Cash Advances

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Policy Number:
UW-3025
Responsible Office:
Accounting Services, Division of Business Services

University Policy

Rationale/​Purpose:

To ensure cash advances are disbursed appropriately and reconciled in a timely manner.

Definitions:
Cash Advance
Funds disbursed to an employee in advance of UW-Madison business travel to offset anticipated out-of-pocket expenses during the course of travel.
Expense Report
A categorized and itemized submission of expenditures incurred by an individual on behalf of the university.
Spend Authorization
A request submitted in Workday Expenses to obtain approval for a cash advance.
Workday Expenses
A module in Workday used to create, submit, and approve expense reports for out-of-pocket, shared liability card, and purchasing card transactions.
Scope:

This policy applies to faculty and staff seeking cash advances for travel expenses and staff approving and auditing cash advances.

Policy:
  1. Appropriate Use

    Travelers may request a cash advance only if no other payment options are available or practical.

  2. Approvals

    Travelers must seek approval for a cash advance by submitting a spend authorization via Workday Expenses.

  3. Limits

    Cash advances must not exceed 100% of the anticipated expenses to be paid by the traveler.

  4. Reconciliation
    1. Cash advances must be fully reconciled within 30 days of the end of the trip.
    2. Employees must submit an expense report to account for the use of the advanced funds.
    3. If advanced funds exceed actual expenses, the balance must be returned to the university via one of the following methods:
      1. Payroll deduction
      2. Personal check
  5. Consequences for Noncompliance

    Failure to comply with this policy may result in disciplinary action.

Related UW-Madison Policies:
Related UW–Madison Documents, Web Pages, or Other Resources:

Policy Administration

Approval Authority:
Assistant Vice Chancellor of Business Services and Controller
Policy Manager:
Expense Reimbursement Program Manager, Division of Business Services
Contact:
Expense Reimbursement Program Manager -- Expense Reimbursement Business Services, expensereimbursement@bussvc.wisc.edu
Effective Date:
10-05-2015
Revised Dates:

07-01-2019, 07-01-2025

Reviewed Dates:

07-01-2019, 06-29-2023, 07-01-2025

Retrieved:
10-28-2025 18:55:04