It is expected that all UNT System institution travel is planned and conducted to achieve maximum cost efficiency. All expenses must be reasonable, necessary, appropriately documented/explained and properly approved.
Any meal included as part of the payment for conference registration will not be considered a reimbursable expense without explanation. The conference agenda must be provided with the travel Expense Report and statement of the meals provided should be in the report comments. This is required for both actual and daily allowance meals.
No. The hotel should be booked outside Concur in order to get the conference rate. The conference rate is available only to attendees. Sometimes the conference will allow you to book on the conference website or you can contact the hotel to book directly. The booking can be made with a personal credit card or the Citibank IBT card and with a paid receipt can be reimbursed after the trip.
The Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax Exemption Certificate should be completed and presented to the hotel. The form can be downloaded from the Forms Library here: https://www.untsystem.edu/forms-library/index.php. When completing the form the Exemption claimed should be “Educational Entities”.
Gas expenses will be reimbursed from actual receipts for vehicles rented and used for business related travel. Mileage reimbursement may not be claimed when renting a vehicle for business travel.
Mileage in personal vehicles can be claimed for reimbursement. The rental car calculator can help determine whether it is more cost effective to use a rental car than reimburse a traveler for mileage.
See Mileage Comparison Worksheet
https://www.untsystem.edu/forms-library/mileage-comparison-worksheet.php
Corporate Travel Planners (CTP) - for bookings in Concur or with a travel agent
Hours of operation -8am – 5:00pm (CST)
Online Assistance – 877-727-5188 (free)
Full-service Agent – 855-201-6754 Email - unt@ctp-travel.com (see list of fees)
After Hours: 5:01p – 7:59a (CST) – (Should only be used for emergencies)
After Hours Toll Free number 800-358-1409
**NOTE: There is a $16.00 charge per after hours call – plus additional
fees for services
We have all our trainings listed here: https://finance.untsystem.edu/tools-and-training/travel-training.php . We have self-paced and live trainings via Teams to choose from. Once completed, the self-paced trainings can be revisited if you need a refresher, so it is a really good resource.
IBT State of Texas Travel cards are the preferred method of payment for individual employee travel. Employees at University of North Texas, UNT Health Science Center, UNT Dallas and UNT System Administration who travel regularly are encouraged to apply for the Citibank individually billed corporate travel card (IBT).
To apply for the Citibank IBT card, go to this website: https://finance.untsystem.edu/travel/travel-card.php.
Once the application is completed, submit the application for approval. The approval process will take approximately 7 days. If the applicant is denied the card holder will be notified.
The card will be mailed to the home address indicated on the application. The cardholder will need to call Citibank customer service to activate the card.
All transactions incurred on the Travel Card shall be reconciled with a paid itemized receipt on an Expense Report in Concur and submitted within 30 days of the transaction.
It is the cardholder’s responsibility to ensure their IBT card balance is paid, regardless of their reimbursement status.
A Travel Card shall NOT be used for non-UNT System institution travel expenses.
Employees will log in with Single Sign On (SSO). There are a few ways to log in. They’re listed here in the order of ease of use.
- Through the url shortcut: https://www.untsystem.edu/concur
- Through the Concur Resource Page: https://finance.untsystem.edu/travel/concur-request-travel-expense.php
- Through a link in a Concur Notification Email
- Through the HR Self Service Portal > Employee Resources tile > Concur tile
These apps can be found after logging into Concur in the App Center on the black bar menu.
The Concur mobile app with ExpenseIt makes it very easy to capture receipt images and upload/attach to your expense report while traveling so you do not have to carry around a bunch of receipts. You can also manage approvals and expenses for both requests and expense reports, though we recommend using the desktop module for anything in depth. The biggest benefit of using the Concur app is that your reimbursement can be processed even faster, even while you are out of the office. While traveling a delegate can prepare the report for you with the receipts uploaded so it is ready to submit when you return. TripIt app is also recommended as it organizes all your travel itineraries and reservations in one place for you, perfect for busy travelers. You can connect these apps to Concur in the App Center at the top of the Concur homepage. We have a self-paced training just for the mobile app- check it out here:
https://finance.untsystem.edu/tools-and-training/travel-training.php.
Cash Advances can be utilized for faculty/staff led group travel with students. Cash Advances are the exception and not the rule, for employees and currently enrolled students for University related travel that do not qualify for a travel card. Cash Advance services are processed through a Request in Concur. Advance services are not allowed on State or Grant funds or for non-students/employees. Payment is provided by EFT.
A Concur Request must be fully approved prior to traveling or booking any travel itineraries.
This form https://finance.untsystem.edu/travel/cash-advance-setup-concur.php should be completed prior to submitting a Concur Request and at least 15 days before the date of departure.
Concur cash advance Requests are limited to the following:
• Group travel invoving students in which the faculty/staff member is the custodian of funds
• Employees who do not qualify for a Travel Card
• Foreign travel where credit cards are not accepted
• Team travel.
