Business Services
Travel Updates
-
New Feature: Retrieve Any Travel Inc Agency Invoice
October 18, 2022
Have you lost your airline reservation receipt(s) booked through Concur or a Full Service Agent? If you are in need of duplicate receipts, please access the Travel Incorporated Travel Hub. New feature: […]
-
New UW System International Receipt Form
September 7, 2022
When traveling to remote/international locations, a hardcopy receipt may be unattainable, illegible, or not contain sufficient information. Every effort should be made to obtain a legitimate receipt for all business expenses. If a receipt […]
-
New Reservation Request Form
September 6, 2022
In collaboration with the designated agency for individual travel, Travel Incorporated, UW System has launched a new Reservation Request Form to assist travelers and arrangers who make air, car and/or […]
-
United Airlines Contract Benefits: Earn 5,000 bonus miles when you travel for business.
August 19, 2022
Attached is the customized flyer for University of WI Systems, and your personalized registration website that can be found here: united.com/universityofwisconsinsystemwelcome Booking must be done within the UW Travel Program guidelines (Concur, Travel Incorporated, Fox World Travel […]
Resources
Contact Information
UW-La Crosse Travel Manager:
Becky Kopidlansky
uwstraveloffice@uwsa.edu
262-384-8898
Upcoming Trainings
Travel Training (Virtual)
Tuesday, December 6th
10am – 11am
Advance registration required
Registration Link
E-Reimbursement Training (Virtual)
Wednesday, December 7th
10am – 11am
Advance registration required
Registration Link
Training Recordings
Online Travel Training – Canvas Module (Approx 60 minute course)
UWL Travel Information Session – June 14, 2022
UWL E-Reimbursement Training – June 22, 2022
Travel Guidance
Getting Started
Top Ten Things to Know Before You Travel
- Airline reservations for University-sponsored travel are required to be made with Travel Incorporated, either within Concur, the online self-booking tool, or with a Travel Incorporated Consultant. Use of online brokers or search sites such as Expedia, Travelocity, Kayak, etc. are prohibited and will not be reimbursed by the University.
- All employees should have a Concur profile. If you do not have a profile, please register for Concur prior to booking travel.
- Please visit the UW TravelWIse Concur page for more information about the online booking tool.
- All non-conference site lodging reservations should be made through Concur or through a Travel Incorporated Consultant.
- Effective with a policy change on July 1, 2020 – UW System employees may be reimbursed for bookings done on Airbnb. *Prior to booking, please review all cancellation policies, and check with your department to ensure compliance with departmental policies. Ultimate approval of reimbursement of Airbnb costs, including any forfeited deposits, is dependant on the University or Departmental policies. Please click here for more information on booking with Airbnb.
- Use of any other online brokers or third-party sites such as hotels.com, VRBO, etc. are prohibited and will not be reimbursed by the University.
- Prior to reserving conference site lodging, search Concur for the conference site hotel to determine if there is a lower rate available. If so, make your reservation within Concur.
- Concur displays available room types and rates directly from hotel suppliers. Room types and rates available are not specific to UW System and may be above what UW policy allows. Travelers must adhere to the location rate maximums and only reserve single/standard rooms.
- To find the location rate maximums use the Lodging/Meal and Incidental Calculator.
- Please consult the UW System Hotel Directory for a complete list of contracted properties by location.
- Effective with a policy change on July 1, 2020 – UW System employees may be reimbursed for bookings done on Airbnb.
- Please keep in mind the following tips regarding Meals and Incidentals:
- Receipts are not required for Meals and Incidentals Expenses.
- If the trip does not include an overnight stay, the traveler is limited to a $15 tax reportable day trip meal allowance. This meal allowance can be claimed even if a meal was provided.
- Hosted Meals must stay within meal maximums (breakfast $20, lunch $21, dinner $35 for in-state meals), require itemized receipts, and an approved Food Expense Approval Form.
- Rental vehicles are required to be reserved through Enterprise or National using the UWSA contract. Local reservations can be made directly with Enterprise (La Crosse Downtown 608-785-7400 prompt 4 or La Crosse Airport 608-781-5094) or National (La Crosse Airport 608-781-5678). However, out-of-state rentals must be made through Concur or through a Travel Incorporated consultant. When Enterprise or National do not serve the location of travel or if vehicles are not available, Hertz may be used under the State of Wisconsin (WSCA) contract.
- Eligible renters are classified as all University authorized drivers age 18 and over. Authorized drivers 18-20 are restricted to domestic rentals only. Rentals are limited to compact/standard/intermediate vehicle classes unless there are business needs that require larger classes of vehicles. Claims for reimbursement beyond standard/intermediate vehicle classes (i.e. trucks, vans, etc.) for reasons such as transporting extra passengers, carrying cargo or bulky equipment, etc., must be explained on the expense report.
- Any person (employee, student, volunteer) who will be driving a vehicle (personally owned or rented) on University business must be authorized to drive. To become an authorized driver, review the Driver Authorization Policy and complete a Vehicle Use Agreement (VUA). Employees and students must complete an electronic VUA by logging into the Wisconsin Department of Administration VUA Sign-up Portal. Volunteers must complete a paper VUA and submit it to Business Services. Drivers with out‐of‐state driver licenses must attach the Notarized Statement of Driving Record form to their VUA.
- Drivers are responsible for refueling vehicles prior to return with same level of fuel that they received at time of rental. The University will not reimburse vendor refueling or prepay fuel packages. Receipts are required for reimbursement of fuel purchased.
- Enterprise, National, and Hertz for domestic rentals include Collision (CWD) and Liability (LDW) in their contract rates. Extra types of insurance are not reimbursable.
- When driving your personal vehicle for University-sponsored business, you will be reimbursed for mileage. MapQuest or Google Maps are the official tools for determining the most direct route. The following rates apply:
- Less than 100 miles roundtrip - Standard Rate
- On/after 7/1/22: $0.625 per mile
- More than 100 miles roundtrip - Turndown Rate
- On/after 7/1/22: $0.405 per mile
- Any Non-Employee - Standard Rate
- On/after 7/1/22: $0.625 per mile
- Less than 100 miles roundtrip - Standard Rate
- All purchases over $25 must be substantiated with an itemized receipt.
