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The University of Texas at Austin

Admin Cash Advance Instructions

  • Travel Cash Advance Process - FOR ADMINS
    1. Check account balance to ensure sufficient funds in needed subaccounts
      Cash advances cannot be distributed from accounts in credit status
      (confirm via *Define GB1, FRMS or UT-RMS)
       
    2. Submit, in advance, Request for Travel Authorization
      (submit your own VE5 for faster processing, or CBS TAR request)
      Additional UT travelers must have their own approved VE5 for inclusion of related expenses. 
       
    3. If cash advance involves very unusual circumstances, seek approval via CoLA Finance asap
       
    4. Gather required details for (power)form

      Use stand-alone cash advance request form (travelas a guide to ensure completeness
      If you don't have all the details, follow up with traveler to confirm

      Note: Recipient must have an active UT assignment through end date of travel
      Department Contact cannot be the receipient of Cash Advance Requests
      • Prepare an ITEMIZED LIST of Estimated Costs
        There is no template or form for this - just make sure it's clear and concise.
        Break the estimates into the four types of costs included on the Travel Cash Advance request:

        Entertainment - Meal expenses for official occasion (think: OOEF & VPE)
        Program expenses - Cost of staff and student participation, including travel, excursions, etc.
        Professional service - Non-employee services
        (guides, field workers, study participants), and their related travel costs
        Travel - Cash advance recipient's own transportation, lodging, per diem, and other logistical travel expenses
          --This includes 'other' costs: equipment, materials, supplies, fees, permits, sample shipments, etc. These are categorized as travel-related incidental purchases due to recipient's travel status

        Details to Include for Estimated Costs:
        Include description, amount, and quantity (if applicable) of travel cash advance costs

        Details about professional service individuals (if known, and if applicable)
        --Name, country of residence, citizenship, brief description of duties, cost basis
        (cost basis example: 2 workers, $200/month x 2 months)
        --Acknowledgement of requirement to obtain and turn in signed receipts from all workers

        Account numbers and total amounts to incumber
        --Foreign travel subaccount: 76, Other expenses typically come from a 50 series subaccount
         
    5. Fill out and submit the online form  |  CBS Clients ONLY: 10+ days out, use CBS Cash Advance Form

      Travel Cash Advance (power)form
       
      • On first screen, insert any additional department/unit level reviewer who needs to review cash advance requests in your group, such as a senior admin or co-dept manager - check with admin lead
         
      • Department Reviewer: Designated individual who reviews/approves reconciliations within requesting unit- this could be a dept mgr, chair or other designated reviewer/approver - check with admin lead
         
      • Person to notify when check is ready: Cash Advance recipient (PI)
        Note: CoLA Finance approvals take several days, Cash Advance Desk requires 7 business days

        Cash advances can't be distributed more than 30 days out from start date
          --that doesn't mean wait until 30 days out to submit ---submit earlier if needed/possible
            The 30 day-out requirement impacts distribution date, not submission date
         
      • You must upload as part of the Cash Advance (power)form:
        • A PDF copy of the approved VE5 travel authorization
        • Your itemized list / travel plans with estimated costs (see step 4 above)
        • Any documentation related to an exception request, to assist with approval
           
    6. Once you click the Finish button, the form immediately routes forward
      You should see the submission confirmation: Signing Complete

    ROUTING

    Once the form is submitted, the submitter and dept/unit approver immediately receive notice in their inbox
      --notice includes a link to the Cash Advance Request form and attached documentation

    The default authorized signer on sponsored awards is typically the PI. 

    1. Authorized signer on the account (limited to individuals listed in account's *Define GB1 screen)
      • PI recipients cannot sign their own Cash Advance Requests - consult GB1 for other signers
         
    2. College (CSU) Business Officer in the Dean's Office (Assistant Dean of Finance)
       

    Notice that submitter receives incudes the following statement:

    'Please keep this email to monitor progress. You will need to click [review document] and then click [other actions] in the upper right corner of the DocuSign page then you will choose [view certificate]. The certificate will provide a list of recipients when they have viewed or signed the document.'

