Defense Travel System problems often have easy fixes Published May 1, 2007 By Compiled from staff reports 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- March marked the one year anniversary of the first Defense Travel System document processed at Eielson AFB. For some, DTS has been a smooth, easy solution to creating orders and filing vouchers. A few others continue to have issues with the system travelers for electronically arranging travel, making changes before or during the trip, and completing the post-travel voucher process. According to Senior Airman Rachel Knight, 354th Comptroller Squadron, the DTS has provided many benefits for travelers and their organizations. "It has streamlined the creation of travel documents by ensuring every aspect from the creation of the order through to the payment of the voucher is done in one place," she said. "It has allowed for fast, electronic reimbursement of expenses and automated payment of the government travel card and it can even download expenses from the government travel card directly to the voucher to help travelers get reimbursed for all their authorized expenses." However, despite all the benefits of DTS, Senior Airman Knight said she understands DTS can still be excruciatingly frustrating to navigate and difficult to rectify problems. She said half the problems experienced in DTS are caused by incorrect information in the traveler's permanent profile stored in the system. "The simple act of checking your profile prior to starting an order will prevent issues such as rejects due to incorrect bank account or government travel card information; inability to split disburse to the government charge card; incorrect address; incorrect duty station or wrong routing list for approval." PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS Editor's note: The following are the most common DTS issues for travelers. However, they are not the only potential problems travelers may encounter. For further assistance, contact your Organization Defense Travel Administrator. PROBLEM: Traveler has not been paid/does not know where the voucher is: SOLUTION: Check the status of your voucher. 1. Log into DTS 2. Go to Official Travel 3. Select Voucher 4. Choose the voucher you are researching 5. Select the most recent adjustment if the voucher has more than one 6. Once in the voucher, click Digital Signature 7. Scroll to the Document History box The Document History box contains all information regarding the voucher. If the voucher needs to be routed, the routing list will appear in the Pending Routing Actions box located above the Document History box. PROBLEM: Traveler does not have a government travel card and needs an advance: SOLUTION: While creating the order, go to Additional Options then select Advances. DTS will automatically compute the advance and pay it to the traveler's bank account. The finance office is unable to pay cash/EFT advances for DTS orders. They must be completed on the order in DTS. PROBLEM: Traveler will need a partial payment to pay the government charge card and will be TDY for more than 45 days. SOLUTION: While creating the order, go to Additional Options then select Partial Payments. DTS will compute the partials and pay them to the government charge card every thirty days of the TDY. Like advances, the finance office is unable to pay cash/EFT partials for DTS orders. PROBLEM: Traveler prints an order/voucher and it does not print in a government form. SOLUTION: From the traveler's personal welcome screen, select Traveler Setup, then select Form Preferences. The traveler must select all options for Govt+Form. PROBLEM: Traveler needs to add receipts to the voucher. SOLUTION: Inside the voucher, go to Expenses, then select Substantiating records. Either print the fax cover sheet and follow the instructions on it, or scan and upload the receipts. If faxed, please make sure the receipts have loaded before signing the voucher, about five to ten minutes.