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We are currently looking at more ways we can provide direct billing options for our employee travel lodging expenses. The majority of our lodging expenses are paid by employees and reimbursed. We do currently allow employees to have lodging direct billed to UGA. We (Accounts Payable and Travel) will assist them, but it's up to the employee or the department to reach out to the hotel they plan on using and checking to see if they will direct bill. We ran a pilot program a few years ago that allowed employees to book lodging through one of our local travel agencies and the agency would direct bill us. It's possible we will expand that. I'm reaching out to see what solutions you all are using for employee lodging expenses. Has anyone had success with developing a billing relationship with a hotel that covers a wide variety of locations? Thanks
Andre Simmons
Associate Director
UGA Accounts Payable & Travel
Posted : 19/04/2022 3:25 am
Univ of Utah attempted a direct bill plan for a set of 5 local hotels but the reconciliation was/is a nightmare so I'm curious on what other universities are doing as well. We are highly recommending people user their TCards. We haven't found a solution to direct bill with hotels either
Posted : 19/04/2022 5:22 am
Yes AT ECU we do have a "direct bill" with one or two of our hotels; however when billed, Department will use the Purchase Card. For these "local hotels" it is typically Non Employee Travel, guest speakers, etc so we don't have to expense against employee travel expense reports. We like to use the purchase card to earn the rebate as well.
Posted : 19/04/2022 5:28 am
We work closely with our TMC (Balboa Travel) and specific local hotel partners to make what is essentially an airfare lodge/ghost card work for guest hotel stays. Reconciliation is rough, as Darrin said, and transactions come into Conur with absolutely zero identifying info. The program works to get incentive spend on that card as well as provide incoming guests a hassle-free stay but the back end work to identify and reconcile charges makes it almost not worth the effort. We also strongly recommend employee travelers use their Travel & Entertainment Cards for hotel stays.
We will be once again exploring the idea of a virtual card product but so far we've found fees prohibitive - we're hoping the market will change with those.
Posted : 19/04/2022 6:19 am
I manage the UC Travel Center ( UCTC ) .A corporate travel division/agency owned and operated by UCLA. We currently offer domestic hotel direct bill services for business travel for the UCLA community using virtual cards. The room reservation is guaranteed and paid for by a virtual card. The virtual card only pays for the total room night stay plus associated taxes and fees following UC hotel policy. All other incidental charges are paid by guest credit card. To confirm a direct bill reservation, UCTC must received an approved( Concur ) Request from department. We also offer this service for room block ( group travel ).
Posted : 19/04/2022 9:27 am
@Diana Rapista
Your Virtual card program has an extra fee? It seems like i've asked around about that kind of program and there are additional fees associated with that kind of program. Correct?
Posted : 20/04/2022 4:35 am
Hi Darrin
My department UC Travel Center provides travel arrangements for the majority of the UC campuses. We charge service fees for various types of travel transactions. The
direct hotel bill reservation that is guaranteed and paid for by a virtual card is an agent assisted reservation, and we charge the department a $ 15.00 service fee
Posted : 20/04/2022 4:55 am
Diana,
Does the virtual card program cost an additional fee to your university?
Darrin
Posted : 20/04/2022 5:09 am
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