Travel Management Application (TMA) 010-20081213

On finalisation of a travel booking the Travel Management Company (TMC) sends an email of the itinerary, outlining the details of the journey, to:

• Services Australia, and
• the traveller. Where the traveller is a secondary boarding student, the itinerary is sent to the third party responsible for arranging the travel, for example the boarding school or hostel.

On receipt of all itineraries from the TMC, the ABSTUDY Smart Centre Travel Team must:

• check the itinerary for accuracy against the original booking request
• attach the itinerary to the travel booking

To view an itinerary for a travel booking, see the Adding attachments in TMA table.

Note: the TMC will not issue a new itinerary on finalisation of a part-journey cancellation request.

If a traveller requests their itinerary details, check the booking status of the requested travel.

TMA Booking Status of 'Requested' - Itinerary has not been issued

The TMC aim to issue itineraries 2 business days prior to the requested travel date, if a traveller has contacted to advise this has not happened:

• ABSTUDY Smart Centre staff must contact the ABSTUDY Travel Team to follow up the outstanding itinerary. See the Resources page for a link to Office Locator for National Transfer listing details.
• ABSTUDY Travel staff must contact the TMC to issue the itinerary

TMA Booking Status of 'Booked' - Itinerary issued

Once the TMC have issued the itinerary, ABSTUDY Smart Centre staff will need to check the student’s circumstances for options on how the itinerary can be re-issued.

To re-issue the itinerary for a:

• Secondary student boarding at a school or hostel:
• The traveller must contact the education provider/boarding provider to request the itinerary
• If the education provider/boarding provider has not received the itinerary, ABSTUDY Travel Officers must email a copy of the travel itinerary from the ABSTUDY Travel mailbox directly to the education provider/boarding provider
• For bulk or group bookings of 10 or more travellers requiring itineraries, ABSTUDY Travel Officers must email the TMC to have a copy of the itineraries sent to the travellers or education institution/boarding provider
• Tertiary student or Secondary student who is a private boarder, ABSTUDY staff must:
• view the itinerary in the Documents tab in TMA and give itinerary details over the phone. See Step 2 in Adding attachments in TMA table
• email a copy of the itinerary to the traveller from the ABSTUDY secondary mailbox. See the Quicksteps Guide for the email template
• tell the traveller the itinerary can be printed at a Services Australia Service Centre

All itineraries received from the TMC must be checked against the booking request to ensure dates, times, transfers, accommodation and destinations are as originally requested or meet the required booking specifications.

The following must be checked:

• Customer Reference Number (CRN) must match student's record
• Traveller name and title on the itinerary matches the name on the Overview tab (student and non-student traveller)
• when finalising traveller itineraries, the TMC is unable to include apostrophes or upper case and lower case letters in passenger names
• If 2 travellers have the same name, respective itineraries will display SNR or JNR
• Itineraries must not be returned to the TMC for correction for the 2 reasons above
• only use the title Master (or MSTR) where travel is booked via chartered transport (air or land service). For any other travel booked, use the title MR
• Mandatory Supervisor, if a mandatory supervisor is required check if there is a supervisor booked for the traveller
• Parties tab, if a linked traveller is recorded, Service Officers must complete checks and upload both itineraries. If only one has been issued, Service Officers are to upload the issued itinerary and:
• insert a note in the TMA booking record - itinerary received xx/xx/xx at xx:xxam/pm– linked traveller itinerary still outstanding
• edit the subject heading of the TMC email stating - 'awaiting linked traveller itinerary'
• file email under COMPLETED ITINERARIES
• where a notional student traveller is linked to a non-student traveller booking Service Officers must ensure the Booking status is changed to 'Booked'
• Customer Study Details, see Customer Study Details (EDC) screen in Process Direct or Education Course History (EDC) screen in Customer First and check for correct educational provider in TMA and course level, including the study year
• Travel dates for traveller and non-student travellers
• Travel locations, check the from/to locations and that all legs on the itinerary connect
• Additional Requirements, check any additional requirements have been booked, for example, transfers or accommodation

Ensure the:

• travel times and duration of the journey is appropriate. For example, young travellers are not travelling alone at unreasonable times or for unreasonable durations, see Determining the appropriate mode of transport for ABSTUDY Fares Allowance (FAA)
• traveller has been given reasonable time to move from 1 terminal to another. For example, reasonable time to travel from domestic terminal to charter is 60 minutes
• mode of transport is correct

Note: Do not upload incorrect itineraries.

Is the itinerary deemed incorrect?

