EMS FAQs

CREATING REPORTS

When do I choose “me” in the dropdown list?

If you prepare reports for others, the names of those you are assigned to assist will be listed in the drop-down list labeled “You are administering expense for:” When you are preparing your own expense report, you should select “me” from the drop-down list. Otherwise, select the name of the person you are assisting.

What happens if I need to create a report for a person and don't see the name in my drop-down list?

If the person is not listed in the "You are administering expenses for" list, you should first consult your business manager to verify that you are the assigned preparer. The business manager can then request that the name be added.

Can I change the report type once I’ve created a report?

No! Once a report is created with a specific report type, the Report Type is grayed out and you cannot change it. If you need to change an ER’s report type you need to delete the incorrect report and start over.

What is a TEAR and when should I use it?

A TEAR, or a Travel or Expense Advance Request, is a reference field that should be used when a traveler is filing an expense report for a trip that has a corresponding travel advance.

When do I use the original ER field?

Original ER is an optional field allowing a new report to be cross-referenced with any previously submitted report. The Original ER number may be entered using ER#xxxxxxx format or by clicking on the down arrow to select previously submitted EMS report. Note: multiple reports can reference the same original ER number.

What are the “default itinerary” and “default item” comment fields for?

The default fields are optional fields on the Report Settings screen. Anything entered in these fields will appear on the subsequent pages of the report and can be edited as needed.

If I created a report for the wrong person, can I change it?

No. You will have to delete the incorrect report, then start over by selecting the correct person from the drop-down list and creating a new report. If the report has already been submitted, notify the approver, who will need to return the report to unfinished status.

How do I resubmit a report that was returned to me?

The report should appear in your unfinished reports list. A red stop sign will appear next to the name of any returned report, along with a comment icon. Open the report, read the comments, then make any necessary changes and click the submit button. You do not need to re-fax receipts or other documentation, unless there are new expenses. The report number will now have an “r” next the name, indicating that it is a revision.

I bought a book and returned it. Why do I have to create an expense report?

If you used a Purchasing card to pay for the book, the expense will appear in your list of available expenses and you will need to submit the charge by creating an expense report. A credit should also appear on the list of expenses and can be submitted on the same report. If the credit does not come in before you need to submit the ER, you should indicate in the report that a credit is owed on this expense and, when the credit comes in, reference the initial ER on the credit ER. If you used cash to pay for the book, and have not yet been reimbursed, an expense report is not needed.

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EXPENSE TYPES

Why can’t I see the travel and entertainment expense types?

When you created your report and selected the report type, you may have inadvertently selected the “Supplies - Non-T&E (PCard only; no out-of-pocket)” type, which does not provide access to any travel and entertainment expenditure types. If this is the case, you will need to delete your report and create a new one, selecting the correct report type.

What does “Other Unallowable T&E” refer to?

It is an expense type that refers to any expense that cannot be charged to a Federal grant account. This expense type is typically used for alcohol and other expenses that are reimbursable but should not be classified under the normal expense types. Also check the specific award to determine if the PTAO needs to changed as well.

Am I required to enter anything in the alcohol field even if no alcohol was consumed?

Yes, the alcohol field must contain an amount, even if no alcohol was consumed. Enter “0” if none, or enter the numerical value of the dollar amount spent (i.e., 24). If the dollar amount spent is not known you can make a reasonable estimate. You do not need to enter a dollar sign.

I can’t find the expense type for train fare?

The train fare expenditure type is listed under the “Air” expense type. All airfare and train ticket purchases should be classified under this expense type. Enter the amount spent and the vendor. If a PCard was used to pay for charges, these fields will be pre-populated.

How do I adjust the per diem when only two meals were purchased on a given day?

When you use the Meals – Daily Per Diem expense types, the Amount Spent field is automatically calculated based on the number of days entered for the per diem. If the number of breakfasts, lunches or dinners needs to be reduced (for instance, if a group meal was provided), you can change these numbers before clicking the "Add This Expense" button.

Can I combine actual meal charges and per diem on a report

Yes, but not for the same day. If per diem is selected, you cannot submit actual meal expenses for that day (with the exception of group business meals); however, actual expenses may be submitted for a different day within the same report.

How do I calculate mileage?

From the Expense Details screen, click the “Add New Expense” button. Select Auto/personal car mileage from the drop-down list. Input the locations for each leg of the trip (you may need to scroll down the page to see the fields). Click on the “compute distances” button to calculate the mileage. Mileage that has already been calculated can be submitted using manual option.

