The process and workflow enhancements to the Travel, PCard, and Reimbursement processes in Workday, effective May 1, 2026, are described below.
- There will be fewer approval steps for Spend Authorizations and Expense Reports.
- There will be dedicated role-based learning sessions and ongoing office hours for Initiators and Approvers.
These updates represent the first phase of a broader improvement effort. Related policy updates are currently in development and will be shared for campus feedback in early fall. Please watch NewsLink and OnCampus for policy release details.
What's changing with Spend Authorizations:
Standard Domestic Trips will now follow a simplified workflow:
- Initiator
- Approval (routes based on trip and traveler details)
Approval routing by Spend Authorization amount:
- Under $5,000: Cost Center Manager or Grant Manager
- Over $5,000: Cost Center Director
Additional workflow updates:
- Department Leader approval has been removed
- Service Center steps have been removed
- Optional Program, Project, and Grant Manager approvals have been removed
Approvals that remain in place (as applicable):
- Acknowledgement of Understanding for international travel
- Central review for cash advance requests
- Senior Leader approvals (Deans, EVPs, SVPs, Health System Executives)
Training and guidance updates:
Learning sessions and office hours will clarify documentation expectations and concepts related to risk and reasonableness. For example, travel agency quotes are not required for Spend Authorization approval. Budgets should reflect high-level, good-faith estimates of anticipated costs and clearly state the business purpose of the travel.
What’s changing with Expense Reports:
Approval steps eliminated:
- Department Leader
- Traveler/Payee Certification
Modified approval steps (risk-based escalation):
- Cost Center Manager
- Reviews all non-travel reimbursements, and non-travel PCard Transactions
- Reviews travel related reimbursements or PCard transactions only when Worktags change or when Spend Authorization budgets are exceeded by 125% and $500 or more
- Service Center Lead
- Approves Expense Reports greater than $2,000
Training and guidance updates:
- Service Center Retreat
- Office Hours
- College or department-specific sessions upon Senior Fiscal Officer or Chief Administrative Officer request