Entertainment and Official Expense Policy Entertainment and Official Expense Policy The University generally considers entertainment and official occasions to be business meetings and social gatherings where food and beverage are consumed, events requiring venue rental and/or catering, associated invitation costs, flower delivery, and other similar expenses. To qualify for funding and/or personal reimbursement, entertainment and official occasions must meet specific criteria and follow both University and College guidelines. Details and requirements are available in the University’s Handbook of Business Procedures, Part 9.1.1. Entertainment and Official Occasions Expenses. The form and requirements have changed effective May 1, 2025; see “What has changed?” section below for more details. Read the College of Fine Arts Entertainment Policy (effective 5/1/25) Payment to vendors and personal reimbursement for expenses incurred at meals or events require an itemized receipt and populated Official Occasion Expense Form. To ensure timely reimbursement to payees and payment to vendors, itemized receipts that include proof of purchase (last four digits of the credit card and reimbursee’s name) or invoices due to vendor and their associated OOEFs must be uploaded to the Electronic Request System>Entertainment Reimbursement Request (Group 00332). If the event occurred outside Austin, you must attach a request travel authorization (RTA) form as well (please defer to Travel Policy and Procedures). Reimbursement for goods and services must be paid no later than 30 days after the receipt of goods or services. Late reimbursement requests require additional levels of approval and may be disallowed entirely or reported as taxable income to the payee. What has changed? Official Occasion Expense Forms will only be signed in cases of advance approval to serve alcohol on campus in unlicensed facilities. View a list of licensed facilities. An Official Occasion Expense Form must be submitted with every entertainment expenditure. Please download the form and fill out. It must be typed and uploaded with itemized receipts. Handwritten forms will not be accepted. Drop-down menus have been added to select the Benefit to the University of Texas and the Object Code. To Summarize Changes Entertainment Policy Alcohol can exceed the cost of food only in the cases of development and faculty recruiting Tax can be reimbursed on take-out and delivery meals if paid via personal funds Meals on the job (including just for one person) are allowed when the position is required to work through an established mealtime Official Occasion Expense Form (OOEF) Contains new object codes Cannot be completed online in the Request System OOEFs will not be signed unless they are associated with pre-approval to serve alcohol on campus at an unlicensed facility Forms must be typed; handwritten forms will not be accepted
