Subject:

Section XIII.3 – Record Retention – Travel and Expense was updated.

Guidance:

The Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) updated Chapter XIII, Section 3 – Record Retention – Travel and Expense of the Guide to Financial Operations (GFO).  Agencies are now required to retain documentation supporting Travel and Expense transactions for six years.

Online agencies are required to use the attachment feature in the SFS to store electronic documents in support of Travel and Expense transactions for supervisory review/approval and for OSC audit. The scanned images may also be used as the sole documents of record only when the agency has complied with the State’s record retention policies and the GFO, Chapter XIV, Section 9 - Statewide Financial System Imaging and Attachment Guidance.  If the agency does not follow these requirements, the official record must be retained in a central location – e.g., the agency’s Finance Office. Agencies are not permitted to allow individual travelers to retain the official records.

Bulkload agencies must retain documents to support expense reports in a central location, e.g. agency’s Finance Office.  Individual travelers are not permitted to retain the official records.

The retention of supporting documentation must be readily available for OSC’s auditors to facilitate timely payment approval.