Registrar Conference Travel Tips

Traveling to a conference to represent the Registrar’s Office? Know before you go! This quick guide to conference travel policies will help you understand some of the policies and requirements for UW–Madison travelers so ensure you get reimbursed for all personal funds spent. You can access all UW travel policies in full on the Business Services travel website. If you would like to discuss these policies or have the the RO purchase registration, flights and more with the office purchasing card, please contact Steve Wright (steven.wright2@wisc.edu) via email or Teams to set up a time for purchasing or support.  

Table of Contents

Registration Flight Driving Hotel Airport/Parking Meals Rideshare/Taxi Reimbursement
Registration 
  • Register before the early bird ends if applicable. 
  • To use the office purchasing card, please request a time with Steve (steven.wright2@wisc.edu) to register together. 
  • Send receipt/confirmation email to Steve with a screenshot of the conference homepage.
Flight
  • All flights for UW–Madison business must be booked through CONCUR or by calling a travel agent at Travel INC.
    • If you book a flight through any other service other than CONCUR, UW–Madison will not reimburse you.
    • When booking with a travel agent, there will either be a $3.75 or $18.00 agent fee that is invoiced separately. If purchased with personal funds, this fee must be submitted as its own line item on your expense report. 
Driving Hotel 
  • If staying at a hotel suggested by the conference
    • It is best practice to first search that hotel in CONCUR to see if the price is lower than the conference rate before booking through the conference site. UW has contracts with some hotels that are significantly cheaper. 
    • If the rate through the conference website is cheaper, book the hotel room directly through the conference website.
    • Take a screenshot of the conference website that lists your chosen hotel to save for reimbursement. Conference hotels are often more expensive than what is allowed for a UW traveler, but having proof that it is a conference hotel voids that maximum per night policy.
  • If not staying at a conference hotel, book a hotel within the allowed amount through CONCUR
*Paying for the hotel room with a personal credit card is the most efficient way for a traveler to check out of the hotel. If you would prefer to pay for the room with the office purchasing card, talk to Steve BEFORE you depart. Airport/Parking 
  • To get to the airport, you can have someone drop you off, or be reimbursed to use local transportation (bus, taxi, rideshare, train) or park your personal vehicle at the airport.
  • The first piece of baggage within the airline’s weight and size limits is payable/reimbursable. Costs for additional baggage beyond the first piece and overweight or oversized baggage may be payable/reimbursable with a business justification.
Meals 
  • A federal calculator determines the amount of money you will receive for each meal not provided to you by the conference based on the location and date of your travel. 
  • You will pay for all food with personal funds. No receipts are needed for reimbursement.
  • When meals are provided by the conference, you will not be reimbursed for that meal. 
    • During reimbursement, you will select all provided meals and they will be removed.
    • You must attach a conference agenda that  details what meals were provided.
Rideshare/Taxi 
  • Travel by taxi, shuttle, subway, Lyft/Uber/rideshares, bus, train, or any other necessary means of transportation is allowable.
  • Travelers should choose the most reasonable, cost-effective means of traveling locally.
  • Payment/reimbursement for tips is limited to 20%
Reimbursement 
  • Use the following funding string for all conference travel reimbursements
    • GL Unit – UWMSN
    • Fund – 101
    • Dept – 055010
    • Program – 0
    • Class – BLANK
    • PROJECT – BLANK
  • All reimbursement must be submitted no more than 90 days after the last day of travel. 
  • If you are not very familiar or confident with the reimbursement process, Steve is happy to sit down and go through the process with you to ensure a quick and accurate reimbursement.
  • Business purpose/justification must include the full name of conference, location, dates, how it connects to the work you do. 
  • Documents to include (charges under $25 do not require a receipt to be uploaded)
    • Conference webpage (screenshot or save as PDF)
    • Conference webpage that lists conference hotels
    • Registration receipt (if purchased with personal funds)
    • Travel INC airfare receipt (if purchased with personal funds)
    • Travel INC agent fee receipt (if purchased with personal funds)
    • Airport parking receipt (if over $25)
    • Rideshare/taxi/bus/train receipts (if over $25)
    • Itemized hotel receipt 
    • Baggage receipt (if over $25)
If you have any questions or would like assistance on anything travel, please contact Steve via email or Teams. Safe travels!