What is changing and what is staying the same?
What is changing for those using sponsored program funds for travel?
The eTravel System replaces the paper “RF Travel Request/Reimbursement Form.” Once implemented, travelers will submit their travel and reimbursement requests to a departmental travel arranger to be processed in the eTravel System. Whenever a trip is initiated, travel arrangers, the traveler, and the PI of the project supporting the travel will receive a message from “etravel.do.not.reply@osu.edu.” This may be the PI’s first notification that travel has been charged to a sponsored project, so these e-mails should not be ignored. Learn more about sponsored programs travel.
What is staying the same?
To facilitate compliance with sponsor requirements, the eTravel System automatically routes department approved sponsored project travel requests to the Research Foundation Travel Office for allowability and budget availability review and approval.
The Research Foundation Travel Office continues to assist with prepayment of airfare, registration and hotel costs when requested in the eTravel System. Also, cash advances are available for individuals wanting to reduce out-of-pocket expenses. Travelers requesting wire transfers for international travel-related costs must use the “Research Foundation Wire Transfer Form.”
Personnel travelling on sponsored projects are required to send original travel-related receipts to their department’s travel arranger when requesting reimbursement for any out-of-pocket travel expenses after the trip has been completed. The travel arranger enters the payment request information, prints the “Travel Payment Form” from the eTravel System, obtains the traveler’s signature and sends to travel approver for review/approval. The printed payment request form, including original receipts, is then sent to the Research Foundation Travel Office for payment. More information, including step-by-step instructions, is available on the Research Foundation Travel web site.
What is the Travel Portal?
The Travel Portal, hosted by Travel Solutions, provides a convenient way to access the eTravel System, the online search tool, online training and many other travel resources. The online search tool is available for travelers and travel arrangers to search for best value airfare, hotel, and rental cars. Travel arrangements made using the online search tool and “EZPlan” incur lower transaction fees than those made by calling Travel Solutions directly. For more information on Travel Solutions visit OSU’s designated travel agency information. Additionally, Travel Solutions provides the ability to build a “Profile” designed to record a traveler’s contact information and travel preferences, e.g., aisle or window seat, emergency contact information, etc. This can be accessed through the Travel Portal.
