Financial Services
The staff in the financial services area handle all financial business including proposal preparation, contract & grant administration, payroll, grant reimbursements, travel and assistance with policy and procedures.
Below are some answers to frequently asked questions and below that the forms you can download, fill out, and submit to the financial staff. Via DocuSign if necessary.
Tips to Ensure Reimbursement
- Keep ALL receipts: Business & Financial Services (Accounting) needs both documentation of expense (how much money, what it was spent on) and substantiation of payment (proof of payment and who did the spending).
- Itemized receipts that show the credit card (including the last four digits). If this is not available, a bank statement showing the name of who did the spending and the amount will also work. All other private information can be redacted.
- Attach receipts to the correct form that has been filled out and signed through Docusign . Make sure that the form is approved by the PI and completely filled out. For example: dates (of travel/entertainment/membership), locations, purpose, etc. This will ensure us not asking you additional questions that could delay the process.
- Turn in your form with attached receipts in a timely manner. For example: BFS requests travel reimbursements to be submitted within 45 days of the trip ending.
- Please DO NOT expect a reimbursement for a third-party expense (a person paying for expenses that were not their own). One exception is co-travelers sharing a room where additional documentation can be provided. All others may not be fully reimbursed, so please check with the finance team before purchase.
- For more information on each type of reimbursement, please refer to the quick guides offered by BFS.
- Please feel free to ask us questions in advance of payment. Our goal is to expedite your reimbursement and get the money back into your pocket!
Request for Travel Advance
You may request a travel advance for expenses incurred prior to a trip. You must submit original receipts with a completed and signed Travel Advance Request.
Travel Reimbursement Request
Domestic or foreign travel, complete, obtain appropriate approval signature and return the form with original receipts*. There are no per diem rates on meals for domestic travel. Please record your actual expenditures (itemized receipts) on the Travel Reimbursement Request.
*Receipts for all expenses for which you seek reimbursement are required including, but not limited to:
- Airline Passenger Receipts**
- Rental car receipts, rail ticket stubs, bus tickets
- Local transportation receipts
- Receipts for miscellaneous expenses (supplies)
- Hotel receipts (must be itemized to show nightly rates, applicable taxes, etc.)
- Conference Registration Receipts
**U.S. Flag Carriers must be used for travel on federal funds.
Declaration of Missing Evidence
If you are unable to locate original receipts for your trip, please complete a Declaration of Missing Evidence with an alternate proof of purchase (i.e. credit card statement showing payment).
General Reimbursements
When paying for general items, we strongly suggest using these methods (in order of most preferred).
- Purchase through gateway procurement.
- Request to purchase using department flexcard if the item is not available on gateway.
- Purchase on your own and complete the general reimbursement form.
- Include the itemized receipt which shows the last four digits of the credit card.
- Refer to the quick guide for more details.
- Have the form signed though Docusign.
Entertainment
- Fill out a general reimbursement form including the last portion of the form which provides the details of the event.
- Include the itemized receipt which shows the last four digits of the credit card.
- Refer to the quick guide for more details.
- Have the form signed though Docusign.
Memberships
- Fill out a general reimbursement form.
- Include receipt which shows organization name and the last four digits of the credit card. Extra donations aside from the membership will not be reimbursable.
- State whether this is a new membership or a renewal.
- List the effective dates of the membership.
- Include the benefit of this membership to UCSB.
- Have the form signed via Docusign.
Travel
CONNEXXUS: The university highly encourages booking airfare and rental cars through the CONNEXXUS Travel Portal. Other expenses can be purchased on your own. Please contact the finance team for more questions.
Travel Reimbursement: When CONNEXXUS is not an option.
- Fill out a travel reimbursement form.
- Include all itemized receipts which show the last four digits of the credit card.
- Refer to the quick guide for more details.
- Have the form signed via Docusign.
Human Subject Payments
When paying for human subjects, we strongly suggest using these methods (in order of most preferred).
- Request funds to be added to MTurk or Prolific account using department FlexCard.
- Purchase on your own and fill out the Research Participation Reimbursement Request Form.
- Request a cash advance.
Please include the IRB#.
Include a price per participant, number of participants and purpose of study.
MTurk/TurkPrime(CloudResearch)/Prolific Payments
- Please provide the IRB#.
- Provide the account name (email address) for MTurk funds.
- An invoice is required for TurkPrime and Prolific payments.
- Please provide # of participants and how much each was paid.
