Approving Expense Reports

Approving Expense Reports - Training Document

This training document was developed in support of KCTCS Financials 9.2.

Contents

• Expense Report Approval
• Budget Checking
• Approving an Expense Report
• Using the Email Notification Link
• Using the Worklist
• Using the KCTCS Financials WorkCenter
• Using the Approve Transactions page
• Using the Approve Expense Report page

Expense Report Approval

The Travel and Expense module uses the PeopleSoft Workflow process. The approval process definition is set up to determine the flow of the approval. The approval process consists of:

• Stages – A stage is one part of an approval process that can contain multiple parallel paths. The system executes stages in sequence where one must complete before the next one begins. A stage consists of one or more paths.
• Paths – A path contains a sequence of steps. Within a stage, paths execute in parallel. Path entry criteria determines whether or not a path executes for a given transaction.
• Steps – A step represents one or more approver or auditors. Steps within a path execute in sequence. Separate criteria for each step determine whether or not that step executes.

KCTCS will be using Approval Workflow to allow expense reports to be routed for approval as follows:

Expense reports will be routed for approval, first at the college level, to the HR Supervisor followed by the reimbursement auditor. The final approval will be the System Office Reimbursement auditor. Once the expense report has been approved, it will be staged for payment to the employee.

Budget Checking

The HR supervisor will be responsible for completing the budget checking process for an expense report they have been assigned. This will need to be completed before an expense report can be approved.

If the budget check returns an error and there is a problem with the chart field string, the approver will need to use the Send Back button with a comment to the employee that entered the expense report. This will allow the employee to correct the issue and resubmit the expense report. If the budget checking error is because of insufficient funds, it will be the supervisor’s responsibility to correct the budget.

Approving an Expense Report

The approver will use the Approve Expense Report page to perform a number of approval tasks, including:

• Approving an expense report – The approver can approve the expense report.
• Budget Check an expense report – The HR Supervisor will be responsible for completing the budget checking for the expense report they have been assigned.
• Send Back an expense report – The auditor and approver can send back an expense report if changes need to be made. This functionality is similar to denying a report and allows for the employee to update the report and resubmit.
• Hold an expense report – The approver and auditor can place an expense report on hold

The approver has the ability to navigate to the expense report requiring their approval one of four ways:

1. Using the link within the Email Notification - When the approver clicks the email link, they will be taken to the Approve Expense Report page.
2. Using the Worklist entry - PeopleSoft Workflow creates a Worklist entry along with the email when an expense report is routed for approval. By clicking on the worklist entry, the approver will be taken to the Approve Expense Report page.
3. Using the Financials WorkCenter – The WorkCenter displays all transactions pending the user’s approval. By clicking on the transaction link, the approver will be taken to the Approve Expense Report page
4. Using the Approve Transactions – This page allows the approver to view and take action on expense reports that require their approval.

Using the Email Notification Link

The email notification contains a link which can be used to navigation directly to the individual expense report requiring approval.

Email notifications will only be sent if the user's profile indicates they are to receive Workflow email notifications.

1. Begin by clicking on the link within the email. If you are not already logged into PeopleSoft, the PeopleSoft sign-in page will be displayed and the approver will be required to sign-in.
2. The Approve Expense Report page will be displayed for the expense report.

Using the Worklist

The PeopleSoft Worklist will contains a list of items awaiting the user’s attention. Selecting items to work on from a worklist automatically returns the page needed to perform the action, enabling the user to bypass other navigational structures.

Remember, this is a worklist and may also contain entries for approving requisitions, budget journals, or general ledger journals.

1. Begin by clicking on the Worklist link located in the upper right hand corner of PeopleSoft. Click the Worklist link.
2. The Worklist page provides summary information about all items on the user's personal worklist. There could be items that are not related to expense reports approvals since this is a shared worklist with requisitions, budget journals, and general ledger journals. The Link will contain the key information relating to the expense report.
3. Click the link associated with the expense report to be worked.
4. The Approve Expense Report page will be displayed for the expense report.

Using the KCTCS Financials WorkCenter

The KCTCS Financials WorkCenter will contain a list of items awaiting the approver’s attention, along with other information. Selecting items to work on from the WorkCenter automatically returns the page needed to perform the action, enabling the approver to bypass other navigational structures.