Employees or currently enrolled students that have used advance services or received a cash advance must return any unused funds and submit a reconciling Concur Expense Report within 7 business days from the date of return.
See Tutorials on the Concur Resources website: https://finance.untsystem.edu/travel/concur-request-travel-expense.php.
For all UNT System Enterprise Employees, profiles in Concur are automatically created from the HR system with a valid HR record.
Profiles for non-employees (Students, prospective employees, other non-employee guests) have to be manually created by the UNT System Concur Team. Non-employees will not be able to access Concur. A full-time UNT System employee must be designated as the guest’s sponsor that will create and submit reimbursement Expense Reports and Travel on the guest’s behalf.
This page provides the resources and information needed to carry out this process
https://finance.untsystem.edu/travel/concur_non-employee_profiles.php
To view the status of the report approvals in Concur, click on Request Details> Request Timeline or Expense Report Details>Report Timeline. Clicking on the Request Audit Trail or the Report Audit Trail in the same manner will also show approvals and other changes that have occurred with the report.
The approvers will include the first level approver or the Supervisor approval, Cost Object Approver or the Account Holder, Grant or CRO approver, and Risk Management approval.
Use the following codes at the branch website and a paid receipt should be obtained after return of the car and provided in an Expense Report to request reimbursement after the trip.
Enterprise/National
UTS600
Passcode: UNI
Hertz
https://comptroller.texas.gov/purchasing/programs/travel-management/rental/hertz.php
Expenses incurred during personal leave are not reimbursable. Personal time during a business trip should be indicated on the Concur Expense Report Header with appropriate dates and deducted from any business expenses to be reimbursed.
Reimbursements for travel to an employee meeting the following criteria, in accordance with adherence to IRS rules and regulations, will be reported by the Travel Team to the Payroll Office and listed as taxable wages when charged to a personal credit card. This does not apply to University direct billed expenses.
Yes, a Concur reimbursement Expense Report for travel or non-travel out of pocket expenses that is submitted after 60 days (about 2 months) from the last day of travel is considered taxable income.
Yes, A reimbursement for individual meals during business travel when there is no overnight stay is considered taxable income. Business meals involving attendees with business purpose are non-taxable.
International travelers are required to register their travel three weeks in advance to ensure appropriate supervisor and Risk Management approval is in place for reimbursement. Travelers are encouraged to utilize the resources provided to prepare for and respond to emergency situations that may occur while abroad. For more information or to register your International Travel, Travel Insurance or other Resources see https://finance.untsystem.edu/travel/international-travel.php
Expenses for which there is no prudent business justification include but are not limited to:
1. Personal expenses –i.e., toiletries, toothpaste, shampoo
2. Laundry and dry cleaning 20
3. Use of Hotel fitness equipment
4. Pillow for air travel/flight
5. Kennel expenses for pets
6. Excess baggage charges (for personal belongings or spouse/child baggage)
7. Airline Club dues
8. Hotel video rentals (personal entertainment)
9. Travel insurance-coverage for individual’s “health” while traveling
10. Child Care
Requests do not need to be submitted for non-overnight trips (unless there is a booking in Concur) or non-travel reimbursements (business meal, virtual conf registration, membership, etc.). A Request should always be done prior to an overnight trip or if you will need to book anything in Concur.
We do not have a requirement as to what you need to specifically include, though we suggest checking with your department to see if they have a required naming convention. The best practice we suggest is to pick something meaningful to you that you will easily recognize, and the approvers will understand. In the future this will help you and approvers easily identify past requests.
To view past Requests, click on Requests from the black bar menu. On the right side of the screen,
Click on the “Active Requests” menu drop down link and choose “All Requests from the available options or any other option needed.
In order to make any changes the Request has to be ‘recalled’, changes made, then resubmitted. Once it is approved no modifications can be made. For more information on the different statuses check this out- https://finance.untsystem.edu/sites/default/files/concur-payment-approval-status.pdf
If you did not start the booking from the approved Request (via the ‘Book with Concur Travel’ button on the segments tab), OR if you start to book and leave the booking process or put a flight on hold, it might generate a new Request. Once the booking process is started it should be completed in one sitting. If you need to leave the booking process, you will need to start over from the approved Request. If one of the Requests is for a booking and the other is for the other expenses, you do not have to delete one- you can link more than one Request to an Expense Report. Or if not, you can always ‘close/inactivate’ once the trip has taken place to remove it from being active and disencumber the funds.
Similar to previous process, the Request is just an estimate of the expenses for the trip. There is no action necessary when the actuals expenses amount differ from the estimated expenses in the Request. Keep in mind though the Request does encumber the funds in which the Expense Report reconciles.
Without going through the approved Request, the system cannot link the approvals to the booking so one is auto created, which will only hold the booking without approvals completed for 24 hours.
