A new travel expense reporting system, AggieTravel, is scheduled for launch this summer, replacing MyTravel and its outdated method of collecting receipts.

"It's exciting to solve one of our biggest issues: faxing receipts,” said Mike Kuhner, manager of accounts payable and travel and entertainment in Accounting and Financial Services. “With the new system, travelers will finally be able to use their smartphones to capture receipts on the road."

Want to try it out? The project team is looking for volunteers to help with initial user testing, to start later this spring. The actual rollout is due to start in late July, in two-week cycles that will include training, transfer from MyTravel and focused help desk support.

In the meantime, university travelers are encouraged to do the following:

• Submit all reports in a timely manner. Once the transition is made to AggieTravel, there will be limited time to clear old reports.
• Actively participate in training. Training will coincide with deployment, so be on the lookout for the schedule.
• Visit the AggieTravel website for FAQs, description of major changes and other announcements.
• Have a voice! Please provide ideas concerns, and feedback about the system at aggietravel@ucdavis.edu.

All employee profiles and approvers will be transferred from MyTravel to the new system. However, nonemployee traveler and delegate information will need to be re-entered in AggieTravel.

The new system — powered by Concur Expense — features streamlined and simplified data entry. Expense types are combined into fewer categories, user interfaces are more intuitive, and the system is integrated with the university’s preferred travel agency, BCTravel, allowing automated import of itineraries and electronic receipts from participating merchants.

With the Concur Expense mobile app, you can take photos of your receipts and upload them to the system, create expense entries and review submitted reports.

Concur Expense is from Concur Technologies, a division of SAP, and is in use in dozens of schools and companies.

The UC Davis Travel Group, comprising Davis campus and UC Davis Health System employees who work in travel expense reporting, provided input all through the development process. Ad hoc committees reviewed product demos and participated in choosing a logo for AggieTravel.

The MyTravel website is still is use, pending the transition. More information on AggieTravel is available on the project website. Look there for information when it’s available on how you can participate in user testing.

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