Travel Request Submission and Approval

Travelers must submit a travel request and receive approval prior to booking any travel.

• Domestic Travel requests must be submitted 30 days prior to travel.
• International Travel requests must be submitted 60 days prior to travel.

Itemized Receipts

Itemized receipts for ALL travel expenses (except meals) are required and must be submitted with the Expense Report regardless of funding source.

Receipts must show the date, total amount paid, all taxes and fees, and payment method.

Methods used to Request Travel

The funding source used for travel reimbursement will determine how you submit your Travel Request and Travel Expense Claim. Below are the different funding sources and how travel is requested.

Concur will be used for ALL funded and non-funded Domestic, International and Unfunded Travel Requests. If you have not received Concur training, this must be completed prior to using Concur. You can sign up for training here. If training isn’t available, please email Accounts Payable/Tavel travel@csus.edu to request training.

• ALL General/Department funded travel and Foundation (UFSS) funded travel is entered in Concur– no exceptions. Please use this Concur Travel Quick Guide
• UEI Funded Travel is entered in Concur with a “$0.00” dollar amount. Complete and submit the electronic UEI Travel forms to the ECS Deans office for review and approval. The forms will be sent to UEI using their SmartSheet submission process along with the Concur approval.
• Unfunded Travel. Enter all travel details in Concur with $0.00.

Once travel is Approved, Make Your Travel Arrangements

Please note the following:

• If using General/Department or UFSS funds, Concur can be used to book airfare and rental car. Both are billed directly to the University, eliminating out-of-pocket expenses. Also, conference registrations can be purchased by your Dept. ASC. Please see them for assistance.
• UEI Funded Travel is booked by the traveler and is paid for out-of-pocket and reimbursed once travel has commenced by completing the UEI Travel forms.
• Most Economical Form of Travel. The University will only reimburse you for the Most Economical Form of Travel. If you would like to drive rather than fly, advanced approval is required. Please provide a cost estimate for Airfare, typically using Southwest Airlines. Enter your travel dates to see what airfare would cost and save it as a PDF. It will need to be included with the Travel Policy Exception Justification form and included with your travel request. If flying is less expensive than driving, you will only be reimbursed for what your airfare and round-trip mileage to and from the airport would cost.
• When booking travel, do not book travel packages. These receipts do not show the itemized breakdown needed for reimbursement. Please book air fare, hotel, and rental cars separately or directly from the vendor.
• When Renting a Car, please use Enterprise or National. The CSU has negotiated contracts with Enterprise and National. Renting vehicles from a non-contracted vendor is prohibited unless vehicles are unavailable from the contracted vendors. The approved vehicle classes for rental are Compact or Intermediate. Any other class requires pre-approval. Please complete the Travel Policy Exception Justification form, and include it with your travel request.

• Rental Car must be returned with the appropriate amount of Please note, the State of CA will not pay the rental car company to fill the car with gas. If this is the case, the renter will be liable for any gas refill charges.

• • Upgrades. Any upgrades in airfare, pre-boarding, rental cars, or lodging over the maximum per day, etc. requires pre-approval before booking. You will need to justify the expense using the Travel Policy Exception Justification form, and receive approval. If not approved, they will be out-of-pocket expenses.
  • Meals and Incidentals - Per diem will now be used for domestic locations and receipts are not required. Per diem amount will be based on you travel location, but the base rate is $59.00 per day. However, if meals are provided, you must deduct those meals from your travel claim.
• Meals & Incidentals (M&IE) are broken down as follows:
  • • First & last day of travel – reimbursement amount received on the first and last day of travel will equal 75% of the daily total for M&IE unless meals are provided.
    • All other days – unless meals are provided, the full daily per diem amount will be received. Full day = Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner + Incidentals.
    • If using Concur, please use this guide for adding per diem to your Concur Request and Expense claim. Per diem rates will be automatically entered and calculated by Concur based on travel location.
    • If using UEI funds, per diem rates can be found at the links below under UEI Travel.

• Domestic Lodging Rate. The nightly domestic lodging limit is now $333.00 per night excluding taxes and other related charges. Fully itemized receipts are required for reimbursement. If lodging is over the maximum allowed, prior approval is required. Please complete the Travel Policy Exception Justification form, and include it with your travel request.
• Tipping cannot exceed 20% of total. If you would like to leave a larger tip, it will be an out-of-pocket expense.
• When traveling with family, please purchase their airfare separately. This will make the reimbursement process easier and cleaner.
• Personal Travel will be an out-of-pocket expense and not reimbursable. You may claim the day before an event/meeting and the day after for reimbursable travel. Any other days are considered personal travel days and not reimbursable. Also, if more than 25% of the time is spent on personal travel, that portion of the trip is considered taxable income and will be reported to the IRS.

Travel Expense Claims

Travel expense claims MUST be received within 60 days of travel. Claims submitted after the 60-day window are left to the discretion of the campus, considering the facts and circumstances, whether the reimbursement will be made and if any reporting as taxable income will be required.

• ALL General/Department funded travel and Foundation (UFSS) funded travel is reimbursed by linking a travel expense claim to your travel request in Concur.
• UEI Funded Travel is reimbursed by completing the electronic UEI Travel forms. Once completed, email the form, receipts, and agenda to the Dean’s office for review and approval.
• Fully Itemized Receipts are required for all travel expenses except meals. Receipts must show the total, all taxes and fees, date, and payment method. Confirmations will not be accepted.
• Agenda must be included for reimbursement.