The Business Affairs Team supports the data-based resource allocation process for the Dean, Sr. Staff and Dean’s support offices.
The team works with the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and University communities to ensure policy compliance and to maximize financial performance – while delivering the following business support services to the students, faculty and staff of the Law School.
Travel & Reimbursements
The University of Pennsylvania has established purchasing policies and protocols to help University faculty and staff purchase effectively and compliantly.
Systems and processes have been put in place to help facilitate smart purchasing practices; we partner with members of the Penn Carey Law community as stewards in administering these processes to help ensure the University is properly: Mitigating risk, Purchasing compliantly, Containing costs and Maximizing overall value to the University.
Travelers may book air, lodging and rental cars through the Concur online booking application, or by phone through Penn’s preferred travel management company, World Travel. In doing so, travelers have the option to charge business-related airfare through the centrally billed (BTA). Hotel and rental car reservations require the Penn Travel Card or a personal credit card to hold the reservations. The resources listed below are useful for Penn Carey Law Faculty, Staff and Students seeking reimbursement through Concur:
Reviewing Reimbursements Processed: To see if your reimbursement has been processed yet, you no longer need to go to “My Reimbursements.” Instead, on your home page in Concur, look at the section called, “My Expenses.”
Setting up your Concur Account: Set up your mobile app to take a picture of your receipt and automatically store the image under your own user login of Concur, as well as making travel plans and tracking expenses while you travel. Here are easy instructions for setting up your account.
Training Materials and Videos: For training materials and videos provided by the Concur Team, please see the Training Manuals available here.
Bank of America Visa card: Full-time faculty and staff are eligible for the new Bank of America credit card. This card will automatically be credited after reporting expenses through the new reporting system. Apply for the card as full-time faculty or staff.
Hands-on Help at the Law School: To assist individuals as you learn to prepare your expense report, Business Affairs staff will be available as needed in T-111.
The University of Pennsylvania is pleased to announce that it has introduced a new online portal as part of Penn’s ongoing efforts to improve the reimbursement process.
The new portal, is a web-based solution that allows travelers to collaborate with Penn in a secure, online environment. All individuals (not affiliated with Penn) need to be invited to use the portal.
STAFF/STUDENTS - Click here to enter the Supplier Portal Onboarding Website
REGISTERED SUPPLIES - Click here to enter the Supplier Portal
For hotel, rental car and all other reimbursable travel and entertainment expenses, Penn offers the Penn Travel Card, a Visa card issued by Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The Penn Travel Card integrates with Concur, linking travel charges directly into the Concur expense system for ease in the travel expense management process.
More information about University Travel & Expense Management - please select - here .
Please contact the Business Affairs Office to confer re. operational approach before proceeding with transactions - at our preferred location - businesshelp@law.upenn.edu. Please secure and remit the appropriate documentation to Business Affairs in order to process all transactions.
Purchasing & Procurement
Purchasing and the related payment transactions are initiated by (designated) BAs at the departmental level and then processed centrally by Penn. For additional reference, please see the following University prescribed processes: Purchase Order Process, Shoppers Guide, and “Procure-to-Pay” (P2P) Process.
Below is the Penn Model for Purchasing.
For the procurement of goods and services at Penn, there are two approved methods of purchase:
Purchase Order
The first, and most preferred method of purchasing at the University is to establish a Purchase Order (PO).
Purchasing Card (P-Card)
Where permitted, smaller purchases (generally less than $1,000), which may not be feasible for PO issuance, may be ordered using a University issued Purchasing Card (P-Card).
Other Cards
Additional, function-specific purchasing cards are available for event and meeting planners, managers of fleet vehicles, and students authorized to make purchases on behalf of Penn.
For a direct bill for room reservations or catering at the Inn at Penn, or for direct billing at Penne restaurant, click here ( Complete Sections I and II for hotel reservations, or sections I and III for catering or Penne reservations, and submit to businesshelp@law.upenn.edu for signature and submission to the hotel).
For a direct bill for room reservations or catering at the University Sheraton, click here (Complete Sections I and II for hotel reservations, or sections I and III for catering, and submit to businesshelp@law.upenn.edu for signature and submission to the hotel).
Each new hire to Penn Carey Law must complete and return the appropriate appointment forms to the Business Affairs office before starting work.
If you are being placed on payroll with a new academic or staff appointment, the checklists below detail the documentation requirements for placing hires on payroll at the University of Pennsylvania. Please complete the appropriate forms according to your payroll designation – below:
Please email businesshelp@law.upenn.edu to request offer letters and new hire documentation.
Please contact the Business Affairs Office to confer before proceeding with payroll transactions - at our preferred location - businesshelp@law.upenn.edu. Please secure and remit the appropriate documentation to Business Affairs in order to complete changes to pay and payroll.
Workday
One of Workday’s great features is an easy to use system for Time Reporting. All weekly-paid non-exempt staff, including temporary and student workers, will report their hours worked and time away from work, such as paid-time off, each week in Workday. Supervisors or designated administrators will use Workday to review and approve these weekly timesheets.
For all individuals paid on an hourly basis:
Your time must be entered into Workday each week in order to receive a paycheck for that week.
Your department can discuss timesheet submissions, but we are recommending a noon on Friday entry by the staff person with approval by the manager by COB (knowing staff have until 9pm on Sunday and Managers have until 10am on the next Monday for approvals).
You’ll receive a notification automatically when your timesheet is approved by your supervisor and Workday timekeeper.
If special circumstances prevent you from accessing Workday, your manager or a designated timekeeper (Business Administrator) may enter time on your behalf.
Below is a listing of resources to assist you with Workday and time reporting:
The University of Pennsylvania deems any project which commits a specific line of scholarly or scientific inquiry, typically documented by a statement of work and where the sponsor identifies a period of performance as a term and condition.
We liaise with Penn Carey Law Faculty and the Office of Research Services to prepare, submit and administer applications for sponsored research.
University Sponsored Research Policy
You may find the applicable University Policy located - here.
Please contact the Business Affairs Office to confer re. operational approach before proceeding with proposal submissions - at our preferred location - businesshelp@law.upenn.edu. Please secure and remit the appropriate documentation to Business Affairs in order to prepare and submit all applications.
Frequently Asked Financial Support Questions
Please find below the Frequently Asked Financial Support Questions. The Business Affairs team is available to answer any of your questions.
Please visit the Approved Caterers page on the University’s Purchasing website. Once you contact the caterer and make your menu selections, send the Business Affairs office the proposal, including cost, so a purchase order can be issued. With a purchase order, you don’t need to worry about making any payments as Penn pays the vendor directly.
The PennCard is the official University of Pennsylvania identification card for students, faculty, staff, and other members of the Penn community. The PennCard is also used for many activities including building access, recreation and library services, and PennCash purchases. If you are a FT faculty, student or staff member, you may obtain your PennCard by going to the Second Floor of Penn Bookstore.
For information regarding the University of Pennsylvania parking, please visit the departmental website, where you will find information regarding permit and daily rate parking.
Reach Out to Us
Our preferred method of contact is email: businesshelp@law.upenn.edu
Phone: 215-573-9595
Office: Business Affairs (T-110)
Christopher Wailoo
Associate Dean for Business Services and Chief Financial Officer
