DTS...How many gates do you go through to get a voucher approved?

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 02:23:11 -0500

DTS is now a system that we have been using for a several years, yet it seems to get harder and harder to get anything approved, not to mention longer. As it stands here in III MEF in Okinawa I have to create a voucher, get it approved / authorized by my Regimental AO (Authorizing Official), then it gets reviewed by 1 of several personnel of whom I have no idea who they are or where they work. Then, it has to be approved by 1 of several different personnel before I get paid. The crutch of it is, if at any time my voucher gets kicked back for something someone doesn't like, doesn't understand, or thinks is just wrong, I have to go back to the bottom of the pile and start the review and approval process. At this point, there is no guarantee that the same personnel who originally found mistakes will see my voucher again, and I run the risk of new personnel finding something they don't like, don't understand, or thinks is wrong. I am given 5 days from the end of my travel to complete my voucher, but the process seems to have unlimited to complete their end.

Is anyone else having this same problem with getting paid for travel?

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 2 at 2014 8:16 PM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 20:16:12 -0500

My current unit does not use DTS. When I was in a unit that used it, it was very cumbersome and difficult to use at times. I feel your frustrations Brian.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 2 at 2014 8:59 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 20:59:48 -0500

Took me two years to get my voucher paid. Streamlined, riiight.

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 2 at 2014 9:10 PM

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 21:10:46 -0500

I know it may be of little consolation, but my agency uses Concur. I had to travel to Boulder Co. for training the first week of October. It's now the first week of December and I'm still waiting to get reimbursed travel costs. I have a govt cc, but when the statement comes, regardless of if I've been reimbursed or not, I have to pay the bill. My supervisors have approved the expenses, I'm waiting for some unknown person god knows where to do the final approval. FML

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Dec 2 at 2014 9:16 PM

TSgt Joshua Copeland — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 21:16:03 -0500

I have one person to approve my Orders and one to approve my voucher (same person).

Response by SFC Peter Cyprian made Dec 2 at 2014 9:17 PM

SFC Peter Cyprian — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 21:17:25 -0500

The Dumb Travel System is pathetic.....they should have hired Yahoo or Travelocity to do the damned thing! When it first came out and we realized how "screwed" the system was, nobody used it. Then Congress got a look at the bill for the entire system and INSISTED we use it.

The problems you have identified are but the tip of the iceberg. Think about this- you identified that there are people in the approval chain that you don't even know.....that being the case, do you really believe they know who you are? Nope. Are they really motivated to get your travel requests through the system? Nope. Do they really care? Sorry, but no, they don't. Someone saddled them with a responsibility and very little guidance.

I could type all night about how F'd up DTS is, but I am sure you know all too well!

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Dec 2 at 2014 10:07 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 22:07:00 -0500

For its hi, hi, hay, my voucher's on its way, count off the kickbacks loud and strong 2, 3, 4, Where e'r we go, the paper work will flow, as the Army goes rolling along...

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 2 at 2014 11:23 PM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 23:23:47 -0500

I'm a DTS specialist at my unit. Short of spelling DTS backwards in order to feel its pains and discomforts, I suggest you to be fully proactive in the process.

First, get to know who's a 'reviewer' and who's an 'approver' in your unit by names and phone numbers. If you feel too overwhelmed by the process, I suggest have them literally hold you by the hand through entire ordeal.

Ensure that all your receipts remain at hand, for they'll have to be scanned and uploaded.

Next, hover around 'reviewers' to ensure they address any issues right then and there, which is where most of the errors and missing documentation will be addressed.

Lastly, you may want to contact final voucher 'approvers' if you desire, but once past initial reviewers, most issues should be resolved. Once approvers do their final check, you should be expecting reimbursement within 2-3 business days.

Just as with everything else, practice makes perfect. Stay on top of your initial 'reviewers', for that's where most issues will be manifested. Let me know if you have any questions at this point, sir. Good luck and happy holidays!

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 2 at 2014 11:36 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 23:36:05 -0500

Lets not forget that if at anytime one of those people are out of the loop the entire process stops until they decide they want to do their job.

Response by CW5 Sam R. Baker made Dec 3 at 2014 1:46 PM

CW5 Sam R. Baker — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 13:46:42 -0500

Having to deal with it this week, I had the opportunity to utilize my rank for the benefit of some recent folks who went TDY. The vouchers were submitted the first working day after the completion of TDY in accordance with the orders of five working days. The vouchers were still not even reviewed to date having the trip back more than a month ago. Additionally the approval to go on the trip, all plane tickets were cancelled as the account was never paid/authorized for the TDY initially. This of course should have been a red flag of monumental proportion. TO fix the review and ultimate claim, I had our TDY clerk print me a list of all reviewers and approval authorities for the account. I called a few and they were no assistance, so I emailed the group in a ALCON, apologizing for harassing anyone who might accidentally be involved with the trip, but ultimately asking for anyone/everyone to take a look into the review and claim of the TDY. The response has been overwhelming and much appreciated. Several folks had to report to offices this morning, but when Soldiers utilize personal means to finance a trip for the military (due to lack of GOVT cards), the folks with the responsibility to review and approve should be a little more concerned with making it happen in a timely manner. I know I don't sit on in-boxes, whether digital or physically on my desk.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 26 at 2020 9:34 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 26 Sep 2020 09:34:43 -0400

DTS is far slower and less user friendly than what I typically use in Arows-R. Im a “full time” reservist though, maybe that makes a difference. Either way, it seems that DTS is a broken system.