Approving and Updating Expense Reports

Purpose:  Use this document as a reference for budget-checking, approving, updating, and/or troubleshooting approval errors of Expense Reports (ER) in ctcLink.

Audience: Supervisors and managers.

You must have at least one of these local college managed security roles:

  • ZZ Expenses Approval
  • ZZ Expenses Manager
  • ZZ Expenses Processing

If you need assistance with the above security roles, please contact your local college supervisor or IT Admin to request role access.

Expense Reports can only be approved or budget checked if the accounting date is in an open period, as the Expenses module closes monthly. It’s a local business process decision on whether or not your approvers have access to update the accounting dates during approvals. To see if you have access, open the ER from the Expense Reports/Transactions to Approve section and you will see the Accounting date at the of the page. If it is open and editable, you have access to update it. if it is not open and editable, you do not. Your option at this point would be to use ‘Send Back’ to send the ER back to the Traveler/Expense User. Then they will need to re-submit it for approval (summary and submit) and the accounting date will auto update to the current date at that time. The Expense Report will then be re-routed through your AWE from the beginning. If you need to add Accounting date access to your approvers, submit a Service Desk ticket.

Approve and/or Update Expense Reports

Budget Checking Expense Reports

If you don't have access to the Summary Approval (Budget Check) option, please see the next section Completing Expense Report Approval.

Navigation: Travel and Expenses > Approve Transactions > Approve Expense Transactions

  1. The Approve Expense Transactions Overview tab displays. Select the Expense Reports tab.
  2. Check the Select checkbox of the expense(s) you wish to budget-check.
  3. Select the Budget Check button.

Optional to Budget Check multiple transactions. Utilize the Select All / Clear All check boxes to select all or deselect all transactions to approve.

Expesne report tab page
  1. The Summary Approvals Confirmation window displays.
  2. Select the OK button.
summary approvals confirmation page
  1. The Summary Approvals Confirmation window disappears.
  2. The Expense Reports tab no longer displays your budget-checked expense. Optional to select the Refresh List button to refresh the page.
Refresh list button
  1. Section complete.

However if you receive a message, saying "Budget Checking Errors Exist", follow these next steps.

  1. Select OK.
  2. Next message displays 'Budget Checking has logged 'Error' exceptions. Do you want to Transfer to the Exceptions?'
  3. Select the No button.
  4. You will be sent back to the Expense Reports Summary page.
  5. Go to the Comments section, add the following comments "Error in Budget Checking, please review errors and resubmit once fixed"
  6. Select the Send Back button.

Video Tutorial

The video below demonstrates the process actions described in the steps listed above. There is no audio included with this video. Select the play button to start the video.

Video Tutorial via Panopto

View the external link to Budget Checking Expense Report. This link will open in a new tab/window.

Completing Expense Report Approvals (Classic)

Navigation: Travel and Expenses > Approve Transactions > Approve Expense Transactions

  1. The Overview tab displays.
  2. Select the Expense Reports tab.
  3. Select the Description or Transaction ID of the expense report(s) you'd like to approve.
Expense Reports page
  1. The Approve Expense Report - Expense Summary page displays.  Review it.
  2. Select either Expense Details links to navigate to review the details.

Toggle back and forth from the details to summary view by selecting the Expense Details link and the Summary and Approve link.

Expense Summary page
  1. The Approve Expense Report - Expense Details page displays.  Review it.
  2. Select the Summary and Approve link.
Expense Details page
  1. The updated Approve Expense Report - Expense Summary page displays. Note the following example has Budget Status as 'Valid' and the message displays 'Budget Checking completed. Report is ready for Approval/Posting.'

If you have finished reviewing the information on the Expense Report and are ready to make an approval action, you may need to Budget Check the transaction first.  

If so, select the Budget Options blue hyperlink text in the Summary page header section.  This will bring up a Commitment Control Details window where you can perform the budget check.  Whether budget checking is needed depends on local BU configuration and the stage of approvals the Expense Report is in. For more steps see the Budget Checking Expense Reports section.

  1. Optional to Approve the Expense Report (ER) from this page. Enter desired Comments and select the Approve button.
Expense summary page
  1. OR you can approve the Expense Report from the Approve Expense Transactions - Expense Report page. If you are ready to make an approval action for the Expense Report Transaction(s), select the desired transaction checkbox(es) and the approval action button at the bottom of the screen. To move the Expense Report forward in the approval process, select the Approve or Reviewed button.  

