Procurement and Business Services
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Travel Card Cardholder and Approver Responsibilities
and
Procedures

University of Maryland Travel Card cardholders are responsible for all charges made to their Travel Card and for updating and maintaining required records each month. Cardholders are responsible for securing the Travel Card and the Travel Card account number. Travel Card cardholders, approving authorities, and account updaters must comply with the terms of the University of Maryland Diners Club Travel Card Member Agreement.

Approvers must verify and approve the appropriateness of charges for the Travel Card accounts they have responsibility for reviewing. An approver may not approve his/her own transactions nor the transactions of his/her supervisor.

Department approving authorities are responsible for ensuring that Travel Card documentation and receipts are provided in accordance with Travel Card deadlines and are maintained in accordance with University policies. In addition, department approving authorities are responsible for ensuring that Travel Card logs are updated with the appropriate KFS number and object code by the monthly deadline. Failure to update the Travel Card log and provide the appropriate KFS number and object code by the deadline will result in the item being posted to the default KFS number and object code. Failure to update the Travel Card log by the established deadline may also result in Travel Card revocation.

If a Travel Card Cardholder discovers that a Travel Card or Travel Card account number has been compromised, lost, or stolen, or if a Cardholder notices any unauthorized transactions, the Cardholder must notify both Diners Club and Travel Services immediately. Failure of the Cardholder to immediately notify Travel Services as well as Diners Club could result in the Cardholder being individually liable for unauthorized charges. The Cardholder must notify Diners Club via the phone number provided on the back of the Travel Card. In addition, the Cardholder must also notify Travel Services by sending an email to travel@umd.edu or calling 301.405.0607.

Monthly Travel Card Cardholder Responsibilities

  • Ensure that all charges appearing on the Diners Club Travel Card statement and in the Travel Card Management System are accurate, valid, and in accordance with University System of Maryland Travel Policy and other University policies/procedures.
  • Fraudulent charges must be reported to Diners Club and Travel Services immediately.
  • Verify that the charges on the Travel Card Management System and Diners Club Travel Card statement match by transaction and dollar amount.
  • Review each Travel Card charge in the Travel Card Management System and select the appropriate cost code(s) for each transaction and update the default KFS number and object code as needed to one or more valid KFS numbers and object codes.
  • Verify that each object code coincides with a corresponding cost code. Use the appropriate descriptive cost code, and select "Other" only when a more descriptive cost code is not available.
  • Update each Travel Card charge in the Travel Card Management System with the required trip number.
  • Record descriptive comments for each charge.
  • Update the Travel Card Management System for the current billing period by the established Travel Card deadline (generally the second Wednesday of each month by 5:30 p.m.).

Travel Card Transaction Log Procedures

  • Print the Travel Card Transaction Log for the current billing period no later than the established deadline.
  • Attach the itemized receipts and the Diners Club Travel Card statement to the Travel Card Transaction Log.
  • The Cardholder must sign and date the Travel Card Transaction Log and forward it to the approver for signature and date.
  • The Travel Card Transaction Log documentation must be retained within the central departmental file location.

Compliance with Travel Card Procedures

The Travel Card must be used in compliance with University Travel policies/procedures, all relevant University policies/procedures, governing law, and applicable regulations. Refer to the University of Maryland Policy and Procedures Concerning Food Purchases for Purposes Other Than Employee Travel and Resale (Business Meals) for information about allowable business meal expenses.

The University may revoke a Travel Card and/or take disciplinary action (including dismissal) if a Travel Card Cardholder's use of the Travel Card is inconsistent with University policies and procedures, governing law, or applicable regulations.

The Travel Card cardholder, the approving authority, and the department head are accountable for ensuring that all Travel Card purchases are properly approved and documented, and are made in compliance with University policies, governing law, and applicable regulations.

The following are examples of unallowable Travel Card purchases and examples of Travel Card use that are inconsistent with University policies and procedures. The list provides some examples and is not exhaustive.

Examples of Unallowable Purchases

  • Personal services or items
  • Retail purchases (non-University travel or hosting purchases)
  • Gift cards
  • Gifts of sentiment (i.e., flowers, candy, birthday/retirement gifts, etc.)
  • Books, periodicals, subscriptions, etc.
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Membership fees (individual)
  • Car sharing service membership and rental fees
  • Fines including, but not limited to, fines for traffic, toll, photo enforcement, and parking violations. Such fines are the personal financial responsibility of the individual who incurred the violation. The driver is responsible for payment of the violation as well as any associated fees received from the issuing jurisdiction.
  • Services or purchases that exceed delegated authority (unless made using a University Contract Travel Agency or a properly executed contract)
  • Stringing - University travel purchases that break an activity into several charges to mask a total cost that exceeds delegated authority
  • Payment for travel or hosting services secured with an agreement or contract that has not been signed by Travel Services (or the Department of Procurement and Strategic Sourcing). Departments do not have the authority to sign contracts or otherwise obligate the University for travel/hosting services.

Examples of Travel Card Use that is Inconsistent with University Policies and Procedures

  • Failure to update the Travel Card Management System each month in accordance with the established deadline
  • Failure to adhere to University Travel policies and procedures, related University policies and procedures, governing law, and applicable regulations
  • Failure to respond to Travel Card Reviews (i.e., audits) in a timely manner with the requested documentation
  • Failure to provide proper receipts and other Travel Card documentation
  • Failure to take action in accordance with Travel Review (i.e., audit) findings
  • Failure to cancel the Travel Card when transferring departments or leaving the University