• Yes, ABSTUDY Travel officers go to Step 4
• Yes, ABSTUDY Smart Centre officers, go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 6

If the itinerary is incorrect staff must follow up with the TMC for the itinerary to be re-issued.

Contact the TMC by phone if travel is within 2 business days or there is a discrepancy with travel dates and complete the following:

• add notes to the TMA booking record see National ABSTUDY Travel minimum doc standards
• edit subject heading of the TMC email stating 'awaiting corrected itinerary'
• file email under COMPLETED ITINERARIES

Note: where TMC confirm that the travel date discrepancy on the issued itinerary is correct, the ABSTUDY Travel Officer must add these notes in the TMA record and update the booking to reflect the confirmed changes.

For all other discrepancies:

• email the TMC and cc the ABSTUDY Travel team, see Quicksteps Guide
• add notes to the TMA booking record, see National ABSTUDY Travel Minimum Doc Standards
• ensure relevant details or documents are uploaded to the Documents tab, see, Adding attachments to TMA table
• edit subject heading of the TMC email stating 'awaiting corrected itinerary'
• file email under COMPLETED ITINERARIES

When an incorrect itinerary is issued, staff must complete these follow up actions with the ABSTUDY Travel team and the TMC for the itinerary to be re-issued.

If there is a discrepancy with travel dates, obtain Local Peer Support (LPS).

For all other itinerary discrepancies where travel is within 2 business days:

• forward the itinerary to the ABSTUDY Travel positional mailbox for follow up, include in the subject header - 'CRITICAL - ITINERARY REQUIRES CORRECTION'
• add notes to the TMA booking record, see National ABSTUDY Travel Minimum DOC Standards
• ensure relevant emails or documents are uploaded to the Documents tab, see Adding attachments in TMA table
• edit subject heading of the TMC email stating 'awaiting corrected itinerary'
• once, actioned, file email under COMPLETED ITINERARIES
• Itinerary errors identified after 5pm (WST) with travel booked for the next day must be escalated to an ABSTUDY Travel Officer via the ABSTUDY Travel Microsoft Teams chat. To escalate the itinerary:
• tag ‘@Travel Staff’ CRITICAL itinerary hand off and
• date of travel

For all other itinerary discrepancies where travel is outside of 2 business days:

• email the TMC and cc the ABSTUDY Travel team, see Quicksteps Guide
• add notes to the TMA booking record, see National ABSTUDY Travel Minimum DOC Standards
• Edit subject heading of the TMC email stating 'awaiting corrected itinerary'
• File under COMPLETED ITINERARIES

Note: All outbound emails are to be sent from the ABSTUDY Travel positional mailbox, with the correct email signature and must be sent using the OFFICIAL security classification.

When the correct itinerary is received, upload the itinerary and update the booking to reflect any changes, see Coding pre-booked Fares Allowance (FAA) entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)

To complete the process, Service Officers must:

• update the Booking Reference - insert the PNR reference located on the itinerary.
• update the Booking status to ‘Booked’
• ensure the correct itinerary is attached to the Documents tab and it is opening correctly. See the Adding attachments in TMA table
• add notes to the TMA booking record

The Notes function within TMA provides specific details relating to travel bookings and decisions made.

To view existing notes in a travel booking, access TMA (see the TMA overview table) in the relevant customer's record and locate the applicable booking, then:

• select the applicable travel request
• with the correct Booking ID# in context, select the Notes tab

Notes are displayed in date/time order.

Notes can be added to a travel booking to record and capture important circumstances and the life cycle of the travel booking.

Adding notes is mandatory for all travel bookings. The notes must clearly detail the contact and discussion. For example:

• Who contacted
• Date of contact
• Reason for contact, for example, variation/cancellation request
• Travel circumstance has been approved/rejected
• Any discussion/s that have taken place, including the email or fax information
• Details of evidence discussed and/or attached
• ABSTUDY Policy reference that supports the decision

For more information see:

• Online Document Recording (ODR) Resources page for Act References
• Creating, reviewing and deleting documents (including Fast Notes and DOA DOCs)
• National ABSTUDY Travel Minimum DOC Standards

There are specific requirements for ABSTUDY Telephony Service Officers to record notes in a new booking request. For additional information, see Coding pre-booked Fares Allowance (FAA) entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES).

To add notes to an existing travel booking access TMA (see the TMA overview table) in the relevant customer's record and locate the applicable booking, then:

• select the applicable travel request
• with the correct Booking ID# in context, select the Notes tab and select Edit
• select New
• add the note ensuring the details entered meet the Getting it Right (GIR) DOC Minimum Standards, see:
• Online Document Recording (ODR) Resources page for Act References
• Creating, reviewing and deleting documents (including Fast Notes and DOA DOCs)

Once completed, select Save.

