Travel Authorization Overview

All state travel by state agents must be authorized by the state agency prior to the scheduled travel date(s). State agency approval for travel certifies reimbursement for the state agent's travel expenses. State agents planning official business travel for airfare, car rental, international travel, or lodging, create a travel authorization within the OAKS Financials Travel and Expense Center. The Travel Authorization contains an estimate of the expenses the traveler will incur. Estimates should strive to be as accurate as possible.

If travelers will be reimbursed for lodging, international travel, car rental, or airfare, travelers must document the authorization by creating a Travel Authorization within the OAKS Financials Travel and Expense Center. State agents should submit complete and comprehensive Travel Authorizations; meaning, all travel and non-travel expenses should be included on the OAKS FIN Travel Authorization when one or more of the expenses anticipated is for lodging, international travel, car rental, or airfare. The OAKS FIN Travel Authorization contains an estimate of the expenses the traveler will incur. Estimates should strive to be as accurate and complete as possible.

Acceptable expenses may include, but are not limited to, personal auto mileage (when accompanied by other reimbursements), meal per diems, airfare, lodging, conference fees, parking, toll charges, etc.
By requiring travelers to accurately estimate their costs prior to travel, the state is able to accurately budget for future travel costs and correct any budget issues that exist.
OAKS FIN Travel Authorizations can only be postdated. If a traveler is unable to create a travel authorization before the travel occurred, they would need to create the travel authorization with current or future dates and add actual dates of travel in the Description field of the Travel Authorization then enter the actual dates of travel on the Expense Report.