 |
|
Summary: Use this checklist to determine if an expense or occasion is standard or exceptional entertainment, to learn about approval and fund source restrictions, and find out how to request payment or reimbursement. |
| Checklist |
What to look for |
 |
Make sure the expense or occasion fits the definition of University-sponsored entertainment. |
Compare the expense or occasion with the general definition of entertainment, and check it against the list of expenses and occasions sometimes misunderstood as entertainment.
- University-sponsored entertainment generally refers to an expense or occasion that:
- Serves a clear official business purpose with no personal benefit to the participants
- Involves a guest-host relationship
- Is being incurred by someone who is authorized to act as a host on behalf of the University
- Is cost effective and makes the best use of funds
- Expenses and occasions that are sometimes misunderstood as entertainment include:
- Certain events for which there is no true guest-host relationship or where minimal refreshments are incidental to the purpose of the event. See examples.
-
Non-cash gifts to non-employees such as flowers or gift certificates
- Non-cash employee recognition awards, such as flowers, plaques, or tickets to sporting or other events
- Payments to, or meals for, performing artists
- Venue or conference room rental, or other non-food items such as supplies for an event, when no food expense is claimed
- Volume purchases of minimal items for customary hospitality such as water or plain coffee; however, if used for an administrative meeting entertainment policy applies. (This is also true for purchases through Marketplace Preview such as coffee and snack items.)
|
|
Determine if the expense or event is standard or exceptional entertainment. |
Compare the nature of the entertainment expense or occasion to the policy on standard vs. exceptional entertainment. See these links for assistance:
|
|
Make sure you have obtained appropriate approval. |
Check with your department business office or administrator to see who has the designated authority to approve entertainment in your area.
|
|
Review fund source restrictions. |
Ensure compliance with restrictions on fund sources when paying or reimbursing entertainment expenses.
|
|
Find out how to request payment or reimbursement. |
See Paying for Entertainment Online (via Payment Authorization). Be prepared to provide details about the expense or occasion, including:
- Type and nature of expense
- Official business purpose served
- Cost per person
- Participants involved
Note: Use the paper form (Excel) instead if you wish to issue payment directly to the host's UCSD Travel Card or make multiple payments to the host in a single transaction. See instructions.
|
|
|
Notice: UCSD entertainment and related policy, as published in Blink, is decisive. It has been adapted to UCSD's organization, delegation of authority, terminology, chart of accounts, and processing applications. The source for UCSD entertainment policy is UC Entertainment Policy and Regulations (PDF). |
|
|
