Conferences & Travel
Contact ua.support@amii.ca for Amii Admin assistance
Here are a few details to keep in mind regarding booking travel and claiming travel expenses. For the complete explanation, see the UofA Financial Services Travel Management site, which is an excellent guide to all things travel.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Only the cost of the most effective and economical mode of travel will be reimbursed.
Use of personal funds for approved University business travel should be minimal and used only when there are no other options.
Student travel must be always pre-approved by your supervisor in order to be fully reimbursed.
Take advantage of early bird rates wherever possible.
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
Step 1: Create a conference registration account
Log in to the conference registration site, fill in your personal information, save it, but do not submit payment.
Step 2: Payment
Submit a Amii UofA Conference Registration Payment Request form. This provides your login, password, and speed code to Amii Admin, who will then log in to the conference site, retrieve your partial registration, and complete the payment.
Step 3: Change password
Return to the conference registration site to change your password and keep your information private.
Note: Conference registration must be paid by PCard or direct pay of an invoice (when credit card payment is not accepted). Registration paid by personal credit card may not be reimbursed.
AIRFARE
Paying with TAP
Step 1: Create a TAP number
Submit an online TAP form, which generates a TAP number that is sent to you by email. This enables payment by speed code.
Step 2: Find flights
For flight options, contact the UofA travel agent Maritime for agent assisted booking, or use the Concur self-booking tool.
Step 3: Payment
Provide TAP number and speed code or personal credit card to pay and complete the booking.
Paying when your trip includes personal travel - TAP and central pay with speed code is not available for trips that combine personal and business travel. Booking is still done through Maritime or Concur, but must be paid with a personal credit card. Submit the business portion of the airfare on your travel expense claim for reimbursement.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Step 1: Find a room
HAP hotel - check the HAP listings for your destination.
Conference hotel - check the conference website for recommended hotels with preferential rates.
Airbnb - view this page for booking instructions
Step 2: Payment
HAP - if you have chosen a HAP hotel, complete the HAP form and provide the HAP number to the hotel when booking.
PCard - make a reservation and send the confirmation to Amii Admin, who will set up third party billing with the hotel.
Personal credit card - you can use your personal credit card and add the expense to your post-travel expense claim.
UAlberta Virtual Card (VCN) - a central payment virtual credit card to support payment of vendors like Airbnb or unique one-time travel situations - view this page for details.
Note: Review page 5 of the UAPPOL Travel Processes & Expense Procedure to ensure your stay will adhere to the rules/restrictions.
Note: If you are sharing a room, please contact Amii Admin about how to claim the reimbursement.
MEAL ALLOWANCE
You can claim a meal allowance according to the following rules (receipts not required):
Canadian & US travel is $70/day - breakfast $15, lunch $15, dinner $30, and incidental expenses $10.
International travel is $95/day - breakfast $20, lunch $20, dinner $45, and incidental expenses $10.
You can claim up to the full amount for all days of travel including the travel day on each end of the trip.
Any third party provided meals such as hotel breakfast or conference banquet dinner should be deducted from the meal allowance for that day.
GROUND TRANSPORT
For public transit, taxi, or ride share services, keep your receipts so that you can enter the total amount (cost + gratuity) on your claim. However, you are not required to submit receipts for any amount less than $75.
If you are using a private automobile, the reimbursement is $0.50 per kilometer. Total mileage is limited to 1000 kilometers, and a Google map printout is needed, showing the to and from location.
If you are renting a vehicle, you can choose a compact, mid-size, full-size or SUV vehicle depending upon justifiable need. Rental fees, kilometer charges, fuel charges, road tolls and insurance coverage are reimbursable with the rental agreement or receipt. Visit the Ground Transportation page of the UofA Financial Services Travel Management Guide for instructions on how to book with the UofA discounted rates and how to pay.
RECEIPTS & DOCUMENTATION
Keep receipts for ground transportation and miscellaneous expenses such as baggage fees, data roaming, poster printing, hospitality, and parking.
Note the business purpose for each expense and include this on your expense claim.
Keep the conference agenda or badge of attendance.
Where various currencies are used, include your credit card or bank account statement showing the expense incurred in CAD.
Proof of payment is always required. For example, a hotel booking confirmation, an invoice, or a bill are not proof payment.
Note: All expenses claimed must be supported by the four “W’s”
What was the business activity?
Who was in attendance?
Where did the event take place?
When did the event occur – date(s) of event and travel dates?
SUBMITTING YOUR EXPENSE CLAIM
FURTHER RESOURCES
UAPPOL Travel Processes & Expense Procedure
UAPPOL Travel Processes & Expense Procedure Appendix A: Schedule of Allowable Travel Expenses
UofA Financial Services Travel & Expense page
Faculty of Science Intranet Travel page