- University purchases are generally exempt from Wisconsin Sales and Use Tax. Travelers are expected to request and receive Wisconsin sales tax exemption for travel related purchases. The University also has sales tax exemption in other states. Travelers should make a reasonable attempt to obtain sales tax exemption according to the tax authority's requirements.
- Travelers who requested a cash advance must return any unused cash upon returning to campus after their trip and must complete an e-Reimbursement within 30 days after the trip completion date.
- All travel related expenses for a trip must be submitted on one e-Reimbursement within 90 days after the trip completion date or will not be reimbursed by the University.
Helpful Links:
Travel Incorporated Contact Information
Faculty & Staff
University employees, while on business travel, are expected to exercise good judgment when incurring travel costs. An employee may be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary travel expenses actually incurred in the performance and conduct of UW business. An employee shall not seek reimbursement for goods or services provided free of charge, not personally incurred, reimbursed by another source, or which will be paid or reimbursed from another source. Faculty and staff traveling together pay their own way and complete their own Expense Report (ER).
For UW travel policies, best business practices and process standards, please refer to UW TravelWIse.
TRAVEL TIPS
Meals:
- Meals and incidentals are reimbursed based on per deim allowances. Per diems are calculated based upon location, first/last day of travel, and provided meals adjustments.
- For trip planning and rate determination, M&IE rates can be determined using the Lodging/Meal & Incidental Calculator available in the UW TravelWIse portal.
- If an employee is buying a meal for someone else, the UW Sponsored Event policy and Hosted Meal Rates apply. The following must be included:
- An itemized receipt
- A roster or list of individuals who attended
- An approved Food Approval Form
- Travel Incorporated is the University's contracted travel provider.
- All airline reservations must be made with Travel Incorporated, either with a consultant or within the Concur self-booking tool.
- Purchased airfare must be the lowest appropriate fare, which is defined as non-refundable, coach/economy class.
- The use of online brokers or search sites, such as Expedia, Travelocity, Kayak, etc. are prohibited and will not be reimbursed by the University.
- Domestic Lodging Rate Maximums can be determined by using theLodging & Meal Per Diem Calculator.
- All individual non-conference site lodging reservations must be made within the Concur self-booking tool, by contacting Travel Incorporated or by contacting the hotel directly.
- Conference site lodging reservations can be made directly with the conference or host site; however, travelers are strongly encouraged to check Concur as often times a lower rate can be obtained. A conference or host site is defined as a lodging facility identified by the sponsor and must be included on the conference brochure, program or registration information provided.
- The use of lodging brokers, like Hotels.com, Expedia, Travelocity, Priceline, etc. are prohibited and will not be reimbursed by the University.
- Employees can use a University/Prepaid Purchasing Card (PCard) to pay for lodging that is within the per diem allowance or for conference site lodging.
- If sharing a room with another employee, one employee may pick up the entire room cost, but both must indicate this on their respective e-Reimbursements.
- Employees are expected to use rental vehicles when vehicle transportation is determined to be the most appropriate mode of transportation. Vehicle transportation is generally most appropriate for round trips less than 400 miles.
- All out-of-state vehicle reservations must be made through Concur utilizing the Big Ten contract with Enterprise and National. Hertz is also available within Concur when Enterprise and National do not have necessary availability. Utilizing Concur for reservations enables the contract booking ID to automatically apply ensuring that all reservations are under contract and appropriately insured.
- All employees and students who are required to drive on University sponsored business must be authorized to drive in accordance with Risk Management’s Drivers Authorization.
- If an employee chooses to use their personal vehicles, reimbursement will be made based on the following:
- Less than 100 miles roundtrip - Standard Rate
- On/after 1/1/21: $0.56 per mile
- More than 100 miles roundtrip - Turndown Rate
- On/after 1/1/21: $0.36 per mile
- Less than 100 miles roundtrip - Standard Rate
Policy
Travel Policy
E-Reimbursement
Policy Links
SYS | Policy | Former Policy Number | Last Revised Date | Under Revision |
| 405 | Travel and Expense – General Travel & Expense Policy | 1200 (ANS) | June 9, 2020 | |
| 410 | Purchase & Payment of Business Air Travel | 1201 (ANS) | June 4, 2020 | |
| 415 | Purchase & Payment of Lodging | 1202 (ANS) | June 9, 2020 | |
| 420 | Travel & Expense – Meal and Incidental Expense (M&IE) Per Diem Allowance Reimbursements | 1203 (ANS) | June 9, 2020 | |
| 425 | Use of Personal Vehicles, Rental Cars and Fleet for Business Transportation | 1204 (ANS) | June 9, 2020 | |
| 430 | Travel & Expense – Purchase & Payment Miscellaneous Travel Expenses | 1205 (ANS) | August 20, 2015 | |
| 435 | Headquarter City & UW System Sponsored Events Policy | - |
Rembursement
Travel Expense Reports (TER) Guidance
SFS Availability
Upcoming Scheduled SFS Outages and Refreshes
-
SFTRAIN Unavailable
December 12
-
Monthly Migration to Production
December 20 @ 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
ShopUW+ will be available during SFS outages though Requisition, Purchase Order and Invoice workflow will pause at any SFS integrations. New Requisitions will need to wait for the outage to complete before they can be approved and/or sent to the supplier.
Below is an example of a Workflow Stop during an SFS outage:
Submitted
Assign Madison PO Number - completed
Create Suppler Documents - completed
Send PO to Suppler - completed
Workflow Stop for SFS Outage - active
Batch PO Export - future
Finish - future
The Workflow Stop will go to the next step in workflow when the outage is complete.
Support hours for SFS and WISDM are between 7:45am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday. During these times, questions can be directed to UWSA Problem Solvers.
Both SFS and WISER are generally available for use outside the supported hours, but users should be aware that many processing activities take place overnight and response times may vary significantly. Additionally, depending on the time entered, transactions entered overnight may not be processed in that evening’s batch or available in WISER the follow day. The timing associated with entering and processing information has significant impacts on the visibility of data in SFS and WISER.
Please note that Sunday mornings between
5am until noon, Central Time
are reserved for technical system maintenance for both SFS systems and support systems (e.g. WISER). If you are unable to access the system during this time, please try again later in the day.
