Accounting Office

Eligibility

To be eligible for a Travel & Entertainment Corporate Card (a university-sponsored card), you must be either a full time UC Riverside career or contract employee, graduate student with an active UCR appointment, or an undergraduate student with an active UCR appointment in UCPath that has received approval from the departmental Chief Financial Administrative Officer (CFAO). Individuals must complete the required online Travel and Entertainment Card training in UC Learning. Proof of completed training is required to be attached as supporting documentation to the Card Request. The traveler’s supervisor (if applicable) and the designated Department Head (card approver) need to verify that the employee will take one or more trips annually on university business before authorizing the employee to receive a card. 

Separated employees and students that have left UCR or no longer have an active appointment are not eligible. Cardholder and departments must initiate a Concur request to Close/Cancel the card and the Accounting Office will close the card with US Bank. All outstanding expenses must be reconciled via an Expense Report in Concur prior to the employee’s profile becoming inactive in Oracle. Please cut the card into small pieces and discard it.

Applicant understands that this card is to be used for business charges only and that Individuals issued a T&E Card are responsible for substantiation for all charges incurred on that account. In the case of inappropriate use or failure to reconcile expenses paid by UCR, outstanding transactions may be charged to the Default Chart String associated with the traveler; the traveler’s business unit will be responsible for the related collection activities.

Card Issuance and Renewal

To request a new T&E Card:

1. Your department's System Access Administrator (SAA) must first grant you access to Concur.
2. Once you have access, complete a New Concur Card Request.
3. Attach proof of completion of the UC Learning T&E Card Training to your request.
4. You will also need to certify the T&E Card attestation, confirming that the card will be used exclusively for university business (no personal expenses).

The request will then be routed to your supervisor (if applicable) and the Department Head (card approver) to verify that the card is appropriate based on your travel and other business needs.

Please note:

• It may take 2–3 weeks to receive your card in the mail.
• Your card will be sent to the address listed in your Concur Card Request, which must be up to date in UCPath before you submit the request.

T&E Cards are periodically reissued automatically and mailed directly to cardholders with open accounts in good standing.

Member Benefits

The T&E Card provides several benefits to the cardholder and the university, including:

• It can be used for all travel expenses where Visa is accepted, such as airfare, hotel and lodging, car rental, ground transportation, and meals.
• By utilizing the card, employees save time and money for the university, their department approvers, and themselves.
• Eliminates out-of-pocket expenses: All transactions on the corporate-billed Travel & Entertainment Card are automatically billed to UCR, and transactions import into Concur Travel and Expense, UC Riverside’s travel and entertainment expense reporting system.
• Provides departmental access to the cardholder’s transactional activity.
• Real-time fraud alerts offer on-the-spot communication via text or email to approve valid transactions, avoid unnecessary declines, and protect accounts from fraud attempts.
• Quick and easy reconciliations: T&E Card transactions are viewable in Concur and can be easily added to corresponding Expense Reports.
• Convenient cash advances: Cash advances are available from ATMs worldwide.
• Accident insurance: Receive $500,000 in travel accident insurance coverage when you purchase air or rail tickets using the T&E Card.
• Rental car collision damage coverage: Coverage is provided for damage due to collision or theft. To activate, complete the rental transaction with your T&E Card and decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver (CDW). For coverage details and assistance with claims, visit: https://usa.visa.com/support/consumer/card-benefits/consumer-auto-rental-collision-damage-waiver.html or contact the Visa Assistance Center at (800) 847-2911. Note: Claims must be submitted within 90 calendar days of the accident, damage, or loss.
• Lost baggage coverage: When you purchase air or rail tickets with the T&E Card, you may receive reimbursement for lost checked or carry-on luggage and contents due to theft or carrier misdirection. US Bank will reimburse cardholders if the common carrier’s payment is less than the traveler’s claim, up to a limit. This coverage is secondary to the carrier’s indemnity coverage.

Spending Guidelines

U.S. Bank and UCR has established a spending guideline on each card. The default spend guidelines for each billing cycle are as follows:

• Travel and Entertainment = $5,000
• Cash Advance = $1000 or 20% of available card balance (2.5% transaction fee with a $2.00 minimum fee). 

