AP Tips

• Requests must be submitted 4 weeks prior to travel.
• Always verify the budget line being used for travel has available funds, and that the correct Fund/Org/Account/Program has been used.  This will prevent delays in receiving the encumbrance number.
• Before submitting, check the Request Header and verify the correct booking type has been chosen under “How will you book your travel?”
• Remember the Request is an estimate of anticipated charges.  The amounts do not have to be the exact travel costs.  If budget allows, overestimate expenses to plan for any unexpected costs or price changes.
• An encumbrance number is required to book travel using the online booking tool, calling the travel agent Direct Travel, or when using the Rowan pcard.
• After travel has occurred, and the expense report is submitted, the Request MUST be closed in Concur to release any remaining encumbered funds in Banner.

Travel Requests

Requests are used to obtain preapproval for overnight travel. Rowan University employees are expected to submit Requests in Concur for all overnight domestic and international travel. Requests will automatically close 61 days after the Travel End Date and cannot be linked to an Expense Report. Day travel does not require a Request.

Understanding Requests
Book Online Using the Concur Website
Book by Calling a Direct Travel Agent
Book Using Third Party (Outside Sources)
Request Approvals

Understanding Requests

• Employees requesting to travel for official University business areexpected to exercise care whenplanning travel and incurring expenses, considering that they are spending public funds and the useof public funds on behalf of the University is a matter of public trust. Travel arrangements shouldbe planned in the best interests of the University to minimize travel expenses. Only the actual and necessary expenses incidental to the performance of official duties shall be reimbursed.
• Requests (Domestic / International) must be submitted for each overnight trip and employee. Requests(Domestic / International) must be approved 4 weeks prior to departure except for those situations specifically authorized by the President or Divisional Vice Presidents.
• A Request is used to obtain pre-approval for an overnight trip. It must include an estimate for all travel expenses you may incur while traveling on official Rowan University business.
• Verify the requested amount will accurately capture all estimated expenses to ensure sufficient funds are available when completing the expense report. (Note: It is suggested to avoid multiple submissions of requests and expenses for the same trip. This will prevent additional charges to the department.)

1. The traveler obtains estimates regarding travel through the Concur website or 3rd party websites.
2. The traveler creates a Request in Concur which includes travel dates, segments (airfare, car rental, hotel,rail), and the details of estimated expenses. The amounts added to the Request are estimates to collect general information for the approval.
3. Once the traveler submits the Request, it is electronically sent to their approvers.
4. The approver can approve the Request, approve and forward it to another approver or send the Request back to the traveler with comments.
5. When the Request is fully approved and the Encumbrance Approval Number (E#) is issued via email, the traveler can begin making travel arrangements.
6. Some information provided on the Request will be added to the Expense Report.

Request Approvals

• All Requests will go through an automated workflow process once submitted.
• The travel policy requires multiple levels of approvers (Department Head, Division Head, Ethics, etc.) in Concur before a Request can be fully approved.
• Each approver in the approval flow will review the Request to verify the business trip is necessary, reasonable, appropriate, allowable and in compliance before approving.
• Approvers will receive an email notification, including the login link to Concur, that Requests are pending approval.
• Approvers may perform the following to a Request: change amounts on expense types, add approvers, approve, approve & forward and send the Request back to the traveler for adjustments.
• Approvers have the ability to grant approval permissions to delegates for a specific time period.
• Requests may be sent back to the traveler for incompleteness, lack of compliance or missing supporting documentation. If a Request is sent back to the traveler, it will go through the entire approval workflow again.
• Once Requests have been approved, notifications regarding the status of the Requests will be displayed on the traveler’s Manage Requests page.
• If the Approver does not approve a Request within 7 days, they will receive an email notification every day until the condition is met.
• All approvers must review and approve the Requests before travel can be booked.

Request Approval Workflow

Note: The following sections are for individuals who are responsible for approving requests submitted in Concur. If you are not an approver, continue to the “Correcting and Resubmitting a Returned Request” section of this manual.

Default Approvers For Requests

• Request Default Approvers are the first and second level of approvals in the approval flow of Concur. You are considered a Request Default Approver if you are a traveler’s direct supervisor or are responsible for a College/Division.
• A traveler designates the Request Default Approvers when setting up their profile.
• Request Default Approvers are usually the Department Head and Division Head of the traveler submitting the Request.
• Request Default Approvers will have one login in Concur for their own requests and pending approvals.
• Request Default Approvers will receive an email notification, including the login link to Concur, that Requests are pending approval.
• If the Request Default Approver does not approve a Request within 7 days, they will receive an email notification every day until the condition is met.

