Quick Steps: Request a Travel Advance in iOU

Who does this?  Stanford staff with access to the iOU system

When?  Advances may be requested for cash expenditures (i.e. air or pre-paid lodging) incurred prior to University business travel

How?  Travel advance requests are processed using the Advances module of Stanford's online iOU System

 

Request a Travel Advance in iOU (9 steps)

Launch Oracle applications:

1. https://ofweb.stanford.edu.
2. Enter your SUNet ID and password.

Note:  Getting Access to iOU

Select responsibility SU iOU Public.

From iOU home page, click Advances tab.

From General Information screen:

1. Select Travel as the Transaction Category Type.
2. Select Yes or No to Are you sending backup documents?.
3. Enter all or part of the Payee name.



Note:  Add new payee and/or site to list if necessary


4. From Search and Select: Payee pop-up window, locate and select payee name and correct payee site.



Note:  Must be a Stanford employee


5. Click Select button to close the pop-up window.
6. Enter Yes or No to Will Payee above be the Payee on the Reimbursement when the Advance is cleared?.



Note:  Advances should be cleared within 14 days of completion of business travel.


7. Enter SU Clearing Contact name.
8. Enter your Business Purpose.
9. Enter Start Date (or use calendar tool).
10. Enter End Date (or use calendar tool).
11. Enter Expected Clearing Date.
12. Select Yes or No for Foreign Travel.
13. Enter Yes or No to Documents to be enclosed with check.
14. Enter Payment Handling option as required.



Note:  If the Payee Site you selected is where you want the check / payment to go, and there are no additional requirements or requests for payment handling, you do NOT need to select any Payment Handling Information.


15. Click Continue button.



Note:  General Information is saved and a transaction number is assigned.

From Expense Lines screen:

1. Under Lines section, select Expense Type.
2. Enter dollar Amount for the expense line.



Note:  Oracle assigns the Approver for you based on the PTA authority set-up. Additional approvers can be added.


3. Select Yes or No to Pay Corp Credit Card.
4. As required, select Yes to Receipts Missing and click Lost Receipt Form link.



Note:  Travel Advance Expenditure Type is automatically filled in.


5. Enter Remarks if appropriate.
6. Under Allocation section, enter the Project, Task, and Award.
7. To split allocations for a line expense, click Add Allocation Line button.



Note:  Split allocations require an explanation.


8. To add additional expense lines, click Add Expense Line button.
9. Click Continue button to go to Approver Routing screen.



Note:  The Expense Line information is saved.

The iOU system will provide you with routing options. An approver is required for each PTAE used.

Note:  The Approver should be someone who does not report to the Payee, directly or indirectly.

From Approver Routing screen:

1. As required, click Add Line button to add additional approvers. Select Approver or FYI for each individual added.



Note:  One of the easiest and fastest ways to create an approval routing is to use the My Favorites feature.


2. As required, select an approver to designate a sequential or parallel routing Sequence Number.
3. Enter Action Comments as needed.
4. Click Continue button when the approval routing is complete.



Note:  The approval routing is saved. The transaction is ready for you to review.

From Transaction Review screen:

1. Click Edit button for the section(s) you wish to modify.
2. Click Submit button when all edits are complete.

The Confirmation page (also called the Barcode page) provides confirmation that the transaction has been successfully completed.

1. Print a copy of the Confirmation (Barcode) page.



Note:  Backup documents are required for Travel Advances greater than $75.

To attach backup documents to your iOU travel advance transaction:

1. Gather copies of the documents that support your travel advance request.
2. Place the Confirmation (Barcode) page on top of your backup documents.



Note:  The Confirmation (Barcode) page must be page 1 of your fax.


3. Fax the confirmation page and backup documents to the designated fax number on the Confirmation (Barcode) page.
4. Check the transmission status of the outgoing fax. A status of OK confirms that the fax has been sent successfully.
5. Optionally, view the online images in iOU.



Note:  Within minutes of sending the fax, the online images can be viewed in iOU.

 

Additional notes

• Under IRS rules, advances not cleared within 60 days of the trip completion date will be forced cleared by Disbursements and the advance amount will be tax-reported to the designated payee.
• Back up documents are electronically attached to iOU transactions using a standard fax machine.
• Transactions requiring backup documents will not be routed to an approver until documents have been faxed in and electronically attached. If the backup documents are not received and the originator has indicated that backup documents will be attached, the iOU system will send an email within 24 hours indicating that documents have not been received.
• The barcode sheet can be re-printed in the future to fax additional documents if necessary. To re-print the bar code page, click the “Reprint Barcode” button on the bottom section of the Transaction Review page.

Want more information?

• Detailed field descriptions, policy information and instructions are available in the iOU Online User Guide.
• For additional training register for FIN-0460: iOU Reimbursements & Advances in STARS (Stanford Training and Registration System).