Non-employee guests do not have access to IU systems. Because of this, an IU department travel arranger is responsible for completing the process outlined below and submitting travel expense reports on the guest's behalf.
Click on each step to learn about it, or watch an interactive video covering the entire process.
Travel process overview
Traveler profiles represent your guest in IU's systems
Collect your guest's personal details. This info is used to create a BUY.IU supplier profile and is entered on travel reservations you create. This info should match the legal ID the traveler will present to TSA at the airport or to hotel staff during check-in. Discrepancies may cause delays at the airport.
- Use Secure Share to receive any traveler-specific information that is considered critical data.
Trip Authorization (TA) may be required depending on the trip's destination and your department's requirements. The TA should be approved before travel is booked.
Complete these necessary steps:
- Use the traditional Non-Employee Traveler Worksheet to collect traveler information and travel preferences. If your department is not booking travel on behalf of the non-employee, use the Non-Employee Traveler Form to collect the basic information needed for step 2 below.
- If your traveler is visiting from another country, review the steps on this page.
- Create a BUY.IU Non-employee Traveler Supplier
- Learn about Trip Authorization
- If required, Submit a Trip Authorization
Resources:
When booking airfare, lodging, or airport transportation, there are IU-prepaid options
Your department may book guest travel using an IU payment method, or the guest may book their own allowable travel with personal funds.
Guest travelers cannot access IU systems. If your department is booking travel, you are responsible for making reservations and reporting those expenses in Emburse Enterprise. After booking, share itinerary and communicate travel plans to your guest.
Airfare and lodging:
- Egencia
- Online booking tool used to book airfare and/or lodging
- Paid with IU ghost card (saved in Egencia)
- If using Egencia to book, Create a Guest Traveler Profile
- Designated Travel Agency (DTA)
- Use to book airfare
- Can help find lodging too but lodging must be purchased with guest's personal card.
- Booked by travel agent & paid with IU ghost card (on file)
- Trip Authorization always required with a DTA
- Great for complex multistop or international airfare
- Each agency assesses a booking fee ($30 or more) per reservation.
- Use to book airfare
- Direct Billing Hotels
- Booked by Travel Arranger via contracted local hotels & IU-paid with direct billing process
- Use to book lodging
- Available exclusively for non-employee guests
Ground Transportation
- Airport Transportation
- An IU-paid shared or private ride service can help get your guest from the airport to their next destination.
- These expenses are reconciled in Emburse Enterprise.
Resources:
Set expectations with these important reminders
Work with your Fiscal Officer to know what expenses your department is willing to fund. Departments can reimburse allowable car rentals or mileage, taxis/rideshares, and per diem for guests if desired.
Let your guest know what is allowed, and have them save receipts for reimbursement. Communicate with the guest and ensure they know how they're getting from location to location.
Travel Interruptions: Provide the guest with guidance and/or a departmental contact to use in the event of travel interruptions. Flights and lodging booked in Egencia or with DTAs can be rebooked by the department if necessary, or you may reimburse allowable and necessary travel reservation changes.
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All expenses must be reported in Emburse Enterprise, whether IU-prepaid or guest-paid
When IU's credit card is used to book travel, corresponding credit card items appear in your department's travel arranger's Emburse Enterprise eWallet. Credit card expenses are reconciled within 60 days of the trip end date to comply with IU Accountable Plan guidelines, and can be submitted before the trip occurs.
Your department may choose to fund allowable travel reimbursements. These are requested and substantiated within 60 days of the trip end date to comply with IU Accountable Plan guidelines. Reimbursements are not allowed before the trip end date.
Your department is responsible for collecting receipts from the guest and processing expense reports in Emburse Enterprise.
Resources:
Who are non-employees?
Non-employees are individuals who are not employed by or studying at IU, who are traveling on IU-funded business. Below are some examples of non-employee guests:
- Guest speakers & scholars
- Job candidates & prospective faculty
- Volunteers
- Retirees
- Academic No Pays (ACNP)
Guest Family Member Travel
Per the Travel Policy, IU will fund travel expenses for family members or partners of job candidates only. Reach out to us for guidance on booking family member travel.
When working with guests from another country, you are encouraged to contact the Travel team via the Travel Support Form with questions or use a Designated Travel Agency (DTA) to book international travel.
Payments to International Visitors quick guide – Review these steps provided by University Tax Services when working with non-employee travelers from outside the U.S.
International guests may receive reimbursements via international wire transfer to their bank in their home country. Learn more about the different options below.
Payment for services such as honoraria
Guests performing a service for which they will receive payment are required to onboard as a full individual supplier in BUY.IU. These types of payments are taxable and cannot be processed through Emburse Enterprise.
Once the supplier profile is approved by Supplier Data Management (SDM), create the check request or non-catalog order in BUY.IU. Review the Payments for Services to International Guests page to learn more.
- If your guest is set up as a Non-Employee Traveler supplier, you will need to request the guest be upgraded and invited to register using a Supplier Edit Request form in BUY.IU.
- If your guest does not have a BUY.IU supplier profile, request a Check Request (Tax ID Required) supplier profile.
SDM will invite the guest to complete registration. If your guest has questions about registration, they can contact SDM by emailing helpmeiu@iu.edu or calling (812) 855-6101
Policies referenced
- FIN-TRV-1.0: Travel Policy – Describes which travel expenses are and are not allowable.
- FIN-ACC-620: Expenditures: Expenses and Reimbursement Under the Accountable Plan – Defines the requirements an expense is subject to in order to meet the IU Accountable Plan.
- Receipt Requirements – Defines when receipts are required for reimbursements and what details are required on each receipt.