Concur

Introductory Training for All Users

This web-based training is for all users of Concur, both travel and expense.  You can access the training here. Depending on which modules of this training are pertinent to you, this should take about 1 to 1.5 hours to complete. Please note that you should submit the associated Training Acknowledgement to attest to training completion.

Approver Training for Supervisors/Managers

This web-based training is only for users who have been assigned a Supervisor/Manager role.  You can access the training here. This training should take about 30 to 45 minutes to complete. Please note that the Introductory Training (for all users) should be taken prior to the Approver Training.

The Approver Training includes a Knowledge Assessment for which a 90% or higher grade must be achieved before the Concur approval role is assigned to you.

If you have questions, please contact [email protected]

• Access Concur: Log Into Concur 
• Log in with your UNI and password
• Concur requires multi-factor sign-in authentication utilizing DUO

If a login warning appears reminding you to review and update your profile, click OK and you will be directed to the homepage.

Users should follow one of these training guides to set up their profile:

Job Aid: Travel and Expense Users

Job Aid: Expense Only Users (non-travelers)

Users should follow this job aid for guidance on how to assign and manage their delegates:

Job Aid: Assign and Manage Delegates

The following training guide will help you manage notifications and email reminders from Concur and World Travel Inc. (WTI)

Job Aid: Manage Notification Emails

The following policies relates to legitimate and reasonable travel and business expenses incurred on behalf of the University. These policies are governed by Columbia University and conform to federal as well as state law and the restrictions placed upon sponsored projects:

• Business Expense Policy
• Travel Expense Policy
• Cash Advance Policy

To learn how to create and complete a Travel and Business Expense Report to request reimbursement for expenses you incurred, view and download the following job aid:

Job Aid: Creating Expense Reports in Concur

Watch this video demonstration to learn how to create and submit a business expense report in Concur: Creating and Submitting a Business Expense Report

Watch this video demonstration to learn how to create and submit a travel expense report in Concur: Creating and Submitting a Travel Expense Report   

Users can assign delegates to act on their behalf and prepare their expense reports. To act as delegate and prepare expense reports on behalf of others, the delegate must select the user on their Profile under "Acting as other user." A delegate can only prepare the report, therefore the user will be required to submit the report for approval in Concur. 

Users should follow this job aid for guidance on how to assign and manage their delegates:

Job Aid: Assign and Manage Delegates

By default, Students and Guests (Outside Parties) do not have access to Concur. To assist Students and Guests with reimbursable expenses, a Staff member can create and complete a Travel and Business Expense Report on their behalf.

To request reimbursement for a Student or Guest, the user must select CU Non-Profiled Payee as the Type of Report. Please follow our Report Header Guidance (see section below) when completing the Create New Report screen in Concur. The following worksheet should be completed and included with all CU Non-Profiled Payee reports:

Web Form: Non-Profiled Payee Travel and Business Expense Worksheet 

Guidance for users completing the report header in the Create New Report screen in Concur:

Type of Report

Select from the drop-down menu:

1. CU Business Expenses to reimburse Faculty and Staff for business related items (non-travel)
2. CU Non-Profiled Payee to reimburse Outside Party, Student Employee and Student Non-Employee
3. CU Travel Expenses to reimburse Faculty and Staff for travel related items when traveling on University business

School, Division, Sub-Division and Admin Department

This section should default from your Concur Profile, but you can edit if necessary

Report Name 

Use the following report naming convention: Payee's UNI and Payee's Name

• Example:  DP2255 Daniel Pen

Report Purpose

Select the overall purpose from the drop-down menu

Detailed Business Purpose

• Example: Expense for Mr. Smith while attending a conference related to Economic Policy Management at the United Nations on November 1, 2020.
• Suggestion: A detailed business purpose should answer the following questions: who? What? Where? When?   

Vendor Type and Vendor Name/ID

These two fields will appear only if you chose "CU Non-Profiled Payee" as the Type of Report. This step only applies when you are reimbursing a Student or Guest (Outside Party):

Select the appropriate Vendor Type from the drop-down menu:

1. Outside Party
2. Student Employee
3. Student Non-Employee 

Select the correct Vendor Name/ID which is the Student Profile (CNR#######) or Outside Party Profile (0000######)

• Suggestion: Click on the filter icon to search by Vendor Name (Text) or Vendor ID (Code). If no results are found, please reconsider the Vendor Type you previously selected.

GL BU, Department, PC Business Unit, Project, Activity, Initiative, Segment, Site

• For departments: use the chartstring that best fits the spending category, for example OTPS, lectures, gifts, etc.
• For student groups: use the chart string provided by the SIPA business office

Receipts

The payee is expected to obtain receipts for all expenses. A receipt may take many forms (i.e. cash register receipt, copy of an order form, web receipt or confirmation). A complete receipt must identify: 

• Date of purchase
• Vendor name
• Itemized list and unit price of the purchased items
• Total amount

Receipts are strictly required for the following expenses:

• Airfares/rail
• Hotel/lodging
• Car rental

For other expenses, if you were not able to obtain a receipt, lost the receipt, or the receipt is incomplete (i.e. not itemized), the user may create a Missing Receipt Declaration (Affidavit) for the expense under Manage Receipts. Only the user can create the Affidavit, delegates will not be able to do it on their behalf. 

