A recent memo was released as a reminder that all Faculty and Staff must gain pre-approval on travel and business expenses with the exception of those incurred on research funds or travel and expense funds (Pooled Travel funds) for UMFA members (clause 27 UMFA collective agreement).
The following FAQ have been prepared to help guide you through this change.
1. What is changing?
The Travel and Business Expense policy and procedures outlines that all individuals claiming business expenses for reimbursement are to obtain pre-approval from their one-over-one prior to incurring the expense except when these expenses are on a research or a pooled fund.
Key changes to ensure this policy is followed are:
| A. Pre-approval on all professional development expenses is required from an individual's one-over-one approver before the professional development was obtained or the cost incurred. | |
| B. EPIC Purchase Orders (PO) & non-PO Invoices and the VISA Purchasing Card (Pcard) are no longer permitted to be used to pay for any travel and business expenses. | |
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C. New prerequisite to attach documented preapproval with Concur Expense claims and/or the Guest/Student Travel and Business claim form. All applicable expenses are to be paid by the individual Faculty, Staff or Student and submitted for reimbursement through the appropriate format (Concur for Faculty and Staff; the Guest/Student paper form for Students) along with the completed pre-approval documentation. |
2. Why do we need pre-approval and how do we obtain it?
Gaining pre-approval assures that the expense can be covered by your Faculty or Unit and that the expense is deemed necessary in relation to your roles and responsibilities at the University.
A form is available on the Financial Services webpage to gain this approval
https://umanitoba.ca/admin/financial_services/media/2020_Expense_Pre-Approval_Form.pdf
Faculties and Units can create their own pre-approval documents to ensure specific needs within their area are captured. Please work with your Business Manager to ensure the desired internal processes are followed.
3. Are preapprovals required if the expense will be charged to a Research Overhead fund?
Yes. Research Overhead funds are operating funds and require preapprovals as outlined above.
4. What is a Business Expense?
A business expense includes items that fall under the Travel and Business Expense Claims Procedure. Types of expense include transportation, hotels, meals (including hospitality), events hosted by UM, mileage, fuel, relocation costs, professional development, individual memberships, and other miscellaneous expenses that fall under the procedure required to conduct UM business.
5. Does this change how I make purchases for my department?
Departmental purchases such as office supplies, lab equipment, lab supplies, software, reprints, consulting services or any other procured good or service are to be purchased through EPIC.
The VISA Purchasing Card is an option for some purchases when a Supplier cannot accept a PO or provide an invoice.
Both of these options already have approval processes in place; EPIC requests require a minimum of the Financial Authority approval before a PO is issued and using the Visa Order form before charging the Purchasing Card documents the purchase approval.
6. Where can I find more information on the Travel and Business Expense policy and procedures?
You can review the Travel and Business Expense Claims Policy and Procedures at http://umanitoba.ca/admin/governance/governing_documents/financial/travel_and_business_expense_claims.html
7. What are Professional Development expenses?
Professional development is any activity that includes learning to earn or maintain professional credentials, attending conferences, and informal learning opportunities. These include, but are not exclusive to:
- Conference registrations and related expenses including transportation, accommodations, meals
- Courses, seminars, webinars, or other mediums used to obtain professional and career development including academic degrees and formal coursework
- Professional memberships for an individual
8. What expenses are no longer allowed to be paid through EPIC?
Travel and business related expenses for an individual are to be processed through Concur and are no longer allowed on the previous options in EPIC. This includes, but is not exclusive to:
- Travel costs
- Conference registrations and related expenses
- Meals
- Professional development
- Individual professional memberships
- Hospitality
9. Why can't these expenses be processed through EPIC?
Travel and Business Expenses, along with the appropriate one-over-one approvals, are captured and reviewed through the Concur tool which is built around the Travel and Business Expense policy and procedures. The EPIC system is focused on the procurement process and related policies and procedures.
10. What is the difference between a professional membership and an institutional membership?
| a. Professional memberships are for individuals, these are generally related to subscriptions to a professional organisation in a particular field of work. | |
| Professional Memberships belong to an individual whether they work at the University or not. | |
| b. Institutional memberships are also subscriptions but instead of being for an individual these are usually in the name of a department, lab, research group or the University as a whole and cover a group of people. |
11. How can I pay for my professional membership?
Professional memberships are to be paid by the individual out of pocket or the individual can use their University Travel Credit Card. After the proper pre-approval is obtained you can be reimbursed by your Faculty or Unit.
12. How can we pay for an Institutional membership?
Institutional memberships are held by the University and can be paid through EPIC using a Purchase Order.
13. I can't afford to be out of pocket for this expense, what options are available to me?
The University offers a University Travel Credit Card for travel-related expenses. This card not only keeps you from being out of pocket, it is also easily reconciled through Concur. Approval to obtain a card is at the discretion of the Faculty or Unit, please work with your Business Manager, Dean or Director to find out if this option is a good fit for you.
For professional development, many Faculties and Units currently require pre-approval before the course begins. Please check within your area for specific processes before incurring expenses.
14. Can I use my Travel Credit Card for someone else's membership, registration or other expense?
The Travel Credit Card (T&E card) is for expenses that apply to the individual cardholder or to non-employees (student or guest). This card cannot be used to pay for expenses for another employee.
15. How do I process student and guest travel claims?
| a) Students are required to include documented preapproval with the Guest/Student Travel and Business claim form. | |
| b) Faculties or Units who want to cover the cost of a student's expense must attach the documented preapproval with their Concur Expense claims. |
The process for University Guest claims is not changing and can continue to be processed on the paper claim form.
http://umanitoba.ca/admin/financial_services/media/Guest_Student_Travel_and_Business_Expense_Claim_form.pdf
16. We are planning a workshop or course within our Unit, how can this professional development be processed?
Professional development for groups that is not attributed to specific individuals should be managed through EPIC. You can create a Purchase that will be invoiced to pay the expense.
17. We are holding a special event that will be catered by Aramark, can I place my order through CaterTrax?
Yes, no changes are occurring at this time for hospitality expenses that are placed through Aramark.
18. If I am holding a banquet or conference at hotel or other venue, how can I book the location and pay for the costs of the event?
For special events that are approved within your Faculty or Unit, you can continue to use EPIC to create Purchase Orders for the booking and event costs.
Have more questions? We are here to help!
For questions related to the Travel and Business Expense policy & procedures or how to apply for a University Travel Credit Card, please contact Travel Services at travinfo@umanitoba.ca.
For questions regarding EPIC or general queries on how to process transactions, please contact Aurora Finance Customer Service at Aurora_Finance@umanitoba.ca.