Accounts Payable & Travel Accounting Update for March

[Accounting and Fiscal Services]

 

March 2026 Accounts Payable Prepare for Fiscal Year End Fiscal year-end close is right around the corner. Please keep in mind that invoices for products and services rendered before June 30, 2026, must include a valid purchase order for payment to be processed. The purchase order must have the following: PO must be open and not expired. PO must be fully approved and finalized. PO must have enough funds to pay all open invoices through June 30, 2026. PO must be mended and finalized prior to June 30, 2026. Important Note: Please notify Accounts Payable (AP) once your PO has been approved and finalized so AP can process invoices prior to the June 30th deadline. Please send all invoices/payment inquiries to accounts...@uci.edu. Accounts Payable PaymentWorks: Encourage Payees to Use Direct Deposit If you have suppliers or other payees onboarding in PaymentWorks, please encourage them to sign up to be paid by direct deposit. There are plenty of good reasons for payees to sign up for direct deposit: Fast & Secure: Payments are deposited directly into bank accounts — no waiting for checks or trips to the bank. Convenient: No risk of lost or stolen checks Environmentally Friendly: Reduces paper waste. Enrolling is simple! Payees can sign up through PaymentWorks or contact accounts...@uci.edu for questions regarding direct deposit enrollment. By promoting direct deposit within your department, you help us streamline operations and improve the payment experience for everyone. Accounts Payable Payment Plus: A Faster Way to Pay Suppliers As shared in the previous newsletter, UC Irvine Procurement in collaboration with Accounts Payable, has launched Payment Plus, a new program in partnership with U.S. Bank that automates supplier payments via Visa commercial virtual cards. Several suppliers have already signed up for the program. U.S. Bank and Visa will continue to campaign and reach out to additional vendors in collaboration with their third-party vendor ROI Solutions via emails and phone calls. Learn More: Payment Plus Questions? Contact Tanya Harris or Jennifer Chey Travel Accounting TEM/DV: Upload Backup Docs & Receipts to Scanned Images As a reminder, all required backup documentation and receipts must be uploaded to the Image Scanning tab when preparing a Travel and Event Management (TEM) e-Document or Disbursement Voucher (DV) for review by Travel Accounting.  More Information: For help with uploading backup documentation in KFS, the Accounting Office website includes instructions for uploading images of receipts and other supporting documents. Travel Accounting Online Training in UC Learning Center (UCLC) Travel Accounting has developed a number of training resources available online via the UC Learning Center. These training sessions review travel policies and best practices and information on the UCI Corporate travel card program. Click the course titles below to view them on UCLC. TEM Travel Policy Training Guide This guide is for new employees or those who just need a refresher in preparing TEM documents in KFS. The lesson reviews travel policies and best practices. Entertainment Reimbursement Policy Training This course is designed for anyone who prepares or approves payments or reimbursements for event, meeting, or entertainment expenses. This course covers policies and best practices for reimbursing expenses related to meetings and events. UCI Corporate Travel Card (CorpCard) Overview This training is for anyone who is interested in applying for a Corporate Travel Card (CorpCard) or anyone who reconciles Corporate Card charges. CTS (Ghost Card) Account Training This course is designed for new CTS Account holders but also contains helpful information for fiscal officers and accounting reviewers. ConnexUC Travel Portal An overview of the ConnexUC Travel Portal (formerly Connexus) for UCI. ConnexUC is the preferred UC managed travel program, a secure web portal for booking university business travel. It automatically gives employees access to UC-negotiated prices for airfare, hotels, and car rentals. Learn about the cost savings to the University and to your department, and value-added services to the business traveler. ConnexUC also provides UC employee discounts. Travel Accounting Travel, Ground Transportation, Ride Share Uber is recognized as a preferred supplier by UC. For single share, UberX is reimbursable. Upgraded rides like Uber Comfort, Uber Select, and Uber Black & Uber SUV requires a business explanation and department exceptional approval. If a traveler pays for and rides with others in an UberXL or upgrades to a larger Uber vehicle on business, the traveler must provide an explanation, and the exceptional approval is not necessary. Lyft fares, labeled Comfort or Extra Comfort