Administrative Support
MET Finance provides administrative support to staff and faculty who travel for university business and research using the Travel Card or requesting reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses.
To get started, please refer to our training presentation on Travel Cards and Concur, as well as BU Travel Services’ policy and guidelines for Travel Card and Concur usage.
In addition to the University’s Travel policy, below please find travel procedures that are specific considerations for MET Faculty and Staff:
Pre-Approval
MET faculty/staff are required to obtain Supervisor/Chair and Dean’s funding pre-approval for all travel using the MET Travel Approval Form at the links below. This requirement replaces all previous practices of verbal pre-approval or pre-approval by email. MET IT recommends use of Firefox or Chrome, not Internet Explorer, when accessing the forms:
Obtain approval of your travel request through the Form before booking travel expenses such as transportation, lodging and conference registrations. To ensure competitive airfares and timely pre-approval, please submit your requests as soon as you have a travel plan. It is generally necessary to book airfare at least 30 days in advance to get a competitive rate.
Booking all travel through Shorts Travel is strongly recommended. You may call 617-353-1700 or email travelbooking@bu.edu.
If initial trip cost estimates increase by more than 20% during reservation process, you must seek re-approval through a new funding request in the Approval Form for the total revised amount of funding. This will replace your previous request.
Any funding request must include:
- Purpose of travel and justification
- Accurate estimate of all costs, including airfare, lodging, conference fees, meals, ground travel
- Anticipated external funding or compensation, such as provided by a grant or by host
Allowable Travel Expenses
Keep in mind the following matters of BU and MET Policy when filling out the Form and when booking/planning travel:
- Air travel is reimbursable at standard economy rate. Additional charges beyond standard economy rate require business justification as well as additional supervisory review and approval.
- Non-destination overnight stays without a verifiable business purpose will not be reimbursed. Should a non-destination overnight stay be unavoidable, you may request Dean’s approval for funding through the MET Travel Approval Form.
- Purchase of additional trip protection insurance (also known as travel insurance or flight insurance) is not reimbursable. You are encouraged to use Shorts Travel for your travel arrangements. A Shorts credit for cancelled travel can be used within a year. For more information, please refer to Travel Services’ booking travel guidelines and policy statement.
- Before booking lodging, make sure your hotel rate is less than per diem lodging rate for your travel city, provided at the links below. If an exception is justified (for example, your hotel is also your conference location), make sure this is requested in the MET Travel Approval Form and pre-approved before booking.
- Only actual receipts can be used for lodging reimbursement.
- Regarding expenses for meals/incidentals:
- Itemized meal receipts are required, except when using per diem. Non-itemized credit card signature slips are not sufficient.
- Choose either to use the per diem method for all meals and incidentals, or provide actual receipt for all meals and incidentals. You cannot use both methods in the same report.
- Make clear the business-related purpose of each meeting/meal.
- Meetings/meal expenses with multiple attendees require a list of attendees (with titles).
- Mileage Reimbursement: Employees who are required to commute distances longer than his/her “normal” commute are eligible to be reimbursed for mileage using standard IRS rates. “Normal” commute is defined as the distance the employee typically travels to/from his or her primary residence to place of employment. This must be supported in the expense report via evidence of additional distance and business reason for the additional commute.
- For all non-travel related goods and services, please purchase using Guided BUying or PCard. Non-travel goods and services which include such items as subscriptions, software licenses, books and supplies are not to be purchased with the University Travel card.
- Any purchases from Amazon (while traveling or otherwise) must be done through the University’s Amazon Business Account. This requires either a purchase requisition created in ARIBA Guided BUying or your department’s Purchasing Card (PCard) holder making the purchase with their PCard. They can have the purchase shipped to you.
- Requests for personal reimbursement for Amazon purchases made with a personal credit card are no longer permitted.
- No payments can be made to Amazon using the Travel Card.
Concur Report Submission
Within 30 days after returning from your trip, you must complete and submit:
- Travel report on the Concur Travel and Business Expense system via SAP/Employee Self-Service.
- Travel Summary Report on MET Travel Approval Form.
Travel Card Application
To get started, please refer to BU Travel Services’ Travel Card guidelines.
On the Travel Card: Application and Forms page, please fill out these two forms:
- Travel Card Application Form
- Travel Card Cardholder Agreement (please print it out, fill the form, and forward to Zhuyuan Zhang. She’ll sign the form as Financial Approver. You will have to attach this signed Travel Card Cardholder agreement to the application form before submitting. Only after you have her signature, then you can complete the Application.
FAQ
Do I have a Concur log-in?
All Boston University employees (part-time and full-time) have access to the Concur system, using their Kerberos log in and password. Students do not have access to Concur.
Can I book travel for a guest?
Who can help me with questions about my Travel Card and Concur?
How do I fill out an expense report in Concur?
Can I charge my travel expenses to multiple cost centers?
Is direct deposit for Payroll different from direct deposit for Concur?
Yes. Expense reimbursements are mailed by check unless an expense reimbursement direct deposit request is submitted. Travelers can sign up for direct deposit for Concur through the Employee Self Service page in BUWorks. For more information, please refer to the BUworks
direct deposit Quick Reference Guide.
I tried to use my Travel Card and it was declined. What should I do?
Call the bank toll-free number on the back of your card and determine the reason for the card decline. Then email
tcard@bu.edu to request assistance to resolve.
What is an MCC override?
The Merchant Code Category (MCC) is a four-digit number used by credit card companies to classify business transactions. Certain suppliers are listed under MCC codes that are restricted at the University level. Travel Card holders may request a one-time MCC override for a specific purchase. Assistance may be obtained by emailing
tcard@bu.edu.
What should I do if I lose a receipt?
Although the University requires receipts for transactions > $25.00, MET requires a receipt for every transaction regardless of dollar amount. Travelers may create a Missing Receipt Affidavit within their own Concur report. A
Missing Receipt Form is also available.
If I am renting a car for my business travel, do I purchase rental car insurance?
No. Boston University employees renting a vehicle with the permission of the University for University business purposes should not purchase additional rental liability insurance. The University’s automobile policy will provide excess coverage over the minimum coverage provided by the rental agency. For additional resources, please refer to Travel Services’
rental car insurance guidelines.
