Login to NUFinancials

*If you cannot access NUPortal or appropriate tab, go to http://cafe.northwestern.edu/gateway

https://nuportal.northwestern.edu/nuportal/login.html

http://cafe.northwestern.edu/gateway


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Step 2: Create an Expense Report Navigation: Menu Employee Self Service Travel and Expense Center Expense Report Create


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Step 2b: Create an Expense Report

Users with Proxy Access will see this screen first

• Your employee ID will appear by default.

• To enter a Travel Authorization as a proxy for someone else, enter their Employee ID number or click to see a list of employees you have proxy access to enter for.

• Click on the link next to the desired employee’s name. • That employee’s id will now appear in the EmplID field.

Refer to “Add Proxy Access” job aid, found at http://cafe.northwestern.edu/training/materials.html#expenses

http://cafe.northwestern.edu/training/materials.html#expenses


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Step 3: Fill out General Information

Users without Proxy Access will go directly to this screen:

1 Enter a brief Description that describes all expenses on this report (used to identify in a search and appears on

budget reports.

2 Click drop-down menu to select a Business Purpose. Business Purpose is used to describe the nature of the reimbursement. These are inexact, select the purpose that comes closest.

3 Optional, in Comment enter additional details about the expense (including Business Purpose or Location, as applicable).

4 Click Accounting Defaults and go to Step 4.

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Always enter a meaningful description first, followed by a date or date range. You may need to abbreviate because the amount of characters in the "Description" field is limited. You can supplement the abbreviated description in the "Comment" field, as it does not limit the amount of characters used.

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This is not always optional. If your travel expenses were incurred off campus, you must enter a location.


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Step 4: Accounting Defaults

Accounting defaults will apply the same chart string(s) to all expense lines.

1 Enter chart string – Fund, Dept, PC Bus Unit (NWUNV) are always required.

Enter Project, Activity, Program and ChartField 1 as applicable.

Optional, To add another chart string to be charged, click Add ChartField line.

Repeat step 1 for all lines.

2 When all desired chart strings have been entered, click OK.

After clicking OK, you are returned to the Expense Report Entry page.

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Please note that the PC Bus Unit does not automatically populate. You must click on the magnifying glass and then double click NWUNV. Additionally, it is a good idea to enter the PC Bus Unit first, before the rest of the chart string, because you will get an error message if you enter it last.


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Step 5: Details; Overview Tab

1 Click drop-down menu to select an Expense Type. Expense Type represents the various types of costs

incurred with each Expense Type mapping to a specific expense account chartstring in the ledger. See Appendix C at the back of this guide for a map.

Note: If using “Other Expenses” you must go to Accounting Details and enter the Account you wish to use. Optional, to use the Multiple Expenses worksheet, see Appendix B at the back of this guide.

2 Enter Date expense occurred (per receipt).

3 Enter total Amount Spent. If this field is not active, information will be entered separately for this expense type.

4 Optional, To change chart string information (including account) for this expense type, click to review Accounting Details for this line.

5 Click (add people) to add required information. This applies to group meals only (see step 6).

Optional, to add additional expense lines, click Add next to New Expense.

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If you do select "Other Expenses," contact an accounting assistant in LSFS, and he or she will tell you the correct account number to use.

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If you paid for travel-related expenses over 90 days in advance (airline tickets, conference registration, etc.), do not enter the date of purchase. Instead, enter the first date of use (e.g. the flight date or the conference start date).

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Text Box

Important Note: If you need to be reimbursed for foreign expenses, see "Entering Foreign Currency on an Expense Report." This is the last page of your packet.


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Step 6: Attendees (if Applicable)

All fields require entry on this form.

1 Enter Name (Last, First), Company and Title for each attendee.

2 Click + to add additional attendees as needed.

3 When all attendees have been entered, click OK to return to the Expense Report Entry Page.


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Step 7: Detail Tab

1 Enter a Description for each Expense Type. This should include name of business, destination or purpose.

Descriptions only appear in the electronic, not printed version of the Expense Report.

2 Click the Non-Reimbursable checkbox for non-reimbursable and pre-paid expenses.

Be sure to note the reason something is non-reimbursable in the Description.

The “No Receipt” field is not used. Instead, enter “missing receipt” in Description.

Location and Merchant tabs are not used.


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Step 8: Air/Hotel Tab (if applicable)

NU policy prohibits aggregating hotel expenses to one line. Therefore, each night stayed must be listed as a separate expense line.

The Ticket Number field is not used by NU.

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This is an important rule to remember, and it is often overlooked. Each night of hotel stay must be entered on a separate line. If the hotel receipt does not separate the cost of each night's stay, calculate the nightly cost by dividing the total cost of the hotel by the number of nights you stayed.


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Step 9: Mileage Tab (if applicable)

Mileage must be entered in whole numbers only.

The Mileage rate is updated in NUFinancials by the administration based on the Federal Mileage Rate and corresponds to the Expense Date.


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Step 10: Save

A transaction may be saved at anytime by clicking Save for Later.