The buttons available depend on local BU configuration and the stage of approvals the Expense Report is in.

approve expense transaction - expense report page
  1. The confirmation window displays. Select the OK button. The page refreshes and returns to the main Approve Expense Transactions page.
Approve confirmaiton. Select ok
  1. Section complete.

However if you received an error message and are not able to approve the report, follow the next steps:

  1. Go to the Comments section, add the following comments "Error in approving report please review errors and resubmit once fixed".
  2. Select Send Back.
  3. You have successfully sent back a report back to the employee to review the error. Once fixed, employee will submit the report back into the approval list.

Video Tutorial

The video below demonstrates the process actions described in the steps listed above. There is no audio included with this video. Select the play button to start the video.

Video Tutorial via Panopto

View the external link to Completing Expense Report Approvals. This link will open in a new tab/window.

Completing Expense Report Approvals (Fluid)

Navigation: Approvals Tile

  1. The Fluid Pending Approvals page displays. From the Menu Bar on the left side of the page, select Expense Report. The Expense Report Pending Approvals page displays. Select the Expense Report side arrow icon that you want to make an approval action on.
Expense Report Pending Approval page
  1. The Expense Report Header Approval Page displays. Review It.
  2. You can review the Expense Line details two different ways: the Expense Details hyperlink or by reviewing each Expense Line.
Two options to review/approve ER
Review by Line
  1. For each expense line, select the side arrow icon to view the Approval Line Detail detail page.
  2. Select View Accounting to review the chartfield values. The Accounting Details window displays, select the 'X' to close once you have review the information.
  3. Select the Back to Header link to return to the Expense Report Header approval page.
Select Line to review

To make an approval action on the Pending Approvals page, you need to select the applicable lines. Available Approver Actions:

  • Approve - move ER forward in the Approval Process
  • Deny - reject ER and end user must start over.
  • Sendback - sends ER back to the end user to make changes/add attachments.
  1. From the Expense Report Header approval page, mark individually each expense Line item or select the box above the expense lines to select All Lines.
  2. Once all Lines are selected, select the action button in the right of the page, Approve/Deny/Sendback.
Mark boxes for approval and then select Approve
  1. The Budget Check window displays.

If The Budget Check process has already been run and the Budget checking header status is 'Valid', you can select 'X' to close out of the Window to finalize your approval. If the Budget check status is Not Run, then select 'Run Budget Check' button. The Budget check process will run and come back valid or error. If it's Valid, select 'X' to close the pop up window, then 'X' again to close the budget check window.

budget check window
  1. The Approve Window will display, it's optional to enter a comment in the Approver Comments field. Select Submit to finalize the approval.

If the Budget Check process failed, then select 'X' to close out of the window, and select the 'Sendback' button on the top right of the page, to send the Expense Report back to the traveler to fix. Add reason(s) in the approver comments box then select the Submit button.

sendback to end user

Video Tutorial

The video below demonstrates the process actions described in the steps listed above. There is no audio included with this video. Select the play button to start the video.

Video Tutorial via Panopto

View the external link to Approving Expense Reports (Fluid). This link will open in a new tab/window.

Updating Expense Report 'Accounting Date' During Approvals

Expense Reports can only be approved or budget checked if the accounting date is in an open period, as the Expenses module closes monthly. It’s a local business process decision on whether or not your approvers have access to update the accounting dates during approvals. To see if you have access, open the ER from the Expense Reports/Transactions to Approve section and you will see the Accounting date at the of the page. If it is open and editable, you have access to update it. if it is not open and editable, you do not.

Your option at this point would be to use ‘Send Back’ to send the ER back to the Traveler/Expense User. Then they will need to re-submit it for approval (summary and submit) and the accounting date will auto update to the current date at that time. The Expense Report will then be re-routed through your AWE from the beginning. If you need to add Accounting date access to your approvers, submit a Service Desk ticket.

