Travel Processes

There are separate processes for:

• Absence Request
• Funding/Grants for Travel
• Travel Authorization -
  • Travel Requests are required to be made through Concur for all faculty and staff to authorize time away from campus (see below for more details).
    • In-State Travel
    • Out-of-State Travel
    • International travel (has additional requirements)
    • Student travel (has additional requirements)
    • Candidate travel (has additional requirements)
  • Expense Reports are required for all of the above approved requests, except those that are self-funded only.

When do I use Concur for Travel? Travel Authorization - updated 12.2024

Travel Authorization must be obtained prior to travel:

• Are you planning to travel for conferences, research, as part of your service to professional organizations, or by invitation from another educational or other professional organization?
  • Concur is how you request and receive authorization to travel for professional purposes.
  • Traveling for conferences, participation in research, or in service to professional organizations requires travel authorization via Concur.
  • All travel requests are evaluated for connection to university business and mission to justify the request for time away from campus.
  • Requests must include an account of how ordinary duties and responsibilities, including teaching, are covered during the period of travel.
  • The source of the funding for this travel is not relevant to the authorization for being absent.

Are you planning to travel for personal reasons during periods of regular university operations (for AY faculty, this would be the AY, for all others, any time the university is not closed) and will this travel impact your ordinary responsibilities, duties and assignments?

• Concur is not the mechanism for obtaining approval to be absent from your work for personal reasons, even if it involves travel.
• Faculty do not have vacation time, so taking time away from campus during ordinary business periods for personal matters that impact work must be justified through the Benefits route.
• Staff seeking to be absent during periods of normal business operations should follow proper processes to request vacation, sick, or Benefits-related approval from your supervisor/appropriate administrator.

Other items to put in Concur are:

• Preapproved Candidate / Guest Travel that will require reimbursement.

Absence Request - Updated 12.2024

Absence:

• Faculty - If you are planning to be absent during normal business periods (AY for AY faculty, 12 months for all other employees) you will need authorization from the Dept Chair, Dean and Provost (if applicable) via Concur.
• Dept. Chairs - Any Absence request must be pre-approved by the Dean regardless of the purpose or funding source.
• Staff - Any Absence request must be pre-approved by the Department Chair/Supervisor regardless of the purpose.

Funding for Travel

Travel funding is a separate process from the Concur Travel Request.

• Travel can be self-funded.
  • Travel with no funding from SacState
  • Travel that is fully funded by an outside source or by the traveler individually
• or Travel may be funded through awards or grants from the College (see College Grant Opportunities) or University.

What is not put in Concur? Updated 12.2024

• Faculty personal only travel outside of their contracted dates.

Travel Timelines for Concur Submission - Updated 10.2024

Requests to Travel:

• Domestic Travel does not include Alaska or Hawaii.
  • All requests for travel within the United States must be submitted at least 30 days before the start of travel.
• International Travel includes Alaska and Hawaii
  • All requests for international travel must be submitted at least 45 days before the start of travel.

Expense Reports after Travel:

• All expense reports must be submitted within 60 days after the last date of travel.

College of Arts & Letters’ primary steps to Request Travel

1. Gather information for the travel:
   1. Dates,
   2. Place/Event,
   3. Obtain Dept Chair Approval to be absent - this is separate from Concur travel authorization,
   4. Obtain course coverage if affected - this is separate from Concur travel authorization,
   5. Locate and fill out all travel documents needed (see below list and links),
   6. Decide on funding:
      • Self-funded or other funding – Funding is a separate process from Concur travel authorization (see below information on funding).
      • Grant funded – complying with grant funding is a separate process from Concur travel authorization.
2. Add a Concur request to get the College of Arts & Letters, Dean’s Office (and Provost if needed) approval to travel on College/University business. This is needed regardless of funding if traveling on College/University business. See below for instructions on completing the concur request.
3. Wait for it to be reviewed. If there are any concerns, the request may be sent back to you in Concur. The corrections will need to be made by the traveler, and the request be resubmitted.
4. Book the travel after approval.

All Travel Forms - Updated 03.2025

• Arts & Letters Supplementary Travel Form is required for all Requests & Expense Reports.
• Provost’s Additional Travel Information Form is required if International travel and for all Late Requests to travel & Expense Reports.
• Late Submission Letter is done by the traveler as a word document.

• International Travel Expense Justification (ITEJ) is required if International travel in both the Request & Expense Report.
• Missing Receipt Affidavit is required for an Expense Report if any receipt is missing or not itemized.

