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Concur Travel and Expenses

Project Fastlane- SAP Concur implementation

The University’s president office has a modernized approach to the management of travel and expense reimbursement for the University System.  All five campuses and the President’s office have implemented a streamlined technology solution that improves business and travel expense functions utilizing the SAP Concur and Healix Sentinel (Healix) platforms.  These platforms migrate the University System from managing travel and expense across 5 different systems with limited integration to two well integrated systems. 

SAP Concur is used by hundreds of universities to administer travel and expense reporting.   The solution provides pretravel authorization, online travel booking, expense report compilation and approval, and Bank Card statement and receipt reconciliation.  It replaces Peoplesoft Expense, Egencia and Buyways bank card expense reporting.  It drives through workflow compliance to Policy, Export Control, Cyber Security and High-Risk Travel for international travel.

Healix replaces Terra Dotta as the travel risk registry. Healix is a global provider of travel risk management services. The solution enhances the University’s ability to manage travel risk in an effort to ensure the safety and security of all University travelers.  Through workflow the system facilitates the University’s compliance with Export Control and Cyber Security. Healix system monitors for events throughout the globe that may put travelers at risk and provides notifications to both the traveler and the University.  This allows the University to pro-actively monitor the safety and welfare of travelers and offer assistance where necessary.  

Additional information

Traveler

The traveler can be an employee, student, trustee, recognized student organizations, special state employees, or non-employees such as speakers, lecturers, visiting professors, candidates for employment, guests, etc.

  • Only employees will have access to Concur.
  • Student employees can be added to Concur.  A preparer (delegate) must process pre-travel authorization and expense reports for them.
  • Only Pre-travel authorization and booking are unavailable to anyone who is a guest or a non-employee student.

Supervisor

The supervisor oversees the work and activity of their direct reports.

  • Officially in charge of a department or area.
  • Performs the annual performance review of their direct reports.
  • Approves the time and labor of their direct reports.
  • Responsible for monitoring and regulating staff in the performance of their duties.

 Approver

The authorized approver for the department incurring the expense.

  • Can be a Dean, Chair of the department, Vice Chancellor, Director, or Manager
  • PI of grant or award.
  • An employee awarded start-up or other special funding for a directive or specified use.
  • Anyone responsible for approving prior approvals or exceptions per the Business, Travel, and Expense (BTE) policy approval matrix.

 Bankcard Holder

The bank card holder is assigned a university credit card; they are responsible for maintaining the records for all transactions. 

  • This includes but is not limited to using the card ethically and appropriately and observing dollar limits and restrictions on its use. They are also responsible for reconciling and documenting the transactions, ensuring compliance with all UMass policies, regulations, and procedures. 

Delegate Preparer

The Delegate preparer can be an Admin or other employee with whom you have assigned (delegated) the ability to prepare your requests and/or travel expenses on your behalf. 

  • Keep in mind the delegate cannot submit the expense reports for you. You must review and submit them on your own.

Dear faculty and staff,

This message serves as a reminder of the University’s various travel policies.

The University has a policy regarding travel, “Travel Policy” (T22-066), and all University travel must comport with this policy.

In addition, the “Business and Travel Expense Policy” (T92-031C ) applies to all travel for anyone undertaking University travel, regardless of funding source. The Policy also applies to any person affiliated with any UMass campus. The policy establishes guidelines and controls to ensure the safety of employees, provide accountability for University funds, and ensure compliance with federal and state laws. The University System is implementing a new travel and expense platform – Concur, in an effort branded “Project Fast Lane.” At UMass Dartmouth, several units have been on the Concur pilot for the past 2-3 months (including Admissions, SMAST, College of Engineering, and the Chancellor’s Office).

Timing of full Concur rollout

UMass Dartmouth will fully implement the Concur platform for the entire campus in February and March. In February, Concur will be active and required for all non-academic units. In March, Concur will be active and required for all academic units. Learn more about Project Fast Lane and Concur.

Training on Concur

Employees who are supervisors, budget approvers, have traveled or processed expense reports in the last year, or have a University bank card will be required to attend training for Concur.

To access training, visit the Concur Production Access website and scroll down to the Dartmouth dropdown to sign up for training. UPST has provided a training video for your review, as well as other training materials and job aids.

If you need access for an upcoming or future trip or later obtain a university bank card, you can always attend training and request access later.

Requirements of the Travel and Expense Policy

Please review the following information regarding the policies:

  • All travel must receive approval (Pre-Travel Authorization) prior to booking travel. Approvals should be obtained at least three weeks prior to travel.
  • Pre-Travel Authorization includes review by a supervisor.
  • All international travel requires an Export Control and a Cybersecurity risk review as part of the Pre-Travel Authorization.
  • TARMC (Travel Advisory Risk Management Committee) approval is required for travel to high-risk international destinations as part of the Pre-Travel Authorization.
  • All overnight travel must be registered once travel is booked. This includes In-state, Out-of-state/domestic, and International

Restrictions on devices and data in the Travel and Expense Policy

Bringing University devices or data or accessing University data on either a personal or University-issued device is prohibited in a designated Elevated Cybersecurity Risk Destination unless authorized by CITS. Elevated Cybersecurity Risk Destinations are any international destinations posing substantive cybersecurity risk to a University traveler and/or the University. CITS is authorized to determine whether appropriate risk mitigation measures can be achieved in “Elevated Cybersecurity Risk Destinations.”

Bank card transactions

Since Concur is a travel and expense system, bank card activity will be managed by processing expense reports and allocating the transactions to the proper budget. Bank cards will no longer need to be reallocated, nor will they post automatically after 30 days to the default account. Transactions will be available in Concur to process daily. If these are not processed promptly, bank cards will be closed to prevent future use of the card.

Timing

All travelers must comply with the above requirements, effective January 1, 2024. Reimbursement will not be provided for travel that is not in compliance. Unauthorized travel can also lead to the cancellation of a University bank card. In some cases where an unauthorized bank card was utilized to pay for travel expenses, the traveler will be required to reimburse the University for unauthorized charges. In the case of research-related unauthorized travel, the University can also use a Principal Investigator’s Indirect Costs funds to recover unauthorized bankcard travel charges.

For additional information regarding the University’s Travel and Business & Travel Expense policy, please visit the UPST Travel Expense Program website. Thank you.

Best,

Suzanne Audet
Controller

This form is needed to officially request the assignment of a delegate to prepare your requests and expense reports.  However, please remember, delegates cannot submit expense reports on your behalf. They must be reviewed and submitted by you in Concur. 

Concur Delegate Request Form (PDF)