PSU Concur Travel And Expense Management Guide For 2026

Pennsylvania State University utilizes SAP Concur as its primary enterprise platform for managing official travel bookings, corporate card transactions, and employee expense reimbursements. For faculty, staff, and authorized travel coordinators, mastering the Concur ecosystem ensures seamless policy compliance, accelerated reimbursement turnaround times, and adherence to institutional financial controls. Whether you are arranging domestic conference attendance or international research travel, navigating the system requires an understanding of current 2026 financial workflows, direct billing practices, and receipt documentation standards.

Core Architecture of the PSU Concur Platform

The integration of SAP Concur within the Penn State financial ecosystem links travel planning directly with the Central Financial System (CFS) and standard university accounting strings (General Ledger accounts, fund numbers, and cost centers). Concur replaces legacy paper travel vouchers with a centralized digital dashboard that handles three major operational pillars: travel booking, expense report creation, and approval routing.

Faculty and staff travelers must initiate bookings through the platform's integrated booking tool, powered by Anthony Travel, to maintain compliance with institutional vendor agreements and leverage negotiated corporate rates. Direct billing protocols apply automatically to flights and vehicle rentals booked through the authorized channels, minimizing out-of-pocket expenses for the traveler.

Operational Mandate for 2026 Travel Authorization: All overnight travel outside of local commuting zones requires an approved Concur Travel Request prior to incurring expenses or securing reservations. Failure to secure prior authorization can result in delayed reimbursement or personal financial liability for non-refundable costs.

Step-by-Step Guide to Submitting Travel Requests

Creating a travel request in PSU Concur establishes the financial encumbrance and confirms institutional awareness of upcoming trips. Follow these structured steps to ensure compliance with university guidelines:

1. Access the Portal: Log into the official Penn State Concur single-sign-on portal using your standard Penn State Access Account credentials and multi-factor authentication (MFA).
2. Initiate a New Request: Navigate to the Requests tab on the top menu bar, select "Create New Request," and input mandatory trip details including purpose, destination, travel dates, and justification.
3. Assign Budget Accounts: Allocate the anticipated expenses to the correct budget string (fund, order, or cost center) associated with your department or grant funding source.
4. Estimate Expenses: Add estimated segments for lodging, registration fees, airfare, and per diem meals using the built-in estimation wizards.
5. Submit for Routing: Review the summary and submit the request. It will automatically route to your designated financial approver or budget executive based on the assigned hierarchy.

Managing Expenses and Receipt Documentation

Once travel is completed, or periodically for recurring corporate card charges, expenses must be reconciled into a formal expense report. Penn State enforces strict documentation standards aligned with IRS accountable plan rules and federal Uniform Guidance requirements for sponsored research funds.

Receipt requirements depend heavily on the nature of the expense and the funding source. While the university strives for a paperless environment, certain transactions mandate original itemized proof of purchase.

Note on Per Diem Claims: Penn State calculates meal allowances using standard regional per diem rates. Travelers do not need to submit individual meal receipts, but deductions must be made for any meals provided directly by a conference or host organization.

Comparison of Booking Methods and Expense Workflows

Selecting the correct booking mechanism impacts both out-of-pocket cash flow and administrative reconciliation time. The table below outlines the operational differences between utilizing institutional booking channels versus alternative methods.

Troubleshooting Common Concur Errors and Audit Stops

Even experienced users encounter systemic flags or routing errors within Concur. Resolving these efficiently prevents payroll cycles from closing without processing your reimbursement.

• Missing Itemized Receipts: If a hotel folio or conference receipt is misplaced, travelers must complete a lost receipt affidavit form within Concur, securing departmental budget executive approval before submission.
• Cost Object Validation Errors: Red exception flags usually indicate an inactive budget string or insufficient funds in the designated cost center. Verify the accounting string with your departmental financial officer before resubmitting.
• Out-of-Policy Expense Flags: Expenses exceeding standard federal per diem rates or policy caps require a detailed business justification comment attached directly to the line item. Without a valid explanation, auditors will strip the line item from the reimbursement total.
• Delegated Access Issues: Faculty members who utilize administrative assistants as travel arrangers must ensure proper profiles and permissions are established in the sharing settings of their Concur profile.

Frequently Asked Questions About PSU Concur

What should I do if my corporate card is declined while traveling on university business?

Contact the issuing bank immediately using the customer service phone number on the back of the card to verify fraud protection holds, and notify your departmental financial administrator so alternative payment methods can be arranged if necessary. The university provides temporary ghost cards or travel advances under strict emergency circumstances.

Can I book first-class or business-class flights through PSU Concur?

No, university travel policy strictly mandates economy or coach class for all domestic and international flights, regardless of duration. Exceptions are granted only if a documented medical disability requires specialized seating or if an administrative waiver is approved in advance by the Office of the Corporate Controller.

How do I handle personal days mixed into a business trip?

When combining personal travel with official university business, you must obtain a comparative fare quote for the direct business-only itinerary on the same dates of travel through Anthony Travel at the time of booking. You will only be reimbursed for the lesser of the two amounts, and personal expenses must be segregated out of the final expense report.

Why is my travel request sitting pending in the approval queue?

Travel requests route sequentially through the assigned workflow based on organizational hierarchies and funding sources. If a request stalls, check the workflow tab within the request summary to identify the exact approver currently holding the document, and reach out to them or their administrative support directly.

Are Uber and Lyft expenses fully reimbursable in Concur?

Yes, ridesharing services are acceptable forms of ground transportation for official business travel when more cost-effective options like public transit or shuttle services are unavailable or impractical. Itemized digital receipts provided by the service platform must be attached to the expense line item.

How quickly are travel reimbursements deposited after final approval?

Once an expense report clears all departmental and central financial office audits, standard disbursements are processed through the university's accounts payable weekly payment cycle, typically appearing via direct deposit within three to five business days.

Optimizing Your Travel Management Experience

Mastering PSU Concur requires a proactive approach to compliance, timely documentation, and utilization of official university booking channels. By initiating travel requests well in advance, maintaining meticulous digital receipt records, and staying informed on annual policy updates, faculty and staff can eliminate administrative friction and ensure rapid financial reconciliation for all institutional activities. For specialized travel scenarios, grants management inquiries, or technical support, contact the Penn State travel operations help desk or consult your local campus financial service office.