The preferred methods for purchasing at Vanderbilt are payments directly to the vendor using a Payment Card, eProcurement, Requisition or Check Request. However, when business expenses are incurred by an individual requests for reimbursement can be submitted to the Travel & Payment Card team via the Concur Expense Reporting tool.

Business Purpose

The "business purpose" is the way in which a particular good or service supports the university's mission of education, research, and public service. This explanation is an essential component of expenditure documentation.

Supporting Documentation – Reimbursements for Business Expenses

 

Original receipts for all expense $25.00 or greater are required.

Within the Concur system, users can modify their profile and enable electronic receipts (e-receipts) that sends line level full expense itemization details that uploads automatically to an expense report.

Expense reports should have original complete back-up documentation attached. Attaching paper receipts can be done by scanning or photographing the original receipts and uploading them into the Concur system. All receipts should be itemized and display the method of payment.

Vanderbilt will reimburse for business expenses purchased with cash, personal credit card, or personal check. Vanderbilt does not reimburse for purchases made with gift cards/certificates or other types of merchant credits/rewards such as frequent flyer miles or credit vouchers. If a receipt is lost, contact the provider of the service. Most vendors will be happy to provide a copy of the receipt. Copies of supporting documentation will not be accepted unless the original documentation cannot be obtained.  When a copy is submitted or no copy is available an additional step is required within the Concur expense reporting process.

Business Meal/Entertainment also require:

• Date
• Location
• Full names of the attendees
• Nature and duration of the business discussion or activity (if not otherwise apparent)
• Business purpose for the expense or the business benefit gained or expected to be gained

**If alcohol is included it must be separated into an “Entertainment” field in the expense report.  These expenses cannot be charged to Federal Grant Centers.

Gifts, Awards, Prizes (processed as reimbursement for cash or gift cards already distributed)
This information is needed for each recipient:

• Full Legal Name
• Social Security Number
• Address
• Citizenship
• Description/Explanation for payment, gift, award
• Amount of Award/Prize/Gift

For non-cash prizes, awards, or gifts given to Vanderbilt employees, a taxable fringe reporting form  must be completed for each recipient and sent to the HR Processing office. Please visit http://hr.vanderbilt.edu/toolbox/TaxableGifts.php for complete reporting information.

 

Subject Participation (processed as reimbursement for cash or gift cards already distributed)
This information needed for each recipient is the same as for Gifts, Awards, Prizes PLUS:

 

• The name and description of the study/project
• Location – Did this take place here on campus, in Nashville, online, out of the country?
• Dates of participation Please be as specific as possible

 

UNALLOWABLE EXPENSES

All expenses incurred on university business should be reasonable and necessary. Examples of non-reimbursable expenses include the following:

Annual fees for personal credit card	Hotel or car “no-show” charges without a business purpose	Personal accident insurance
Babysitting	In-room entertainment (e.g., movies, games, etc.)	Personal entertainment (e.g. sporting events)
Barbers / hairdressers	Membership (including airport clubs) and reward fees	Personal property insurance
Car service for normal commute	Meals for social occasions or with university employees	Pet care
Car washes and detailing	Non-business periodicals	Prescription medication
Clothing, luggage and toiletries	Non-business postage	Shoeshine
Personal mobile phones and data devices	Optional baggage insurance	Souvenirs and personal gifts
Delinquency and late fees	Parking and/or speeding tickets	Vacation and personal expenses when on business trips

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