• Fiscal control and fiduciary responsibilities are maintained when committing university funds.
• All Requests and estimated expenses are ordinary, reasonable, not extravagant, necessary, and supported by a trip purpose.
• The traveler is performing official university business, exercising care when planning travel and verifying expenses are planned in the best interest of the university to minimize travel expenses.
• Policy compliance, funding verification, allowable per the travel policy and appropriateness use of funds.
• All required supporting documentation is attached and coincides with the trip purpose on the Request.
• Requests should be submitted 4 weeks prior to departure.
• Travelers know the laws and rules, as well as the specific policies and procedures before attending any offcampus events that are sponsored by a non-government group and that are not in their scholarly or work capacity.
• Timely approval is required to ensure prices are similar to the estimated expenses entered in a Request as well as availability of flights, hotels, etc.
• Approval indicates that the verification process is complete and that the Request is a valid Rowan University expense or the trip is funded by an outside source.

Adding additional approvers to a Request:

• The automated approval flow is limited to a certain number of approvers. In some cases, departments require additional approvers not listed in the automated approval flow. In these situations, the additional approver will be manually added to the approval flow by another approver who is already in the automated approval flow.
• Additional Approvers must be set up as Default Approvers within Concur profile and have funding authority for the fund to be charged. If they are not set up as Default Approvers, they will not appear in the list of available approvers to select. Only Department Head, Division Head and Cost Object Approvers assigned to a specific FOAPAL or a supervisor will be eligible to be set up as an Additional Approver.
• Each approver in the approval flow will review the Request to verify the business trip is necessary, reasonable, appropriate, allowable and in compliance before approving.
• Additional Approvers will receive an email notification, including the login link to Concur, that Requests are pending approval.
• If the Additional Approver does not approve a Request within 7 days, they will receive an email notification every day until the condition is met.
• Additional Approvers carry the same responsibilities as Default Approvers.
• Approval indicates that the verification process is complete and that the Request is a valid Rowan University expense or the trip is funded by an outside source.

• Ethics Approver in Request is the third level of approval in the approval flow of Concur for domestic travel and fourth level for international travel.
• Ethics Approver reviews the request and attachments in the Request such as the Approval for Attendance at Events form for non-university funded travel to determine whether the outside activities are permissible in accordance with the Conflicts of Interest Law, the Uniform Code of Ethics, and other applicable university supplemental code or authority.
• Ethics Approver will have one login in Concur for their own requests and pending approvals.
• Ethics Approver will receive an email notification, including the login link to Concur, that Requests are pending approval.
• If the Ethics Approver does not approve a Request within 7 days, they will receive an email notification every day until the condition is met.

As an Ethics Approver for Requests, you are responsible for ensuring:

• Each Request meets the rules and regulations of the State Ethics Commission.
• Travelers are following the plain language guide, which explains ethics rules and laws found in the NJ Conflict of Interest Law and State Ethics Commission.
• In addition to these laws and rules, travelers are also bound by the Uniform Ethics Code and any ethics code adopted by the university.
• All required supporting documentation is attached and coincides with the trip purpose on the Request.
• Requests should be submitted 4 weeks prior to departure.
• Timely approval is required to ensure prices are similar to the estimated expenses entered in a Request as well as availability of flights, hotels, etc.
• Approval indicates that the verification process is complete and that the Request complies with State Ethics Commission criteria.

Export Control Approver for Requests

• Export Control Approver is the third level of approval in the approval flow of Concur for international travel.
• Export Control Approver reviews the Request and supporting documentation to ensure compliance with the U.S. Export Control laws and regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
• There are many activities that need oversight for international travelers that may have implications if guidance and training is not provided to the traveler.
• An export can include any of the following: shipping an item overseas, sending an e-mail to a foreign person, making a phone call or sending a fax to a foreign person, any electronic transfer of information abroad and deemed exports. Some exports fall under “Deemed Export”. Deemed export means the release of technology or source code having both military and civilian applications to a foreign national within the United States. A “Foreign National” or Non-US-person is not a U.S. citizens, U.S. legal permanent residents (green card holders), refugees, asylees, and temporary residents under specific IRCA amnesty provisions.
• The Export Control Approver and the Office of Research Compliance is committed to monitoring and administering procedures for issues related to export-controlled technologies not protected by the fundamental research exemption (15 CFR 734.8) that remain subject to the EAR and/or to ITAR.
• Export Control Approver will have one login in Concur for their own requests and approvals.
• Export Control Approver will receive an email notification, including the login link to Concur, that Requests are pending approval.
• If the Export Control Approver does not approve a Request within 7 days, they will receive an email notification every day until the condition is met.

