Program Expense Reporting

Reporting program expenses for reimbursement

A program coordinator will prepare your expense report for the program in Concur to ensure consistency in reporting for the Global Programs Finance Office and per university policies. We’ll set up a meeting upon your return to the United States to review your receipts and expenses together.

documenting with concur

In years prior to 2022 (the days of Auld Lang Syne…) faculty were asked to save all physical receipts in chronological order, tape them into a 8.5x11 notebook, circle receipt dates and amount, and note the description and purpose.

Feedback from faculty was that the requirements of this process -- essentially, creation of a mixed-media collage project -- tended to be very time consuming to put together. Moving forward, Customized Programs will implement the following process, with training offered in detail by the team.

Faculty will:

• Use a digital program expense log (template will be provided) or ledger to track purchases

• Circle receipts' date and amount, add or write important notes as needed (e.g. group meal, 10 students, 1 faculty)

• Photograph receipts to make digital copy with phone, camera, or tablet

• Paste receipt images into Word or Google Doc and type notes

• Save physical receipts as backup, but no need to “collage”!

• Confer with program coordinator regarding any issues or difficulties

processing timeline

• Upon your return to the U.S.

A staff member from the Customized programs team will reach out to you via email to set up a meeting to review your receipts and expenses together. This meeting may be arranged in virtual or in-person format.

• Meeting with Delegate (1-2 weeks after return)

Typically an hour or so is needed, depending on the number of expenses and how well all of the receipts have been organized.

• Post-meeting (varies, depending on number of expenses)

The delegate will follow up with you via email with any questions on expenses that the Finance Office needs further clarification on. Once the report is finished, the delegate will email you with the balance due back from your cash advance.

Send or drop off a check for the balance due, payable to Penn State University. The delegate will process your check to get a “Return on Cash Advance” number and add it to the report.

• Completion

Delegate will notify you via email that your report is complete, and then you can submit your report for review and approval to the Global Programs Finance Office. The report must be processed and approved within 60 days of the program end date.