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Step 11a: Budget Check

Budget Checking is required before submitting the expense report for approval.


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Step 11b: Confirm Budget Check Budget Check will be performed and you will return to the Expense Report Entry page.

Step 11c Budget Checking Status: Scenario 1: Budget Check Valid.

Expenses created from Expense Reports will be reflected in budgets as “expenses” once they are budget checked, even if all approvals have not been processed. Sponsored Project Expenses - F&A will not be applied to these expenses until they have been completely approved.


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Step 11c Budget Checking Status:

Scenario 2: Budget Check: Error

Correct Budget Checking errors as instructed in the “Common Errors for Expense Transactions” job aid.


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Step 12: Confirm Submission

After submitting (or canceling), you are returned to the Expense Report Entry Page.


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Step 13a: Print Report


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Step 13b: Printing the Expense Report: To print this report, use your browser’s print feature.

Some browsers require additional setup to print the selected frame.

Be sure to have the employee and supervisor sign the expense report.


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Step 13c: Printing the Expense Receipt pages: • Click the Expense Receipt tab for a page to attach

itemized receipts to. • Print as many copies of this page as needed. • Attach itemized receipts only to the front side of the

printed page. • Tape itemized receipts down on all 4 sides.

Itemized receipts must lay flat for scanning purposes. • For full page receipts, write the Expense Report ID

on the top of the page. • Send completed, electronically approved (via

workflow), signed expense report and itemized receipts to: ASRSP (if applicable) or Accounts Payable


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… IN A NUTSHELL

1. Enter a Description for the Expense Report.

2. Select a Business Purpose from the drop down (choose something close if your exact purpose isn’t listed).

3. Select Accounting Defaults. This applies the Chart string(s) you enter to each line on the report.

4. Select an Expense Type from the drop down. These are specific.

5. Enter the date the expense occurred.

6. Enter the amount spent for that expense on that date.

7. To add additional lines, click the Add button next to “New Expense” in the center of the page.

8. Optional: If you want to change a single expense’s chart string, click the icon on the expense line.

9. Click Save for Later, then Check Budget.

10. Click the Printable View link to print out a copy for signatures and approval routing (be sure to include receipts).

11. Click Submit to send your report through electronic approval routing (workflow).

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Appendix: Multiple Expenses

Use Multiple Expenses to create the same expense types for one or more days.


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Appendix: Multiple Expenses cont’d


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Appendix: Multiple Expenses cont’d Expense Types selected are displayed on the Expense Report:

1 You may need to update the Expense Dates based on your receipts for Expense Types selected

under “One Day”. 2 To delete a line for a date there was no expense:

Click the desired line checkbox to Select. 3 Click Delete Selected. 4 Click OK to the resulting confirmation. 5 Continue completing the Expense Report as usual.


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Appendix: Business Purposes, Expense Types with default Accounts

Business Purpose

Academic/Scholastic Team Event Athletic Team Travel

Collaborative Meeting

Department Gatherings

Department/Project Meeting

Fundraising/Development

Graduation Receptions

Professional Development

Recruitment – Student

Recruitment – Faculty

Research Meeting

Site Visits

Speaker Programs/Receptions

Special Subsistence

Expense Type Account

Used for Advances 76765 Advertising & Promotion 75150 Audio Visual Equipment & Supplies 73310 Books 73910 Computer Equipment & Supplies 73075 Domestic Travel-Mtg & Conf Fees* 76777 Course Materials 75115 Domestic Airfare 76765 Domestic Alcoholic Beverages 76769 Domestic Breakfast 76767 Domestic Dinner 76767 Domestic Public Ground Transport 76765 Domestic Hotel/Motel 76766 Domestic Incidentals 76767 Domestic Lunch 76767 Domestic Meal – Group 76768 Domestic University-Owned Vehicle 76765 Domestic Private Auto Mileage 76765 Domestic Rail 76765 Domestic Rental Vehicle 76765 Domestic Tolls & Parking 76765

*If using “Other Expenses” you must go to

Accounting Details and enter the Account you wish to use.

Expense Type Account

Foreign Airfare 76770 Foreign Alcoholic Beverages 76774

Foreign Breakfast 76772 Foreign Dinner 76772 Foreign Public Ground Transport 76770 Foreign Hotel/Motel 76771 Foreign Incidentals 76772 Foreign Lunch 76772 Foreign Meal – Group 76773 Foreign Private Auto Mileage 76770 Foreign Per Diem 76772 Foreign Rail 76770 Foreign Rental Vehicle 76770 Foreign Tolls & Parking 76770 Hardware 73010 Lab Supplies 73475 Magazine Subscriptions 73920 Mailing and Postage 75510 Maintenance & Repairs 75440 Membership Dues 75030 Foreign Travel-Mtg & Conf Fees * 76778 Office Supplies 73010 Printing/Photos 75809 Production Expenses 75911 Relocation/Moving Expense 76735 Research Subject Fees 78660 Other Expenses *

entering an expense report...nu travel, purchasing, asrsp policies and ... • employees/proxies who...

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