10/08/2021 Travel Request Workflow Approval Process Update
Effective immediately, the approval workflow process in Concur for all travel requests has returned to the standard Signature Policy (delegation of authority) approval process. Division vice presidents have been reinstated at the $10K and above approval level.
As a reminder, prior to booking and/or obligating the University to any travel, you are required to create a Travel Request in Concur. In addition, all travelers are required to follow CDC guidelines and restrictions.
For general travel and Concur related questions, please refer to the travel overview webpage.
05/11/2021 Travel Guidance Update
On April 14, 2021, the Chancellor’s Office issued a communication lifting the systemwide travel suspension effective June 1, 2021, and delegating authority to each campus president to establish travel guidelines and an approval process for their respective campus.
As a result, President Junn has delegated approval of all University-related travel to each area vice president. Effective June 1, 2021, and in effect until further notice, all travel is required to follow CDC guidelines and restrictions and will require prior approval of the division vice president.
All University business-related travel on or after June 1, 2021, will require travelers to create a Travel Request within Concur and receive their vice president’s approval PRIOR to booking and/or obligating the University to any travel.
Please note, any travel expense claims submitted without proper vice-presidential approval within Concur will not be reimbursed.
Please contact your appropriate division vice president if you have questions regarding approval of any upcoming travel.
Below are common questions and answers regarding the travel restrictions update:
Q1: I need to travel June 2, 2021, for University-related business. What do I need to do?
Log into Concur and create a Travel Request to receive approval from your division vice president. Do not move forward with traveling, booking travel or obligating the University in any way without first receiving your division vice president’s approval within Concur.
Q2: How do I create a Travel Request?
Please review the quick two-minute video: Creating Concur Travel Request
Q3: How do I route the Travel Request to my area vice president?
Beyond submitting your travel request, no additional action will be required of you. Financial Services is currently working to automatically route all submitted Travel Requests to their division vice president and expects to have this infrastructure in place by May 10, 2021.
Q4: Who is responsible for ensuring compliance with CDC guidelines and restrictions?
It’s the responsibility of the individual traveling to ensure their travel is in compliance with CDC guidelines as well as California Department of Public Health guidelines and State Department guidelines. Similarly, it’s also the responsibility of the individual traveling to report a positive COVID-19 test and/or exposure. If you have additional questions regarding compliance or reporting, please reach out to Safety and Risk Management at risk@csustan.edu.
Q5: Do I need to complete a COVID-19 Approved Travel Form?
No. Effective June 1, 2021, the COVID-19 travel form will no longer be required. Instead, your division vice president will need to approve your Travel Request within Concur PRIOR to booking and/or obligating the University to any travel.
Q6: If the spending limit on my existing Travel PCard has been reduced to $1.00, how do I increase my limit?
Please reach out to Julie Anderson, our Interim PCard Administrator at jmanderson@csustan.edu.
Q7: I think I may need a University issued Travel PCard to support upcoming travel. What do I do?
First, analyze and review your frequency of travel with your appropriate dean or vice president. In an effort to limit University credit risk, Travel PCards are reserved for those who travel FREQUENTLY on University business. If you and your appropriate dean or vice president determine you’ll be traveling on a frequent basis for University business, please complete the Travel PCard Agreement Application and submit it to Julie Anderson at jmanderson@csustan.edu.
6/25/2020 Travel (International & Domestic) and Study Abroad
On 6/25/2020, the Chancellor’s Office issued a communication extending the suspension of all international and non-essential domestic travel through June 30, 2021. As a result, this document updates the travel guidance issued 4/29/2020 and modifies the suspension of all international and non-essential domestic travel to June 30, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please continue to refrain from obligating and/or booking travel through June 30, 2021. Rare exceptions to the travel ban may be granted by the President. Please contact your appropriate Dean or Vice President and utilize the COVID-19 Approved Travel Form if an exception is needed.
4/29/2020 Travel Guidance Update
On 4/29/2020, the Chancellor’s Office issued a communication extending the suspension of all international and non-essential domestic travel from May 31, 2020, to July 31, 2020. As a result, this document updates the travel guidance issued from the Office of the President dated 3/9/2020 and modifies the suspension of all international and non-essential domestic travel to July 31, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please continue to refrain from obligating and/or booking travel beyond 7/31/2020 as the travel ban may continue to be extended. The President may grant rare exceptions to the travel ban. Please contact your appropriate Dean or Vice President and utilize the COVID-19 Approved Travel Form if an exception is needed.
The President’s Office made an announcement on March 9, 2020 regarding Stanislaus State Travel:
“Effective immediately, all CSU campuses and auxiliaries will suspend University-related international and non-essential domestic travel until further notice.”
In light of this announcement, we would like to help clarify what this travel suspension means for our campus community.
Travel Suspension
- Essential Travel: In the rare instance travel could be deemed essential, please submit a detailed written justification to your appropriate dean or vice president if an exception is needed. Each request will be reviewed with a focus on employee and community safety. The goal of this travel restriction is to minimize the spread of the virus.
- If travel is approved, submit your travel request through Concur with proof of vice president approval attached.
- Unless approved as essential, individuals should not submit requests for future travel dates at this time.
- Individuals should review any pending or previously approved travel requests related to future travel. If no claims for reimbursement will be made, please inactivate/close the request in Concur immediately. If expenses have been incurred for future travel and you need to submit a claim, see reimbursement guidelines below.
- Future travel restrictions will be determined as the COVID-19 situation evolves.
Travel Expenditures
Expenses Incurred by Employee
- The travel reimbursement process via Concur will be used to claim costs incurred for cancelled travel.
- Travelers should make every effort to claim a refund from the travel vendor. Many airlines, hotels and car rental companies are refunding or crediting individuals who personally prepaid these transactions.
- Refund requests that were denied by the travel vendor are eligible for reimbursement. These reimbursement requests will require supporting documentation showing the request for refund was denied. Please submit a travel reimbursement claim via Concur.
- Travelers should collect, maintain and attach documentation about the refund/credit request and outcome to their Concur reimbursement request.
- Please add a comment in your claim to note that this cost is related to COVID-19. This will allow the campus to capture and track costs associated with COVID-19.
- Refunds granted in the form of a voucher for later use will be treated as a travel advance. The traveler may immediately submit a travel reimbursement claim for the expense.
- Please use the voucher/credit for University-related business travel before it expires.
Expenses Incurred by the Department (typically on a Travel PCard)
- Travelers/departments should make every effort to claim a refund. Many airlines, hotels and car rental companies are refunding or crediting individuals who personally prepaid these transactions.
- Travel PCard holders should collect and maintain documentation about the refund/credit request and outcome.
- During the Travel PCard reconciliation process, please attach any supporting documentation and code all COVID-19 related travel expenses with class code COV19. Credits on PCard statements from travel partners should be coded the same way.
- Refunds granted in the form of a voucher for later use will be treated as a travel advance.
- The traveler may immediately submit a travel reimbursement claim for the expense.
- Please use the voucher/credit for university-related business travel before it expires.
- Refunds granted in the form of a voucher for later use should be tracked by the department and used at the earliest opportunity.
Departments should review prior PCard statements for costs incurred in previous months for COVID-19 cancelled travel and request an expenditure transfer to add class code COV19 to the transaction. This will allow the campus to capture and track costs associated with COVID-19.
Contact Information
Please reach out to Angelina Caetano (Travel Coordinator) x3910 or Vinal Chand x3439 if you have any questions about this process.