How do I split charges?

From the Expense Details screen, first select (click on) the line item you wish to split. Next, click the “Split” button. The Split Wizard will open. Use the radio buttons near the bottom to choose either Amount or Percent as your option. Be sure to enter the appropriate value for each of the Amount fields. Click the "Split" button. Note: the total amount of the split must equal 100 percent of the expense or you will get an error message. The split charges will appear in the report as a “portfolio,” with the line items adding together to equal the total charge.

What is a portfolio?

A portfolio refers to a detailed expenditure that is broken into multiple expense types for proper classification. In EMS, a portfolio can be created in one of two ways. If an expense is accompanied by electronic Level III detail, EMS will automatically assign the correct expenditure type(s), creating portfolios as needed. Splitting a charge or classifying a portion of the charge under a different expenditure type will also result in the creation of a portfolio line on the report. Preparers and approvers should not use the “portfolio” option from the expense type list. The system will automatically create a portfolio when needed.

Which GL code do I use for gas for a rental vehicle?

Use the rental car expense type. For rental vehicles, do not use 820900, which is for University-owned vehicles only.

Which GL Code should I use for the currency conversion fee?

Use the expenditure type closest to the original charge OR use foreign travel/miscellaneous.

Why can’t I add out-of-pocket expenses to my report?

When you created the report, you may have inadvertently selected the report type, Supplies/Non-T&E, no out-ofpocket. You must create a new report with the correct report type to see the desired expenditure types.

Where do I put parking?

Parking should be classified as “Ground Transportation.” Select “Transportation” from the Expense Type list, then choose “Ground Transportation and Parking.”

How do I change an expense type?

Highlight the transaction line in the list of expenses, then go up to the Expense Type drop-down list and choose the appropriate expense type. Remember to hit the “apply changes” button to complete the change.

How do I deduct an expense as personal?

You can highlight the expense item, and then use the drop-down menu to change the expenditure type to "personal". If only a portion of the expense is personal, you need to first split the expense, creating a portfolio. Then click on the applicable portion and choose the "personal" expenditure type from the drop-down list. The system requires a brief description or acknowledgement for the personal deduction. Remember that purchasing cards cannot be used for personal expenses, except for any incidental personal expenses related to travel only.

How do I list the attendees for a business meal?

Highlight the line item that pertains to the meal, then select the expense type “Group Business Meal” from the drop-down list. Be sure to complete the fields directly below item comment, which ask for establishment, purpose, type, company (i.e., Yale or other) and name. To list the names of attendees, you can either enter the names individually in the specified field or enter “see list” and fax the documentation in as part of the receipt images.

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RECEIPTS AND OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

When is a receipt form necessary?

According to University policy, a receipt is required for any charge (supplies and/or travel-related expenses) that is $75 or greater and does not have Level III detail. Some departments may have more stingent requirements. A receipt icon next to an expense line item indicates that a receipt is required for that expense. Upon successful submission of a report, an alert will appear on your screen indicating whether receipts are required for the report.

How do I get a Fax cover sheet for submitting receipts?

Log on to EMS, open the latest version of the expense report. Use the Receipt forms button located on the Report Details screen. Important: You must use the fax cover sheet that corresponds to the report for which you are submitting receipts. Otherwise, EMS will not recognize the receipts as belonging to that report.

I already faxed in my receipts. Why is the report still parked/awaiting receipts?

Chances are you used an older fax transmittal sheet. Log on to EMS, open the desired report and print out a new Receipt form to ensureyou are using the most recent version of the form. Important: You cannot fax receipts for multiple reports using the same form. Doing so will result in the receipts all being attached to a single report.

How do I add additional supporting documentation after a report has been submitted?

Log on to EMS, open the latest version of the expense report. Use the Receipt Forms button located on the Report Details screen to print out a fax cover sheet and then use that to fax in any additional documentation.

What do I do if I lost a receipt?

If you are missing a receipt, you should contact the vendor and request a duplicate. If this is not possible, you need to print and complete a missing receipts form (online at www.yale.edu/ppdev/forms/ap/MissingReceipt.xls) and have it approved by your business manager. The form can then be faxed into EMS using the appropriate Receipt Form. Expense Reports with missing receipts of $75 or greater must also receive approval from the Controller's Office. This can be done by passing the report to the Controller for approval.

What other documentation is needed when I don’t have a receipt?

