Travel

Please consult the Bren Finance Team prior to your travel booking by sending a request by email to travel@bren.ucsb.edu in order to ensure proper reimbursement and backup documentation is attained and UC policies are being adhered to.

 

Domestic Travel:

Foreign Travel: 

International Visitors to the USA need to submit the following 2 forms:

  1. For land border travelers, please apply for an I-94 online via the official Customs & Border Protection website: I-94 website
    Air and sea travelers will be issued I-94s during the admission process at the point of entry.
  2. Declaration of Immigration Status by Non-U.S. Citizens (PDF form)

 

Prior to Travel

Prior to travel, you should ask yourself:

  • Do I have enough funds to travel?
  • Where are the funds coming from?
  •  Is the state I am wanting to travel to approved for reimbursement?

 

Do I have enough funds to travel?

The Bren Travel team can assist with booking and directly paying for flights. The travel team can also assist you with seeking a travel advance. Travel advances are used to help pay traveling expenses that occur prior to an actual trip. You will need to start an advance request at least three weeks prior to your travel.

 

Where are the funds coming from?

If you are a student, chances are you have received a travel award or are being sponsored by a faculty member. Whoever is offering the funds will provide you with a project code. This is essentially the account they are agreeing to pay your way from. You will need this project code when seeking an advance or reimbursement.

 

Allowable expenses and guidelines for booking:

Travel shall be planned in a manner that reduces costs to the university. For example, using Concur to make airfare, lodging, and car rental reservations automatically gives you access to the university's car rental agreements (insurance included), lodging agreements (corporate rate), and airfare programs (no penalty for canceling refundable flights). Making reservations outside Concur may inadvertently disconnect the traveler from benefits such as automatically included insurance coverage, exposing the traveler and the University to uninsured risks.

It is important that travelers go through the Bren Finance Team to make travel arrangements for lodging, airfare, and car rentals. This guarantees proper coverage and reimbursement to the traveler. Any travel booked outside of Concur needs to register through the Business Travel program when traveling outside of California. Please see the Insurance section for more information. 

The Bren School has the ability to direct bill airfare. This enables the Bren School to book scheduled flights for visitors and pay for expenses directly. For more information, please contact travel@bren.ucsb.edu.

The Bren Finance Team is happy to answer any travel-related questions and assist with travel arrangements. Please review the UC Travel Policy for more information on UCSB travel guidelines and policies: policy.ucop.edu/doc/3420365/BFB-G-28

 

Transportation

  • Airfare: Tickets classified as economy or coach class, including economy-premium, economy-plus, economy-elite or similar label as well as charges for seat selection are allowed without exception or, US Flag carrier if international travel. Please contact travel@bren.ucsb.edu in order to book your flight to utilize direct billing to UCSB. This is strongly suggested and preferred. Receipts must be itemized if not booked through Connexxus.
  • Train/Bus/Taxi (no limo service): UC Policy reimburses the most economical means.
  • Rental Car and Gas: Insurance is not reimbursable if you book a rental car on your own: always book rental cars through UCSB. Contact travel@bren.ucsb.edu. Only intermediate or smaller vehicles are reimbursable. Receipts must be final and itemized (i.e. not a quote or reservation)
  • Personal Car Mileage: $0.67 per mile effective January 1, 2024.
  • UCSB Vehicle Rentals: (Plan in advance, with a min. of 2 weeks’ notice per request) Book through travel@bren.ucsb.edu
  • Parking receipts are not required if cost is under $75

Hotel

  •  Max room rate: $275 per night before taxes/fees. Please book your hotel through Concur whenever possible. This is strongly suggested and preferred. Receipts must be final and itemized (i.e. not a reservation).

Food

  • Domestic: up to $79 for a 24-hour period, if over $75 an itemized receipt must be provided
  • International: Per diem per State Department website

Conference Registration

  •  To satisfy IRS regulations on the expense report, you must specifically state the business purpose, the dates, and place (For example: Attended the 2024 Bioremediation Symposium)

 

Step 1: Getting Access to Concur

Whether you are seeking an advance or planning on seeking a reimbursement, prior to travel you will need to be in our Concur travel system. To check and see if you are in the system please try to log in using your NET ID. If you are not in the UCSB payroll system, you will not be able to login to Concur. Please contact travel@bren.ucsb.edu so our team can set you up as a Guest Traveler. Please include your Name, Mailing address, and Phone number.

 

UCSB Concur site

 

More information as well as the web portal link can be found here: https://www.bfs.ucsb.edu/travel_entertainment/welcome

If you are able to login to Concur please add Charlyna Meraviglia (charlyna@ucsb.edu) for domestic travel or Lucy Navarrete (dln@ucsb.edu) for international travel as your delegate so your requests can be properly processed.