Liability

With Corporate Liability, UCR is solely liable for payment of all charges. The T&E Card may not be used for personal expenses. If a transaction includes a personal charge, it must be immediately reconciled and reimbursed via personal check payable to UC Regents. Individuals who fail to do so will have the amounts deducted from their paycheck, as outlined in the card agreement. All expenses incurred will automatically populate in Concur. Travelers are responsible for promptly reconciling all charges to their respective T&E Card in Concur.

Cash Advance

In the event a Traveler is on Travel Status and an emergency cash advance is needed, funds are available through the Travel & Entertainment (T&E) Card. The cardholder should retain the PIN received when the card was issued. If the PIN is lost, contact U.S. Bank at the number printed on the back of the card. The U.S. Bank cash advance program is funded by U.S. Bank and offers access to the world’s largest cash access network. The cash advance fee for UCR is 2.5%, with a $2 minimum and a $10 maximum on ATM advances. The cash advance limit is 20% of the available credit.

Note: Most banks will provide larger cash advances when visiting a branch in person rather than using an ATM.

Card Replacement/Lost or Stolen Cards

Cards can be replaced within 24 hours in the U.S. and one business day elsewhere provided the request is logged before 2 p.m. CDT. Replacement requests after 2 p.m. CDT will add 24 hours to U.S. replacement and one business day to replacement outside of the U.S. The cardholder calls the toll-free Customer Service Center at 1-800-344-5696 or the Visa Assistance Center (VAC) to report the incident and request emergency replacement. There are no replacement fees and neither UCR nor the cardholder is responsible for fraudulent charges made to the promptly reported lost or stolen card. If the cardholder requires interim funds or assistance, the VAC can authorize a cash advance at a local bank or a stay at a local hotel.

Card Cancellation

Accounts will be suspended immediately and canceled whenever USBANK is contacted by the cardholder or the UCR travel office. Call U.S. Bank at 1-800-344-5696. Once the card is suspended or canceled, the vendor will receive a denied authorization at the point-of-sale.

Foreign Currency Conversion

A foreign currency fee is assessed for transactions processed in any currency other than U.S. Dollars. In the calculation, the transaction amount is converted to equivalent U.S. Dollars using a wholesale, or government-mandated, conversion rate. A fee of up to 3 percent is assessed and calculated into the rate.

Billing Statements and Options

Electronic statements are available for download by the cardholder via Access Online at the end of each billing cycle. UCR’s billing cycle ends on the 6th of every month. If a cardholder prefers a paper statement, this preference can be updated in their Access Online profile. The paper statement will be mailed to the address provided during the original card request process. Each monthly statement lists all charges made on the account. Cardholders have access to their own statements and are solely responsible for reconciling the expenses charged to their respective T&E Card.

US Bank Access Online

US Bank AccessOnline is a web-based electronic program management tool that provides our campus cardholders with quick access to their complete account information enabling individuals to view their account activity and billing statements online!

First, you need to register. AccessOnline self-registration empowers you to create your own User ID and Password and is easy to use, here are a few helpful hints:

• Go to: https://access.usbank.com and click on the “Register Online” link.
• When asked to enter your company short name, please enter UofCA (company name for the UC system).
• ZIP/Postal Code must exactly match the FIVE DIGIT zip code that is on your billing statement -- or you will receive an error message (this is the zip code used when you received your card).
• If Foreign zip code, place 00002 in zip code area.
• Phone and Fax number format: No dashes, hyphens, parenthesis or spaces (i.e. 6121234567).
• User ID’s must be 7 to 12 characters in length and can be alpha and/or numeric. User ID’s must also be unique; try to think of a distinctive ID (i.e. if your name is John F Smith try the User ID jsmith3) or use your UCR NET ID.
• Passwords must be 8 to 20 characters in length, with at least one alpha and one numeric character.
• User Verification is used to authenticate your account if you forget your User ID or Password.
• When entering information in self-registration, if any of the entered information is not valid the system returns an error message. You have three attempts to correct the information. If all three attempts fail, the account with incorrect information will be locked out from self-registration. You will need to contact U.S. Bank Customer Service at 1-877-887-9260 to unlock your account.

Congratulations, you are now registered to enter AccessOnline!