If you are missing a receipt of $75 or greater, you need to provide some evidence that the expense was paid by you. This can be a copy of your credit card statement verifying that the actual expenditure was made, a cancelled check or a replacement of the itemized receipt from the vendor marked 'paid'.

Do I have to fax in all receipts of there is a very large amount?

If you have an excessive amount (numerous pages) of receipts, you can simply indicate that receipts are on file in the department. You still need to fax the associated Receipt Form into EMS. Be sure to note on the fax cover sheet the location where the receipts are filed.

Long term travel often results in a very large number of expense items and receipts; is there a simpler way to enter these into EMS?

Preparers consult their business office to determine if the department has a standard way to prepare very large reports.  In general, if a report includes a very large number of required receipts the department may elect to retain these within the department for the record retention period rather than fax them in.  Also, preparers may choose to summarize expenses by expenditure type then create one EMS expense item per expense type so long as the sheet used to summarize the items is faxed into the report and required documentation is provide to EMS or retained on file in the department.

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EDITING/DELETING REPORTS

How do I delete a report?

From the main Expense Center screen, click the create/edit report button and then locate the appropriate report in the list of unfinished reports. Click on the red X to the left of the report name to delete the report. A confirmation window will appear asking you if you are sure you want to delete the report. Click “Delete Report.” Note: If the report has already been submitted, the approver needs to return it to unfinished status first. If the report is already approved, it cannot be deleted.

I need to delete a report but cannot see it on the unfinished reports list.

If your report has been submitted and is awaiting receipts, it will be "parked" and will not move forward until receipts are received. The report name should appear in your "Recent Reports in Library" list. To move the report out of parked status, you need to print and fax in a Receipt Form. Write "RETURN REPORT" on the form before faxing it in. Then, the approver can return the report to unfinished status, and it can be deleted. If the report has already been approved, it cannot be deleted.

Can I edit a report after I submit it?

Only unfinished reports can be edited. If a submitted report requires further changes, notify the approver to return the report. Once returned, the report will appear in the Unfinished Reports area and can be opened by the preparer for editing. Note: if the report was prepared on behalf of another individual, the individual also has the ability to “return” it to the preparer.

How do I change a PTAEO on the report?

If the report has not yet been submitted, the Project, Task, Award and Organization (PTAO) fields can be changed by clicking on the appropriate sections and entering the new information. EMS provides a drop-down list of the last 25 PTAOs successfully used per individual user. The Expenditure Type is automatically entered based on the selected expense details. If the report was already submitted, the manager/approver can change the PTAEO fields by clicking on the “Edit” button from the approval screen.

How can I edit a report if it is in "awaiting receipts" status?

You cannot edit a report with this status. The receipts must be submitted before the report can move on. Once a Receipt Form has been received, the report will move to the next level of approval. At that point, the approver can return it to unfinished status for editing if needed.

What do the yellow and red stop signs mean?

Yellow "yield" signs and red "stop" signs are used to indicate exceptions, or policy violations. If a yellow icon appears next to the report total in the expense list, an exception exists for that expense. Yellow exceptions are considered "soft" exceptions. The preparer is advised to correct as many of these as possible; however, a yellow exception will not prevent a report from being submitted. Red flags are considered "hard" exceptions and must be corrected before a report is submitted. A checkmark next to an item means all is well.

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SUBMITTING REPORTS

How can I be sure that my report was submitted successfully?

A windows dialogue box will pop up indicating that the report has been successfully submitted. An ER number will be assigned to the report. You can also view the status in the Recent Reports library on the Expense Center screen. The cardholder/individual also receives an email verifying submissionif the report was created by an assistant.

What do I do when an exception is listed for the report?

When a yellow yield sign! appears on your report, you should view the exception to see if it is one you can correct (i.e., invalid PTAO). If so, proceed to make the correction and resubmit. If the exception is one you cannot fix without assistance, submit the report to the approver with a notation in the Comments field indicating which items need further attention. Note: a red stop sign on your report indicates that an error exists on the report and must be corrected before submitting. If you need assistance correcting the error, contact your business office or email yems@yale.edu.

How can I see where my report is going for approval?

Although you cannot see the actual workflow for a report, you can view the current status by going to the Expense Center screen and viewing your list of Recent Reports at the bottom right of your screen.

What does a red exclamation point icon mean?

An exclamation point against a red stop sign background indicates that some information may be missing or incorrectly listed. Click on the line item (or report) to see the details and make any necessary corrections. For expense line items, the needed action will be listed in the middle of the page, just above the list of expenses.

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REIMBURSEMENT

How long does it take to get a reimbursement?

