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Travel & GovTrip FAQ

My password is locked. What can I do?

For CDC employees: Please contact our helpdesk (1-888-ONE-DHHS or 1-888-663-3447) to initiate a password reset.
For all other HHS employees: Your password will automatically unlock itself within an hour. At this point please click on the “Forgot Password Link” on the login screen to assign yourself a new password.

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What are the password requirements?

The password length must be at least 8 characters, one capital letter, at least two lower case letters, a number and a special character.

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How long is my GovTrip password good?

Your password is good for 90 days.

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I am trying to login to GovTrip but the system keeps returning me to the login page.

Please check if your browser’s pop-up blocker is turned on. If so, it must be turned off (click on TOOLS, POP-UP BLOCKER, TURN OFF POP-UP BLOCKER).

If it is not turned on, please contact our helpdesk (1-888-ONE-DHHS or 1-888-663-3447).

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How do I claim additional expenses once my voucher has been approved?

Amend your voucher and claim your additional expenses. Please do not remove any of the original expenses which were already reimbursed.

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What is a pre-audit flag?

Pre-audits help DHHS monitor Government travel policy in GovTrip. When a travel documents details are outside policy, the traveler will be required to provide justification explaining why going outside policy was necessary.

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My flights are booked but not approved yet. How do I make changes to the flights in GovTrip?

Please edit and remove the flights. Now select new flights then re-sign the travel authorization.

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My flights are approved but not ticketed yet. How do I make changes to the flights in GovTrip?

Amend your travel authorization and remove and select new flights then sign the amended order.

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My flights are approved and already ticketed. How do I make changes to my flights in GovTrip?

If your departure date is within 24 hours please contact Omega World Travel (1-877-433-1162) to make changes to your flights. All changes after ticketing should be made with Omega World Travel.

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How do I obtain a profile for GovTrip?

Your FATA (Federal Agency Travel Administrator) will be able to assist you. To obtain the contact information for your FATA, please contact our helpdesk (1-888-ONE-DHHS or 1-888-663-3447).

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How do I attach my receipts to my travel voucher electronically?

Click on the “Receipts” tab on your voucher. You can now print off your fax cover sheet. When faxing your receipts please be certain your fax machine resolution is set to “Best/Fine/High Resolution” (not standard or photo). Failure to use the high resolution setting could cause the upload to fail at GovTrip even if it appears successful on your end. You also have the option to scan and upload your receipts.

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How do I increase my lodging above the government rate on my travel order in GovTrip?

Please select the “Additional Options” tab, select “Perdiem Entitlements”. Now you can edit by day or edit all. Select the “Actual Lodging” label. Type in the desired amount of lodging and then click on “Save these entitlements”.

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Why can’t I create my travel voucher?

Please log into GovTrip and check the status of your travel authorization.

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Who is my FATA (Federal Agency Travel Administrator)?

FATAs are assigned directly by each OpDiv/StaffDiv. To obtain the contact information for your FATA, please contact our helpdesk (1-888-ONE-DHHS or 1-888-663-3447).

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My travel authorization was approved but was rejected for a “Funds check failure”. What does this mean?

This message is from your accounting system. The CAN chosen on your document does not have funds available. Please contact your budget office for assistance. Once funding has been established please amend and resign your document. Please note that this issue does not apply to CMS employees.

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My travel authorization was approved and I received a message stating my supplier (or TRV site) is not defined in UFMS. What does this mean?

This means the traveler does not have a profile in UFMS or the profile is not defined as a traveler (TRV). A UFMS direct deposit form needs to be completed and signed by the traveler (where should they obtain the form?). For further assistance please contact your FATA (Federal Agency Travel Administrator). To obtain the contact information for your FATA, please contact our helpdesk (1-888-ONE-DHHS or 1-888-663-3447).

Please note that this issue does not apply to CMS employees.

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My travel authorization is sitting in a “CTO Submit” status. What does this mean?

Your document is pending action with Omega World Travel. Once they have finished processing your document, the status will change to CTO Booked and will then route to your approvers.

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I have a username and password for GovTrip but I have no access to GovTrip. Why?

A profile has to be established in GovTrip. Please contact your FATA (Federal Agency Travel Administrator).

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I have not received my travel itinerary. How can I obtain this myself?

You can obtain your itinerary by going to http://www.virtuallythere.com Have your reservation code (PNR Locator) ready to enter. The PNR Locator can be obtained from your travel authorization in GovTrip.

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I am set up as a approver in GovTrip. Why can’t I see documents awaiting my approval?

