Frequently Asked Questions

We recommend using Google Chrome when processing an Expense Report (ER) in Ariba eTravel as it has reported the least amount of issues. 

Alternative web browsers do work but we have come across some minor bugs in them. Mozilla Firefox we have come across the most issues with over the years. 

We also recommend making sure that your Google Chrome is up to date and is set to automatically stay up to date. The Ariba developers match the system with more current versions of web browsers so it's generally best to let your web browsers stay up to date. Here are some screenshots that walk through how to check on this for Google Chrome: 

There are several ROLES that must be assigned by your department prior to using eTravel.

ASTRA is used to designate the compliance and funding approvers for specific budgets/organization codes. A watcher role may also be added to view only specific budgets/organization codes.

The preparer and individuals on the approval flow receive email notifications indicating the ER status unless each change their own email notification preferences.

See Notification Preferences.

Traveler information that auto-populates for future expense reports. Learn more.

Select Yes next to Personal Time Taken in the Summary screen and provide dates, times, and location of personal travel. Airfare costs for destination other than the UW business location is not reimbursable and must be deducted from the total airfare cost. Learn more about responsibilities during personal time.

Click on the County Info link to identify if the city is in a high cost county for domestic locations. Learn more.  Select Other when the location is not listed for Foreign and Non-Contiguous areas. Learn more.

Receipts must be attached to ER for all expenses $75 or over and all receipts regardless of costs for airfare, lodging,rail, car rental, laundry, and meals paid on the behalf for others are required.

* Ensure you check with your department/medical center administrators on which receipts they require.

ERs will automatically withdraw after 30 calendar days if there are no actions taken. The ER will remain in the My Documents box indefinitely until an action is taken.

No, eTravel will automatically assigned each ER an id number instead.

Split budgets can be entered at an individual item level or as a mass edit after all items have been entered. Select Edit then Split Accounting per individual item or select Mass Edit then Split Accounting for all items. Learn more.

Yes, enter these codes in the budget screen.

CTA, Procard and Other Expense Report (ER) are Paid By options  for some travel expense items and can be selected when expenses have been charged to these accounts. These expenses will be included in total trip cost, but will be excluded from reimbursed amount. Note:  Selecting these paid by options are not required.  A comment may also be entered regarding items paid by these options.  

Signatures are no longer required for travelers on UW payroll to approve their travel reimbursement. Employees logs into etravel and their approval is authenticated with their UW NetId.

The ER print version can be emailed, faxed, scanned, or mailed to the traveler. The traveler must sign the ER print version, return to the department via email, fax, scan or mail.  The preparer approves the ER once the signature is received and may electronically attach the signature to the ER in eTravel.

Select Claimant as the appropriate Paid By method for each item and enter the other travelers' names in the ER comment section. Please also include purpose of trip home address (city and state), and duty station (city and state) for other traveler in the ER comment section. Meals paid for others is separate  from this and are reimbursed at actual costs as evidenced by receipts and cannot exceed the allowable meal per diem rate per person according to the location of travel.

If the ER is submitted and completely approved prior to 6:00pm, the check is issued the following day.

Select Wire from the Check Delivery Information options. Include applicable information listed on ER print version and attach to the ER in ARIBA with applicable receipts.

To review transactions in eTravel a UWNetid and password are required.  We have taken additional security measures to protect what may be considered sensitive information by limiting access to documentation: Attachments (receipts) and comments in the system will only be visible to those authorized on the ER approval flow:  preparer, approver, traveler, or watcher.

Only use eTravel if you are reimbursing the traveler. Please be sure to provide proof of payment and comercial lodging facility. If reimbursing property managment company contact Real Estate Office.

You may authorize the user to have enhanced accessibility. This role provides two links on the top left corner that help navigation and a scroll on lists rather than pages.

Log onto Astra

Choose Ariba Admin

Select enhanced accessibility under role

Click ok proceed to cart

The status of your expense report is right at your fingertips

• Go into eTravel and search for this ER

• Once you have it up click on the approval flow tab

• Check if all nodes have a green check mark, if one does not, that is where it is stuck

• Check the status of the ER in the right hand corner:
  • Submitted – Awaiting approval(check approval flow)
  • Processed – paid ( check history to see the date)
  • Denied – An approver has denied the ER ( check the comments for details, fix and hit resubmit or submit)

• If all are green, go to the history tab, see when the last approval was done, If done by 6pm , the check is issued the next business day and you can see it on MYFD

• If direct deposit yes was chosen, it is in your bank accound two business days after the final approval.

See Ariba Scanning Policy set forth by UW Records Management for more information 

See Ariba Scanning Policy set forth by UW Records Management for more information 

Per Diem no longer in eTravel/Ariba? 

• Using the ‘meal per diem’ line item, select the current per diem rate for that business location.
• In the line item, you will use the ‘override’ function to reduce the reimbursement down to the allowable per diem based on the previous dates.
• Documentation of the old per diem must be attached to the expense report as a PDF:
  • Domestic (contiguous states) can be found at: https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates
  • Foreign (including non-contiguous states) can be found at: https://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/perdiemCalc.cfm
• Add a comment indicating this procedure was followed due to the per diems no longer being listed in the Ariba system.
• For any questions please email the Travel Office: traveluw@uw.edu

• Add one day before the actual check in date.  For example, travel dates were 9/28/10 - 10/2/10.  New season rates were in effect on 10/1/2010.
  
  • enter check in date of 9/27 and check out date of 9/30 as one lodging item during the first season
  • enter check in date of 10/1 and check out date of 10/2 as one lodging item during the second season
  • enter a comment regarding two seasonal rates