Typically, reimbursement, in the form of a direct deposit to the individual’s bank account on file, occurs within two business days of the final approval of the expense report. The report status will be listed as “EMS Approval Complete” in the Report Library. The cardholder/individual also receives an email verification of the deposit.

I have completed an expense report and owe Yale money ; can I write a check to Yale?

No. The process for reimbursing Yale for personal expenses is via payroll deduction, which occurs automatically once your expense report is submitted and approved. You always receive an email confirmation before this occurs.

I got an expense reimbursement check and I don't know why

If you prepare reports for yourself and others, when you created the report, you might have inadvertently selected “me” from the drop-down list. If another individual prepares your reports, check with that person to see whether he or she inadvertently selected the wrong cardholder/traveler when creating the report.

What happens if a cardholder is accidentally reimbursed for a charge that was paid for by P-Card?

First contact your business office and inform them of the error. If a P-Card expense was accidentally submitted as an "out of pocket" expense, you will need to create a new report to pull in the actual P-Card charge from your list of available charges. Reference the first ER# on the new report and change the expenditure code for the expense to "personal" to have the amount automatically deducted from your next paycheck. Add a comment explaining that the second report was created to correct the error.

What happens if I've submitted an expense report for a trip that gets cancelled?

As soon as you know the trip is cancelled, notify the applicable vendors (i.e., hotel, airline and/or conference facility) and request a credit. If non-refundable tickets were purchased, these should be applied to a future trip. Once any credit(s) appear in the EMS system, you will need to create and submit another report and reference the original report (use the original ER# field on the Report Settings screen) to show the updated information. Please note that cancellation fees and penalties may not be allowed on grants; consult your business manager for confirmation.

How can I find a report that has been submitted but not yet approved?

The Recent Reports table lists all reports awaiting approval, awaiting payment, or which have been paid in the last seven days.

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P-CARD CHARGES

What do I do when a P-Card charge is not mine or I am disputing a charge?

If an expense shows up on your Outstanding Purchasing Card charges list and it does not belong there, you need to contact the vendor to initiate a dispute. Refer to the Purchasing Card procedure for further information (http://www.yale.edu/ppdev/Procedures/purchase/PurchasingCard/PurchCardMEIProcedure.pdf. You should also notify your business office. You will need to create and submit an expense report to clear the expense(s) and any subsequent credit(s).

Is there a deadline for clearing P-Card charges?

The recommended timeframe for clearing PCard charges is within 10 business days from incurring the expense or returning from travel (which ever occurs last). Charges that are not processed within a reasonable amount of time will trigger email alerts and may eventually be considered an unsubstantiated business expense, which will result in card deactivation.

I recently attended a conference with a research associate and used my P-Card to pay for both hotel rooms. I am getting an exception on my report because of the duplicate charge.

If duplicate charges appear on one report (i.e., two airline tickets or hotel rooms for different travelers purchased on one P-Card on the same date), the system will flag these as an exception to avoid a duplicate payment. To clear the exception, from the Expense Details page, click on the expense line item and make a notation in either the comment field or the itinerary field to differentiate the charges.

I accidentally used my P-Card for a personal expense. What happens now?

Immediately notify your business manager of the mistake. You will need to create an expense report for the incorrect charge as soon as it is received, classify the expense as a “personal expense deduction,” and indicate in the Comments field that the expense(s) were personal and charged by mistake. The total amount will then be deducted from your paycheck.

Where can I get instructions for filling out the EMS/PCard user Request form?

The EMS/PCard form is online at: www.yale.edu/ppdev/forms/purchase/3215FR.01EMSPurchasingCardAndUserRequestForm.pdf . Contact the PCard/e-Commerce office or email kathy.chambers@yale.edu if you need assistance filling out the form.

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EMAIL NOTICES

I received an email that says "action needed" on an expense report. What do I need to do?

Review the contents of the email and respond accordingly. More than likely, you are being asked to approve a report that was prepared on your behalf. If this is the case and the report is accurate, click “reply” to the email and place an “A” in the brackets below the certification statement and then click send. Or you may follow the link in the email and authorize the report from within the EMS system.

What do I do if I find a mistake and do not wish to approve the report?

If there is an error on your report, or you need to return it to the preparer for additional changes, you can click the reply button on your email and then place an "R" in the brackets to reject the report. Also, you can log onto the system and press the "return" button to send the report back to the preparer. You should also follow-up with the preparer to let them know that the report has been returned.

Why am I not receiving emails?