• Exception Justification Form is for the traveler to provide a justification of the business necessity and is required for all Requests & Expense Reports if:
  • An item is over the allowable amount (i.e. hotel nightly room rate exceeds allowable).
  • If driving in lieu of flying when flying is more cost effective.
• Hospitality Justification Form - Concur is not required if the travel expense is categorized in concur as a group meal (i.e., Students). The hospitality form is required for a Concur Expense Report if a meal was purchased for another person other than the traveler (i.e. guest) and it is an approved business-related expense.
• If funding through UEI - there are additional forms required by UEI.
• If funding through UFSS - there are additional forms required by UFSS. Review the UFSS User guide under travel for more information.

Travel Request - Completing the Concur Request - Updated 03.2025

Instructions for Header and Cost Estimates

• Select the “+ New” button to add a new request. A pop-up screen appears and has pre-populated fields according to your assigned department. If the fill-in box has a down “v” then the fill-in may be updated to reflect your specific travel information. Use the information previously gathered to complete all required (*) fields. If you are unsure of the funding codes check with your department coordinator for this information. If you have applied for and are waiting for funding approval, put that information in the comments.
  • If you have College/University funding already, select the appropriate “Class” code. If UFSS, UEI, or outside funding put that information in the Comments. If you are unsure ask your coordinator.
  • If you have multiple funding awards, select to add only one in the header with the appropriate “Class” code, and put the rest of the information in the Comments.
  • Make sure you have documentation of the approved funding to add to the request.
• Once saved it will change pages to “Expected Expense”.
  • If there are expenses that can be estimated and are listed on the supplemental form the information in the supplemental form must match the information placed in Concur unless self-funded only.
  • Select the “Add” button. Choose the appropriate expense to estimate.
    • Personal, self-funded, or UEI funded travel, select “Liability/Unfunded” from the expense list (under option #9). Once selected, the transaction amount may auto-populate to $0. If it does not auto-populate, put in $0. If you are traveling as UEI funded see Academic Affairs page for Concur Steps.
    • If you have pre-approved funding, select the appropriate estimated expense(s) and complete the details.
      • If Air travel, you may submit a copy of the flight information with the request. Please use Southwest Airlines and book through Concur or you must provide a cost comparison with the expense report. Know that the reimbursable amount for the flight is subject to approval and may be limited to the cost comparison amount if not purchased through Concur.
      • If driving instead of flying, you must include a cost comparison to a Southwest Airlines flight to the same city (closest airport) destination from concur. The most cost-efficient transportation travel is what will be reimbursed.
      • If you need more assistance in completing the Concur request please ask your department coordinator or dean's office travel coordinator (see contact information below).

It is the traveler’s responsibility to follow up on the Concur request and respond promptly to any inquiries for additional information.

Travel Request - Concur Required Documents - Updated 03.2025

All Travel requests must include the following documents:

• Arts & Letters Supplementary Travel Form
• Event invitation & information
• Evidence of funding, if obtained
• If the request is late (or is asking for an exception), additional documents are required:
  • Provost’s Additional Travel Information Form
  • A Statement (Letter) of late submission addressed to the Provost
  • The Exception Justification Form
• If there is a request for hospitality while traveling, a concur hospitality form is required.
• If using UEI or UFSS funding, see Academic Affairs page for Concur Steps. There are additional requirements/forms.
• If traveling internationally, see the International travel requests below.

International Travel Requests - Updated 03.2025

If the request is International Travel including Alaska and Hawaii, additional documents are required:

• Provost’s Additional Travel Information Form
• International Travel Expense Justification (ITEJ)

• The Chancellor’s Office requires all faculty, staff, and students who travel internationally on CSU Business to use the foreign travel insurance program, no matter the funding source.

  To obtain foreign travel insurance, the FTIP request form must be filled out and emailed to rms@csus.edu. ABA FORMS may be found at Accounts Payable & Travel.

  All Foreign TraveI must be approved through Concur. Once approved, the Traveler (all employees who travel internationally on CSU business) is required to purchase insurance through the Foreign Travel Insurance Program (FTIP).

See Academic Affairs Travel processes for the current approval workflow for international travel.

It is the traveler’s responsibility to follow up on the Concur request and respond promptly to any inquiries for additional information.

Once the Concur request is fully approved, the Risk Analyst will send the request for travel insurance (using the information on the FTIP and sending the Concur approval document) to the insurer. Coverage is typically bound within one to two business days.

To see designated "War Risk" or "High Hazard Countries" on the US State Department Travel Advisory List select the link.

Student Travel - Updated 07.2024

Student travel applies to every funded or unfunded University-related travel taken by students during the academic year and summer.

For Department or Faculty Instructions see the Student Travel Process.