As an Export Control Approver for Requests, you are responsible for ensuring:

• Each international Request complies with the U.S. Export Control laws and regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
• The proper export control forms and training is completed before the traveler can be approved in Concur.
• All international Requests have the International Travel Checklist and International Travel Export Controls CITI Training included as an attachment.
• International travelers complete and comply with appropriate forms. Travelers should understand that research activities, discussions, equipment, materials, software and technology in other countries may be subject to US Government export control regulations and failure to comply with these regulations can lead to severe penalties.
• The International Travel Checklist is completed within 5 business days of booking the airfare.
• All required supporting documentation is attached and coincides with the trip purpose on the Request.
• All International Requests should be submitted 4 weeks prior to departure.
• Timely approval is required to ensure prices are similar to the estimated expenses entered in a Request as well as availability of flights, hotels, etc.
• Approval indicates that the verification process is complete and that the Request is a valid Rowan University expense or the trip is funded by an outside source,

• A Cost Object Approver is the fourth level of approval in the approval flow of Concur. In some cases, the cost object approver may be the same person as the default approver if the traveler is using their department FOAPAL.
• The cost object approval model ensures that Requests are routed to an authorized approver for the department incurring the expenses. Meaning that no charges will post to your department’s FOAPAL without review by authorized individuals in your department.
• Cost Object Approvers provide the opportunity to use multiple FOAPALs when creating a Request. By having multiple FOAPALs, Concur will route the approval flow to the owners of the FOAPALs listed on the Request for approval.
• Cost Object Approver will have one login in Concur for their own requests and pending approvals.
• Cost Object Approver will receive an email notification, including the login link to Concur, that Requests are pending approval.
• If the Cost Object Approver does not approve a Request within 7 days, they will receive an email notification every day until the condition is met.

• Cost Object Approvers review transactional activity from a financial perspective to ensure the accuracy of assigned FOAPALs and availability of budgeted funds.
• Requests have available funding in Banner so an encumbrance can be created.
• The traveler utilized the correct FOAPAL before you approve the Request.
• All budgetary requirements are met and maintained when committing university funds.
• Requests and estimated expenses are ordinary, reasonable, necessary, and supported by a trip purpose.
• Estimated expenses are planned in the best interest of the university to minimize travel expenses.
• Requests will forward to the next Cost Object Approver if the traveler entered more than one FOAPAL.
• The business purpose and Request are in compliance with any applicable sponsored project/grant requirements if applicable.
• Approval indicates that the verification process is complete and that the Request is a valid Rowan University expense or the trip is funded by an outside source.

Book Online Using the Concur Website

Concur Travel is Rowan University’s preferred method of booking.

Benefits to booking via Concur:

• The online booking tool is integrated within Concur creating one go-to place for Request, travel booking, and Expense Reporting.
• All of your memberships, frequent flyer miles, etc. that are saved in your profile will be automatically applied to your booking. For more information on creating a profile in Concur, refer to the Profile training page. 

Note: A profile must be created before creating a travel requests and booking travel. 

• Some of the information from your travel booking will auto-populate into your Expense Report.

Book by Calling a Direct Travel Agent

Direct Travel is our travel management company. Direct Travel integrates with Concur to fulfill employees' travel booking arrangements, automatically transfer itinerary information to expense reports and maintain the traveler’s rewards. This integrated and centralized approach will create a seamless experience for our travelers across the University.

You can book your travel by calling a Direct Travel agent for a small nominal fee. Calling an agent is suggested when your travel includes multiple cities and hotels. Call 866-228-3916.

Book Using Third Party (Outside Source)

Although booking through the Concur website is highly recommended because the information from Travel will auto-populate into your Expense Report, you can book using a third party system.

Once you have booked your travel, email your plans to plans@tripit.com. TripIt will extract the travel details from the emails and add the travel plans to Concur. The plans will be added to existing trips or used to create new trips, depending on whether the emailed plans share dates with an existing trip. Concur will accept emailed plans for air, hotel, car, rail, and ground transportation. You will receive a confirmation email from Concur letting them know if your travel plans were successfully imported, which includes a link to view the itinerary in Concur.

Note: If you chose to book travel “Online with Concur Travel” in your Request but then decide to book all your travel outside of Concur, you must recall the Request and indicate “Third Party (Outside Source)” for
the same question and resubmit.

No Booking – Approval Only ($0.00)

The University requires pre-approval for all overnight travel even when no university funds will be utilized for the travel.  A request is still created in Concur that includes all required documentation such as conference information, registration information, or the Request for Approval for Attendance at Events form. The request is submitted and must complete the approval process in Concur.

Resources

• Travel Policy
• Google Maps– use Google Maps
• IRS Standard Mileage Rate– new rates issued every January
• Oanda - Currency Converter
• Department of State - Foreign Per Diem
• United States General Service Administration (GSA) - Domestic Per Diem
• Fly America Act
• Risk Management and Insurance
• Request for Approval for Attendance at Events Form 

Note: Students and Non-Employees do not have access to Concur at this time. Click Here to access the paper-based process.

Contact Information