DoIT Outages Page
Real time outage information for SFS and other systems.
SFS - Travel and Expense Guides
The Travel and Expense module is available to institutions using the E-Reimbursement module (e-Re).
Documentation for the Traveler
Expense Report Statuses: |
||
| Status | Description | |
| Approved for Payment (APY) | All approvals are done. Waiting for payment processing. | |
| Closed (CLS) | Paid and closed. | |
| Denied (DEN) | An approver has denied this expense report. | |
| On Hold (HLD, HDA, HDU) | An approver has put this expense report on hold. | |
| Approvals in Process (PAR) | Pending approvals. | |
| Paid (PD) | Payment has been made. Not closed yet. | |
| Pending (PND) | The traveler or alternate has created the report but not submitted it yet, or it was sent back for revision. | |
| Staged (STG) | Approved and waiting for the pay cycle to process. | |
| Submitted for Approval (SUB) | Waiting for an approver. | |
Documentation for the Approver
Documentation for Central Processing Staff
Non-Employee Set Up
Security Role Request
Cash Advance Reconciliation
Miscellaneous Central Processing Notes
Training Videos for Travel and Expense
Logins
Central Audit Processing Status
Expense Report Turnaround Time: Normal
Questions: ExpenseAuditing@wisconsin.edu
Updated: 10/11/2022
Policy Updates
No posts to display.
Travel Expense Report (TER) Help Sheets
Groups
Booking
Type of Travel
Fox is the contracted agency for all group block airfare. Group Blocks are 10 or more travelers traveling on one flight to and from the same origin and destination, on the same dates. Typical uses include study abroad trips.
Reservation Process
To begin the process of booking a group block, please fill out the group block form. A dedicated Fox World Travel group agent will be in contact with you shortly to begin the group block sourcing and contract process.
Contact
Dedicated Team Business Hours: 8 am CST-5 pm CST Monday-Friday, excluding Holiday
After Hours Emergency Support: 5:30 pm-7 am CST Monday – Friday & 24/7 – including Weekend and Holiday Coverage
Direct phone: (920) 933-4180
Consultant Team Email: FoxGroupBlock@foxworldtravel.com
UW Dedicated Agents
Coming Soon
Group Block Procedures and Terms
Prior to purchasing airfare or making other travel arrangements, travelers must obtain approval for business travel from the traveler’s designated approving authority. Pre-trip approval requirements vary by institution and often by division/department. It is traveler’s responsibility to follow all internal travel approval procedures prior to making trip reservations.
Out of state trips will most often include airfare as the mode of transportation. If the traveler is unsure of the most economical transportation choice, please review Determining the Appropriate Mode of Transportation prior to making arrangements. Only the most economical option will be paid or reimbursed by the University.
- Travel disruption, particularly with airlines is more prevalent than ever before. Therefore, UW System highly recommends a faculty member or other administrative staff person serve as a group leader accompanying student groups when possible for enhanced duty of care and to serve as the group's financial officer in cases of travel disruption or other types of situations that can occur.
- Fox World Travel is the contract travel management company partner of the University of Wisconsin System and as such, the University is exempt from Department of Administration (DOA) procurement policy, which requires multiple bids/quotes for group travel arrangements when using Fox World Travel. Do not send Fox any requests for proposals or bid/quote documents as they will be returned.
- Each airline carrier will only provide one price quote for group air and will not allow multiple quotes for the same group.
- Individual ticket prices found in Concur or through any other web source apply to the purchase of a single ticket. This price cannot be used as a comparative for group block or group air ticket purchasing.
- Airlines control fares and availability and these will change multiple times per day.
- To obtain optimal pricing and availability it is best to book group airfare as far in advance as possible - last minutes fare savings and reductions are rarely available due to airline restructuring and consolidations. Groups should reserve airfare as soon as they have dates.
- Be mindful of airline supply and demand - peak travel times will significantly impact fare pricing and availability.
- It is strongly encouraged to use Fox World Travel for other group arrangements, such as out-of-state or international group lodging and/or ground transportation to have the necessary support for University sponsored reservations and access to UW System and Partnership Program discounts.
Group arrangements require the use of the UW Group Reservation Request Form.
With potentially thousands of flight options with differing price points and availability, it is important for UW group travel coordinators to be clear and concise about their group's needs, including the flexibility threshold of what the group will do to get the lowest fare and/or best schedule (i.e. alternative dates, airports, etc.).
The UW group travel coordinator is responsible for providing the following information on the UW Group Reservation Request:
- Dates of travel
- If group requires departmental approval for ticket dates, pricing, etc. explain parameters and any flexibility for deviations from stated parameters.
- Departure and destination airports
- Number of travelers
- Indicate whether price or schedule is the deciding factor in choosing flights (Fox is committed to obtaining the lowest possible price for University air arrangements, your group's schedule preferences may limit the ability to obtain the lowest available fare for your group).
- Other services required, such as air charter, hotel or ground transportation
- Method of payment
After submitting the University Group Reservation Request form you'll receive a confirmation email with the submission of your request and an assigned confirmation number.
Note: Depending on the number of options that are required to be quoted, the complexity of the request and the air carrier's response time, it may take 48-72 hours to obtain quotes.
Below is an outline of the steps which will take place after the UW Group Travel Coordinator submits the UW Group Reservation Request to Fox World Travel:
- After submitting the University Group Reservation Request form, you will receive a confirmation email with the submission of your request and an assigned confirmation number
- Upon receipt of the University Group Reservation Request Form, the UW agent team will respond within one business day to confirm the request and to discuss any open questions.
- The UW agent team will then reach out to the appropriate air carrier(s) to receive the quotes. Air carrier response times vary depending on the carrier and typically range between 48-72 hours. Longer response times are more typical with smaller international carriers; however, Fox will provide a status update to the group travel coordinator to confirm space and pricing.
- Upon receipt of options from the carrier, the UW agent team will review for accuracy (dates, times, number of seats, etc.) and then expeditiously send the appropriate quotes to the group contact.
Please be assured Fox's main goal is to return the quotes as soon as possible with an appropriate balance for accuracy combined with the need to rely on the carriers for prompt response.
Note: Any deviations from the initial request will require a new request form.
