June 2025 Soft Close

The June 2025 period in the general ledger has closed, but please keep in mind that Controller’s office staff will continue to record additional entries necessary for FYE until August 1^st and the general ledger will open for the new FY2025-26 on August 2nd. The future month-end processing deadlines are located at Monthly Closing Deadlines.

Important International Travel Compliance Reminder

Effective March 1, 2025, if you depart on an international trip prior to full Travel Authorization (TA) approval, a confirmation of which is emailed to you, there will be no reimbursement of travel expenses paid by you from personal funds, and repayment from the traveler to the University for expenses paid with University funds will be required. Further, an employee may be subject to discipline and/or restrictions on international travel privileges. Regardless of whether a proxy assists in the TA process, the traveler is responsible for verifying that the TA is fully approved before departing on the trip and will be held accountable if it is not.

Please reference the full memorandum, which also includes details from previous notifications.

Prohibited Expenditures BOG 9.016

Per the Florida Board of Governors (BOG) 9.016 Prohibited Expenditures regulation, expenses related to DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) are unallowable. The regulation became effective in January 2024 and university-wide compliance was effective July 1, 2024.

Budget managers must review all expenses before submitting to ensure these do not include unallowable services/deliverables. No purchases of goods or services related to DEI activities made with E&G funds can be approved as these are prohibited. 

Please use the following tools to determine if an expense is prohibited:

• PE Decision Tree – tool to determine whether an expenditure is permitted
• PE PowerPoint – presentation by the PE Team
• PE Justification Form – form to document justification for permitted expenditures

If you have any questions on prohibited expenses, please send an email to prohibitexps@fiu.edu.

Fiscal Year End 2024-2025 Memorandum is now available

The fiscal year-end closing process is quickly approaching. In preparation for the fiscal year-end close, please refer to the FY25 Year End Memo for important information, including all year-end closing deadlines and a listing of departmental contacts. Our team counts on you to meet crucial year-end and monthly closing deadlines, so we thank you for your efforts and cooperation throughout the year.

Important GL Account Updates

The Office of the Controller has created some new GL Accounts to help the University track expenses in several categories more effectively.  Additionally, we will be inactivating GL Account 773801 Food Products. Please refrain from coding any expenses to this GL Account.

New Account 773607 – Instruct. Supplies Food Items – This account is to be used for food items utilized in instructional labs and programs (i.e. science, chemistry, hospitality management, research, etc.).

New Account 711608 – Food Items Noncatered Events – This account is to be used for food, including platters, sandwiches, bakery goods, pizza, desserts, non-alcoholic beverages, etc. purchased for meetings/events/trainings etc. with total food costs not exceeding $750.  On-campus events with food costs exceeding $750, are required to contract catering services from FIU’s approved catering vendors, unless the Office of Business Services approves an exception for the event.

Account 711601 is being renamed to Catering Services.  This account should be used for all catered events.

Year-End AP Accrual

Below is a reminder of the criteria for the upcoming accruals:

1st Accounts Payable Accrual

• No invoice amount threshold.
• Invoices must be entered, matched, and approved by July 14th, 2025.
• Receipt date in PeopleSoft must be prior to July 1, 2025.

2nd Accounts Payable Accrual (will be recorded in Financial Statement Activity ID only)

• Invoice amounts must be $5,000 or greater.
• Invoices must be entered, matched, and approved by July 25th, 2025
• Receipt date in PeopleSoft must be prior to July 1, 2025.

Introducing the new Trip Extension Form!

We understand that business travel doesn’t always go according to schedule. To make extending your trip easier, we’ve introduced a new Trip Extension Form.

This convenient option allows travelers to update their trip end date without creating a new Travel Authorization, while staying fully compliant with travel policies.