Navigation: Travel and Expenses > Approve Transactions > Approve Expense Transactions

  1. The Overview tab displays. Select the Expense Reports tab.
  2. Select the Description or Transaction ID of the expense report(s) you'd like to approve.
Select Description or Transaction ID link
  1. The Approve Expense Report-Expense Summary page displays. Go to the Accounting Date field at the top left of the page and enter the appropriate date.  The Date entered needs to be in an Open Period.  
  2. Scroll to the bottom of the page, and select Save Changes.
Enter new date and save changes
  1. The Save Confirmation window displays. Select OK.
Ok to save confirmation
  1. The Save Confirmation window disappears. The updated Overview tab displays.
  2. The Transaction you just Saved, will disappear momentarily. Select the Refresh List button periodically, until it re-appears.
  3. Once the Transaction re-appears, Select the Description or Transaction ID link to navigate to the Approve Expense Report - Expense Summary page.
Refresh list and select item
  1. The Approve Expense Report-Expense Summary page displays. Select Expense Details, to review the Expense Line Details before making an approval action.
Select the Expense Details link
  1. The Approve Expense Report-Expense Details page displays. On this page you can review the expenses details.
  2. When you are done reviewing the Expense Details, select Summary and Approve.
Select summary and Approve
  1. The Approve Expense Report - Expense Summary page displays. Before Expense Reports can be Approved, you may need to Budget Check the transaction first.

If the Approve or Review buttons are grayed out, and the Budget Status is Error or Not Budget Checked, the ER needs a Valid budget check before it can be approved. If so, select the Budget Options blue hyperlink in the Approve Expense Report-Expense Summary page header section. This will bring up a Commitment Control Details window where you can perform the budget check. Whether budget checking is needed depends on local BU configuration and the stage of approvals the Expense Report is in.

Select Budget Options link
  1. The Commitment Control window displays. Select the Budget Check button.
Budget Check and then select OK
  1. The Commitment Control window disappears.
  2. If you are ready to make an approval action for the Expense Report, select the desired approval action button at the bottom of the screen. To move the Expense Report, forward in the approval process, select the following actions:
    • Approve or Reviewed button.
    • Send Back - will send the Expense Report back to the submitter if edits are needed.
    • Deny - will stop it/cancel it and it will not be able to be used at all. The buttons available depend on local BU configuration and the stage of approvals the Expense Report is in*
    • Save Changes - saves the transaction for later.

*If you Deny an Expense Report that has an attached Travel Authorization that will be used on a new Expense Report, you must Delete the Denied Expense Report to free up the attached Travel Authorization.

Select Action
  1. Section complete.

Video Tutorial

The video below demonstrates the process actions described in the steps listed above. There is no audio included with this video. Select the play button to start the video.

Video Tutorial via Panopto

View the external link to Updating Expense Report Accounting Date During Approvals. This link will open in a new tab/window.

View the external link to Updating Expense Report Accounting Date and Sending Back the Expense Report for Revision. This link will open in a new tab/window.

Troubleshooting Approval Errors Using the Question Mark Icon

Navigation: Travel and Expenses > Approve Transactions > Approve Expense Transactions

  1. The Overview tab displays. Select the Transactions to Approve question mark icon.
  2. The Help - Transactions to Approve pop-up window displays.

Help - Transactions to Approve:

This section enables you to take multiple actions.

Select the check box to approve, indicate the transaction has been reviewed, send the transaction back to the originator, or hold the transaction. Each action is performed by the system when you select on the appropriate button.

  • The Urgency icon (green circle, a yellow triangle, or a red square) indicates transactions that are urgent. Each icon determines the level of urgency: green circle is low, yellow triangle is medium, red square is high. This enables you to prioritize the transactions that are urgent.
  • The Risk button (yellow triangle with an exclamation point) indicates transactions that have risk. select this button to view the risk level, criteria, and details. This enables you to prioritize the transactions that have risk.
  • The Alert icon (yellow triangle with an exclamation point) indicates transactions that have exceptions. For example, a preferred merchant was not used. This enables you to prioritize the transactions that have alerts.
  • The Error button (red flag) indicates transactions that received an error when the system processed the transaction. For example, the transaction did not pass the budget checking process. select the red flag to access the Approve Transactions - Error page. This enables you to prioritize the transactions that have errors.

Depending on approval refinement rules, risk levels, exceptions, and so on, some transactions may not be available (grayed-out) for summary-level approval. If this is the case, the select check box is unavailable, and you can navigate to the individual approval page to review the details of the transaction and approve it.

Select the Description to access the approval page for the specific transaction type. Select the Transaction ID to access the approval page for the specific transaction type.

Help on Transactions to Approve

For Troubleshooting Budget errors and exceptions, please see the QRG Common Budget Exceptions and Corrective Actions.

  1. Section complete.

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