Each group must have a primary travel coordinator (and backup). The group travel coordinator and backup will be the sole group contacts with the UW agent team at Fox World Travel regarding their group arrangements.
In order to expeditiously and effectively procure and pay for group travel the UW group travel coordinators are responsible for the following on behalf of their group:
- Providing all details of the group’s intended trip, including specific or preferred travel dates; budget and preferred routing, where applicable.
- If group requires departmental approval for ticket dates, pricing, etc. explain parameters and any flexibility for deviations from stated parameters.
- Providing payment information on behalf of travelers, except when individual credit cards are being used.
- When a services confirmation is provided by Fox, reviewing and understanding the requirements, noting and adhering to any applicable deadlines.
- Ensuring that a UW authorized purchasing agent signs all letters of agreement or contracts when necessary, and the approved documents are sent to Fox World Travel in accordance with deadlines provided.
- Meeting all provided deadlines for check payment and ensuring that checks are processed, mailed and received for suppliers well in advance of due dates.
- Coordinating with their institution’s Purchasing Card Administrator to raise purchasing card transaction limits to cover anticipated group costs well in advance of ticketing deadlines and until transactions are posted.
- For air block space, providing the following airline and TSA required information for all travelers in the group:
- full legal name as it appears on their photo ID (passport for international travel)
- date of birth
- gender
- group emergency contact name/phone number
- individual traveler emergency contact name/phone number
- In the case of international travel, passport number, expiration date and country of issue
All information must be provided in the formatted Excel spreadsheet as required by the University to serve as official documentation of the request and to insure accuracy.
Note: In cases where Fox World Travel has not been provided the required information or received payment in accordance with the supplier required dates and deadlines, Fox will be unable to hold your group’s pricing and available space which will result in loss of held space and/or will increase the cost of the fare and impact available capacity.
The UW group travel coordinator is encouraged to share as much information as possible regarding their group's needs in order for the UW agent team at Fox World Travel to obtain the most customized and accurate quotes possible. A charge card must be provided to Fox World Travel for reservation guarantee purposes.
For hotel, ground transportation and charter air needs, Fox World Travel commits to the following service level expectations. Exceptions may apply due to service provider availability limitations.
SERVICE | FOX WORLD TRAVEL TO PROVIDE |
| Hotel Sourcing | 5 hotel quotes |
| Ground Transportation | 3 ground transportation quotes |
| Charter Air | 2 charter air quotes |
Cancellation Penalties, Sourcing and Minimum Commitment Fees
Hotel blocks, ground transportation and charter air contracts cancelled after the execution of the contract will be charged for any cancellation penalty in the contract, as well as the minimum. Group travel coordinators are responsible for the payment of any penalties associated with contract cancellation penalties. NOTE: Service, Sourcing and Minimum Commitment (groups sourced but not utilized) Fees paid to Fox World Travel are billed to the group leader.
When sourcing of hotel, ground transportation or charter air, contracts must be reviewed and signed by staff within your institution's purchasing office prior to quotes being provided by Fox World Travel. In addition, most hotel, ground transportation and charter air suppliers will require the UW institution's purchasing office to sign a contract outlining the services to be provided and their terms. University group travel coordinators should plan for additional time for contract or agreement review and signing. Additionally, group travel coordinators as well as other administrative staff are reminded that they do not have the authority to sign these contracts and agreements.
All payments must be made by University Purchasing or Corporate travel cards. It is the responsibility of the card holder to ensure credit limits have been raised well in advance of ticketing dates and to ensure the higher limit is in place until transactions have posted to the card. Failure to meet these requirements will result in the loss of held space and/or increase in fare. These additional fees will be the responsibility of the University's arranging department.
The UW group travel coordinator must provide all necessary charge card information to the UW team agent at the time of arrangements. Required payment information includes: card holder name and billing address, charge card number, expiration date, and security code. This information must be shared by phone and will be securely encrypted for transmission to the airline and/or depending on UW department preference, securely stored in a group travel profile for future use by the UW group travel coordinator. For UW group travel coordinators that have charge card information stored in Concur, Fox World Travel is unable to utilize Concur payment information so the group travel coordinator will have to provide the information listed above to UW team agent.
Note: Do not pass charge card information through email or fax. The most secure way is to CALL in the information and provide verbally. Once received by Fox, it will be securely stored.
In cases where airline reservations must be paid with two or more forms of payment (i.e. split between University and personal card, etc.), the minimum amount to be charged is $25.00.
- In the case of group block space, split payment is not an option, as all travelers have to be booked using the same form of payment.
- Due to carrier limitations, split form of payments are not available when purchasing tickets on instant purchase or ticket-less carriers (i.e. Southwest, Frontier) or on some international carriers (i.e. British Air).
- Many International carriers will not allow split payment
By setting up a default charge card payment method, Fox World Travel is authorized by the University to charge any additional costs beyond the original airline ticket to the default card unless the group travel coordinator makes alternative payment arrangements at the time of original ticket issuance.
In the cases where an air carrier requires payment by check, the group travel coordinator will be advised by Fox World Travel. The group travel coordinator will have the option of sending a university issued check, paying by ACH fund transfer or using a charge card. All check payments must be received by Fox World Travel by the given due date to guarantee your space.
Note: A 3% convenience fee will apply for all payments requiring a check, but made via charge card. The convenience fee covers the costs that Fox incurs to issue a check on the University's behalf.
International
Additional information regarding International travel such as passports, travel visas, immunization requirements, foreign currency, and insurances may be found on UW TravelWIse International booking page.
International - MEAL AND LODGING MAXIMUMS
Daily meal and incidental expense per diems for all foreign locations (including all related taxes and tips) can be found using the Lodging/Meal and Incidental Calculator. If the location of travel is not listed, the 'Other' rate will apply.
Any meals provided by international hosts, conferences, or others cannot be claimed for reimbursement and should be noted as such within your e-Reimbursement Meals & Incidentals Per Diem expenses.
For foreign travel, the incidental portion of the per diem varies by location. The incidental portion includes the following expenses:
- Fees and tips given to services staff - such as restaurant wait staff, porters, baggage handlers, hotel housekeeping or other service staff, valet, train, etc.
- Transportation between places of lodging or business to obtain meals when not obtainable within the immediate vicinity
- Phone calls
- Laundry, dry cleaning, etc.
