New travel features available in Concur Travel and Expense

TripLink and ExpenseIt are two new features that were recently rolled out for Purdue faculty and staff in Concur Travel and Expense to support business travel and assist with the expense report process.

TripLink

TripLink serves as a bridge between participating booking platforms, Purdue’s travel discounts, personal travel rewards programs and business travel expense reports – all through the Concur platform. Travelers are encouraged to opt in to the TripLink feature in Concur to receive the benefits summarized below.

• Through TripLink, travelers connect their Purdue business profile to Concur, along with personal travel rewards/loyalty programs for participating travel providers (review instructions). This gives travelers flexibility in booking business travel. 
• After accounts are connected, travelers will continue to book through the travel provider’s direct website or app. When business travel is selected as the travel type through the  booking platform, Purdue’s negotiated rates and discounts will automatically apply to reservations.
• Reservation expenses for participating travel providers will link to Concur Expense for a simplified expense report process. This includes United flights booked out of the Purdue University Airport, along with participating rental car and hotel providers.
• Linked program accounts allow travelers to book directly with participating travel providers while earning personal status benefits like points and miles.
• With details synced in Concur, Purdue has a Duty of Care record for the traveler in case of emergency.  
• A free subscription to the TripIt Pro app is included (described below). 

TripIt Pro

This app is separate from Concur and optional for Purdue travelers. TripIt Pro compiles multiple travel arrangements into a single itinerary that is available even when offline. Users can receive notifications about flight statuses, changes and departure times in real time, often faster than airlines receive updates. Travelers can search for alternate flight options if flights get delayed or canceled, and users will receive alerts when a better seat is available on a flight. The app tracks frequent flyer miles and other reward programs in one place and also provides safety ratings for areas that the traveler will stay. The app is available through the App Store or Google Play.

For those who prefer assistance with travel plans, AAA Corporate Travel – Purdue’s  business travel agency – provides complimentary planning and booking services to those who are traveling on university business. Services, benefits and contact information are listed on the Purdue Travel website. 

ExpenseIt

ExpenseIt is a feature that is integrated into the Concur mobile app that supports the travel expense report process and simplifies steps for travelers. Benefits include:

• Snapped receipts using the Concur mobile app are uploaded immediately and stored securely in the cloud, reducing the need to keep track of paper receipts while traveling.
• Automatic, system-generated expense line items based on photos of receipts are created. Users should review and adjust as needed prior to submitting the expense report.
• Reduced manual entry of receipt data and improved accuracy of information.

ExpenseIt FAQs are also available online.

Any questions about these new Concur features may be sent to Purdue Travel at purduetravel@purdue.edu.