fares are not reimbursable and require exceptional approval. See the Uber for Business page for more information. Travel Accounting Travel & Disbursements Website Visit the Travel Accounting Website for information about many topics including: UC policies, information on travel, entertainment, move & relocations, training, resources and more. Some of the most referenced webpages are: Reference Guide to Required Supporting Documents Meal & Incidental Expenses (M&IE) Reimbursement Max UC Policy G-28: Travel Regulations UC Policy BUS-79: Business Meetings & Other Occasions Travel Accounting Reminder: Virtual Meeting Meals are not Reimbursable Business meetings require an in-person host and are intended for on-premises and/or in-person meetings of employees, according to UC Policy BFB-BUS-79. A meal is a catered or restaurant-provided breakfast, lunch, or dinner at which employees, students, or other individuals are present for the purpose of conducting substantial and bona fide university business. Groceries and beverages purchased for an event may also be charged as meal(s). More UC Policy BUS-79 Reminders Based on the UC BUS-79 policy, the signed Host Certification form (generated in the KFS Entertainment Reimbursement eDoc, Forms & Reports tab) is required documentation for Recruitment, Employee Morale Building Activities, and Entertainment & Prospective Donor meetings. An agenda is required documentation for all ‘Business’ meetings. An employee acting as the official host conducting bona fide university business with an invited guest may be reimbursed for guest and employee meeting meals/light refreshments expenses. Individual employee meals will not be approved. Travel Accounting Move/Relocation for New Employees Visit the Moving and Relocations Expenses website for detailed information about moves and relocations for new employees. There are three tabs: Academic Appointees, MSP/PSS Appointees, and SMG Appointees. Simply select the appropriate tab click based on the new employees’ title. House Hunting These are expenses related to a pre-move trip to the new location in order to find permanent housing. All expenses will be reported as taxable income. A CTS ghost card cannot be used for relocation/moving travel expenses for new employees or house hunting trips for SMGs. The prospective employee should be reimbursed for their actual out-of-pocket house hunting trip expenses (SMGs only) and move/relocation expenses. New employees should be reimbursed on a KFS Move/Relo document. The reimbursement is processed by payroll. In accordance with IRS regulations, move/relocation expenses are considered taxable income to the new employee. Based on the UC Policy and APM-560 Removal Policy House Hunting Trip, Eligible: Senior Management Group (SMG)   House Hunting Trip, Not Eligible: Managers and Senior Professionals (MSP) Professional and Support Staff (PSS) Academic Employees Postdoctoral Scholars Travel Accounting Trip Protection, Insurance, Cancelations A traveler’s trip protection or insurance expense is normally not reimbursable. Per UC Policy G-28, Travelers on UC business are reimbursed for business trip expenses, including rescheduling/cancellations fees with a valid business reason and traveler’s trip protection or insurance expense is not necessary. For your accident/medical and trip interruption/cancellation coverage questions, please contact Christopher Richmond, Risk Manager. For more information, please visit the UCOP Risk Services website. Travel Accounting OFAC Sanctioned Countries The Department of the Treasury, through its Office of Foreign Asset Control, administers economic and trade sanctions that may restrict or require licensing for activities involving specific countries, individuals, and entities. Before traveling to a sanctioned country, UCI travelers are to check with the campus Export Control Officer at export...@uci.edu. The most comprehensive sanctioned countries include Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Ukraine (Crimea, Donetsk, & Luhansk Regions). View the list of sanctioned countries and more information on the Office of Research’s International Travel webpage. Good Stewardship Be accurate and ethical. Report actual costs honestly. Be prudent. Avoid unnecessary or excessive expenses. Stay mission focused. Expenses must serve a clear business purpose. Follow the UC Policy G-28 and IRS regulations. Reimbursements must not be considered taxable income, see page five of the policy. Use the Corporate Travel Card. Pay for travel-related expenses with the UCI Corporate Travel card whenever possible. Choose the best value. UC reimburses for the most economical and commonly used travel options.

UC Irvine Accounting & Fiscal Services 228 Aldrich Hall | Irvine, CA 92697-1050 | accounting.uci.edu

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