A travel authorization is a written order prepared for an individual to take an official trip to a temporary duty station away from the official duty station. The authorization is created in GovTrip and requires a lot of information before the traveler is authorized to travel. The authorization will include the official travel expenses such as lodging, meals, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses. It will show TDY location, per diem for the location selected and a purpose for the trip. The traveler will also show the departure and return dates and be able to select the accounting code that is associated with his or her office. The accounting code consists of a fund, cost center, reporting category and project code if applicable. The trip can be charged to one or multiple fund sources. You will need to make sure that all expenses are listed in the authorization so that the funds can be obligated once the document is signed and it goes through the routing process to be approved by an authorizing official. Once the authorization is
approved it will be interfaced into the financial system and the funds will be obligated for the trip. Once the travel is complete the traveler will prepare a voucher in GovTrip with all of the actual expenses that he or she incurred on the trip. Any expenses that changed from the estimate on the authorization can be amended at this time. Once the voucher is signed and routed through the approval process to be interfaced into the financial system, the traveler can expect payment in three to five days from the time it is interfaced.
By Deva Wilson
“The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect any position of the Government or my agency.”