If you are not receiving notification emails, check with yems@yale.edu to be sure your email is properly setup in the system. Also, if you or your preparer logs onto EMS and clicks on a new report to check on the status, the system will no longer recognize that report as "new" and may not generate an email to the cardholder/preparer. If this happens, contact yems@yale.edu for instructions.

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APPROVER OPTIONS

How do I pass a report to another approver?

Log on to EMS and click on the “Reports Awaiting Approval” button. From the Employee Report List screen, select the report you want to pass. The list should appear at the bottom of your screen. Click on the “Pass” button, enter the last name of the person you wish to pass the report to. Hit “search,” select the correct name and click on the “choose selected manager” button. You must enter a comment explaining why you are passing the report and what action you would like that person to take. Then hit “Pass.” Reports can only be passed to managers in the system.

How do I pass back a report that has been passed to me?

Passing a report back is similar to passing a report initially. You will receive an email notifying you that a report was passed to you. The report will then appear in your Reports Awaiting Approval list. Logon to EMS, and follow the instructions for Passing (above). To determine whether a report was passed to you from within EMS, click on “View Status.”

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REPORT STATUS

How can I see the reports I created?

From the Expense Center screen, click “View Previously Submitted Reports.” A list of all the reports you created will appear at the bottom of your screen.

How can I tell who is next in line to approve a report?

The status of the report, including the name of the assigned approver, can be viewed in the Recent Reports in Library area on the Expense Center screen.

How can I track the status of a report?

Logon to EMS. From the Expense Center page, scroll down to view the Recent Reports in Library list. The status appears next to each report. As a manager, you can also track the status of reports using the search fields in from the approver screen.

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TECHNICAL ISSUES

Why are some of the buttons missing on my screen?

Missing buttons might be an indication of a browser incompatibility issue. Netscape is not an approved browser, whereas Internet Explorer and Mozilla are preferred browsers. It might also mean your options are limited on the report you are viewing. If the problem persists, call an EMS administrator at 203-907-6441.

What do I do if my screen freezes?

First try closing all of your browser windows and launch EMS again. If you are unable to close your windows, use the Task Manager to end the session. Then log back in. Be aware, however, that if you are a manager and have used the Edit and Approve button, your report will go into unfinished status and the preparer will need to resubmit.

Who do I call if I have questions?

For internal procedural or policy-related questions, first consult with your business manager. For any EMS-related questions, contact yems@yale.edu or the ITS Help Desk at 785-3200 or 432-9000.

What do I do if a person is leaving the University or transferring to another department?

The department who is losing the employee should take the necessary steps to terminate the employee's access. Contact yems@yale.edu to request that a user be removed.

When I am approving a report, why can't the [A] be at the top of the email?

Before you approve a report, you need to review your expenses and read the certification statement. The [A] appears just below the necessary summary information.

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TAX EXEMPTION

How do I take advantage of the Yale’s Tax Exemption for Sales Tax and Hotel Occupancy Tax?

The University is exempt from Connecticut state sales tax and hotel occupancy tax.  However, in order to have transaction properly recognized as tax exempt, a specific form must be prepared by the University and on file with the merchant.  Also, these forms must be updated periodically by the University and referenced at time of purchase by the University representative making the purchase (must be for University business purposes only).

This procedure is cost effective especially for purchases where the University is doing a sufficient amount of business to warrant the time necessary to meet these requirements.  In situations where this is not possible or practical, the University does permit sales tax and hotel occupancy tax to be paid or reimbursed.

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TRAINING & ACCESS

Where can I register for EMS courses?

Self-register through X-Train:

https://secure.its.yale.edu/cas/servlet/login?service=https://xtrain.its.yale.edu/xtrain/courses/courseinfo.asp

How do I get access to EMS?

Eligible users are automatically added to EMS based on the Oracle Human Resources feed. Business Offices can modify requests using the EMS Purchasing Card and User Request Form.

Those eligible to use EMS are in the following job categories:

Faculty-FAC, Management& Professional-M&P, Clerical Technical-C&T Service Maintenance-S&M, Student Non-Hourly-STN, Student Hourly-STH, Casual-CAS, Postdoctoral Associates-PDA, Postdoctoral Fellows-PDF, Retirees-RET.

Others needing EMS access should contact the Electronic Commerce Services Office at 432-3227.

Those not in the above job categories such as, Associates-ASSOC, Consultants-CON, Volunteer Faculty-VF, and Students other than noted above, can be reimbursed using a Check Request:

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