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• Complete a Travel Authorization form if CU is paying for the trip (required for all travel related expenses, such as a hotel). This is required for both domestic and international travel. Departmental authorization must be completed using the Travel Authorization form for all official university business travel and travel related expenses (including fund 1x, 2x, and 3x). Submit all documentation (including traveler’s signature) to chemfinance@colorado.edu for department approval.
• International travel also require a . 
  • Employees (including student employees and POIs) must request pre-approval for international travel through the Concur Travel & Expense System (using Concur Request). Concur routes the request for approval to the traveler's HR Supervisor or SpeedType Approver, and the appropriate Chancellor/President or their delegate. This process is required whether the trip is funded by CU or by an outside entity. If the trip is being funded by an outside entity, please contact chemfinance@colorado.edu to obtain a Speedtype for Concur.
  • All University-related travel must be booked through the University’s travel management program: either online in the Concur Travel & Expense System or through a travel agent with Christopherson Business Travel (CBT). 
  • Once the international travel request is fully approved, Concur sends an email notification to the traveler and to Christopherson Business Travel (CBT). At this point, the traveler (or their travel arranger) can proceed to book the trip through Concur (SpeedType and approved Request ID required) or through a CBT agent (SpeedType required).
  • The provost’s office has requested that all international travelers include responses to the attached list of questions within the Travel Request in Concur prior to submitting into the approval workflow. Doing so will significantly speed up the approval process for the travelers. Please follow this link for travel approval requirements.
• Submit all conference registration fees through the . Include a signed copy of the Travel Authorization form along with your request.
• Book your flight, hotel and rental car using  or .
  • For airfare, use of Christopherson Business Travel (CBT) includes a $20 processing fee, which will be assessed each time CBT services are utilized. Do not use a procurement card or travel card to pay for airfare. If traveling with grant funds, make sure you understand the  and how it impacts your trip.
  • Save the itenerary and submit that with your reimbursement documents.
  • All University-related travel must be booked through the University’s travel management program: either online in the Concur Travel & Expense System or through a travel agent with Christopherson Business Travel (CBT). This provides the university with bulk savings and allows us to monitor your travel location and provide assistance if you encounter a health, emergency, or security issue. External internet airfare purchases are not allowable. If you book CU business travel through the internet during this time you will not be reimbursed for your out-of-pocket airfare bookings. For additional details,
  • For hotel and rental car, using Concur will just be a reservation. You will need to pay out-of-pocket for your final bill and request reimbursement upon return. (If attending a conference, you may need to book directly through the event's site to get the discounted rate.) Do not use a procurement card to pay for this. If you have concerns about paying out-of-pocket, please see a member of the finance team to determine if they can put this on a department travel card or apply for a travel card for you, depending on the situation. If using a travel card for your rental car, decline insurance but check all the rules by calling 1-800-VISA-911.
  • If you need to change your reservation, contact Christopherson to ensure you understand what fees may be involved.
•  for your travel destination (look for M&IE Breakdown on left side of page). This will be the maximum you'll be reimbursed per day for meals and incidentals. Keep this in mind while you are traveling to ensure you don't overspend, as you won't be reimbursed above the cap. Keep in mind that you are eligible for only 75 percent of the per diem daily rate on travel days.
• If you plan to pay for a group meal (meal with CU colleagues and/or external colleagues), discuss this with the finance team before you travel to ensure this will be allowable. No alcohol is allowed on group meals.
• If you plan any personal travel with your business travel, you may need to reimburse CU for a portion of the expenses. Talk with a member of the finance team about your specific situation.

• Airport travel and parking is available at a discounted rate. Your Buff One Card includes . Discounted airport parking is .
• While traveling, pay for all other expenses (parking, taxi/bus/Uber, baggage check costs, tolls, etc.) out-of-pocket and keep your receipts.
• Only the most economical airfare is allowed. If you need to upgrade due to a medical condition, please note the justification.