You must have a permission level two in your profile to see documents awaiting your approval. Please contact your FATA (Federal Agency Travel Administrator) to have your profile updated.

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How can I update my credit card information in GovTrip?

Once you have logged into GovTrip, select the Tab titled “Traveler Setup”. Next select travel profile. Next select “My Account Information”. Next select the tab titled “Edit EFT and Credit Cards”. When you have completed updating your information, please select the tab “Save Permanent” for the changes to be saved.

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Who do I call for GovTrip assistance?

For assistance with GovTrip please contact our helpdesk (1-888-ONE-DHHS or 1-888-663-3447) or e-mail them at egovtravelhelpdesk@hhs.gov.

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How do I cancel a voucher?

You cannot cancel a voucher. Please contact your FATA or the helpdesk at (1-888-ONE-DHHS or 1-888-663-3447) for assistance.

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“Document is being edited” message when trying to edit a document.

The document may have been closed improperly using the web browsers "X" button. Allow 20 minutes for the document to unlock and try again. If the document does not unlock, it is likely open by another user..

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How do I cancel an authorization?

If the travel authorization is NOT fully approved:
- Enter a reason in the remarks box describing why you are canceling
- Stamp the document “Cancelled”

If the travel authorization IS fully approved and airfare has NOT been ticketed:
- Amend the Travel Authorization
- Enter a reason in the remarks box describing why you are canceling
- Stamp the document “Cancelled”
All expenses will be de-obligated and all reservations will be cancelled automatically

If the travel authorization IS fully approved and airfare HAS been ticketed
- Call OMEGA to cancel all reservations and have Omega issue a credit.
- Amend the Travel Authorization
- Enter a reason in the "Purpose of Travel" that trip has been cancelled
- Remove all expenses from the Travel Authorization except for airfare & TMC fees (Omega). (The only expense on
the travel authorization should be airfare related costs)
- Sign the Travel Authorization so it can be routed for approval

If airfare was purchased on a CBA:
- Sign the document so it can route for approval
- After the travel authorization is approved, have your FATA amend the travel authorization so that it can be stamped “COMPLETED.”
- You do not need to create a travel voucher

If airfare was purchased on an IBA:
- Remove the airfare but do not remove the TMC fees (Omega will already have issued a refund for the airfare on
the IBA) - Sign the document
- Create a voucher to claim the TMC fee

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What is the difference between a TMC Fee and a TAV Fee?

A TMC fee is charged by the travel agent for booking flights in Govtrip. The fee varies depending on whether the reservations were made in Govtrip or if a travel agent was involved in booking the reservation.

The TAV fee is charged for using GovTrip. The fee appears when signing the authorization but is not charged until the voucher is approved.

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I am booking rail reservations in GovTrip but I need the tickets delivered to my work/home before I travel. Can I specify a delivery address in the rail request?

Yes. When booking rail, there will be a freeform text box containing the rail reservations. Do not overwrite the reservations in that box, but add “DELIVERY INFORMATION” followed by the desired delivery address. Then submit the reservation request as you normally would.

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I booked my reservations in GovTrip and signed the document but I have not received an email with my itinerary.

If you have not received an e-mailed itinerary within two days of your departure, please check if the document has been approved and call Omega to ensure tickets were issued.

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How do I indicate when meals are provided?

- Open your travel document
- Click on "Additional Options" and then the Per Diem Entitlements sub-menu
- Click the "Edit" link next to the day you want to indicate meals were provided
- Go to the "Meals" section and check the box(s) for the meals that were provided (i.e., Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and click "Save These Entitlements"
- To indicate meals were provided on consecutive days, put a date in the Values Applied Through field and then click "Save These Entitlements"
- You will be returned to the Per Diem Entitlements page and an asterisk will be placed in the code column next to the day(s) where meals were provided

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How do I indicate when leave was taken?

- Open your travel document
- Click on "Additional Options" and then the Per Diem Entitlements sub-menu
- Click the "Edit" link next to the day you want to indicate leave was taken
- Go to the "Leave" section and check the box to indicate leave was taken
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and click "Save These Entitlements"
- To indicate leave was taken on consecutive days, go to the top of the page and put a date in the "Values Applied Through" field and then click "Save These Entitlements"
- You will be returned to the Per Diem Entitlements page and an asterisk will be placed in the code column next to the day leave was taken

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How can I print my authorization?

- Click on "Your Official Travel"
- Select the document type (Authorization/ Orders, Voucher, or Local Voucher)
- Click on the "Print" link next to the document you want printed
- Your document will open in Adobe Acrobat

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Will the new per diem rates be updated on my voucher?

