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Finance

How to prepare for the transition to the University's new travel provider

March 14, 2019

The University’s upcoming travel program is aimed at delivering clear processes, improved services to travelers, and providing access to discounts that save the University money by partnering with Christopherson Business Travel (CBT). This program, which will launch on April 1, 2019, will include an updated travel policy and procedures and will be supported by a University travel manager.

How can you prepare?

To prepare for the new travel program, there are a few steps you can take to ensure you are ready to start making travel arrangements on April 1.

  • Set up Concur travel profile: If you have not used Concur to book travel previously, the system will prompt you to update your user profile before you can book travel. You can do this now and do not need to wait until April 1. There is a Travel Profile Quick Reference Guide available to walk you through the steps.
  • Note unused tickets: Take note of the ticket number of any unused tickets that you booked through Concur/Altour (How to view unused tickets in Concur). CBT will have a report of unused tickets that were booked with Altour but they will not appear in Concur after March 28. To book these unused tickets after April 1, call CBT for assistance. The standard agent assist fee will apply ($22 for domestic and $30 for international). This process applies to unused tickets that were booked with Altour. Moving forward, any unused tickets purchased through CBT will follow the standard rebooking process and will appear in Concur.
  • Download itinerary for travel booked with Altour that occurs on or after April 1: Travel booked through Altour/Concur that occurs on or after April 1 will not be visible in Concur after the transition. Follow these steps to Save a copy of Travel Itineraries in Concur for your reference. After April 1, if you need to cancel or change a reservation that was booked with Altour, contact the hotel, airline, or rental car agency directly. If you have any issues changing or canceling, the University travel manager can work with you and the airline, hotel, or rental car agency. This process applies only to travel that was booked with Altour that occurs on or after April 1. Future travel booked through Concur or directly with CBT (April 1 or after) will follow the standard booking process and will appear in Concur. Contact information for CBT and the travel manager will be published on the Travel web page by April 1.

Transition dates and support

Below are key dates and information that you will need to be aware of during the transition period. There will be additional reminders sent with the details below.

Concur downtime & expense reports

  • Concur will be unavailable from 5:00 PM on Thursday, March 28 through 8:00 AM Monday, April 1 for transition to the new travel provider.
  • The last expense reimbursement prior to the system downtime will run as usual, and is scheduled for the morning of Thursday March 28.
    • Any pending expense reports must be submitted and approved by 5:00 PM on Monday, March 25 to be processed for reimbursement on Thursday March 28.
  • Concur will be available at 8:00 AM on Monday, April 1.

Travel support during Concur downtime

During the transition period (March 28 at 5:00 PM – April 1 at 8:00 AM), if you need to book travel or need support with travel that was already booked through Concur, please contact Altour at 866.451.5567. CBT will not be able to provide support until April 1.

Training

The following training courses will be available in Blackboard as e-learn modules, prior to April 1.Enrollment details will be published on the Professional Development Pathways website, the Finance website, and included in upcoming communications.

  • Submitting Expenses in Concur 
  • Travel Policies and Procedure
  • Booking Individual Travel
  • Booking Group Travel

Open Labs and Informational Sessions will be held during the first two weeks of April. Details will be published on the Finance website and included in future communications.

The new travel program web page and Travel FAQs page are now available and will continue to be updated with training details, reference materials, and travel procedures.

Please direct comments or questions to travel@ohio.edu or the Travel Services Workgroup.