    It is the requestor's responsibility to TRACK progress


    Timing of Submission, Review and Approval Process


    UT Cash Advance Desk requires a minimum of 7 business days in advance of issue date needed
      --this includes time for review and approval, plus an account confirmation and promissory note issuance that takes several day

  • STUDY PARTICIPANT Cash Advance Process - FOR ADMINS

    Compensation for research subjects and study/survey participants is subject to federal policy via the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The university is bound by federal regulations outlined here.

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    1. Check account balance to ensure sufficient funds
      Cash advances cannot be distributed from accounts in credit status
      (confirm via *Define GB1, FRMS or UT-RMS)
       
    2. If cash advance involves very unusual circumstances, seek approval via CoLA Finance asap
       
    3. Gather required details for (power)form

      Use stand-alone (participants) cash advance form as a guide to ensure completeness
      If you don't have all the details, follow up with traveler to confirm
      Note: Recipient must have an active UT assignment through end date of request
      Department Contact cannot be the receipient of Cash Advance Requests
      Recipient will be required to sign a promissory note in advance of release of funds
       
      • Required Details
        Recipent identifying details
        Department contact information
        Amount of request, account number (usually a 50 series subaccount)
        Cash advance start and end dates, requested check/payment issuance date
          -Study cannot be for more than 6 months, submit add'l cash advance request to avoid lapse in coverage
        Check release cannot be more than 30 days from start date
        Name of study, IRB Protocol #, IRB approval period start and end dates
        Description of incentive payments from cash advance, estimated # of participants and amount/person
         
    4. Fill out and submit the online form  |  --CBS Clients ONLY: 10+ days out, use CBS Cash Advance Form

      Research and Participant Study Cash Advance Request (power)form

      Input all signers using eid@eid.utexas.edu address (all employees have this):

       1. Form Submitter
       2. Unit Senior Staff Contact (add'l dept or unit designated reviewer/approver - consult unit admin lead)
       3. Principal Investigator (the responsible party for the account)
       4. Authorized Signer on the Account
        -- This is also the PI if not the recipient, if PI is recipient, other authorized signer is required
       

          See *Define GBS to see all authorized signers, or GB1 +full account #, Other Authorized Signers
          Click spacebar on More: > to see additional signers

    • Do not include the actual IRB study due to privacy requirements, just the number, title and approval date details
      PI attestation statement on Cash Advance Request form suffices for compliance

    ROUTING

    Upon clicking the Finish button, the submitter and dept/unit reviewer receive notice in their inbox with a link to the document - this is a view-only notice.

    Submitter also receives the following directive:

    • Please keep this email to monitor progress. You will need to click [review document] and then click [other actions] in the upper right corner of the DocuSign page then you will choose [view certificate]. The certificate will provide a list of recipients when they have viewed or signed the document.

    • Notice of the form then lands in the PI's inbox with a prompt to review and sign the document.
       
    • Then it routes to the Authorized Signer of the account (as shown in the *Define GB1 or GBS screens)
       
    • The last stop for the form is the final approver team within Dean's Office: The CoLA Finance Frontline team

      Once the document has received final signature, submitter will receive email notice confirming document is complete
      Submitter can also proactively log into DocuSign and check the progress
       
      • Clicking on the document within the submitter's DocuSign inbox takes them to a detailed progress page that shows exactly who has signed it, when they signed, as well as whom they are waiting on.

    It is requestor's responsibility to track progress of request


    Timing of submission, review and approval process

    UT Cash Advance Desk requires a minimum of 7 days in advance of date needed
      --this includes review and approval, plus an account confirmation and promissory note issuance that takes several days
     

  • Final Step: eMail UT Cash Advance Desk

    Once the DocuSign Cash Advance Form has received all signatures, you must EMAIL Cash Advance PDF package (including form, expense outline, approved VE5 Travel Authorization and any other relevant documentation) to the Cash Advance Desk.

    Subject line: DD/MM/YY Travel Cash Advance Request: (Recipent Last Name, UT EID)

    • It is preferred that Cash Advance requests are processed via direct deposit only.
       
    • 3+ days in advance of releasing the Cash Advance payment:

      Cash Advance team in UT's Office of Accounting Payment Services will send a promisory note to would-be recipient. The note is sent via DocuSign and must be signed and returned before the cash advance is issued.
      (see: sample promissory note)
       
    • If ample time has been given for the Cash Advance Request, the recipient should see the deposit in their accounts by the start date that was included in the request.
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