- Bottled water
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT RESERVATIONS & FLY AMERICA RULE/OPEN SKIES AGREEMENT
Make your reservations through our contract with Travel Incorporated and take full advantage of expert international reservation services.
Before you purchase tickets for international travel, be aware that the Fly America Act/Open Skies Agreement requires that Americans (University travelers) who fly internationally using funds from the federal government (federal funds = grants) utilize a U.S. flag carrier, with few exceptions.
Exceptions:
- When there is no nonstop or direct service offered by a U.S. carrier
- When travel solely outside the U.S. increases the number of aircraft changes en route to more than two
- When the passenger’s travel time is extended by at least 6 hours
- When the connecting time is 4 hours or more at an overseas interchange point
Additional information on the Fly America Act and Open Skies Agreement can be found here and at the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).
Candidates
Interview candidates
Potential candidates, although not state employees, are welcomed to campus for the purpose of interviewing for a potential position with UW-La Crosse. Candidates are subject to same UW travel policies, best business practices and process standards as employees. Listed below are some guidelines when inviting potential candidates to campus for interviewing purposes.
Guidelines - Interview Candidate & Employee/Host
Interview Candidate
- All travel reservations must be booked via Concur or Travel Incorporated.
- Departments may wish to set up an Administrative Group for Interview Candidate Travel
How to Set-Up and Pay a Non-Employee
- Interview candidates are considered non-employees
- Once completed, the employee contact can enter an e-Reimbursement on behalf of the non-employee/interview candidate
- Necessary information to complete the form:
- Non-employee full legal name and mailing address
- University funding string
- Date of first purchase for which reimbursement will be requested
Employee/Host
How to Create an e-Reimbursement for Hosted Meals with Interview Candidates
- The employee serving as host for the meal coordinates and renders payment on behalf of interview candidate and others attending the meal
- Meal expenses are limited to Hosted Meal Rates
- The purchase of alcoholic beverages with University administered funds is prohibited
Resources
Students & non-employees
Students & non-employees
Travel arrangements for UWL students and non-employees can be coordinated through either a department Travel Coordinator. Student and non-employee travel arrangements are subject to same UW travel policies, best business practices, and process standards as University employees.
Driving Personal Vehicle
Students who are required to drive on University-sponsored business must be authorized to drive in accordance with UWSA Policy 615-Vehicle Use and Driver Authorization and follow university guidelines prior to using personal vehicles, rental vehicles, or fleet services.
Note: In addition to receiving driver authorization, successful completion and certification of Van Training is required prior to renting 12-15 passenger vans. Certification is required to be presented when renting a 12-15 passenger van.
Business mileage will be reimbursed at the IRS authorized mileage rate in effect on date of travel using the most direct route.
Standard Rate
- $0.625 per mile
Resources
Relocation
Employee Relocation
The University may reimburse relocation and/or temporary lodging expenses for new and presently employed personnel assigned to new locations by transfer or promotion. Approval to reimburse employee relocation expenditures must be obtained from the Dean or appropriate Division head. Details and limitations for relocation expenses are outlined in the appointment agreement initiated by Human Resources. In accordance with IRS regulations, effective January 1, 2018, the reimbursement or payment of any relocation costs under this policy are considered taxable income and subject to applicable income and employment taxes.
Additional information on Moving and Relocation costs is available on the UW System Administration policy webpage and on the UWL Business Services Policies & Procedures webpage.
COMMERCIAL CARRIERS - Contracted Vendors
UW System Financial Administration Contract Moving Vendors
- Piepho Moving & Storage
- Armstrong/Mayflower/United Van Lines
If you choose not to use a contracted vendor, you then must obtain three (3) quotes from vendors of your choice. Reimbursement would then be allowed up to the lowest bid amount.
SELF MOVES - Relocating without a Commercial Carrier
Should the employee elect to relocate himself or herself, reimbursement for such a relocation is limited to the actual, reasonable, and necessary costs for any hired labor in loading and unloading the household goods and for the rental of trucks, trailers, containers, moving equipment, or other expenses directly related to the relocation. Neither the employee nor the employee’s spouse or dependents may be reimbursed for their labor. The reimbursement claim must be supported by original receipts. Estimates are not required from commercial carriers to support self moves.
Reimbursable & Non-Reimbursable Moving Costs
| Reimbursable Moving Expenses | Non-Reimbursable Moving Expenses |
|---|---|
Household Goods and Personal Effects such as: | *The stipend may be used to offset these expenses. |
— Furniture | — Property for resale |
— Cabinet/Closet contents | — Property not owned by the family |
— Clothing | — Farm equipment |
— Musical instruments | — Livestock |
— Household appliances | — Trailers |
— Food | — Boats over 14 feet |
Direct Costs Associated with the Relocation of Household Goods (additional fees charged by the moving company on the bill of lading): | — Mileage or hauling/towing of additional vehicles (motorcycles, trucks, recreational vehicles and automobiles) |
— Line Haul | — Building materials |
— Fuel/Insurance Surcharge | — Items used in a personal business |
— Seasonal Rate Adjustment | — Items that may be found in a household, but which the carrier cannot or will not allow to be placed in the moving van (i.e. pets, flammable items, caustic aerosols, spoilable items, plants, jewelry, frozen foods, etc.) |
— Long Carry | — Swing sets, jungle gyms and other similar outdoor items |
— Stairs | — Exclusive Use/Space Reservation/Expedited Service Charges |
— Elevator | — Valuation/Additional insurance |
— Piano/Organ Moving | — Extra pickup and/or delivery of household goods |
— Extra Labor | — Warehouse handling |
— Purchase of containers/packing materials | — Travel costs en route (meals, lodging, tolls, etc.) |
— Ferry charges/Tolls | — Overtime loading/unloading as required by the customer |
— Packing/Unpacking | — Weight and bulky article charges |
| — Third party services |
| — Storage for the convenience of the employee |
| — Other costs associated with the move, which could include pre-start visits and house-hunting costs |
Travel FAQ's
Meal & incidental expense per diem allowance
Individual University business travelers are eligible to receive a meal & incidental expense (M&IE) per diem allowance whenever travel requires an overnight stay. The M&IE per diem allowance covers individual, out-of-pocket meals and incidental expenses.