To submit a Trip Extension Form, simply follow the steps below:

1. Click the T&E Compliance Center title on the Employee Self-Service homepage.

2. Click the Travel Authorization tile.

3. Click the Travel Authorizations tile.

4. Locate the Travel Authorization for the trip that requires the extension on the Travel Authorization Search page, using either the “Approved” or “View all” option on the left side grey bar. Click the > (arrow) to view the Travel Authorization details.

5. The Travel Authorization’s details are displayed. Click the Create/View Trip Extensions button.  

6. In the View/Create Extensions page, click the Create/View Trip Extension button.

7. Complete all the fields in the Extension Form.

1. • New End Date: The ‘New Date’ cannot be earlier than the current date.
   • Why are you extending your trip: At least one reason must be selected. If “Other” is selected, a comment must be entered.
   • Certification & Acknowledgement: The form cannot be submitted unless the Certification & Acknowledgement certification box is checked.    

8. Click the Submit button.

Trip Extension Form FAQ/Topics

1. Topic: Who is allowed to certify and submit the Trip Extension Form?

          Answer: The Trip Extension Form must be certified and acknowledged by the traveler. Therefore, only the traveler can submit the form.

2. Topic: What status must the Travel Authorization be in for the Trip Extension Form to be processed?

          Answer: A Trip Extension Form can only be submitted for Travel Authorizations that are in “Approved” status.

3. Topic: Are users allowed to create multiple Trip Extension Forms for the same Travel Authorization?

          Answer: Yes, in rare cases where a trip needs to be extended multiple times, multiple Trip Extension Forms can be created for the same Travel Authorization.

4. Topic: How can users view an existing Trip Extension Form?

          Answer: The Trip Extension Form can be found via the Travel Authorization tile or by accessing the Travel Inquiry and clicking on the Travel Authorization icon.

5. Topic: Does the Trip Extension Form go through an approval workflow after it is submitted?

          Answer: No, an email notification is sent to the traveler’s HR Supervisor, Expense/Project Manager, and Supplemental Approvers (if applicable) upon submission of the form.

6. Topic: Who can you contact if you have further questions about the Trip Extension Form?

          Answer: For help, contact the Financial Systems & Support Services Help Desk at (305) 348-7200 or email controller@fiu.edu.

Travel News – Important Reminders

•  Expense Reports Revisions Due to Fiscal Year-End Closure

Some expense reports were returned for revision and must now be resubmitted in the current fiscal year.  Travel proxies are required to reattach the Travel Authorization (TA) to the expense report before resubmitting. For instructions on how to do this, please click here [see page 2].

•  Employee Signature Requirement

Expense reports must be signed by the employee listed at the top of the report. This can be done via DocuSign or using the Print and Sign option.

•  Receipt & Documentation Requirements

Ensure all receipts and supporting documentation are legible and uploaded prior to submission to avoid reimbursement delays.  Departments are strongly encouraged to use the [Travel Reimbursement Checklist] to verify that all required documentation is included.

•  Combine Files into One PDF

All documentation should be scanned and uploaded as a single PDF file rather than as individual pages.

•  Ride Receipt Annotations

For Taxi, Uber, Lyft, or shuttle services, the pickup and drop-off locations must be clearly noted on the receipt (e.g., “home to airport”, “airport to hotel”).

•  P-Card or PO Usage Notations

If expenses were paid using a university credit card or purchase order, this must be clearly annotated on the corresponding receipts prior to submission.

•  Use of FIU Procurement Systems

To ensure compliance and efficiency, the University’s procurement system must be utilized for all operational needs, including travel, equipment, supplies, rentals, food, and furnishings.  Departments should coordinate with Purchasing Services and Credit Card Solutions as needed.

Travel Authorization

An approved Travel Authorization (TA) is a traveler’s permission to incur expenses and travel on behalf of Florida International University. Without an approved travel authorization (TA), the payment of travel expenses on behalf of the University, using the procurement card, or by the traveler is prohibited. This includes FIU employees, FIU students, and others who travel on the University’s behalf. The Authorization must include all known or projected travel expenses, a descriptive business purpose, and the correct trip start and end dates, as well as the business destination(s). It must also provide an estimated trip cost.