Concur has partnered with some vendors to provide e-receipts that automatically send travel receipts to your Concur profile.
See our Concur Resources page for a tutorial on Activating E-receipts here:
https://finance.untsystem.edu/travel/concur-request-travel-expense.php
Travel Allowances are the daily maximum rates for Meals and Lodging according to the U.S. General Services Administration at https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates.
These rates are calculated in Concur when using the Daily Allowance expense for Meals or Lodging by the destination location for travel. To claim reimbursement using these rates and Travel Allowance Itinerary would need to be created in the Expense Report. See Travel FAQ for Travel Allowance Itinerary for more information.
Travel allowance in Concur is referring to per diem. In other words, for this Expense Report will you be needing to claim any meal per diem expenses?
The system uses the itinerary stop locations to determine the correct per diem rate. The itinerary should match your trip itinerary so anytime you leave one location an itinerary line should be added. You will need to do one anytime you are reimbursing per diem meals or if you are being reimbursed from a grant fund that will need to be checked against rates.
See Tutorials below on the Concur Resources website: https://finance.untsystem.edu/travel/concur-request-travel-expense.php.
Add Travel Allowances to an Expense Report
Resolving Error Messages: Itinerary Rows
This usually means you already created an itinerary with those dates that needs to be either assigned to the report or deleted to create a new one. If it is assigned and incorrect you can edit it under ‘assigned itineraries. To delete and create a new one first you have to ‘unassign’ it under ‘assigned itineraries’ near the top then delete it from the below section. After that you should be able to create a new one using those dates.
Select the expenses you would like to move to a report and click the blue ‘Move’ action button. You have the option to move it to a new report or add it to one already created.
See the tutorial Adding Card Transactions to an Expense Report
on the Concur Resources website: https://finance.untsystem.edu/travel/concur-request-travel-expense.php.
You itemize your expenses to account for receipts that include both business and personal expenses, or to ensure that each of your expenses is accounted for correctly. This would include expenses for meals, ground transportation and hotel or lodging.
Please see our tutorial on Itemizing Expenses from our Concur Resources page here:
https://finance.untsystem.edu/travel/concur-request-travel-expense.php
You only need to allocate expenses when you want to split an expense or expenses (by percentage or amount) between the account on the Report Header and other accounts. If you need to allocate multiple expenses, please select ‘Allocations’ under ‘Details’. Otherwise, the chart string on the Report Header is the account to be charged so please double check it is correct.
Please see our tutorial on Allocating Expenses from our Concur Resources page here:
https://finance.untsystem.edu/travel/concur-request-travel-expense.php.
Guidance from the Texas Comptroller’s Office:
Meals
State funded travel expense reimbursement is not a per diem. An employee must claim the actual expenses incurred for meals and lodging, not to exceed the maximum allowable rates (in-state, out-of-state and foreign). The maximum shall not be claimed unless the actual expenditures equal or exceed the maximum allowable rate.
Lodging
If the actual lodging expense is funded on state funding the actual expense should not exceed the daily maximum allowance.
These are exceptions to the maximum allowable lodging rates on state funds from the Texas Comptroller’s Office:
- Reduce the meal reimbursement to cover the overage so that total meals and hotel do not exceed the total meal allowance and total lodging max for that city.
- If it’s required to book through the conference website or directly with the hotel to get a group rate.
Choosing the expense type “Hotel Reservation” will allow booking a reservation only.
Reservations are not paid in full. Employees will need to provide their personal card at check in. Government/State rates are for University or State employees only and may require a University or State employee ID at check in. The hotel should be contacted directly to inquire about government or state rates available. Guests or non-State employees should book at the best available rate.
This usually means that you either have not received reimbursement before and need to be added as a vendor in the system or you do have a file, but it is missing information. Please provide in the email to Supplier.Management@untsystem.edu your full name, Employee ID, and current mailing address so they can easily locate you and make sure they have the correct information. The exception will stay with the report even after your email them so if you would please include the email or a comment that you reached out, so the approvers are aware it was taken care of.
When you itemize the receipt there is a check box for a personal expense or a separate personal expense box to include it in. Either way the system subtracts the personal expense amount from the total reimbursement for you. There is also a Personal/Non-Reimbursable expense type in the system that is not counted in the reimbursement total.
Similar to the request once an expense report is submitted for approval no changes can be made along the process, except to attach receipts. So, if an approver notices something that is incorrect the expense report will have to be sent back for correction and resubmitted for approval. Or if you have the option, you can ‘recall’ it to make changes and resubmit. Best practice is to double check all amounts, receipts, etc. before submittal to limit the number of times it has to go through the approval process.
From the homepage click on the Expenses tab and Click on the link drop down menu on the right “Active Reports” and select the option to view (Last 90 days, This Year, Last Year, Date Range).