Every student traveling for college or university-related travel must complete the appropriate authorization forms. The forms must be completed 30 days prior to the first day of travel and approved by the department designee and if a driver risk management. Without approved forms, the student does not have the authorization to travel to college or university-related events.

The following authorization forms in packets are available in Adobe Sign:

• Student travel instructions for domestic travel for any student travel (non-driver, in-state or out-of-state, single day or over-night event). If Adobe sign is not available this packet may be downloaded and routed via email.
• Student travel instructions for a driver for any student travel (if driving personal vehicle or rental, in-state or out-of-state, single day or over-night event). If Adobe sign is not available this packet may be downloaded and routed via email.

The following authorization forms in packets are available in Adobe Sign under workflow for the 24/25 Academic Year:

• Student travel instructions for domestic travel for the Communication Studies Debate Team (non-driver, in-state or out-of-state, single day or over-night event). If Adobe sign is not available this packet may be downloaded and routed via email.
• Student travel instructions for a driver for the Communication Studies Debate Team (if driving personal vehicle or rental, in-state or out-of-state, single day or over-night event). If Adobe sign is not available this packet may be downloaded and routed via email.

Candidate Travel - Updated 03.2025

Candidate Travel is for candidates who will be traveling to California State University, Sacramento to be interviewed for a Tenure Track Position and must be pre-approved by the department's New Faculty Search Committee.

The A & L Traveler Information Form must be completed before the purchase or requisition of any travel accommodations including any transportation (Air, Personal Car, Train, taxi/Uber/Left, etc.), or lodging (the hotel selection should be the College/University contracted hotel). A & L Traveler Information Form is found in Adobe Sign under Adobe Workflow. The form contains a link to the 204 form (for a vendor number). The 204 form is required if the candidate is not a current employee or faculty member. In order to enter a concur request the candidate must have a vendor number and that number be emailed to SacTravel in order to have the candidate listed as an available traveler to select. For actual reimbursement to a candidate who is international (having a foreign account), the candidate must also complete the A & L Foreign Reimbursement Form. This form must be sent through Adobe Sign to the candidate.

Concur is to be used for the purchase of a Flight or Car Rental.

A concur request and expense report are required to be completed.

• The Concur request is submitted by the Dept travel coordinator and must include:
  • The email from the Committee with pre-approval for the candidate to travel,
  • The candidate's travel form,
  • The hotel and or car rental confirmation and or PO number.
  • A copy of the completed Transient Occupancy Tax Exempt Waiver Claim form that was submitted to the hotel when the reservation was made.
  • The candidate's itinerary showing the days/times the candidate will arrive and depart, the hotel stay information, what meals are included, what meals are reimbursable with the allotted reimbursable amounts, any flight or transportation information, and listing any reimbursable allowances available to the candidate (i.e., Meals not already provided, tolls, or taxi).
• The Concur expense report must:
  • Be linked to the original approved request and all original documents loaded to the expense report.
  • Have the concur itinerary entered. Check to exclude any meals included in the hotel stay and provided by the search committee.
  • Provided by the department:
    • The hotel's final statement showing: "Company Invoice" and "Invoice Balance" (even if paid through a requisition).
  • Provided by the candidate within 30 days of the date of departure:
    • All reimbursable receipts - meals, ground transportation, tolls, and or parking. (Receipts for any claimed meals do not go into Concur but must be kept by the dept for any audit requests).

Approval Flow - Update 10.2024

Concur Travel Request Approval Flow for the College of Arts & Letters may be found on the Concur Approver Requirements and Resources page.

Where is my Request/Expense?

• To see where the Travel Request is in the workflow, open the Request, click Request Details, then Audit Trial.
• To see where the Expense Report is in the workflow, open the Expense Report, click Details, then Report Details, then Audit Trial.

Booking Travel - updated 03.2025

Travel arrangements should be booked through Concur. Concur gives the University discounted rates on various types of travel. The types of travel you can book in concur are:

• Airfare
• Car Rental Reservation
• Hotel Reservation

If you book outside of Concur for Airfare or Car Rental:

• A cost comparison is required
• An itemized receipt is required

If booking a travel bundle (Hotel/Car/Airfare) through a travel agency (like Priceline) you will need to get an itemized receipt from each source. Example: Priceline bundles Hotel/Car/Airfare but may not provide an itemized receipt. You will need to contact the hotel, the car rental, and the airline separately to get an itemized receipt from each source.

If booking personal-only travel Contact the University's travel agent directly through email csu@cbtravel.com or call 800-285-3603.