To learn how to add a Missing Receipt Declaration for those Expense Item missing required receipts, view and download the following job aid:

Job Aid: Adding a Missing Receipt Declaration to an Expense Item

Proof of Payment

The payee is also expected to obtain proof of payment for all expenses. Proof of payment is usually included in the receipt with a notation of:

• "Cash tendered"
• "Paid"
• A zero balance due
• Debit/Credit card payment (card type, last four digits of card and/or signature)

If no proof of payment is available in this form (i.e. missing or incomplete receipt), a debit or credit card statement may be provided. You may black out any private or unrelated information. If an expense was paid in cash, add a comment stating it was paid in cash. 

To learn how to itemize hotels and/or lodging on a Travel Expense Report in Concur, view and download the following job aid: 

Job Aid: Itemizing Hotel/Lodging in a Travel Expense Report

Watch this video demonstration to learn how to itemize hotels and/or lodging on a Travel Expense Report in Concur: Itemizing Hotel/Lodging in a Travel Expense Report

Users can specify the currency when they are adding the details of the expense. Once the amount is entered in foreign currency and the currency type is updated, the fields displaying the conversion rate and the amount in USD will automatically appear. The conversion rate automatically updates based on the transaction date. If the bank statement shows the charge in USD, you don't need to convert the foreign currency.

Attendees

For meetings and events, users are required to list the name of each attendee if fewer than 10, or the attendee count for events of 11 or more attendees, and their relationship to the University.

Create attendees for an event of 11 or more attendees:

• Click the Attendees link next to Allocate
• Click Add
• Click Attendees tab next to Recent Attendees
• Click on the Create New Attendee link to add attendees
• Select Group Event - 10+ Attendees as the Attendee Type from drop down 
• Enter the Event Name (ex. Student Outreach Planning)
• Click Create Attendee
• Update the Attendee Count
• Click Save

Create attendees for an event of 10 or fewer attendees:

• Click the Attendees link next to Allocate
• Click Add
• Click Attendees tab next to Recent Attendees
• Click on the Create New Attendee link to add an attendee
• Select the most appropriate Attendee Type from drop down menu
• Enter the First Name, Last Name, and Institution/Company if the attendee is an Outside Party
• Click Create Attendee
• Close the window X
• Click Save

Do I need to take training?

Yes, all Concur users must complete a web based training. To access the training, please click on the following link and login with your UNI and password. Then click “Launch” or “View Summary” to start the course:

• Concur Travel and Expense Training

If you have been assigned a supervisor/manager role, you must complete another web based training and pass a Knowledge Assessment with a score of 90% or higher to complete the course. To access the training, please click on the following link and login with your UNI and password. Then click “Launch” or “View Summary” to start the course:

• Managing Travel and Business Expense Approvals in Concur

How do I save my receipts?

You can upload your legible receipts into Concur directly from your computer or you can download the Concur Mobile app and take legible photos of the receipts.

 

How do I set up my Concur profile?

Travel and Expense users should follow this training guide: 

Training Guide Concur Profile Travel 

Expense only users should follow this training guide:

Training Guide Concur Profile Non-Travel

How many delegates can a person have?

You can add as many delegates as you want.

 

Can I set up delegates on behalf of others?

No, delegates must be set up by the user.

 

Can delegates submit reports they prepare on behalf of others?

No, delegates can only prepare the report.

 

Do students have access to Concur?

No. Student Non-Employees and Student Employees are not opted in and therefore do not have access. The department needs to create and submit the report on behalf of the Student by selecting "CU Non-Profiled Payee" as the type of report in Concur. 

 

Can I submit a report with expenses over 365 days old?

No, expenses over 365 days old will not be reimbursed.

 

Can I use Mileage/Loyalty programs?

Yes, you absolutely can.

 

Can I travel Business Class?

Business and First Class travel requires CFO approval in advance of the trip. 

 

How can I access Concur?

You can access Concur from your desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile phone.

 

What kind of access do I have in Concur?

The following employees should have default access to Expense only (non-travelers):

• Administrative Support Staff

The following employees should have default access to both Travel and Expense:

• Officers of Instruction
• Officers of Research
• Officers of the Libraries
• Officers of Administration

Which file format should I use to save my receipts?

We recommend to save all your receipts as PDF (Portable Document Format)

 

Are there any available mobile tools? 

Yes, there are three mobile applications available to users:

1. Concur Mobile - to book travel, capture receipts, approve requests and expense reports.
2. TripIt Pro - to monitor your itinerary with real-time flight alerts, flight check-in, terminal/gate reminders, and airport maps.
3. International SOS (ISOS) - to get immediate help by one-click dialing to the closest ISOS Assistance Centre, receive advice prior and during your trip with mobile-friendly medical and security information.