Managing university travel and procurement expenses used to mean tracking paper receipts, filling out manual forms, and waiting weeks for reimbursement. Large institutions like Penn State University and public entities leverage cloud platforms to handle travel status, group meals, and goods procurement. Transitioning to an automated system changes how finance teams process transactions, enforce compliance, and maintain spending visibility.
Adopting an automated travel and expense workflow removes repetitive administrative overhead. Instead of sorting through physical paperwork, employees and administrators use a unified web interface to reconcile corporate purchasing cards and personal card spending.
Core Architecture of PSU SAP Concur
The platform combines travel booking, purchasing card (PCard) reconciliation, and reimbursement requests into a single environment. Users interact with two primary modules: Request and Expense.
- Request Module: Handles purchasing card maintenance, pre-trip authorizations, and estimated cost approvals before expenses occur.
- Expense Module: Manages post-spend reconciliation, receipt attachments, per diem calculations, and final reimbursement payouts for travel or goods and services.
By connecting transactions directly to corporate card feeds, the system populates line items automatically. This direct data link reduces manual data entry errors and ensures that the numbers on the receipt match the posted card charge.
Workflow and Submission Process
Submitting an expense report follows a structured path from initial purchase to final financial approval. Understanding each phase prevents common processing delays.
- Making the Purchase: Users pay via corporate purchasing cards or personal funds for eligible goods, services, or travel expenses. Non-per diem expenses require itemized receipts.
- Assembling the Report: Log into the portal, select active reports, and assign transactions to the appropriate budget line items.
- Attaching Documentation: Scan or upload electronic receipts directly to the line items.
- Electronic Certification: Review the final summary, verify compliance with institutional spending rules, and select accept and submit to apply an electronic signature.
Once submitted, the report enters an automated routing queue based on departmental financial officer configurations.
Managing Per Diem and Travel Allowances
Travel expenses require adherence to strict federal and institutional guidelines. The system automates lodging and meal allowances through integrated per diem calculators.
When users input an itinerary, the platform calculates standard meal and incidental expenses (M&IE) based on destination location data. If a location requires county-level verification, administrators cross-reference the destination using resources like the National Association of Counties to ensure correct rate assignment. Lodging, conversely, is reimbursed based on actual incurred expenses rather than flat per diem caps.
Setting Up Expense Delegates and Preferences
Delegating report preparation streamlines operations for busy faculty and staff members. You can assign administrative assistants or colleagues to draft reports while retaining final submission authority.
- Adding a Delegate: Navigate to profile settings, select expense delegates under expense settings, search for the individual by name or email, and check permissions for viewing receipts or preparing reports.
- Configuring Notifications: Adjust notification preferences in profile settings to control email alerts for status updates, ensuring you only receive messages when action is required.
Delegates can build and edit reports, but the account owner must complete the final certification and submission step.
Frequently Asked Questions
What payment methods can be used within the platform?
Users can charge expenses to a corporate purchasing card for approved goods, services, and travel, or use personal credit cards and request direct reimbursement.
Are receipts required for all transactions?
Itemized receipts are mandatory for non-per diem expenses and any lodging or service charges paid via corporate cards. Digital scans or photos uploaded through mobile tools satisfy this requirement.
What happens if an expense violates policy?
Built-in policy checks flag non-compliant items automatically during submission. These flags alert approvers to review specific line items before final authorization is granted.
How are status updates delivered?
The system sends automated email notifications whenever a report moves to a new approval stage, allowing users to track progress without manually checking the dashboard.
