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  • January 2024 Travel Optimization Update

January 2024 Travel Optimization Update

Posted by kjf on February 14, 2024

Happy New Year!!! The year started *BIG* with 247 more travel cases opened compared to January 2023.

There are currently two staff vacancies:

Vacancies:

  • Travel Specialists (1)
  • Assistant Manager, Academic Team: (1)

Please review the following updates and reminders:

Travel Training

  • As a reminder Travel Policy training needs to be completed each fiscal year. Over 320 individuals have completed all modules to-date.
  • The training calendar for in-person Travel Booking training is available on the website through May 2024.

Travel Resources

  • The State of Arizona Account Manual (SAAM) was updated 1/8/2024 with increases to the allowable nightly lodging rates and to the mileage rate.
    • The new lodging default rate ($107), matches that of the Federal rate.
    • The new state mileage rate ($.655/mile), lessened the gap to the Federal rate of ($.67/mile).
    • Travel Specialists will calculate lodging and mileage reimbursements as needed for trips that straddle this time period.
  • The Travel Booking Guide has been updated (2/13/2024) and is available in the ESC Knowledge Base Articles.
  • A new how-to resource for submitting Policy and Compliance Reviews (PCR) is now available in the ESC Knowledge Base Articles, category: Compliance and Controls.
  • The next Travel Liaison meeting with be Tuesday, March 26th from 1:30-3:00 PM. Please add yourself to the Travel Liaison listserv to be added to the meeting invite.

Metrics

  • In January, travel cases opened post-travel were (9.12%) of all submitted cases, down from last month by (13.18%)!! This is a trend we are happy to see!

  • Longitudinal metrics can now be viewed on the Metrics website. Data compares case counts for the current month, quarter, or fiscal year to-date, with case counts for the same time period from the previous calendar year.
    Example: Case counts for January 2023 and 2024

Coming Soon

  • How-To Video Clips providing step-by-step guided instructions on completing various travel related processes. (February – April 2024)

Travel Optimization Website – for a detailed review of Travel Process Updates and the Development Roadmap.

Filed Under: Taskforce