Procedure: Advances
Purpose
To inform the issuing and acquittal of advances.
Procedure
Use of Advances
- Advances will only be used when there is no viable alternative payment method. The following alternatives must be considered before issuing an advance:
- Payment of the expenses directly by the Business Unit;
- Use of an ANU Purchase Card to pay expenses directly;
- Reimbursement of expenditure; and
- Payment of an allowance to staff through ANU payroll.
- Advances must not be issued:
- For airfares;
- To the holder of an ANU Purchase Card unless the advance is being used for travel to a remote location where cash is required; and
- To an applicant with an outstanding and un-acquitted advance.
Applying for an Advance
- Non-travel related Advance applications must be processed through the Request for Advance form.
- Travel related forms must be processed through the Travel E-form.
Authorisation of Advances
- The authorising delegate must ensure that an advance:
- Is necessary;
- Is for a reasonable amount; and
- Has been approved by the staff member's direct supervisor.
- The minimum limit of an advance is $100, and the maximum limit of an advance is $10,000 (for staff) and $5,000 (for visitors and students).
- In exceptional circumstances an authorised delegate may approve advances beyond the limits noted in Section 6.
Payment of advances
- Advance recipients are required to sign an agreement, acknowledging receipt of the advance & agree to the terms and conditions;
- Payment are made to an employee's salary bank account, a student’s bank account (as recorded in ISIS), or bank account as nominated by the visitor
- Where an advance is travel related, payment will not be made more than five business days prior to departure.
- Advance recipients must acquit advances using the Advance acquittal form.
- Local finance officers are responsible for ensuring advance acquittals are undertaken in a timely manner.
- Advances must be acquitted within fifteen (15) business days of funds being issued or for travel related advances within fifteen (15) business days of travellers return.
- If the expenditure incurred by the recipient of an advance:
- Is greater than the advance paid, the University will reimburse the outstanding balance provided the authorised delegate approves this as reasonable; or
- Is less than the amount of the advance paid, the advance recipient is required to refund the balance to the University within fifteen (15) business days from acquittal.
- Advances that are not fully acquitted within 45 working days will be treated as a debt, and an invoice will be raised by Financial Shared Services to the recipient for the outstanding amount.
- Advance recipients will be liable for any consequential Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) obligations.
