Electronic versus Paper-based Signatures

Employee-Traveler

Direct Entry

By submitting the report online, the traveler will certify that the expenses are business-related, accurate, and complete. Their CalNet authentication used to log in to the system is their electronic signature. A wet signature is not needed.

Report Prepared by Someone Else

After entering all of the expenses and uploading the receipts to the system, the report preparer can use the link on the Confirm and Submit page to send an email to employee-traveler to announce that the report is ready for sign-off. The system-generated email instructs the employee-traveler to log in to the system, verify the accuracy of the travel report, and submit the report for approval. Their CalNet authentication to log in to the system is their electronic signature. A wet signature is not needed.

Travelers

Students, Visitors, Guests, or Individuals Who Prefer Not to Use the System

Since electronic signature in the system is not an option, the expense report preparer will need to print or scan to PDF the report and provide it to the traveler for review and signature. This report page includes the certification language needed to process the report. Only reports that are ready to be finalized and submitted for approval should be signed. After the paper report is signed, it must be returned to the preparer who will upload it to the system and submit the online report for approval.

To obtain a signature page, the expense report preparer can navigate to:

  • The Confirm and Submit page and click the expense report link
  • The View Report links on the Preparer Queue or Track Reports pages in the reimbursement system

Approvers

No Exceptional Expenses or Second Level of Approval Needed

The approval that occurs online in the Reimbursement System is the only approval required by policy. However, each department head has the authority to be more restrictive. Please check with your Divisional Finance Leader (DFL) to confirm whether additional approvals are required within your school or department.

Exceptional Expenses or Second Level of Approval Needed

The initial approver should use the Save Note and Email Approver function within the reimbursement system to insert notes to reflect the action needed and to route the online report to a secondary approver. The Save Note and Email Approver function is available by navigating to the Approver Queue and selecting the specific report ID number.