The M&IE per diem allowance includes all meals as well as incidental expenses defined as:
- Fees and tips given to restaurant wait staff, bell hops, porters, baggage handlers, hotel housekeeping, valet, service staff on trains or ships.
- Transportation between places of lodging or business and places where meals are taken.
- Laundry, dry cleaning, and pressing of clothing
- Mailing and other expenses associated with filing expense reports
- Bottled water (for international travel needs)
Day trip travel without an overnight stay does not qualify for the M&IE per diem allowance. If your day travel requires you to spend money for a meal(s), the approving authority may authorize a $15 day trip meal allowance. This allowance is tax reportable to you.
The M&IE per diem allowance does not require receipts for payment. Do not submit receipts to the University for M&IE per diem. The I.R.S. does recommend that all business travelers retain receipts for any business travel expenses incurred for personal tax filing purposes.
No. A M&IE per diem allowance is only allowed for individual travelers that incur meal and incidentals expenses as a result of over-night travel, pay out-of-pocket and file for their own reimbursement. If a student traveler does the above, they would file for their own M&IE per diem reimbursement. If you continue to provide this for the student, they cannot.
When a University group leader provides money to students (or members of a team) for purchase of their own meal the expense limits fall under the same limit structure as Headquarter City and UW Sponsored Events. The amount of meal money given should be reasonable and in keeping to the type of student activity/travel and meals being provided.
All meal expenses must be supported by itemized receipts. In cases where meal money is given to students to purchase a meal on their own, the standard signature form, signed by the student to acknowledge the receipt of meal money, will be used in lieu of the restaurant receipt.
The maximum rates, including gratuity and tax, by location and meal expense type are:
Expense | Within Wisconsin | Outside Wisconsin |
Breakfast | $12 | $15 |
Lunch | $18 | $23 |
Dinner | $30 | $37 |
Refreshments/Break | $10 | $10 |
An individual traveler’s personal meal & incidental expense (M&IE) per diem allowance cannot be used to pay for items related to University Sponsored Events or any other related business entertainment activity that includes meals, food or beverages whether the expense is incurred in travel status or at the headquarter location.
Meal limits, receipt requirements and other documentation for hosting expenses is part of the UW Headquarter City & Sponsored Events policy. Please review the requirements.
Yes, the M&IE per diem allowance is applicable to all individuals that travel for University purposes.
Headquarter city & UW sponsored events
No. When making food and beverage arrangements you do not have to spend the maximum amount per meal. Let the food and beverage staff know what your budget is and request food and beverage options that align with your budget. If you are accustomed to using a hotel’s “state rate menu” to stay within your budget, you can continue to request that.
These type of meal expenditures are considered “hosted meals”. Meal maximums and policy requirements for hosting a meal are the same as what is contained within the Headquarter City and UW Sponsored Events Policy.
All hosted meal expenses must be supported by a business purpose, itemized receipts and a list of attendees. The meal purchase(s) should be reasonable, need not be at the maximum amount, and in keeping with the type of student activity/travel and meals being provided.
The maximum rates, including gratuity and tax, by location and meal expense type are:
Expense | Within Wisconsin | Outside Wisconsin |
Breakfast | $12 | $15 |
Lunch | $18 | $23 |
Dinner | $30 | $37 |
Refreshments/Break | $10 | $10 |
Travel Policy
The university will pay for the most economical form of transportation to reach your business destination and return. That will often be by air for out of state business. If you elect to travel by car, that’s a personal choice and your reimbursement will be limited to the lowest cost. You will have to provide a cost comparison which includes airfare and all related air expenses (airport parking, taxi from airport to hotel and back, and mileage from home to airport and return), and car mileage and related costs (including additional work hours for travel time) for the travel to the destination and return. This cost comparison, including the additional work hours for travel time, must be discussed and approved by your supervisor prior to travel.
Note: The comparisons will need to be attached to your expense report to support the elective to drive vs. fly and expedite your reimbursement.
For more information see the process guidelines: Determining the Appropriate Mode of Transportation and 1201 Purchase & Payment of Business Air Travel
There are a number of things to consider in this situation, for instance, can you pay to ship the equipment and travel by the lowest cost transportation option? Is it less costly to drive your personal vehicle and carry the equipment with you? Can you rent a car for less than the mileage cost for driving your own vehicle? The university will pay for the most economical form of transportation to reach your business destination and return, including the need to transport the equipment.
You will need to prepare a comparison of the various possible methods of transportation that will meet the need in determining lowest cost. You should then discuss options and cost with your supervisor as the approving authority has responsibility for determining the most appropriate mode of transportation.
For more information see the procedure: Determining the Appropriate Mode of Transportation
UW System Travel FAQs
Training
Topics: Receipts and Invoices | General Booking | Travel Policy | Air | Car | Lodging |
Receipts and Invoices
Your e-invoice will be send in the Final Itinerary email. If you deleted this email, and need a copy of your invoice, please contact uwstraveloffice@uwsa.edu with your date of travel and traveler's name to obtain a copy.
Download Instructions to Retrieve TI e-Invoice
How to retrieve the Travel Incorporated (TI) Invoice from FINAL ITINERARY email:
- After booking a reservation with Travel Incorporated travelers and travel arrangers will receive an email from with the subject line: FINAL ITINERARY DOE JOHN 25MAR – 30MAR
- From this email, click on ‘View Interactive eItinerary Online’.
- Once the Interactive e-itinerary is visible, locate & click on the invoice tab from the menu on the left side of the
Note: Travelers will receive a 2nd email from Travel Incorporated that contains their invoice, travel arrangers will not. Arrangers must follow these steps to access the invoice.
Requirements for a Valid Receipt
An original receipt is a written acknowledgement that the vendor has been paid for providing goods or services. To be considered original it must show:
- The name & address of the vendor providing the goods or services
- The date that the specific services were received or items were purchased
- Itemization of the services and/or goods and pricing
- Final amount due and evidence that it was paid
Original, itemized receipts are required based upon the expense types and dollar limits listed below. Credit card statements alone do not meet the receipting requirements. Scanned receipts are accepted as originals providing they meet the same requirements for paper receipts. Keep in mind that if you’re planning to scan your receipts or other required documentation, the scan must be clear, legible and saved in a format that allows opening and printing.
