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Vendor Verification: Concur Invoice Reminders

When submitting invoices for payment through the Concur Invoice module, please make sure to select the vendor that matches the vendor name and address listed on the invoice documentation. This can be done by comparing the Vendor Information displayed in Concur to the information on the Invoice documentation (Vendor Invoice, Vendor Disclosure Statements, Independent Contract Forms, etc.). Additional information on submitting invoices can be found in the Concur Invoice User Guide. If you need any assistance in the vendor selection process, please email the Concur Help Desk at concur@ua.edu.

Travel & Invoice: Flight Comparisons

When reviewing flights on both Concur and external booking sites, some travelers contact us, stating that cheaper flights can be found outside of the system. When researching these instances, we typically determine that the traveler is not comparing the same fare/class of ticket. Concur does not automatically display the lowest basic fares, as these are not “Best Practice” fares for business travel. They often come with few benefits and many restrictions. When we review “apples to apples” fares between Concur and the external booking sites, the Concur rate is typically the same or cheaper than the external site. Accounts Payable is happy to review any variances you see between Concur and external sites.

Fiscal Year-End 2024 Reminder

With FY2024 ending in a few short weeks, it is important to note the below dates to ensure that Procurement Services can process all orders and post all transactions to Banner within the Financial Accounting deadlines:
• New bids should have been requested by Tuesday, September 3, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.
• buyBama Purchase Orders must be created and approved by Friday, September 20, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.
• Concur PO Invoices that have been assigned to users need to be submitted and approved as soon as possible for purchase orders where the product has been delivered. For questions regarding Concur PO Invoices, contact Accounts Payable.
• Concur Invoices must be submitted, approved by all approvers, and to Accounts Payable for processing by Friday, October 4, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.
• Concur Expense Reports must be submitted, approved by all approvers, and to Accounts Payable and P-Card for processing by Friday, October 4, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.
• Banner Encumbrances will roll forward on Wednesday, October 16, 2024.

Accounts Payable Website Resources

Many of our processes in Accounts Payable are electronic and can be initiated with a form found on our website. Each team in Accounts Payable has a section of the website which you can find in the navigation menu at the top of the website. You will find forms, policies and procedures, and other helpful links in each section of the website.

Setting Up a Concur Delegate

Concur allows the user to set up a delegate for Travel, Request, Expense, and Invoice Modules. Delegates are employees who are allowed to perform work on behalf of others. You can add a delegate to your Concur user profile and assign certain permissions to that delegate, enabling them to perform specific tasks on your behalf. This does not remove the user’s responsibility to review and submit the request or report.

U.S. Bank’s 24-Hour Customer Service

The U.S. Bank Customer Service number (800-344-5696) listed on the back of all UA P-Cards is a valuable resource for cardholders. In addition to activating your card, reporting a card lost/stolen, and finding out why your purchase has declined, you can find out the following:

Current Balance: The amount that has been charged in the current cycle.
Current Available Credit: The amount you have left before reaching your cycle limit.
Monthly Credit Line: Your monthly/cycle limit.

Review the helpful tips for communicating with U.S. Bank. Feel free to reach out to P-Card Services at pcard@ua.edu with any questions.

When do I use the Entertainment Expense Form?

Section 6.3 of the UA Spending Policy details the documentation required for any entertainment expenditures.  Completing the Entertainment Expense Form will ensure that the following is documented in accordance with UA Policy.  If you can include all required information below in the Concur Expense Report or Concur Invoice, the Entertainment Expense Form does not have to be attached.

  • Identification of the person or group to be entertained, including the relationship of the persons in attendance to the particular aspects of the University program that will be benefited. This information includes titles, committee names, the field of interest of the person or group being entertained, the reason for inviting the visitor(s) to campus, and other relevant details.
    • For entertainment of small groups (10 or fewer), the names of all persons attending must be shown.
    • For entertainment of 10 or more individuals, only the name or names of the honored guest or guests must be indicated, with the number of persons attending.
  • A statement as to the reason or purpose of the entertainment, including the purpose and benefits of the program to the University must be clearly indicated and understood by anyone outside the department reviewing the voucher.
    • If the function that included the entertainment is held away from the University campus, an agenda for the function must be attached.
    • If entertainment includes only UA employees, an explanation as to why it had to occur at breakfast, lunch, or dinner is necessary.
    • The date and place of entertainment.

As a reminder, entertainment events can include meals and refreshments at UA functions if the meals and refreshments are incidental to the meeting or training. The primary purpose of the meeting or educational/training session in which the meal or refreshments are provided or consumed shall be directly related to the business of the University.

Travel & Invoice: International Airfare Booking

Please remember that due to the availability of local carriers in various countries and locations, international airfare bookings are exempt from the Concur booking requirement. These bookings must still be paid for with a UA P-Card. Travelers do not need to reach out to Accounts Payable for prior approval of international bookings outside of the Concur system. All domestic air travel is required to be booked through Concur or Christopherson Business Travel using a UA P-Card.

P-Card Out of Office Tips

It’s almost summertime at UA, and many faculty and staff members are traveling for both business and pleasure. If you are planning on going out of town for an extended period of time, a little preparation can go a long way in preventing any disruption in p-card usage for you and your department.

If you would like for P-Card Services to temporarily suspend your card while you’re traveling, you can email pcard@ua.edu and let us know when you’ll be out of town. It would also be a good idea to assign a delegate in Concur in case anything comes up while you’re out.

Whether you’re a cardholder or an approver, it’s a great idea to download the Concur Mobile app so that you can quickly prepare, review, and approve reports on the go. Instructions for setting up Concur Mobile can be found on the Concur website.

If you’re traveling to a location where cell service or internet service are unreliable, please contact pcard@ua.edu prior to your trip so that we can help you and your department come up with a plan for preparing, reviewing, and approving reports in your absence.

US Bank’s Access Online

Access Online user profiles are set up for UA purchasing card holders. Access Online will allow cardholders to view posted transactions, single purchase and monthly limits, balances, available credit, and other account details. If you would like to use this resource, please view the registration instructions and then log into Access Online for the first time and finish setting up your profile.

Please note: Accountholders with a ghost account (no physical plastic) will not have access to their accounts in Access Online.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact pcard@ua.edu.