The Office of Business and Finance is pleased to introduce process and workflow enhancements to the Travel, PCard and Expense functions in Workday. Shaped by feedback from the President's Listening Sessions, these improvements focus on reducing administrative burden, simplifying requirements, and creating a better overall user experience.
These enhancements represent Phase I of a broader improvement effort. Phase II will include policy updates and will be shared for campus feedback in early fall 2026.
Watch for additional information through these channels:
- NewsLink
- OnCampus
- HealthBeat Hub/Digest
Phase I: Overview of Changes (Effective May 1, 2026)
Spend Authorization
Changes include a simplified workflow that will expedite approval:
- When Spend Authorization total is ≤$5,000
- Initiator → Cost Center Manager (or Grant Manager with grant funding) = Approved
- When Spend Authorization total is >$5,000
- Initiator → Cost Center Director = Approved
Special approval routing for international travel, cash advances and senior leaders (Deans, EVPs, SVPs, Health System Executives) will still apply when applicable.
Department Leader, Service Center Review Steps and some optional approvals have been removed.
Expense Report
Changes include a simplified workflow that will expedite approval:
- When Expense Report is linked to a Spend Authorization for travel-related expenses
- Initiator → Service Center Rep (or Grant Service Center Rep with grant funding) = Approved
Special approval routing will apply with high risk ERs, when different worktags in the ER from SA, when ER total is more than 25% (+$500) over the SA total, and with ERs for senior leaders (Deans, EVPs, SVPs, Health System Executives).
- When Expense Report is for non-travel reimbursements or PCard transactions
- Initiator → Cost Center Manager (or Grant Manager with grant funding) → Service Center Rep (or Grant Service Center Rep with grant funding) = Approved
Special approval routing will apply with special approval categories, when using the Service Center PCard and with ERs for senior leaders (Deans, EVPs, SVPs, Health System Executives).
Weekly Transaction Summary Report
Since the Department Leader was removed from the Spend Authorization and Expense Report workflows, an alternative method has been provided to maintain visibility into transactions. To support this need while aligning with streamlined business processes, a Weekly Transaction Summary Report will be distributed via email to individuals holding the Department Leader and Cost Center Director roles in Workday. The report is issued every Monday (starting May 11, 2026) and it limited to UNIV and Health System transactions created within the past week:
- Spend authorizations
- Miscellaneous payment requests
- Requisitions
- Supplier invoices without purchase orders
- Expense reports without spend authorizations
Transactions charged to Fund FD520 – Grants and Contracts Sponsored Programs are excluded. Transaction types with no activity will not appear in the report.
Phase II: Coming Soon