Compliance and Process Efficiency

College/Org CFAOs are responsible for ensuring that departments under their purview have processes and controls in place to:

• Manage proper use of university cards within each department.
• Regularly review transactions to ensure compliance with university policies.
• Ensure cardholders submit receipts on time and are trained to properly reconcile and submit expense reports (if applicable). Designate a point of contact for any questions.
  • For T&E charges, cardholders are responsible for monthly reconciliation via an expense report in Concur, within 30 days of the trip or event end date.
• Ensure Delegates and Approvers take corrective action on any outstanding charges listed in the Card Aging Report. Appoint individuals to monitor this report.
• Evaluate whether current cardholders should retain access. Suspend and/or cancel card privileges as appropriate.
  • For assistance with suspensions or cancellations, submit a ticket by visiting the Finance Administrative Services Portal. Select “Request Help”, then choose “Travel & Expense” as the Service/Business Area. In the Short Description field, include “T&E Card Suspension or Cancellation.”

⚠️ Note: Undistributed charges not moved in a timely manner may be redirected to the department’s default Chart of Accounts (COA), potentially charging the department’s operating fund.

Insurance

$500,000 Worldwide Automatic Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
Insures Cardholder while traveling worldwide on business of the Designated Organization against an accidental injury that is the sole cause of loss of life, limb, sight, speech or hearing while riding as a passenger in, entering or exiting any Common Carrier, if you charge the entire cost of the Common Carrier passenger fare(s), less redeemable certificates, vouchers or coupons, to your U.S. Bank Travel account or a U.S. Bank CTS account. Questions regarding this program should be sent to the Program Administrator:

Robinson International Incorporated
208 South LaSalle Street
Chicago, Illinois 60604

Travel and Emergency Assistance

To use services, call 24/7 Benefit Administrator Line at 1-800-992-6029.

• Pre- Trip Assistance provides information about health precautions, weather reports, currency exchange rates, visas, and immunizations
• Medical Referral Assistance provides medical referral, monitoring and follow up.
• Emergency Transportation Assistance arranges for transportation under medical supervision.
• Emergency Message Service can relay emergency messages for travelers and is available 24 hours a day.
• Prescription Assistance & Valuable Document Delivery Arrangements can accommodate unexpected prescription needs or transport critical documents (e.g. passport or travel visa), which may have been left at home or elsewhere.
• Legal Referral Assistance can arrange contact with English-speaking attorneys, U.S. embassies and consulates, bail-bond assistance, cash advances, and follow-up assistance.
• Lost Luggage Locator Service can help you through the common carrier’s claim procedures or can arrange shipment of replacement items if an airline or common carrier loses your checked luggage.
• Emergency Translation Services provides telephone assistance in all major languages and helps find local interpreters, if available

Lost Luggage Reimbursement, Auto Rental Collision, etc.

Lost Luggage Reimbursement when you use your VISA card to purchase an airline or common carrier ticket you can be eligible to receive reimbursement for your checked or carry-on luggage and its contents in the event it is lost due to theft or misdirection by the airline.  US Bank will reimburse a cardholder if the common carrier’s payment is less than the traveler’s claim up to a limit.

1-800-546-9806 or www.eclaimsline.com to file a claim. Notification to the Benefit Administrator must be made within 20 days from the date the luggage was lost or stolen.

Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver Benefits reimburses You for damages caused by theft or collision – up to the Actual Cash Value of most rented cars.  Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver covers no other type of loss.   To activate coverage for damage due to collision or theft with your eligible Visa card and decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver (CDW) coverage if offered by the auto rental company for business.

Call the Benefit Administrator immediately to report the incident at 1-800-348-8472, you should report the damage as soon as possible but no later than 45 days from the date of incident.   Claim form must be submitted with supporting documents within 90 days.

Roadside Dispatch will ask you where you are, what the problem is and will remain on the phone while arranging a dispatch to a reliable tow operator or locksmith, call 1-800-847-2869.  You pay a set rate per service call. The current fee for standard service call is $69.95. Additional fees may apply for winching services under certain circumstances. Program provides:

• Standard Towing – up to 5 miles included
• Tire Changing – must have good, inflated spare
• Jump Starting
• Lockout Service (no key replacement)
• Fuel Delivery – up to 5 gallons (plus the cost of fuel)
• Standard Winching

Coming Soon!