Enforcement of the updated policy requiring submission of out-of-pocket business expenses after the trip, event, or receipt of goods/services began January 1, 2026. To avoid reimbursement delays, employees who make purchases on behalf of the university are strongly encouraged to apply for a PCard or Travel & Hosting Card.
Learn how this policy affects expense reporting for out-of-pocket expenses, along with key exceptions and best practices, below:
Travel-related expenses
All out-of-pocket employee travel expenses must be submitted after travel concludes. This includes, but is not limited to, advance hotel deposits and travel conference registrations. When submitting travel expenses in Emburse, the Trip/Event End Date field is required.
These exceptions should be submitted and approved within 60 days of the transaction date—not the event date—as there is no travel involved:
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- Local or virtual conference registration fees
- Local event ticket costs
Event expenses
Certain non-travel expenses are treated as “Events,” and should only be submitted after the event.
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- Exam and certification fees: Use the exam date in the Trip/Event End Date field. If reimbursement depends on passing, use the date of receiving the exam result.
- Pre-hire expenses: Expenses incurred before a new hire’s start date (e.g., professional membership fees) should be submitted using the start date as the event date.
- Advance payments for University-hosted events: Deposits required before an event, such as for room rentals, should be submitted after the event date.
When submitting these expenses, the system doesn’t require the Trip/Event End Date, but it’s best practice to include it and add a comment with the event date.
For more information regarding submitting expenses after the trip or qualifying event, see Tax Compliance and Planning’s General Guidance on Late Expense Reimbursements FAQs.
Goods and services (non-travel)
Submit out-of-pocket goods and service expenses after goods are received or the service is completed. Approvers should confirm fulfillment, though tax-free treatment is still based on the original transaction date.
Note: Do not use the Trip/Event End Date field to record delivery or service dates for general purchases. This field should be left blank.
Guests and students
For guests and students, this policy is considered best practice, not a requirement. With unit approval, expenses may be submitted before the travel or event end date using the Reimbursements for Non-Employees process.