 

How To Select a Delegate

How to Select a Delegate (for UCSB Employees)

Delegate Overview Video (1.34 min) 

How to Add a Delegate (No video) 

1.      Log into the UCSB Concur site, using Net ID and Password.

2.      In the upper right corner, click on Profile, and then Profile Settings.

3.      Viewing the column of options on the left-hand side, locate and click on Expense Delegates. Please note; the ‘Request’ and ‘Expense’ categories share delegates. Permissions are assigned to both ‘Request’ and ‘Expense’ by selecting a delegate here.

4.      Click Add.

5.      Search for and select a delegate by employee name, email address.

o Domestic Travel - Charlyna Meraviglia (charlyna@ucsb.edu)

o International Travel - Delia (Lucy) Navarrete (dln@ucsb.edu)

*If you do not see the employee you want to add as a delegate, please contact travel@bren.ucsb.edu.

6.      Specify the delegate is to perform the following tasks, Can Prepare, Can Submit Requests, Can View Receipts, and Receive Emails. With these options selected, the delegate is allowed to prepare and submit requests, prepare expense reports on the traveler’s behalf, view receipts, and receive the same email notifications as the traveler.

7.      Please note that the delegate cannot submit the expense report on the traveler’s behalf. 

8.      After delegates have been established, click the Save to update the settings.

 

Step 2: Requesting an Advance if needed

Travel Advances

Travel advances are used to help pay traveling expenses when the traveler does not qualify for, or does not yet have, a Travel and Entertainment card. The advance can be used to pay for travel expenses prior to or during travel.  Travel advances should be requested from the Bren School at least three weeks prior to departure to ensure that the checks will be ready on time. A travel advance request can only be submitted between 10 and 30 days before the beginning of the trip.

In order to request a Travel Advance please complete a Travel advance request link below. Please include quotes for any expected expenses. 

Docusign: Travel Advance Request

 

Step 3: Requesting flight booking

The travel team can book your flight for you to assist with out-of-pocket costs. If you would like us to book your flight, please email a request to travel@bren.ucsb.edu. Please include the following items in your request:

  • Full name as it appears on the ID you will be traveling with. (Please include your middle name if shown)
  • Date of Birth
  • Flight preferences
  • Frequent Flyer numbers
  • Seat Preferences

The team will do their best to provide you with the flights and preferences you selected.

 

During Travel

Save your itemized receipts

Save either your original itemized receipts or take a picture of your receipts. If you are an employee you can download the SAP Concur Mobile App for your smartphone or smart device which will allow you to upload receipt images on-the-go.

  • Meals  - For domestic travel, UCSB offers a daily meal reimbursement cap of $79. It is not a per diem, and only actual charges should be reimbursed. You will need your receipts to complete the Meal and Incidentals log upon return from your trip. This log will be submitted with your reimbursement. 
  • Hotels - The hotel will provide you with an itemized receipt upon the completion of your stay. Proof of lodging is required for travel reimbursement whether you are requesting to be reimbursed for it or not.
  • Car rental - the rental company will want a credit card and will want to see a valid ID.
    • The rental company will charge the credit card. Save the final receipt showing the ‘after payment’ $0 owed. This is a UC System-Wide requirement for vehicle rental reimbursement.
  • Gas Receipts (if not claiming mileage): The university will only reimburse gas bought during the trip, NOT gas bought upon the trip return. 
  • Rideshares

 

Post Travel

Reimbursement for UC Employees

Travel Reimbursement (UCSB Employees) 

  • Upon completion of a trip, all travelers must submit a reimbursement request (called an “Expense Report”)  through Concur.   
  • The report must include all original itemized receipts, ticket stubs, itineraries, agendas, and any other documentation substantiating the expenses. 
  • We also need proof of lodging and flight even if you’re not asking to be reimbursed for these items. UCSB’s Accounting department needs to see the full scope of the trip.
  • Please see “Allowable expenses and guidelines for booking:” in the Prior to Travel section above for items allowed for reimbursement.
  • All travel must take place prior to reimbursement. 
  • Please submit your expense report as soon as possible after the trip has taken place. This will ensure proper reimbursement in a timely manner.
  • If you have not already selected a finance team member as your delegate in Concur, you will need to do so. See instructions above on "How to Select A Delegate (UCSB Employees)"

 

How do I create an expense report?

View the videos and review the instructions below:

How to Create an Expense Report (Video- 1:33 min) 

How to Create an Expense Report on Concur Mobile (No video) 

Understanding a Concur Header (Video - 1:19 min) Note; this process contains much of the same information as the previously used paper report.

