Expense Reports Creation & Approval Instructor-Led Training Resources

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Expense Reports: Creation & Approval Instructor-Led Training Resources

The Expense Reports: Creation & Approval instructor-led training (ILT) outlined Concur Expense Reports from creation to approval. Roles and responsibilities of those who prepare, review, and approve expense reports for Procurement Card, Travel, and Out-of-Pocket reimbursements were addressed.

This resources page includes links to helpful materials, contacts, and reminders about some key topics that were presented during the training.

Course Takeaways

Approvers play a critical role in ensuring proper fiscal management and oversight of University resources.
- The approver has knowledge of the operations in the area they oversee and background to understand if purchases/travel expenses appear to be in line with individual job responsibilities.

APS #4015 Propriety of Expenses should always be consulted to determine appropriateness of expenses made with university funds.

Your school, college, or unit can always have more restrictive policies and procedures in place, ensure you are following this.

Expense Reports must stand alone and be clear to an outside reviewer why expense is appropriate. Use comments function to document and send reports back to employee if they are not well-supported.

Keep a pulse on unsubmitted expenses for the employees under your approving authority. Transactions should be submitted within 30 days (monthly) as best practice. In accordance with FPS: Business Expense Substantiation & Tax Implications, they must be submitted before 90 days from transaction date or travel end date to prevent being personally taxable to the individual.

APS #4015 Propriety of Expenses

The Tests of Propriety within APS #4015 Propriety of Expenses are used to evaluate the appropriateness of expenses made using University funds. You must be able to answer "yes" to each of the eight questions for it to be an allowable use of University funds. Is the transaction...

For Official University Business?
In the best interest of the University?
The most effective way to accomplish University business?
Compliant with laws, regulations, rules, policies & restrictions?
Within available resources (and appropriate funding sources)?
Directly beneficial to unit?
Reasonable?
In compliance with University Conflict of Interest Provisions?

Individuals should also consider the Public Eye Test & Media Test

If for sponsored funding - additional determination if the expense is allowable per the award agreement, in the budget, and within the budget period is required.

Roles & Reponsibilities

Who Approves Expense Reports

Approving Official (AO) - for Procurement Card expense reports. The Identified in the cardholder application.

HR Supervisor or SpeedType Fiscal Staff Approver - for Travel Card, Travel, and out-of-pocket/reimbursement expense reports.

Additional Reviewers may be indicated based on expense type or manually added into a report:
- User-added approvers
- Officer approval
- Controller's Office approval (Fiscal Compliance)

A good approver is someone who...

Has the capacity to review Expense Reports in detail
Has sufficient knowledge of departmental activity and appropriateness
Has the authority and ability to challenge or seek further approvals for questionable transactions that do not appear to be an appropriate expenditure of University funds
Can complete an independent/objective review
Stays current on all applicable policies & procedures
Exhibits Critical Thinking skills

Roles & Responsibilities:

Ensuring required documentation is provided for all transactions to substantiate the nature of the business expense.
Making informed judgements about the reasonableness and allowability of transactions.
Reviewing the documentation to verify that purchases:
- Are appropriate for University use & have valid business purpose.
- Comply with Procurement Card Policies, other University policies, and departmental guidelines
- Are within funding availability, and terms of the sponsored project (if applicable)
- Properly identify as personal charge (for travel, or in error)
Approving (or Rejecting) the monthly expense reports submitted to you in a timely manner.
Taking appropriate action if violations are found.

Expense Report Review

What to Look For:

Do the expenses have a valid Business Purpose (the who, what, why, when, where, and how)?
Do the expenses comply with:
- University Policy
- Departmental Guidelines/Restrictions
- Sponsor Regulations
- Federal Regulations
Does expense report clearly document to an outside reviewer?
Are appropriate & adequate supporting documents attached?
Official Functions - Are attendees listed? Are Tips within 20%?
Is it allowed to be purchased using the Procurement Card, Travel Card, or through Reimbursement?
- Should it have gone through CU Marketplace?
- Violations or prohibited transaction?
Do the dates align with the expense and/or dates of travel?
Are amounts accurate?
Is allocation correct? (Speedtype, Expense Type)
Is it properly itemized?
Could this be an inadvertent personal purchase?

How to Review questionable expenses

Request more information from preparer to approve. Can send report back to employee with comments.
- Additional documentation or support should be attached to better support the business purpose of the transaction.

Reject report; preparer can remove questionable expense and resubmit report without questionable expense line to allow for payment.

Contact Fiscal Compliance to discuss if necessary.

Violation Notification Form - responsibility of the Approving Official to review transaction documentation in order to identify possible violations in card use. If the AO determines that a violation has occurred, they must issue a Violation Notification form to the cardholder. The form is signed by the AO and sent to the Commercial Card Office, where violation points may be issued, in accordance with the Procurement Card or Travel Card Handbooks.

Fiscal Compliance

CU Anschutz

Fitzsimons Building

13001 East 17th Place

W1126

Aurora, CO 80045

Course Name	Course ID Number
Fiscal Code of Ethics	F00001
Fiscal Code of Ethics - Officers	F00002
CU: Procurement Fundamentals	U00208
CU: Procurement Card Cardholder Training	U00053
CU: Procurement - Purchasing and Contract Management	A00109
CU: Procurement Card Approving Official Training	A00001
CU: Travel and Travel Card Training	U00078

Tools & Resources

CU Campuses

CU Anschutz Medical Campus

Fiscal Compliance

Financial Services

Expense Reports: Creation & Approval Instructor-Led Training Resources

Fiscal Compliance