Travel/Expense Claims Frequently Asked Questions
1. How Do I complete the Expense claim Form? (Where do I start?)
2. Where can I learn more on how to complete an expense claim?
3. How do I find out what is permissible for out-of-pocket expenses?
4. I submitted my claim via ECS, but it does not show as submitted – what happened?
5. Does ECS Handle Advance requests?
6. Can I delete an Expense Claim Form created in ECS in Error?
7. I am confused on what Location Code to be used for Airfare?
8. How Can I transfer a Departmental Charge that is actually PDR?
9. I have submitted my Expense Claim. When can I expect my reimbursement payment?
10. How do you Delete Rows? or ECS Error states that; “Claim # 123456: Invalid Coding in Ontario account codes”
11. How do I get setup for EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer)?
1.How Do I complete the Expense claim Form? (Where to start?)
As an ECS user, you can create your expense claim, print it off, and then have it signed via your "normal" approval process. Once signed with all necessary departmental approvals on the Cover Page - the expense claim (with all receipts) is delivered to Revenue Control. At any time, you can check on the status of all your expense claims and their payment status via ECS.
a) For a quick start in completing your expense claim, review the 15 minute online tutorial
b) To log onto ECS, go to here.
Sign on with your CCS logon ID. If you find you cannot log on; you will be prompted with the following system message: "You are not set up in the Expense Claim System (ECS). For UofG employees, fill out the form "Request to Add Employee(s) to ECS" and email to ecs@uoguelph.ca. Once Revenue Control staff adds you to ECS, you will be able to add/review your claim(s).
c) To add an Employee to ECS, refer to the form titled “Request to Add an Employee ECS” listed on the Travel / Expense claims web page.
d) If you encounter any problems in trying to log onto ECS, email ECS.
2. Where can I learn more on how to complete an expense claim?
- Take 15 minutes and view the ECS tutorial
- Check with your Administrative Contact who handles expense claims
- Refer to the UofG Travel Policy at the Travel/Expense claim
3. How do I find out what is permissible for out-of-pocket expenses?
Refer to the UofG Travel Policy at the Travel/Expense claim web page
4. I submitted my claim via ECS, but it does not show as submitted – what happened?
Note: Do Not SAVE as the last step, otherwise the ECS process undoes the Final Submit function and the claim is considered as New and is NOT submitted to Revenue Control. The normal process is to enter all the information into the ECS form; hit the Validate button, correct any errors if necessary, re-validate and then view the pdf version. If the claim looks OK, then hit Final Submission (Last Step) and then print the pdf.
On the printed copy of your claim, the upper right hand corner of the expense output form should read Validated –YES and Final Submission – YES. If Not; you need to repeat the Validate and Final Submit process again.
Finally, sign your claim, attach all receipts (that have been indexed to the receipt lines on your claim), and then give to your Admin. Contact, who would gain the necessary approval(s) and then hand over to Revenue Control.
5. Does ECS Handle Advance requests?
No, at this time, ECS does not allow Expense Claims where there is an Travel Advance applied against it. The two excel based forms are still used for the Advance request, and at trip completion, when the Advance is applied against the trip expenses. This is the only time the excel based claim form is used. Both forms can be found on the Travel/Expense claim web page.
6. Can I delete an Expense Claim Form created in ECS in Error?
No, if you have started an expense claim that is not required, complete the following steps to re-use your ECS expense claim form for the next claim:
- a) Using the Delete Rows button, and the small check box (far left of the form) delete each receipt.
- b) Using the Delete Coding Lines button and the check boxes, delete all coding lines
- c) Hit the SAVE button.
- d) In the Purpose field, type in “Form to be used next time”. This will flag this claim to be used for next time.
7. I am confused on what Location Code to be used for Airfare?
A summary of various airfare trips and the appropriate Location Code to be used is available at Travel / Expense claim web page. Click on the link titled HST Impact on the Expense Claim.
8. How Can I transfer a Departmental Charge that is actually PDR?
Where a goods or service is purchased and charged to a department and then later deemed to be used for a staff member’s PDR, the funds must be transferred via a Journal entry (with complete description included on your JE). The expense claim form is to be used for out-of-pocket expenses, not accounting transfers.
9. I have submitted my Expense Claim, when can I expect my reimbursement payment?
Check under the Claims Tab on ECS – for the group in which your claim is categorized; i.e New, Submitted to Revenue Control, Received by Revenue Control or Payments in Progress. For more info refer to the online tutorial - under the section titled “Checking the Status of your Claims”
- If the claim has not yet been received by Revenue Control, you should check with your Administrative contact to see when the approved claim was actually delivered to Revenue Control.
- Completed and approved Expense Claims (with all receipts attached) delivered to Revenue Control by 4 PM Wednesday - will result in EFT payments (electronic funds transfer) processed and direct deposited to your bank account the following week (by Wednesday or Friday). Payment by cheque may take up to two weeks.
Still receiving a cheque? Switch now to EFT for faster payment service! To access the EFT Application form – Refer under Links @ the ECS Home page or at the Financial Services Travel / Expense page.
10. How do you Delete Rows? or ECS Error states that; “Claim # 123456: Invalid Coding in Ontario account codes”
If there appears to be an error in the coding section of the form – but there are blank coding rows – then use the Delete Rows function. For each coding line, tick the box on each line, far left hand side of the form, and delete the first 4-5 blank rows. SAVE the form and revalidate. This should remove the error. If you still encounter a problem email ECS Support. Be sure to include your name, Claim number and the problem encountered in your email.
11. How do I get setup for EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) or direct deposit?
Print off the EFT Application form, fill in the form and send to Revenue Control. The EFT form can be found under Links @ the ECS Home page or at the Financial Services Travel / Expense page. Please note that is may take 7-10 days to update your employee records in Oracle Financials – so send in your completed EFT form asap. E:\Revenue Control\Glenn\TEMP\FAQ's - ECS.doc