When is a Receipt Required for Reimbursement?
Travelers are advised to retain copies of all business travel receipts for personal tax filing purposes. For University reimbursement processing, the receipt requirements are listed below.
Any Expense Regardless of Amount:
- Airline Tickets (must be agency invoice – the itinerary does not serve as a receipt)
- Airline Penalty Fees (Change/Cancel)
- Rail Tickets/Passes
- Travel or Tour Company Service Fees
- Registration Fees
- Lodging
- Vehicle Rentals (original rental agreement and receipt)
- Vehicle Rental Gas
- Hospitality/Hosted meals
- Visas for International Travel
- Vaccines/Inoculations for International Travel
- Foreign Transaction Fees on Corporate Cards
- Relocation – Moving Company/U-Haul
- Non-travel related expenses
Expenses Over $25
- Parking
- Bus Tickets/Passes (each way)
- Taxis/Shuttles/Car Services (each way)
- Subway Passes (each way)
- Business Use of Internet Access
- Tolls
Expenses Over $30
- Airline Baggage
No Receipts Required
- Meals & Incidental (M&IE) Per Diem Allowance
- Day Trip Meal Allowance
- Relocation Stipends
Considerations for International Receipts
Receipts from Remote Locations
Some extremely remote destinations may not be able to provide a printed receipt. In these events, the traveler may use the , be hand written or come from an institution supplied receipt book. These receipts must include:
- The name & (approximate) address of the vendor providing the goods or services
- The date that the specific services were received or items were purchased
- Itemization of the services and/or goods and pricing
- Final amount due and evidence that it was paid (i.e. vendor signature)
Receipt Translation
Receipts and/or other supporting documentation in foreign currency must be converted to U.S. dollars for documentation purposes. Documentation and receipts in foreign language must be translated prior to submitting. Google Translate is the standard for completing this requirement.
Currency Exchange
Internationally incurred expenses paid and receipted in foreign currency must be submitted for payment or reimbursement in U.S. dollars using the exchange rate in effect on the date of payment. Include documentation indicating what exchange rate was used to make the conversions (i.e. credit card statement, bank receipt etc.). For cash conversions, currency exchange rates can be found at OANDA , the University’s standard application for conversion. When converting cash, choose the +/- 0 (zero) interbank rate for the conversion. If purchases were made via credit card, use the exchange rate provided on the credit card statement.
Travel Policy
"Lite" Policy changes that are effective July 1,2020:
- Lodging Policy now allows for usage of Airbnb, and full prepayment on lodging. Third Party Bookings are still restricted (such as Expedia and Orbitz).
- VRBO and Home Away are also not allowed.
- Reimbursement is allowed for Passports (must have business purpose).
- Reimbursement for Real IDs is not an allowable expense.
- Vehicle Rental Policy now allows up to “mid-size SUV” to be rented without further explanation.
- Employees must resubmit and return expense report within 90 days.
- Any expenses that fall outside the 90 day rules will be considered taxable income. This rule applies if employees do not submit or resubmit after 90 days.
- Day trip meal allowance continues to be at $15/day, however if meal is provided, employees are now still eligible to claim the day trip allowance (to account for many travelers who have more than one meal during a “day trip” scenario).
No changes are being made to the E-Reimbursement process.
No, REAL ID is a non-reimbursable expense.
The 90 day rule applies when anyone within the workflow sends it back. You only have 90 days to resubmit or else an exception is required.
- UW Travel Arranger can establish and Administrative Group code so students and guests can contact Travel Inc to book on their own. Training of the Travel Inc Admin Group Process will be provided in June 2020 and the process updated on UW TravelWIse after the July 1, 2020 go-live.
- Guests and students will work through University employees who have active profiles in Concur to book airfare, lodging and vehicle rental with Travel Incorporated.
Yes, the university’s contracted travel agencies can assist with companion/family travel. However, please keep in mind their primary responsibility is to service university sponsored/business-related travel. The consultants do not specialize in vacation travel. If your request exceeds their capacity, you will be referred to a vacation/leisure consultant. Also, keep in mind, service fees will apply to personal travel/companions.
It is the responsibility of the hosting department to ensure that all guests of the University are aware of UW Travel Policies. Guests should be provided a copy of the one of the University’s Visitor Travel Guide prior to scheduling travel. If the guest books outside of policy, please reach out to your campus travel manager to inquire about obtaining an approved Travel Policy Exception.
Short’s does offer a low fare guarantee for all individual/live sell airline tickets. However, due to the nature of group travel and the fact that fares found online are typically for single travelers, the fare match/guarantee will not apply to groups.
Short’s Low Fare Guarantee
If a traveler can document to Short’s Travel Management a lower fare at time of ticketing on an identical flight, STM will book the lower airfare (or the traveler may show evidence that the fare was purchased within same time period) and refund the original ticket.
There are several different types of insurance available to UW Employees. Please reach out to your Human Resources Representative for more information.
Insurance that is specific to travel –
- Vehicle coverage through the Big Ten contract (Enterprise and National) and State of Wisconsin contract (Hertz)
- CISI – medical insurance required for students who are traveling Internationally
* The University does not pay for or reimburse trip insurance.
Concur registrations are available to employees only. To register, go to TravelWIse’s main page and you will see an option to register or login on the left panel. We have also linked Concur information (here). https://www.wisconsin.edu/travel/booking/concur/
In TravelWIse, the Travel Manager list is found under Contacts & Support.
We have created a Group Travel Resource page to identify the different needs of groups. Most likely, you will have to work with an agent, as agents are best to assist your group needs. Information on groups can be found in Group Travel under Planning in TravelWIse.
No. Because of our commitment to duty of care and our relationship with vendors, UW will still require the use of our contracted travel agency partners for all airfare purchases.
All individual reservations will be transitioned to the new agencies and will NOT remain with Fox. The new agencies will have the ability to help with changes after July 1, 2020.
- Call Shorts after July 1, 2020 for NCAA Athletic travel booked with Fox prior to June 30, 2020
- Call Travel Incorporated after July 1, 2020 for all non-NCAA individual travel that was booked with Fox
- Only live/active group blocks will remain with Fox
No, UW air contract cannot be used for travel that is 100% personal in nature. However, when combining personal travel with business travel, UW air contracts can be used.