1. Begin by clicking on the Financials WorkCenter link located on the left side of the page. Click the Financials WorkCenter link.
2. The WorkCenter page provides summary information about all items relating to the user. The Pending Approvals section contains all items pending the user’s approval, including Expense Reports. The number following the link indicates how many items are pending approval. If there is no number following the item, the link will not be active as there are currently no items pending approval.
3. Click on the Expense Reports link to display the expense reports pending your approval.
4. The Expense Reports Pending My Approval page displays, enabling the user to view expense reports that require their approval. Click the Report ID link.
5. The Approve Expense Report page will be displayed for the expense report.

Using the Approve Transactions page

The Approve Transactions page provides a generic approval page designed to only display expense reports that need attention.

1. Begin by navigating to the Approve Transactions page. Click Main Menu.
2. Click the Travel and Expenses folder.
3. Click the Approve Transactions folder.
4. Click the Approve Transactions folder.
5. The Approve Transactions pages consist of an overview page of all transactions in an approver’s queue and separate pages for each transaction type. The overview page acts like a worklist of all expense reports pending approval.
6. Click the Expand button next to the Search Pending Transactions section.
7. The Search Pending Transactions section provides a search utility that enables approver to search for specific transactions in their queue that are pending approval. The search does not apply to transactions that the approver has already processed. This utility is intended for approver who manage a large number of transactions for review and approval.
8. The Column Name field lists only columns that appear in the Transactions to Approve
   grid. If a column is selected, then criterion musts be entered.
9. The Expression field is used to select an operand to build the select criteria. Operands that appear for selection change based on the field that you select.
10. The Criteria field is used to enter the specific condition of the select statement.
11. The search utility enables approver to add and delete rows; the conditional relationship between all rows is AND.
12. The Search button is clicked to search the pending transactions in an approver’s queue using the selection criteria entered. The system deselects any transactions in the Transactions to Approve grid previously selected.
13. The Clear button is clicked to remove all search criteria lines.
14. Click the Expand button next to the Change Sort Order section.
15. The Change Sort Order section enables the user to select up to three columns to reorder transactions in the Transactions Pending Approval grid.
16. The Sort By field is used to select the sort key from the list.
17. The Ascending radio button is selected to sort the selected field in ascending order.
18. The Descending radio button is selected to sort the selected field in descending order.
19. The Sort List button is clicked to sort the grid based on the information entered.
20. The Transactions to Approve grid lists the transactions pending approval based on the search and sort criteria specified.
21. The Urgency field indicates the level of urgency. A green circle indicates a low level of urgency. A yellow triangle indicates a medium level of urgency. A red square indicates a high level of urgency.
22. The Errors field displays a red flag to indicate that an error occurred when the system processed the transaction. Errors are conditions that prevent the approval of a transaction. The Error button, red flag, is clicked to access the Approve Transactions – Error page, where the details of the error can be viewed.
23. The Transaction Type field displays the type of expense transactions, such as expense report. KCTCS is only using expense reports at this time.
24. The Total field displays the total amount of the transaction.
25. The Unit field displays the currency code of the transaction.
26. The Name field displays the name of the employee whom the transaction is for.
27. The Employee ID field displays the employee ID of the employee whom the transaction is for.
28. The Description field displays the transaction header description.
29. The Transaction ID displays the transaction ID PeopleSoft Expenses assigned to the transaction.
30. The Date Submitted field displays the date on which the originator last submitted the expense transaction for approval.
31. The Status field displays the current header status of the expense transaction.
32. The Role field displays the type of role or approver type that the approver has for the transactions. Some employees in an organization can be both approver and auditors.
33. The Refresh List button is clicked to retrieve new transactions that may have been submitted to the approver’s queue.
34. Click the Transaction ID link
35. The Approve Expense Report page will be displayed for the expense report.