If the per diem rate for your location has changed since you created your authorization, it will automatically be updated when you create your voucher

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How long does it take for my receipts to show up on my document?

- If you faxed in your receipts it can take up to 15 minutes for them to show in GovTrip
- If you uploaded your scanned receipts, they should show immediately

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What file types can I upload to GovTrip?

- GovTrip will accept files with the extension .jpg, .jpeg, .pdf, .bmp, and .tiff
- GovTrip will only accept file sizes of 2MB or less

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How many pages can I fax into GovTrip at a time?

GovTrip will accept up to 20 pages (including the fax cover sheet). If you have more than 20 pages, you will need to submit the pages in separate faxes.

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I faxed my receipts and they are not showing in my document.

- You must wait at least 15 minutes before your receipts will show in your document. If it has been more than 15 minutes, you can fax your receipts again.
- If you have tried multiple times to attach receipts and have been unsuccessful, make sure:
- Your fax cover page is printed in portrait style
- The bar code on your fax cover sheet is dark enough so the fax server can process your request - There are no horizontal and vertical lines added on the page
- There are no fuzzy lines surrounding the bar code on the fax cover sheet
- If all these steps have been followed, please check your fax connection and try sending the receipts again.

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Do I have to re-enter all of the authorization information on my voucher?

No. The voucher will contain all the information entered on the authorization. You will need to add anything that was not accounted for on the authorization.

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What Line of Accounting (LOA) do I use?

Lines of Accounting (LOA) are unique to every OpDiv. If you are unsure of which LOA to use you should contact your Travel Administrator or Budget Officer.

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Who should I contact if my travel voucher is rejected?

Contact your Travel Administrator to determine the cause of the reject.

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Can a travel arranger prepare and sign my voucher?

A travel arranger/ preparer can create a voucher for other when:
- the travel arranger/ preparer has their profile set to allow them to stamp a document T-ENTERED
- the travel arranger/ preparer will not be the documents final approver

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I've returned from my trip. How do I create my voucher?

- From the main screen, select Official Travel and then select Vouchers
- Select "Create New Voucher from Authorization/ Order"
- A list of authorizations/ order that can be vouchered from will appear
- Click the "Create" button next to the authorization/ order you want to voucher
- Update the document to include any new expenses
- Stamp the document signed to process it for approval and payment

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What is the status of my document? Is it waiting to be approved?

The current status of GovTrip documents and any pending routing actions can be seen from the Digital Signature page.
To check the current status:"
- Open your travel document in view only mode
- Select the "Digital Signature" link
- Under "Pending Routing Actions" you will see who has yet to stamp your document
- The Document History will show what has already taken place on your document

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When will my airline reservation be ticketed?

The date your airline reservation will be ticketed can be seen from the Digital Signature page.
To check the current status:"
- Open your travel document in view only mode
- Select the "Digital Signature" link
- The "Advanced Ticketing Date" field will show the date you will be ticketed.

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What is a FATA?

A FATA is a Federal Agency Travel Administrator. FATAs are responsible for creating and maintaining users profiles and are the main point of contact for travel arrangers requiring GovTrip assistance.

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How long are travel documents stored in GovTrip?

Authorizations and vouchers are held in GovTrip for 6 years 3 months.

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How often are per diem rates updated in GovTrip?

Per diem rates are updated monthly after the rates are tested in GovTrip.

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"Page Cannot Be Displayed" message when trying to log in.

You most likely do not have TLS enabled.
To enable TLS:"
- Open your web browser (Internet Explorer).
- Click the Tools menu
- Select Internet Options
- Click the Advanced Tab
- Scroll to the bottom and place a check mark next to "Use TLS 1.0"
- Click the OK button
- Restart your web browser and try to access GovTrip again

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Why is my authorization in a CTO Amendment status?

CTO Amendment indicates that your travel order was recently adjusted by the TMC (Omega). This could have been to update or book reservations or your travel orders could have been recently ticketed.

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How much is a local voucher fee?

The fee for an approved local voucher is $6.50.

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When do I create a Local Voucher?

You create a local voucher when:
- You travel less than 50 miles from your TDY location
- You are not being reimbursed for Airfare
- You are not receiving per diem (lodging, m&ie)

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How much is the TAV Fee (Travel Authorization and Voucher)?

The TAV fee is $13.50 for temporary duty vouchers. There is no additional charge for reclaim (supplemental) vouchers.

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