Accountable Advances

The University’s travel policy states that "the University does not issue accountable advances for normal business travel" and although this is a true statement, Travel Services recognizes that there are a number of instances where advances are appropriate. Accountable advances will be issued for a number of reasons, some of which do not involve travel, and are outlined below, together with other pertinent information.

Travel Services, 405 Administration Building, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB   R3T 2N2

Procedure: An Accountable/Cash Advance is requested within CONCUR, the University's Online Booking Tool.  

Procedure for Foreign Accountable Advance:  A Foreign Accountable Advance is available by filling out the Foreign Accountable Advance Request Form.

For accountable advances, staff, students and in some cases, visitors; our current practice is to have your one-over-one and on the F.O.P., or alternate signing authority authorize the accountable advance; as such, the advance may be made directly to a staff member who does not have a full-time appointment if that person has signing authority (on a grant account, for example) or to a student.

What are the responsibilities of the recipient of an accountable advance or the signing authority, as the case may be?

If the recipient of the advance is a non-staff member, such as a student or a visitor, the signing authority that authorized the advance is responsible for ensuring that it is accounted for at the expected end date of the advance and that any unspent balance is returned; if the recipient of the advance is a staff member, he/she is responsible for ensuring that it is accounted for at the expected end date of the advance and that any unspent balance is returned to Travel Services.

Timely accounting for advances is critical as the advance triggers only a commitment against the account to which it is charged. Accounting for the advance triggers the actual expenses to be charged against the account, which, in the case of grant expenditures may give rise to billing for the funding from the granting agency.

What does Financial Services issue foreign accountable advances for, why and for which travel destinations?

Travel to other countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, South America, etc. and to northern regions of Canada where credit cards are not widely accepted in the particular area of travel.

Travel to destinations where the traveller expects to be staying in light housekeeping accommodations and requires cash to purchase groceries and small incidentals from local merchants.

Research projects conducted by University researchers where the University’s purchasing system cannot accommodate purchasing needs or cannot be used to satisfy portions of the project’s purchasing needs.

Research projects which involve the payment of nominal amounts by researchers to a number of study participants; normally the study participants will be expected to sign a document indicating that they have received payment; however if confidentiality of the study participant’s names is critical or the amount that each recipient received is very small, the document may contain either the initials of the participants or a written declaration from the researcher or an administrative assistant as to the number of participants and the amount paid to each participant; payments of this nature are still subject to audit by the granting agency and as a result, Financial Services will direct the auditors directly to the researcher for the appropriate documentation to support these expenses. Accountable Advance can be used to cover Per diems for visitors (professors, lecturers, etc)

What other reasons are acceptable?

Financial hardship where advances are for students travelling and in some cases, for new staff members who must travel but have not yet received a University Travel card and cannot use a personal credit card to pay their expenses. University Travel cards can be obtained within a very short period of time at no charge to staff. Request for Accountable Advance form. The University Travel card application form can be found on the forms website. 

What is the duration of an accountable advance?

Accountable advances may be short term (1-4 weeks in duration) or longer term greater than 1-month duration). An end date is established at the time the advance is issued; advances will not normally extend past the fiscal year end because it is critical that the expenses are recorded in the correct year for financial reporting purposes and that all billings to granting agencies are made in the correct year. For advances that do extend past the fiscal year end (March 31) recipients are required to submit a partial accounting as of March 31 to ensure the expenses are charged to the correct period.

How are accountable advances requested and what information is required?

An Accountable/Cash Advance is requested in CONCUR, the University's Online Booking Tool.  Please use the Concur Travel and Expense Guide, Cash Advance Excerpt to assist in your request for your Accountable/Cash Advance within Concur and your reconciliation.

The comment section in the Cash Advance Request within CONCUR should provide the FOAP , the person  receiving the Advance, Employee/Student # if applicable, the purpose of the advance and the end date the advance will be accounted for. The request should be approved by the signing authority for the account or an alternate signing authority. A person cannot approve a travel advance for him/herself. The request will be forwarded to Travel Services for processing.

How are payments of accountable advances made?

For University of Manitoba employees, advances are deposited directly into the employee's bank account on Friday. For non-employees, advances are issued by Canadian cheque. Travel advance requests received in Financial Services by noon each Tuesday, are processed and paid by Friday of the following week.

How and when are accountable advances accounted for and/or returned?

By travel and business expense claim. Accountable advances must be accounted for by the end date which was agreed upon at the time of issuance; unless there are exceptional circumstances, new advances will not be issued before old advances are cleared.

Who is responsible for accounting for advances?

The individual to whom the advance is issued is responsible for accounting for the advance and returning any unused balance to Travel Services; in cases where the individual is a non-staff member, the signing authority who approved is responsible for ensuring the timely completion of a travel claim by the recipient.

On major research projects which are undertaken in other countries or in northern regions of Canada, an administrative assistant located on campus normally has assumed responsibility as the local contact, however, the recipient of the advance is still expected to provide the accounting and sign for the appropriateness of the expenditures made.