Yes, travelers can combine personal and business travel and book individual tickets through Travel Incorporated. When a traveler elects to combine personal travel days with business travel, cost comparisons must also be obtained to ensure that the University is paying for the business trip dates only. A cost comparison must be provided to show the cost of the lowest appropriate airfare for the business travel dates only and another with the added personal dates. The lower of the two comparisons will be paid or reimbursed by the University.
Valid Cost Comparisons: Concur or agents from one of the university’s contracted travel agencies must be used for cost comparisons. Because of pricing and availability fluctuations, accurate cost comparisons must be done immediately, in succession, to be valid.
No, companions/family members are not eligible to receive UW contracted airline discounts.
Please refer to the Unused Ticket Guide for detailed information regarding cancelled/unused non-refundable tickets from Fox World Travel.
No. All agencies have access to the same airline/car/hotel information in their GDS system and through airline group desks. If you get a quote from one agency, they may hold space with the carrier and tie up inventory that the other agency would then not have access to. This is highly discouraged and not an efficient use of time or resources.
If you’ve established a Group Block, book any individual ticket air deviations with Fox World Travel.
If you have spent time with Fox, beyond intake, continue working with Fox
Work with Travel Incorporated as the ‘group’ portion is less than 10.
Non-NCAA athletics groups of 10 or more should book with Fox World Travel. Groups of less than 10 should book with Travel Inc. However, if you’ve already started working with Shorts, it’s ok to continue doing so.
The travel agencies will help you determine what type of group you need. As a general rule, if you have 10 or more travelers, who will all be traveling together on the same flight, non-NCAA travel - you will work with Fox World Travel. If you have a group of 10 or more who will all be booking individually (i.e. traveling on different flights or paying with different credit cards), book with Travel Incorporated.
All NCAA group block tickets that were cancelled due to Covid-19 were reviewed on a case-by-case basis and were either converted to one of the UATP cards or transitioned to Short's Travel. Please reach out to your campus travel manager for more information on your specific group.
Yes, if medically necessary. Please provide an explanation for the expense in the justification section of the expense reimbursement report. An ADA exception may be requested, in which you will need to work with your Human Resources department to obtain a Reasonable Accommodation request.
Yes, there are no changes to the UW Parkside Ghost Card.
As of July 1, 2020, UW policy will allow vehicle rental size, up to and including mid-sized SUVs.
Yes, National/Enterprise will continue to be the preferred suppliers for UW. Hertz will continue to be secondary.
Personal use may be added in conjunction with a business trip, either at the beginning of the end of your reservation. When reserving for strictly Non-Business/Personal use, use the Big10 Non-Business Use Booking Portal. Please note additional coverages such as CDW or LDW are not included when reserving a strictly personal rental. These coverages can be added for additional fees. Students under 25 and other youthful drivers may not rent for personal use.
Users are highly encouraged to book all vehicle rentals through Concur or our contracted travel agency partners as contract details are built into the booking channels. However, booking directly with a vehicle rental agency is allowed. When booking outside of Concur/contracted travel agencies, it is the responsibility of the traveler/arranger to make sure the preferred contracted vendors are being used (Enterprise/National) and that the Big Ten contract is being utilized. Tax exemption documentation must also be provided upon vehicle pickup.
Verify hours of operation at the Enterprise location you are renting from. It is possible that the location is closed at the time you are entering into Concur.
Note: pick-up and/or drop-off hours may need to be modified to accommodate the location hours of operation.
If you have determined that Enterprise does not have any cars available, explore other options. Look into renting from National or Hertz, and if none of our preferred partners have availability you may want to condenser driving your personal vehicle or work with our travel agency to use another vendor.
Contact your campus travel manager for assistance in determining the best alternative.
Yes. However, it is highly encouraged that you check with your location to learn of any discounts for Saturday and Sunday.
Note: Most Airport locations are open on weekends.
For Wisconsin originating locations only: Monday through Friday there is no charge for picking up a vehicle the night before it is needed. If you need to pick up a car on Saturday for an early Monday reservation, a $30 fee will be assessed. If a Friday night pick up is needed the fee will be $40. Additional charges for Friday and Saturday rentals will include insurance coverage for official University business only. Charges will begin on the needed rental day at 7:30 a.m.
No changes to local contracts will be necessary with the change of travel management companies. However, Short’s Travel Management specializes in athletic travel and has a lot of experience with bus/ground transportation. They are both willing and able to book and manage reservations with current contracts on your behalf. It will be up to each campus to determine if they’d like Short’s to be involved in the booking of local ground transportation. Part of the implementation with Shorts includes reviewing current contracts and discussing how they can help manage them.
Yes. While we highly recommend using Concur or our contracted travel agencies, policy does allow you to contact the hotel directly (either by phone or on the hotel website) to book your lodging reservation.
No. Third party booking websites are prohibited under the travel policy
Starting July 1st, 2020, the UW lodging policy now allows for the usage of Airbnb, and full prepayment of lodging. Third Party bookings are still restricted (such as Expedia and Orbitz).
Please visit our Airbnb page for more information.
Conference lodging should be booked using the link provided with your conference registration or by contacting the conference hotel directly.
Note: Users are highly encouraged to search Concur for the conference hotel(s) as often rates found within Concur are less costly than the conference rate.
A listing of 2020 UW System contract properties is available on UW TravelWIse under Policies & Resources in a comprehensive hotel directory. See the UW System Hotel Directory. The directory is searchable by location and contains summary details of the property, including negotiated rates.
We highly encourage you to use UW preferred properties whenever possible. Booking with a preferred property allows the UW System to act as a liaison in the event there is an issue with your stay, and to ensure rates are below the maximum. However, bookings with non-preferred properties will still be reimbursed.
Reserve a non-preferred hotel within Concur, with an agent or by contacting the hotel directly – ensure that the property has a room available within the UW maximum for the location. Refer to the Rate Calculator to determine per night maximum lodging amount for the location.
If you are unable to find lodging within a reasonable distance from your location, you are required to provide documentation (i.e. screenshots from Concur) that a lower rate was not available.