Allowable Expenses - Updated 03.2025

Pre-Approved Expenses that are reimbursable from travel on university business are:

• Personal Vehicle Mileage - To get reimbursement for personal car mileage, the form STD 261 must be completed in Adobe Sign, the College Dean is the Approving Official, and sent to Risk Management with a cc/ to al-profdev@csus.edu. Risk Management must give you an okay to drive your personal vehicle on university business.
• If Driving in Lieu of flying an Exception Justification Form must be submitted with the request.
• Airfare when purchased through Concur. If purchased outside of concur, a concur cost comparison must be included.
• Hotel (Room rate) - if the hotel's daily rate exceeds the allowable costs then an Exception Justification Form must be submitted with the request. Do not charge meals to the hotel room bill they must be separated.
• Meals (Per diem by location) & Incidental. Travel after 1/1/2024 does not require meal receipts. The event itinerary is required for meal-per-diem reimbursement. Meal receipts should be retained by the traveler if an audit is requested.
• Car Rental (and gas) when purchased through an authorized agent. If purchased outside of an authorized agent, a concur cost comparison must be included.
• Transportation (Lyft, Uber, or Taxi), Tolls, Parking fee. Reciepts must be itemized.
• Preapproved group meals or meals purchased for another person other than the traveler, the itemized receipt, and the Concur Hospitality Form are required.

See the University Policy for specific amounts and limitations in Appendixes VII through XI.

See Per Diem by Location allowable reimbursable amounts.

If using funding from UEI - all receipts are required. See UEI Travel Policy.

Completing a Concur Expense Report after Travel - updated 04.2025

Concur Expense Report Instructions

If you need assistance on how to enter an expense report select the Expense report link above for the manual or go to Concur Travel – Expense Reporting for more details.

Main steps for submitting an expense report:

• Link your expense report to the original request. If your request is no longer available, please contact Accounts Payable & Travel, at travel@csus.edu, or ext. 86476 and ask that it be reactivated so an expense report may be submitted.
• Concur Itinerary:
  • This is required for all international travel.
  • If domestic travel and claiming meals, a concur itinerary is required. If meals are not being claimed a note from the traveler is required stating that meals are being waived.
  • Once the Expense Header is saved make sure to add the location and dates of your destination in Concur as an "Itinerary" (follow steps 1-7 to add the itinerary). This is separate from adding the document of the event itinerary into concur. Note: If you have already added expenses to the report, then add the itinerary, the report may not automatically load the per diem meals. Sometimes the report will have to be deleted and redone adding the itinerary first before adding any expenses.
• A Concur expense report must be submitted no later than 60 days after the last day of travel.
  • Expense reports submitted more than 60 days after travel will be considered late and reviewed by the Provost. The Provost’s Additional Travel Information Form will be required if the submission is late.
  • If submitted more than 60 days after travel a late submission letter addressed to Provost citing the reason(s) for late submission is required and must be placed in Concur as an attachment.
• Add the original travel request documents (from the request) to the expense report. Unfortunately, they do not transfer over when the expense report is linked to the request.
• Make sure you have all itemized receipts ready.
  • For meal reimbursement, all meals are per diem as of 1.1.2024. The traveler must keep all itemized receipts in case of an audit request. Traveler is required to check appropriate boxes in the travel allowances if any meals are provided with any flight, hotel stay or at the event.
  • For group meal reimbursement, all meal expenses must have an itemized receipt. Traveler is required to complete the Concur Hospitality Form.
  • If there is a lost or misplaced receipt and are requesting reimbursement, the Missing Receipt Affidavit form must be completed and added to the report, as well as, the Provost’s Additional Travel Information Form. If the expense report is missing an itemized receipt or missing affidavit, it will be returned to the traveler.
  • Itemize hotel expenses by date of lodging rate and taxes as separate line items. For "How to itemize and enter hotel expenses" in Concur select the link to the process. Meals should not be added/charged to the hotel room - they will not be reimbursed in this fashion.
  • Pay attention to cost limits, federal allowable rates, and items not allowed.
  • If a cost comparison is needed - add it to the expensed item or to the concur receipts. Make sure the cost comparison states "Cost comparison".
    • To add the cost comparison to the expensed item - select the receipt image magnifying glass. This will open up the page to load the documentation. Select "Add" at the bottom of the pop-up.
    • To add to the Concur receipts - select "Manage Receipts" on the Expense report main page, then select "Manage Attachments". This will open up the page to load the documentation. Select "Add" at the bottom of the pop-up.

• Wait for it to be reviewed. If there are any concerns the request may be sent back to in Concur. The corrections will need to be made by the traveler and the request resubmitted.

