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The process for reclaiming travel costs starts with a correctly completed Travel and Expense Report and ends with a deposit into your bank account. To avoid delays, assemble your back-up documentation and follow the electronic routing requirements exactly. Use Adobe Sign to submit the packet and be sure the form carries the payee’s electronic signature. Submissions that omit required fields or contact details will not flow to the proper approver and can stall payment.
Before you begin, understand which official form applies to your expenses and the routing rules that determine who approves your request. All reimbursements must be routed to an appropriate Department Head, Dean, or Vice President. Payments for students, faculty, and staff are completed via direct deposit on a weekly cycle; you will receive an email notice to your Bates email when funds are posted. Preparing the file correctly up front reduces back-and-forth and speeds reimbursement.
Choose the correct form and assemble documentation
Complete the designated electronic form that matches the travel dates. Use the Adobe Sign Travel and Expense Report 2026 for travel and expense between January 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026, and the Adobe Sign Travel and Expense Report 2026 for travel and expense between January 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026. These templates are fixed and must not be altered. Collect original receipts, invoices, and any supporting materials, then save the completed Travel and Expense Report along with all receipts as a single or grouped PDF package for attachment.
What to include in the documentation
Your packet should contain the filled Travel and Expense Report, all itemized receipts, and any event confirmations or institutional approvals that justify expenditures. Do not change the form fields or layout. Name your files clearly so approvers can identify the payee and travel period quickly. Keeping receipts organized reduces clarification requests from approvers and Accounts Payable, so include concise notes where expenses might need context.
Preparing and routing the cover sheet in Adobe Sign
Open the Adobe Sign Travel and Expense Approval Cover Sheet and attach the previously saved PDF of the report and receipts. Enter the approver’s contact information exactly as requested; the cover sheet must include the approver’s name and email address to trigger electronic routing. The payee must digitally sign the submission. Once uploaded and signed, Adobe Sign routes the packet to the approver you entered for final approval by a Department Head, Dean, or Vice President.
Required fields and routing tips
Verify that the payee’s electronic signature is present and legible and that an approver’s email is included so the system can route the file. Avoid using personal email addresses for approvers unless that is the designated institutional contact; use the official address to prevent delivery errors. If an approver role is ambiguous for your unit, consult your department administrator before submission to ensure it reaches the correct approving authority.
Payment schedule and common mistakes to avoid
Reimbursements are processed weekly via direct deposit for eligible students, faculty, and staff. When Accounts Payable posts the payment, you will receive an email notification to your Bates email alerting you to the deposit. Typical errors that delay payment include missing signatures, altered form templates, omitted approver contact details, or receipts not saved as PDF. Double-check all elements before sending to keep the timeline smooth.
Following this workflow—selecting the right annual form, compiling receipts into a single PDF, completing the cover sheet with the approver’s email, and ensuring the payee’s electronic signature—will make routing predictable and reimbursements timely. If you run into questions, reach out to Accounts Payable or your departmental administrator for clarification rather than resubmitting incomplete packets.