Using the Approve Expense Report page

1. The Approve Expense Report page is used to perform the approval tasks on a single expense report, including:
   • Review the expense report attachment(s).
   • Reviewing the expense line item information.
   • Reviewing the chartfield information for the expense type by line.
   • Make comments to be viewed by the reimbursement auditor or employee that submitted the expense report.
   • Approving the expense report.
   • Budget checking the expense report, if the approver is the HR Supervisor.
   • Send back an expense report with comment for communications or denial.
   • Hold an expense report.
2. The General Information section at the top of the page displays information for the expense report such as:
   • the Business Purpose Description
   • the Business Purpose
   • the Report Status
   • the Urgency
   • the Report ID
   • the Work Location
   • the date Created On and user ID created By
   • the date last Updated on and user ID last updated By
3. Click the Attachments link.
4. The Expense Report Attachments page will display the attachments.
5. Click the File Name link to view the attachment.
6. The attachment will open for review.
7. Close the attachment.
8. Click the OK button.
9. The Account Defaults link is clicked to access the Approve Expense Report – Accounting Defaults page to view the accounting distribution summary for the expense report. If no default was set up, the chartfield strings can also be reviewed at the expense type line level.
10. The More Options drop down list provides additional options for reviewing the expense report. Options are: View Exception Comments – Select to view the Approve Expense Report – View Exception Comments page. Exception comments are flags for items that may need to be closely reviewed to insure the expense report follows all the KCTCS policies. Export to Excel – Select to export the expenses report into MS Excel.
11. The Receipt Information section is used for verification of receipts. KCTCS is currently not using this functionality.
12. The Expense Line Items section displays each of the lines on the expense report.
13. The Exceptions icon appears if there are exceptions. Click the Exceptions icon to access the Approve Expense Report – View Risk/Exception Comments page for the expense line.
14. The Expense Type link is clicked to access the Approve Expense Report – Expense Detail for [expense type] page to view the details. Click the [expense type] link.
15. The Expense Detail page is used to review the details of the expense type, any exceptions, and the chartfield string assigned to the expense type. If multiple expense types are on one expense report, the Previous Expense and/or Next Expense buttons will be available and can be used to navigate to each of the expense lines for review.
16. Click the Return to Expense Report link.
17. The Expense Report Totals section provides various totals for the expense report.
18. The Definition of Totals link can be clicked to access the Definition of Totals page to view an explanation of each expense total.
19. The Pending Actions section displays the names of the approver and auditors who need to review and approve the expense report.
20. The Action History section displays the transaction submittal and approval activities that have occurred, as well as the approver’s name and date on which they took action.
21. The Comments icon on the action line is clicked to access the Approve Expense Report – View Approver Comments window to view comments that an approver made regarding expense lines. This icon is only displays when the approver has entered comments.
22. The Comments fields is used by the approver and auditor to add any comments to the expense report. The comments can be viewed by all approver and auditors along with the employee that submitted the expense report. Comments can only be added before the expense report is approved. After the approver has approved or sent back the expense report, they will no longer be able to add comments to the report. The comments entered will be saved to the expense report once it has been approved or sent back.
23. The HR Supervisor will be responsible for budget checking the expense report prior to being able to approve it. However, they can Send Back or Hold the expense report prior to budget checking. No other approver will need to complete these steps. For approver other than the HR Supervisor, proceed to step 33.
24. The Budget Options link is used to access the Commitment Control page to budget check the expense report or view comments about the budget check. Click the Budget Options link.
25. The Commitment Control Details section provides additional information regarding the budget status and type.
26. Click the Budget Check button.
27. If errors are encountered during budget checking, the following message will be displayed. If an error is not encountered, proceed to step 29.
28. Click the No button.
29. Once budget checking is complete, the Budget Header Status will be updated. If the status is Error in Budget Check, the issue with the budget or chartfield string must be resolved before the expense report can be approved. If the Budget Header Status is Valid, click the OK button and proceed to step 33.
30. Click the Go to Transaction Exceptions link.
31. Determine the reason for the error and resolve. If the expense report needs to be updated, the report will need to be sent back to the employee along with comments indicating the changes required. If the changes involve changes to the budget, the expense report can be re-budget checked after the budget has been updated.
32. Return to the expense report by clicking the browser back button.
33. The Approve button is clicked to approve the expense report. If more than one approver is required, the status changes to Approvals in Process until the last authorized approver approves the expense report. Once the last approver approves the expense report, the status changes to Approved for Payment.
34. The Send Back button is clicked to send the expense report back to the employee for correction or revision. This action changes the status to Pending. If the expense report is sent back to the employee, an explanation in the Comments field is required.
35. The Hold button is clicked to place the expense report on hold. Holding an expense report claims the transaction for the approver. If a pool of approver exists, each of whom can approve a transaction, placing the transaction on hold means that only the holding user can take action on the transaction.
36. Click the Approve button.
37. The Approve Expense Report – Save Confirmation page will appear.
38. The Expense Report Totals section will display the totals.
39. The Cancel button is clicked to return to the expense report for further review without approving it.
40. Click the OK button to proceed with the approval.
41. If there are additional expense reports pending approval, the next expense report will be displayed.
42. The Return to Approval List link is clicked to return to the Approval Transactions page.
43. If available, the Previous in List and/or Next in List links can be used to navigate to other expense reports.