  1. Click the Expense option from the top of the screen.
    • Under ‘Manage Expenses,’ click Create a Report from the appropriate selection in the ‘Report Library.’
  2. Fill out the required fields, including;
    • Event/Trip Name
      • For Travel: Travel Dates - Destination - Project code
      • For Meals and Meetings: Date of event - Purpose of event - Project code
    • Report Type (choose from dropdown menu)
    • Request/Trip purpose (choose from dropdown menu)
    • Business purpose (type a detailed reason for travel or entertainment)
    • Request/Trip start and Request/Trip end dates (select dates from calendar)
    • Payee Type (choose from dropdown menu)
    • Group Travel (yes or no)
    • Travel to AB 1887 restricted states (yes or no)
    • Expense provided to Spouse/Dp/Child/Dep care (yes or no)
    • Personal Days/Justification; if applicable (enter travel dates labeled as personal use)
    • Destination City/Country (event location for entertainment)
    • Department - Be sure to click on the filter icon and choose “Either” then enter our Bren department code ESMS
    • Host Name (for entertainment or employee morale events)
    • FAU (Full Accounting Unit): This is the associated funding account (e.g., start-up, retention, grant). Make sure to enter the correct four-letter department code and your project code (ESMS-project code). Ex: ESMS-SU99 or ESMS-GP999
    • Selecting the correct Funding Sub.
      • For Domestic Travel- Select sub 5
      • For International Travel- Select sub 7 
      • For Entertainment and Miscellaneous expense reimbursements- Select sub 3
  3. Upload receipts: Each receipt needs to be added separately as an “expense” line item
    • Click the Add Expense button.   
    • Under the "Create New Expense Tab," scroll down the menu (or try typing it in the search bar) to find the correct expense you want to be reimbursed for and click on it. 
    •  Concur will create the New Expense Entry for you. 
      •  Click on Upload Receipt Image on the right-hand side to upload your receipt for this expense. 
    • Fill out all the required fields (marked with a red asterisk). Click Save Expense when finished. If you have more than one expense to add, click Save and Add Another, and it will take you to the menu with the scrollbar to search for another expense.
      Pro Tip: Upload receipts into Concur before starting your expense report.
  4. Add proof of payment:
    • Click “Manage Receipts” → “Manage Attachments”
    • Here you can upload proof of payment in the form of a redacted credit card showing full name and the last four digits of the credit card being used *or* a redacted bank statement showing full name and the charge(s) you would like to be reimbursed for.
  5. Save and close out. DO NOT SUBMIT the report, email travel@bren.ucsb.edu by clicking on "print/share" at the top of your report when your claim is ready for review.
  6. The Finance team will review and email you from Concur to let you know your report is ready to be submitted. Then you MUST LOG BACK IN and submit your report,

 

Clearing Travel Advance

Clearing Travel Advance

Upon return from your trip the cash advance must be cleared from the system. Clearing this advance is the same process as completing a reimbursement request. You will need to complete a reimbursement request form and attach all the receipts from the trip. If more is spent on the trip than received in the advance, you will receive the difference as reimbursement through this report. If you spent less than the amount you received in your travel advance, you will need to repay the University by way of a check made out to UC Regents. Email travel@bren.ucsb.edu to coordinate this repayment.

 

Travel Reimbursement (Guest Travelers) 

Reimbursement for Guest Travelers

Unlike UCSB Employees, Guest Travelers cannot create Expense Reports. A member of the Finance team will act as your delegate and will create and submit a report on your behalf.

 

Step 1: 

  • Please contact travel@bren.ucsb.edu so our team can add you as a Guest Traveler in Concur. Please include your name, mailing address, and phone number. 
  • Guest Traveler processing time can take up to a few days, please be advised. 
  • After you become a Guest Traveler, your delegate can start working on your report.

 

Step 2:

Please fill out the Travel Reimbursement Form in Docusign. Please include ALL of the following items to ensure proper reimbursement in a timely manner: 

  1. Travel Reimbursement Form signed by the PI of the account you are using for reimbursement
  2. Legible itemized receipts - please include all that apply to you
  • Hotel payment confirmation or invoice
  • Flight receipt
  • Rental car receipt
  • Conference receipt 
  1. Proof of payment - please provide either (a) or (b)
    1. Redacted copy of credit card [showing full name and last 4 digits of the card, matching the receipt]
    2. Copy of bank statement showing the charge and your full name

Note: Processing times can take up to 14 - 30 days upon receiving a fully completed packet. Please keep in mind that UCSB’s accounting department may ask for additional information prior to processing payment

 

 

Insurance

Travelers who make transportation travel arrangements such as booking flights and car rentals through Concur are automatically enrolled in insurance. Insurance is not reimbursable for these types of expenses (as they are considered “add-ons”) if they are purchased outside of Concur’ preferred travel agencies and supported online booking tools.

University travelers must enroll in the Business Travel program if traveling outside of California. This will provide insurance coverage while traveling.

If arrangements are made through Concur then enrollment is automatic and filling out the form is not necessary.

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