University at Buffalo (UB) 
Administrative Services Gateway
Administrative Services GatewayBuilding partnerships through collaboration
Reimbursing Individuals
Reimbursements with state, Research Foundation or UB Foundation funds are paid to UB employees and non-employees who have incurred travel expenses or purchased business-related goods with out-of-pocket funds on behalf of the university.
On this Page
Not All Purchases Are Reimbursable
Seeking reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses is not a best practice. You are not guaranteed reimbursement. For specific questions regarding whether an expenditure is reimbursable, please contact accounts payable prior to making the expenditure.
Departments must consider using UB's preferred purchasing methods such as a purchase order, ShopBlue or Procurement Card for business transactions. Using these methods ensures contract pricing, liability and tax exemption requirements are met. When requesting reimbursement, you may be asked to explain why one of these preferred methods was not utilized.
Ownership of all items acquired with state, Research Foundation (RF) or UB Foundation (UBF) funds is vested with the respective entity and not the individual faculty or staff member. This includes items purchased:
- By an individual for which the cost was reimbursed.
- Using a university procurement method such as a purchase order, Procurement Card (PCard), or any eProcurement method.
Departments must also ensure appropriate asset management requirements are met.
- List the UB business purpose for the expense on the expense report or voucher.
- UB employees must get preapproval from their supervisor before traveling overnight. An approved request report must be attached to the expense report in the travel and expense reimbursement system (Concur).
- Attach original receipts to the expense report or voucher.
- Verification of payment. Depending on how the purchase was made, additional information may be requested to substantiate that the purchase of goods or services took place.
- For vouchers, the payee and the authorized individual must sign it. For expense reports, the payee must accept the electronic agreement. For more information, review the UB Approval Authority Policy.
The Allowable Use of Funds policy governs payment and reimbursement for food, beverage and related expenses associated with official university functions. Documentation (invoice, receipt, conference meeting agenda, etc.) is required to support and justify the business-related purpose of the expense.
Every effort should be made to obtain New York State sales tax exemption. If the vendor did not accommodate UB's tax-exempt status, you may be required to provide an explanation. Tax paid will not be reimbursed to the individual.
Reimbursement is typically requested for food purchases and registration costs for vendors that may not accept credit cards or purchase orders. Registration costs related to travel should be included on the expense report or voucher.
Not all items can be reimbursed on an expense report or voucher. The following expenses cannot be requested:
The Research Foundation of SUNY's policy for unrestricted funds identifies valid business purposes for non-compensation expenses and the types of expenditures permissible for payment or reimbursement by the RF. The policy provides criteria for determining a permissible expense and provides examples of common expenses.
Request Reimbursement
State Reimbursements For Purchases
Employees use the travel and expense reimbursement system to create an expense report to request reimbursement for business non-travel expenses using state funds.
Reimbursements with state funds are paid to non-employees of UB who have purchased goods and services with out-of-pocket funds. Non-employees include:
- Guests
- Faculty and staff job candidates
- Unpaid students
The host department or unit should submit the Non-Employee Personal Reimbursement Request to reimburse non-employees for business non-travel expenses.
State Reimbursements For Travel
Employees use the travel and expense reimbursement system (Concur) to create an expense report to request reimbursement for business travel expenses using State funds.
For travel advances, State will reimburse pre-paid airfare only at 100%.
Follow these instructions to Request Airfare Purchased in Advance of a Trip.
Reimbursements with state funds are paid to non-employees of UB for travel expenses incurred while conducting official university business. Non-employees include:
- Guests
- Faculty and staff job candidates
- Unpaid students
The host department or unit should submit the Non-Employee Travel Voucher for State to reimburse non-employees for out-of-pocket business travel expenses.
Confirm Reimbursement
Payments can be confirmed by the department using the SIRI State Payments tab. A direct deposit reference is 7 digits, a check number is 8 digits beginning with a zero (e.g. 0XXXXXXX).
Reimbursements with state funds for state-funded employees are either directly deposited into the payroll account or mailed to the address in the payroll file. Employees do not need to be added to the state-wide vendor file to be reimbursed. Non-employee reimbursements are mailed to the address provided on the voucher.
If the employee receives pay by paper check: employees that receive part or all of their pay in a check will continue to receive a check for their travel or expense reimbursements. However, that check will be mailed to the same address as the one that appears on the employee’s paycheck. There is no option to have travel or expense reimbursements sent to a different address.
If the employee receives pay by direct deposit: employees will not receive any notification that a direct deposit has occurred. Employees who have their full paycheck directly deposited to one bank account will have their travel or expense reimbursements deposited to that same account. Employees who have their direct deposit split across more than one account will have their travel or expense reimbursements deposited into the account where the balance of their pay goes. For example, if you have $300 per paycheck directly deposited to Bank A and the balance to Bank B, your travel or expense reimbursement will go to Bank B. However, if an employee designates a percentage for each account, and does not indicate the balance, a check will be issued
Reimbursement Timeline
Employee reimbursements for travel or other expenses will be paid on an ongoing basis and are not impacted by the payroll schedule. Employees will be reimbursed as expense reports are processed.
Advances
Advances are not available for State.
Contact an Expert
For Business Reimbursements
State-funded RAP reimbursements; honoraria; Critic Teachers