To delete a note from an existing travel booking, access TMA (see the TMA overview table) in the relevant customer's record and locate the applicable booking, then:

• select the applicable travel request
• with the correct Booking ID# in context, select the Notes tab and select Edit
• select Delete next to the document to remove
• select Yes when prompted

Once completed, select Save.

Relevant documentation must be added as an attachment to a travel booking or a reimbursement.

This may include evidence to support a travel eligibility decision (for example, compassionate travel) or can include the documentation required for payment of a reimbursement (for example, a copy of a ticket or receipts for accommodation).

To view attachments in an existing travel booking, access TMA (see the TMA overview table) in the relevant customer's record and locate the applicable booking, then:

• select the applicable travel request
• with the correct Booking ID# in context, select the Documents tab
• select the applicable document to view

To add attachments to a travel booking, access TMA (see the TMA overview table) in the relevant customer's record and locate the applicable booking, then:

• select the applicable travel request
• with the correct Booking ID# in context, select the Documents tab and select Edit
• select Upload Document
• under the Upload Document dialogue box:
• select Browse in the Select File to Upload field
• once the correct file is located, select Open
• enter a name for the document under the Description field (ensure users can clearly identify what the document is)
• select Create to attach the document
• the document will then appear in the Documents tab
• select Save
• delete all the customer information from desktop and local drives when all required action is taken

To remove an attachment in an existing travel booking, access TMA (see the TMA overview table) in the relevant customer's record and locate the applicable booking, then:

• select the applicable travel request
• with the correct Booking ID# in context, select the Documents tab
• select Edit
• select Delete next to the document to remove
• select Ok
• select Save

Fares Allowance letters in the TMA are auto-created and sent to customers in the following circumstances:

• Rejection of pre-booked travel
• Rebooking Penalties
• Travel Cost penalty of less than $50. The Issue Letter toggle will present for all travellers irrespective of their education level, however it should only be used to advise tertiary or, secondary non-school students and their associated non-student travellers of a rebooking penalty

Fares Allowance reimbursement and Away from Base letters in the TMA are auto-created and sent to the payee/s upon completion of:

• Reimbursement activities including reassessments
• Away from Base activities including reassessments and acquittals

If a Service Officer determines a letter to the customer is not required (for example, they have notified the claimant by phone call), they can prevent the letter from sending by selecting No in the Issue Letter toggle.

• To view, reissue or cancel an auto-generated letter, go to Step 2
• For tertiary or secondary non-school students and their associated non-student travellers who have incurred a Travel Costs penalty less than $50, go to Step 3

To view or reissue a letter auto-generated within the TMA, Service Officers can use either the History Summary (HS) screen in Process Direct or Search Outbound Correspondence tool in Customer First. See Viewing or reissuing a letter or electronic message.

Cancelling a letter auto-generated within the TMA must occur within 1 working day from the date created. To cancel an auto-generated letter, see Customer First - requesting information table of Circumstance Change Monitor (CCM).

Where tertiary or secondary non-school students and their non-student travellers incur a Rebooking Penalty only, a letter is auto-generated by the TMA after coding the Penalties tab, see No show for ABSTUDY travel.

For tertiary or secondary non-school students and their non-student travellers, who are subject to both a Financial Penalty and a Rebooking Penalty, the Account Payable advice generated by the Raise a Debt guided procedure includes details of both penalty types.

However, where the Financial Penalty is less than $50, the debt will be auto-waived by the system and no Account Payable advice will be generated to advise these travellers of the rebooking penalty. In these cases, the Rebooking Penalty letter must be sent to advise travellers who miss pre-booked travel without a valid reason, see No show for ABSTUDY travel.

Note: the Issue Letter toggle will present for all travellers irrespective of their education level, however it should only be used to advise tertiary or, secondary non-school students and their associated non-student travellers of a rebooking penalty.

The ABSTUDY Operational Information OI reports can be accessed by approved Smart Centre representatives and used for:

• securing safe and secure travel for ABSTUDY students and non-student travellers (for example in cases of emergencies), and
• Programme Management reporting

A specific role is required to enable access to the ABSTUDY OI suite of reports.

The ABSTUDY OI reports - access and User Guide provides information on how to request access and generate the reports. The Resources page contains a link to the ABSTUDY Operational Information (OI) reports - access and User Guide.