• When you return,  the traveler must submit all travel-related documentation to the finance team for expense report preparation. Documentation includes:
  • An approved Travel Authorization (if you haven't already provided this)
  • Completed reimbursement form 
  • Conference or symposium program (pdf preferred)
  • Itemized receipts
    • for airfare, lodging, parking, fuel, ground transportation, tolls, etc. 
  • Submit all documentation with reimbursement form to chemfinance@colorado.edu.
  • Even if you had no other expenses than the fight that was arranged through Christophersen you MUST submit a reimbursement request form so we can allocate that airfare to your speedtype.
• IMPORTANT: Requirements for timely substantiation/submission of business expenses apply to commercial credit card transactions (Procurement Card, Travel Card, Airfare Card) and to cash advances, in addition to employee reimbursements. Failure to comply with these requirements within 90 days of end of trip or (for non-travel expenses) within 90 days of date the expense was incurred, will result in the full amount being reported as taxable income to the employee.
• If any meals were provided to you during travel, report this so that your per diem can be adjusted accordingly. If you paid for any meals on a travel card, your per diem will be reduced accordingly.
• If a third party is providing any financial support for the trip, communicate this to the finance team to adjust other expense items accordingly.
• If you are requesting mileage reimbursement, the standard reimbursement rate will be used. If the nature of the trip and road conditions require the use of a four-wheel-drive vehicle, the 4WD rate will be used, but must be noted. Allowable miles are those driven in excess of the normal round-trip commute to primary work location, regardless of the type of transportation used for your normal commute. 
• If you traveled internationally and paid out-of-pocket for expenses, the exchange rate is backdated to the date of the expense to determine the reimbursement amount. 
• Receipts are required for all single transaction expenses $75 or greater. The only exception is for official functions (meals with multiple people), which always require a receipt.

• Additional approval is required before you book your flight via Concur. .
• Determine if you trip is subject to .
• Check  regarding insurance and destination risk assessments.
• Any out-of-pocket expenses will be reimbursed using a conversation rate based on the date of the expense

• For seminars and faculty/graduate recruiting, a member of the finance or administrative team will make the travel arrangements.
• For undergraduate non-employees, third-party visitors to labs, etc., please talk to the finance team before the travel occurs.
• Use the  to make travel arrangements or contact .
• Reimbursements for out-of-pocket expenses should be processed using the reimbursement form. If the non-employee is international please obtain prior approval and direction on process from the finance manager.

• Provide a comparison of the business portion of the trip to combined travel. If the cost is greater for combined, the traveler may owe CU the difference. Speak to a member of the finance team before you make your travel arrangements to confirm.

Why do travelers need to complete two Travel Approval Processes for international travel (Department Travel Approval Form and a Concur Travel request)? 

• In response to the coronavirus, the Procurement Service Center is requiring that all international travel must be approved prior to booking a trip using Concur. In addition, departmental authorization must be completed using the Travel Authorization form for all official university business travel and travel related expenses. The Travel Authorization form is utilized to record all estimated travel expenses and ensures there is budget allocated for travel (domestic & international). The Travel Authorization form also ensures that all pertinent travel information is documented prior to travel, such as business purpose and travel justification, which is required by project sponsors and the Department of Chemistry.

Should I select my HR Supervisor or Speedtype Approver when submitting a Concur Travel request?

• It is recommended the traveler select their HR supervisor for Concur approval, as the Speedtype approval will be satisfied through submitting the Travel Authorization form.

After I fill out the travel authorization form, will I get confirmation of some sort that it is approved and should I complete the Concur request then or at the same time as submitting the travel form?

• Once approved, the traveler should receive a copy of the completed Travel Authorization form via email. Both the Travel Authorization form and the Concur request must be submitted and approved prior to traveling. The order in which the Travel Authorization form and the Concur request are submitted is inconsequential.

Should I book my flight and hotel through CBT or Concur if I have both options, and why?    

• We highly recommend using Christopherson Business Travel (CBT) for your booking needs, as you will have the ability to contact a CBT agent if any issues should arise regarding your trip. Please note that booking through CBT includes a $20 processing fee, which will be assessed each time CBT services are utilized. See here for CBT contact information: .              

Do I have to sign the Travel Form before submitting chemfinance@colorado.edu?     

• The signature can be completed electronically via Adobe prior to submitting chemfinance@colorado.edu. Alternatively, the traveler can submit the from without a signature, and the signature will then be completed via a Docusign request from the CHEM Finance team.