How can I know if my expense claim has been processed and when will I receive my money back?
The UBC system will generate an automatic email send to the student’s email on file when the claims have been processed in the system.
What are the payment method for my reimbursements?
UBC’s acceptable payment method is either Direct Deposit (EFT) or Cheque. EFT is the preferred method. Students can simply log in to Workday and update banking information in the direct deposit (Payment Elections) section prior to submitting the claims. \Instruction can be found here.
Students could also opt to receive cheque, but this should be indicated on the claim forms. Interac e-transfer through emails is not an acceptable payment method in UBC.
What types of approval are allowed?
The claim forms can be physically signed, digitally signed with the appropriate software (e.g. PDF), or email approved by claimant and approvers.
When should I submit my expense claims?
All expense claims need to be submitted within 60 days of the invoice/shipping date to the departmental finance teams for payment process.
Can I submit reimbursement to claim on behalf of my other team members after I have reimbursed the team member through Interac e-transfer?
Claimant should be the one who pays for the expenses. Team members should not claim funding on behalf of others. In the case that the claimant already reimbursed the other team members outside of the UBC system, the team members need to provide the consent in writing to allow the claimant to claim on their behalf and confirm they have received the payment from the claimant.
I don’t have a credit card or there are some issues with my bank account, my friends or parents paid for my team expenses. Can I still reimburse on their behalf?
Yes, this should be an ad hoc situation. Explanation should be provided on the claim form explaining the situation, so the approvers are aware and the finance teams are also notified with the ad hoc situation.
I used my parents or friends’ online accounts to make the purchases for my team. The name and address on my receipt is bill to their names, is this allowed?
Ideally, UBC/Student Groups expenses should be billed to the claimant’s name. Using Non Student groups’ online account should be an ad hoc arrangement. Explanation should be noted on the claim form.
How come the amount on the UBC ledger summary is different than the amount we paid on the receipts?
UBC has special tax rules on expenses. A 67% rebate is available to UBC for GST on most purchases. The amount on the ledger is after the 67% GST rebate applied, thus the amount posted is with 1.65% GST instead of 5%, that is lower than the amount that was paid. However, there is also PST rules that UBC needs to follow. If the online vendors/sellers don’t charge GST/PST on the receipts, UBC is obligated to self-assessed the appropriate GST/PST on the eligible items. In this case, the amount on the ledger will be more than the amount that is paid.
Our team have multiple funding from different sponsors/donors, how come the amount show on the UBC account does not show all funding?
Each funding source may be administered by different group of people and each funding source may have different terms on how and when the funding should be spent. The sponsorships/donations for the Engineering Design Teams are normally deposited in a UBC account that housed and administer by the departmental finance teams, PAF funding is housed and administered by APSC Finance at the Applied Science Dean’s Office, and student groups/clubs and EUS funding are housed and administered by the AMS Finance. AMS and UBC are operating with different Finance system, student groups need ensure to ask the correct team for the inquired funding.
I made purchases from ECE Store or CHBE Store, how can we pay the expenses with our teams funding?
Each department store have their own procurement process/system for students to submit their procurement request. When student groups/teams are making purchases for the team that will be using the money in the UBC accounts (e.g. design teams fund or PAF), the departmental finance teams should be loop in when placing the orders. This way, the finance teams are aware of the transactions and can follow up with the stores on behalf of the students to ensure it will post to the correct account.
We have some expenses that we paid but need to cost share with another team. How can we do that?
Reach out to the related finance teams, and all parties should be involved. The student groups paying for the expenses should be providing the invoices and confirmed the agreed amount that needs to charge back the other student team. The finance team from the paid side will be able to provide a ledger for the specific transactions, and the charge back will be done with an internal journal transfer.
We have some expenses that have been paid or reimbursed with my team funding that is eligible to claim from PAF. How could we do that?
Obtained itemized receipts along with the ledger as proof of payment from the Departmental Finance team, submit them with a signed/approved PAF Claim form to APSC Finance team. APSC Finance will complete an internal journal transfer to reimburse the Student Teams account.
We have some expenses ordered through the department stores and charged to our student team account. These transactions should be funded by AMS affiliated accounts (EUS, Club, SPF), How could we do that?
AMS and UBC are operating two separate finance systems. Both AMS and UBC can reimburse each other as external parties with appropriate invoice and supporting documents. For orders charged to UBC account and need to reimbursed from AMS, work with the departmental finance team to locate the transactions in the UBC system, and the departmental finance team should be able to issue an UBC Invoice along with the itemized receipts. Student group will then forward the receipt to the appropriate AMS unit for reimbursement. Departmental finance team will deposit the reimbursement cheque to the student group account once received.
I have a large purchase that is over $3500, how could I get reimbursed efficiently?
UBC’s procurement policy requires purchase order to be issued for any order that is over CAD$3500 inclusive of taxes. Students are expected to consult with the finance teams for further assistance before making the purchase. The purchases will be paid by the finance team and code to the student groups’ UBC accounts directly without having students to pay with personal fund.