Airfare Guidelines for FIU Travel

FIU does not have a preferred airline. Airfare may be booked with any commercial airline, provided the reservation complies with Florida Statutes 112.061.

Travelers will be reimbursed only for economy, coach, or main cabin fares.

Please note that the following items are considered personal convenience expenses and are not reimbursable:

• Seat selection fees
• Seat upgrades or premium seating
• Travel insurance
• Early boarding fees

These costs are the responsibility of the traveler and should not be charged to the Pro-card. To ensure compliance and avoid audit issues, travelers must refrain from using the Pro-card for such expenses.

If the Pro-card is inadvertently used to purchase any of these non-reimbursable items, the traveler is required to reimburse the University for the full amount.

Receipts in a Foreign Language and Currency

When submitting receipts issued in a foreign currency, the converted amount in U.S. dollars must be included.  All expenses reported on the Expense Report must be in U.S. dollars.

• The conversion date should match the transaction date.
• Foreign currency conversions must be obtained from the OANDA Currency Converter and attached to the Expense Report.
• If the foreign transaction was made using a credit card, you may submit the credit card statement showing the converted amount in lieu of the OANDA conversion.

This ensures consistency, accuracy, and compliance with FIU travel reimbursement policies.

Meal Template Requirement – Domestic and Foreign Travel

Each expense report must include a meal reimbursement breakdown template to support per diem or actual meal claims.

To streamline this process, FIU has created two distinct templates:

• Domestic Meal Reimbursement Template
• Foreign Meal Reimbursement Template

Travelers are required to use the appropriate template based on their travel destination and include the completed form as part of their supporting documentation in the expense report.

These templates ensure compliance with FIU policy and facilitate accurate and timely reimbursement.

Reporting Shared Lodging and Other Expenses

Each FIU employee is typically responsible for paying for and claiming reimbursement of their own hotel accommodations.  However, situations may arise during official travel where one traveler covers the lodging expense for a co-traveler (e.g., shared room or group payment).

In such cases, both the paying traveler and the co-traveler must follow these procedures to ensure accurate documentation and compliance:

For the Traveler Paying the Hotel Bill:

• Submit an expense report requesting reimbursement for the total amount paid.
• Ensure the lodging receipt is itemized and attached.
• Confirm the room rate is within University policy limits.

For the Co-Traveler Whose Lodging Was Paid:

• Submit an expense report with the following statement clearly written:

“Hotel room compliments of [Name of traveler who paid, e.g., John Doe].”

• Include the Expense Report ID of the traveler who paid for the lodging.
• Attach a copy of the lodging receipt.
• Do not claim the hotel expenses for reimbursement.

Additional Requirement:

When traveling with multiple students or employees, a Group Travel Template must be completed and included in the supporting documentation.

Limiting Allowable Hotel Expenses Continues for FY-2026

For the current fiscal year, the Florida Legislature has mandated in HB 5003 that lodging paid with state funding may not exceed $225 per night for university employees for events (meetings, conferences, or conventions) sponsored or organized in whole or in part by Florida International University.  State funds include all E&G funds and state-sponsored grants.  Amounts exceeding $225 per night may be paid through an alternative funding source.

Departments are responsible for ensuring compliance with this requirement when arranging or reimbursing lodging for FIU-sponsored events.

Avis/Budget Car Rental

University employees who require a rental car for official business must follow FIU’s established policies and procedures. This includes using the State of Florida’s designated reservation portal to ensure contract rates, insurance coverage, and compliance with state travel guidelines. STATE OF FLORIDA RESERVATION PORTAL.

Using this portal ensures that all business-related car rentals are guaranteed appropriate pricing and coverage. Failure to use the designated site may result in adjustments to expenses and non-reimbursable expenses.