Travel Expense Report - Concur Required Documents - Updated 03.2025

Once you have created the expense report and added the itemized expenses - make sure to have all of the following documentation added to the expense report:

• All of the forms that were in the approved request. These forms do not carry over when the expense report is linked.
• If the report is being submitted more than 60 days from the last date of travel:
  • A late submission letter addressed to the Provost is required and
  • The Provost Additional Travel Information Form is required.
• The event itinerary. If the travel was for research, then a daily itinerary (word or excel doc are fine) that includes the following is required:
  • Dates of travel
  • Locations for each date of the travel
  • What was researched (brief one sentence), what appointments, who you meet with, etc.
• All receipts must be itemized. If a receipt is not itemized, contact the vendor to obtain one, If one is not obtainable, then the Missing Receipt Affidavit form is required for an Expense Report.
• Other forms that may be needed:
  • International Travel Expense Justification (ITEJ) is required if International travel in both the Request & Expense Report.
  • Missing Receipt Affidavit is required for an Expense Report if any receipt is missing or not itemized.
  • Hospitality Justification Form - Concur is not required if the travel expense is categorized in concur as a group meal (i.e., Students). The hospitality form is required for a Concur Expense Report if a meal was purchased for another person other than the traveler (i.e. guest) and it is an approved business-related expense.
  • Exception Justification Form is for the traveler to provide a justification of the business necessity and is required for all Requests & Expense Reports if:
    • An item is over the allowable amount (i.e. hotel nightly room rate exceeds allowable).
    • If driving in lieu of flying when flying is more cost effective.

Reimbursement - New 02.2025

Reimbursement payments are defaulted to check unless the traveler signs up for direct deposit. Reimbursement direct deposit is different than paycheck direct deposit. For more information see the University Travel Page under FAQ.

Setup (EFT) for reimbursements: Direct deposit provides benefits to you and Sac State. It gives you the convenience and immediate access to funds and eliminates the possibilities of lost or stolen checks. For Sac State it reduces our carbon footprint and saves the campus money. It’s easy to enroll! Fill out the following EFT form to start the process now.

How to add a Delegate

Adding a Delegate to your Request or Expense process is used when you need help reviewing the submission. The traveler is still responsible for approving any changes the delegate makes and for submitting the Request or Expense in Concur.

Blanket Travel

Blanket travel is for faculty/staff that travel within California (locally) with pre-approval for frequent events and no overnight stay within California. Blanket Travel requests need to be submitted in Concur. The Supplemental form is all that is required to submit the initial request. An Expense Report may be done monthly.

Blanket Travel Quick Guide from SacState Travel (2022)

Blanket Travel PowerPoint from SacState Travel (2022)

Concur Mobil App

Concur Mobile App for Travel

Concur for your Mobile phone is an optional tool that allows users to book travel, capture receipts, and work with expense reports from a smartphone or mobile device. It is designed to make your trip easier!

UFSS or UEI Information

If you are seeking reimbursement for moving or relocation or traveling with UFSS or UEI funding:

• Follow the steps on the Academic Affairs Travel web page for current processes.
• Please see University Foundation Sacramento State (UFSS) for the current grant-funded travel requirements.
• Please consult the University Enterprises Inc. (UEI)Travel Information for the current grant-funded travel requirements.
• Moving and relocation reimbursements must be submitted using the Moving & Relocation Travel Expense Claim form. Please consult with your department coordinator for assistance with this process.
• A reminder that the UFSS/UEI funding/travel processes are in addition to the College of Arts & Letters Travel Approval/Expense requests.

Contact Information - Updated 03.2025

If you have any questions about:

• University travel, please contact Accounts Payable & Travel, at travel@csus.edu, or ext. 86476.
• College of Arts & Letters travel processes, please contact:
  • Art Dept - Contact your Dept Travel Coordinator at 8-6166
  • Design Dept - Contact your Dept Travel Coordinator at 8-3962
  • English Dept - Contact your Dept Travel Coordinator at 8-5746
  • History Dept - Contact your Dept Travel Coordinator at 8-6026
  • School of Music - Contact your Dept Travel Coordinator at 8-5155
  • Theatre & Dance - Contact your Dept Travel Coordinator at 8-6368
  • World Languages - Contact your Dept Travel Coordinator at 8-6333
  • Communication Studies, Humanities & Religious Studies, and Philosophy Dept's - Contact your MASH Travel Coordinator at 8-6688
  • Deans Office - contact the Dean’s Office Travel Coordinator at 8-5099, book an appt, or email.

If you have any questions about personal travel arrangements, CSUS contracted discount rates are available for Faculty & Staff through Christopherson Business Travel. Contact them directly through email csu@cbtravel.com or call 800-285-3603.