• Getting started
• Types of entertainment that can be processed online
• Approvals
• Documentation to submit to UCSD Travel
• Department responsibility
• Documentation to include with the payment
• Account code use
• Exceptions to policy
• Turnaround time

1. Review the entertainment approval guidelines.
2. Ensure that approval authority is in place. The person(s) who approves entertainment in your department must have the proper delegation of authority to do so.
   • If online requests will be approved by the same person(s) who approves paper entertainment forms, then this delegation should have already been acquired.
   • If the person(s) in your department who will be approving online entertainment requests differs from who approves paper entertainment forms, follow the instructions for having an Approval Authority for University Sponsored Entertainment form (Excel) on file with UCSD Travel.

3. Establish online access and approval hierarchies:
   • If you already have access to FinancialLink:
     • Request that your DSA establish an entertainment approval hierarchy
   • If you do not have access to FinancialLink:
     • Follow the instructions on How to Get a User ID (Business Systems)
     • Request that your DSA establish an entertainment approval hierarchy.
   Note: Ideally, the person authorized to approve entertainment will be included in your hierarchy. But if the person authorized to approve entertainment does not use FinancialLink, you must print and route a summary for signature.

Standard entertainment:
• Less than $75
• $75 or more
Graduate student recruitment:
• Less than $75
• $75 or more
  
Exceptional entertainment:
• All dollar amounts

Note: Dollar amounts above include tax and tip.

Entertainment payments that cannot be requested online include:

• Direct payment to the host's UCSD Travel Card account
• Payment to a host/ vendor for multiple entertainment events on one transaction

• For standard entertainment, including graduate student recruitment, the template automatically routes your entertainment payment request for the appropriate approvals.
• For exceptional entertainment, you must print the completed payment request summary and acquire the vice chancellor's or designee's signature before submitting it to UCSD Travel for final approval.

Type of entertainment	Approval guidelines
Standard entertainment Graduate student recruitment	Preparer Department fund manager Person with authority to approve entertainment UCSD Travel Disbursements manager* *Approval is required only when an exception to policy applies.
Exceptional entertainment	Preparer Department fund manager Person with authority to approve entertainment Vice chancellor or designee UCSD Travel Disbursements manager* *Approval is required only when an exception to policy applies.

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Documentation to submit to UCSD Travel: The documentation required by UCSD Travel depends on the entertainment type and whether exceptions to policy apply. See the table below for documentation guidelines:

Type of entertainment	Supporting documentation guidelines
Standard entertainment (less than $75)	No supporting paper documentation required (nothing additional to the information that is required online)
Standard entertainment ($75 or more)	Receipts required
Graduate student recruitment (less than $75)	No supporting paper documentation required (nothing additional to the information that is required online)
Graduate student recruitment ($75 or more)	Receipts required
Exceptional entertainment (all dollar amounts)	Receipts required Printed Payment Authorization Summary required (must be signed by the vice chancellor or designee)

The host must provide receipts for department review. While UCSD Travel does not require submission of receipts for a standard entertainment request for a single event less than $75, the host must provide the receipts for department review. The department approver can then determine if the expenses are allowable and will have the information required to complete the reimbursement process.

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Department responsibility:

Receipt requirements for using the Payment Authorization process for entertainment requests are the same as for using the paper form, and have not changed.

Required department receipt review and certification is included when completing an online request for entertainment using Payment Authorization. If you use a paper form to request an entertainment payment, indicate certification of receipt review by checking the appropriate checkbox on the paper form (Excel).

For a single standard entertainment request less than $75, including graduate student recruitment, departments:

• Must review and certify that receipts are original and that they substantiate an allowable expense
• May choose whether or not to retain receipts


You are not required to submit these receipts to UCSD Travel to process the request.

For audit purposes, the person who approved the entertainment will have certified that the receipt was original and accurately reflected the expense, and the receipt will not be required as part of the audit.

Note: For receipts that have been reviewed and certified and will not be retained in the department, make sure you guard the security of any sensitive information during disposal, i.e., use a shredding machine.

Note: Be sure to write the document number assigned to your payment request on all documents that will accompany the payment.

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Account code use:

When you use Payment Authorization for Entertainment, select account 637250. For exceptional entertainment, UCSD Travel will adjust to the appropriate code.

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Exceptions to policy: The most common exceptions to policy occur when:

• Original receipts are unavailable.
• The reimbursement request is for an event/ occasion that took place more than a year ago.

UCSD Travel prints your completed Payment Authorization Summary and routes it to the disbursements manager for review and approval when appropriate.

Note: Exceptions to policy are different from exceptional entertainment. Exceptional entertainment is entertainment that has either exceeded the maximum entertainment allowance or involves special occasions or spouses.

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Turnaround time: The turnaround time for processing your request is as short as possible. Although processing typically takes only a couple of days, please allow up to four days from the date UCSD Travel receives your completed request and supporting documentation when applicable.

Note: You may experience a longer turnaround time if requesting approval for an exception to policy.

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