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Issuing Travel and Research Cash Advances

The Cash Advance Form and an Internal Billing e-doc, will make up the advance request.

Please note that Pre-trip authorization is required for anyone traveling on behalf of Michigan State University regardless of reimbursement source or lack thereof.

Procedure

  1. The advance recipient prepares a Cash Advance Form (CAF) detailing the amount and purpose of the advance.
  2. A department e-doc initiator (the advance recipient, the account Fiscal Officer (FO),etc.) will complete an Internal Billing (IB) e-doc to charge the $15 advance fee expense to a department account string (object code 6489) and record income to account number XT022906, object code 4050.
  3. In the ‘Description’ field of the IB, the initiator is required to enter “Advance - LastName”.
  4. In the ‘Explanation’ field of the IB, the initiator is to include a brief reason for the advance request.
  5. The initiator is required to attach the completed CAF to the IB.
  6. The IB will automatically route for approval to the FO on the account charged (except if the FO is also the initiator). The FO’s approval of the IB approves both: 1) the $15 advance fee; and 2) the cash advance amount noted on the CAF. (Please Note: If the FO is the advance recipient, the IB must be approved by the FO delegate. Additionally, if the travel advance will be for $25,000 or more it must be ad hoc routed to the AVP/Dean/Associate or Assistant Dean/College Budget Officer for approval.
  7. Once the IB has been fully approved, Accounting will issue the promissory note and attach it to the original IB document. If the advance is for a non-MSU employee, a wire transfer form will also be attached. The initiator of the IB will be notified via e-mail that that the promissory note is ready.
  8. The initiator will obtain the signature of the advance recipient on the promissory note and e-mail it, along with the wire transfer form if needed, to accounting@ctlr.msu.edu.
  9. Accounting will facilitate issuance of the advance via Disbursement Voucher (DV) and payment will be processed in one of two ways:
    1. Active MSU employees, including student employees will receive their advance in the same manner that they receive their payroll payments – via direct deposit, pay card, or check.
    2. Non-MSU recipients will receive their advance via wire. Payment via wire requires the wire transfer form described in step 7.


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