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Travel Process

Helpful Hints

  • A travel request must be completed prior to each travel instance (each trip). The travel request should be approved prior to making any travel arrangements (airfare, hotel, conference registration, etc.)
  • A travel delegate may create a travel request, organize expenses, and complete an expense report, but the traveler must submit it. This step cannot be delegated.
  • Expense reports need to be submitted as soon as possible to allow for Accounts Payable/Payment Services to review and if needed, return for changes. Expense reports cannot be submitted after the 60-day reimbursement deadline. The 60-day reimbursement deadline calculation sheet can be found here.

Step 1 Create and Submit a Travel Request

A travel request must be completed prior to each travel status instance (each trip). Instructions on creating a travel request can be found here.

  1. Log into Firefly and click on the Travel and Expense Reporting tile. Open the Travel Request tile.
  2. Click create to start a new request and follow the instructions listed here. Note: the request can be created by either the traveler or by a delegate, however the traveler will have to submit the request. This step cannot be delegated.
  3. Once the request is submitted, it will go through an approval process: supervisor/travel approver and financial approver must approve the request (additional approval needed for international travel). These steps are automated – no action is required by the traveler.
  4. An email confirmation will be sent when the travel request has been approved, at which time all travel arrangements can be made.

Step 2 Book Travel Arrangements

Lodging, Airfare, and Car Rental

Log into Concur to utilize the booking tool or contact Fox World Travel to book travel arrangements. The ten-digit Request ID will be needed from the approved travel request.

Refer to this video for help booking within Concur.

Helpful hints:

  1. Accommodations booked in the Concur booking tool will not automatically appear in a travel request. Airfare, lodging and car rental should be manually entered in the segments tab of the travel request whenever applicable.
  2. Airfare accommodations booked in the Concur booking tool have fees that vary; a $5 fee is applied when booking with the Concur online; a $20 fee (domestic) and $26 fee (international) is applied when booking with a Fox World Travel agent. No fee is applied in the Concur booking tool for hotels or car rental.
  3. If you find a lower fare outside of concur or Fox World Travel:
    • The Travel Office gives final approval for booking outside of policy.
    • Expenses cannot be submitted until after the last date of travel.

Conference Registrations

The University-issued purchasing card (known as a “P-card”) is available to pre-pay for conference registrations. Other travel expenses must be pre-approved by the traveler’s respective campus purchasing card office before a traveler may use a P-card for travel purchases. These purchases must also comply with the University Purchasing Card Policy with the traveler’s respective campus amendments.

Step 3 Before the Trip

Helpful hints

Recommended downloads

  • Conferma App: if lodging reservations are booked through the Concur booking tool with the company-paid credit card, this app will provide confirmed payment information and uninterrupted check-in.
  • If traveling internationally, the Mobile Passport enables U.S. citizens to save time during the entry process at most major U.S. airports.

Step 4 During the Trip

Helpful hints

  • Ensure all receipts are itemized, including:
    • the item(s) purchased;
    • the name of the business where the transaction took place;
    • the transaction date/time; and,
    • the amount of the transaction.
  • Employees should pay for their own expenses. Ask for separate tickets if traveling with a group.
  • If receipts are listed in any language other than English, the business name, location, date, and individual items must be translated by the traveler prior to uploading them into Firefly travel. Associated prices can be converted through Firefly to the U.S dollar equivalency.
  • Meal receipts are no longer required with the per diem model. Do not upload meal receipts into Firefly. If traveling on grant funding, contact the sponsored programs office for receipt requirements.

Step 5 Finalize and Submit an Expense Report

Log into Firefly and click the Travel and Expense Reporting tile. Open the Expense Report tile.

The approved travel request is shown in the expense tile. Click to open and follow the instructions listed here. Note: all expense types from the approved travel request transfer to the expense report; some expense types may need to be adjusted to 'Paid by Univ' or removed entirely.

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