In October 2021, Procurement and Business Services announced that the University planned to automate its current travel processes to Concur Travel and Expense in fall 2022. See Coming fall 2022 – Scheduled changes to travel and expense program answers the call for convenience, compliance and safety.
Automating travel and expense processes, including both web-based and mobile access, not only makes travel easier for faculty and staff, but it is also an important step in meeting the University’s objectives.
Once adopted, a single new system will integrate travel booking, travel expense processing, non-travel related expense processing and all expense reporting.
Travelers will be reimbursed faster through the system’s intuitive, “lean” standardized process. Travel policies will be built into the Concur Travel and Expense system and include clear audit rules that inform travelers of permissible and non-permissible activity. This means fewer questions about policy and what is or is not allowed, as well as having to ask someone the rules every time you travel.
Where We Are Today; Plans for System Implementation
Currently, Procurement and Business Services is in the system-build phase of the Concur Travel and Expense implementation.
A team of participants, including representatives from several university departments, is participating in User Experience Feedback (UEF) sessions, which provide an opportunity to work through travel and expense scenarios, offer feedback and work with Concur to build a customized travel and expense system.
Soon, role-specific trainings and road shows will be offered, instructing travelers and administrators on how to use the system.
Key Dates:
- April 2022: Complete all User Experience Feedback sessions
- June 2022: Pilot Go Live, to include:
- Division of Finance and Operations
- Development
- October 2022: Full Campus Roll Out
Benefits of New System
For employees, the new program will:
- reduce time spent making travel reservations,
- minimize complexities of the expense process,
- provide pre-populated expense reports, and
- require fewer keystrokes to request reimbursement.
Big picture–Concur Travel & Expense will allow the University to:
- increase travel and expense policy compliance,
- increase transparency for travel and expense spending,
- ensure travel activities are requested and authorized in advance,
- combine travel and expense processes and improve user experience, and
- eliminate the need to collect, manage and store paper receipts.
Topics still being explored:
- Change to receipt requirements ($25 or more for single charge)
- Exception process for most economical airfare (ex: upgrades under certain circumstances, etc.)