Creating a Pre-Approval
What is a pre-approval?
A pre-approval is a mandatory authorization requested via Emburse (formerly Chrome River) before certain expenditures occur. It acts as a "budget check" to ensure funds are available and that the upcoming cost is officially sanctioned by the university.
When is it required?
You must submit a pre-approval for any of the following:
Costs > $500
Any trip or business purchase where total estimated expenses exceed $500.
Travel-Specifics
All air/rail bookings (regardless of cost) and any international travel (p. 1)
Non-Employee Expenses
When processing costs for guests or students who do not have system profiles.
Step-by-step: Creating a non-travel pre-approval
⚠ If you are planning a significant non-travel expenditure (e.g., a high-cost event or a bulk supply purchase requiring advance budget approval), follow these steps in Emburse:
1. Initiate the request
> Log in to Emburse.
> On the Dashboard, locate the Pre-approval ribbon and click the + CREATE button.
2. Complete the header (non-travel)
The header identifies the purpose and budget for your request:
- > Report Name Use a clear, identifiable name (e.g., "FY24 Annual Department Awards Ceremony").
- > Type of Report Select Non-Travel or the most relevant non-travel category available in your drop-down menu.
- > Business Purpose Provide a brief explanation of why the expenditure is necessary for university business.
- > Dates Enter the anticipated date of the purchase or the date of the event the funds will support.
- > Allocation Search for and select the correct Banner Index that will be charged.
3. Add estimated expenses
- > Click the + Button to add line items.
- > Select the expense tiles that match your needs (e.g., business meals, supplies, or registration fees).
- > Enter Estimates Input the maximum amount you expect to spend. It is better to slightly over-estimate than under-estimate, as this "encumbers" the funds in the system.
4. Attach supporting documentation
- > Upload Upload any quotes, invoices, or event flyers as PDFs to the request. This helps your Authorized and Fiscal Approvers understand the cost justification.
5. Submit for approval
- > Review the Summary for accuracy.
- > Click SUBMIT. The report will route to your Authorized Approver (supervisor) and Fiscal Approver (budget manager).
Post-approval action
Once approved, you will receive a unique 12-digit number to reference your pre-approval authorization.
For Reimbursements
When the purchase is made, "import" this Pre-Approval into your final Expense Report to link the actual costs to the authorized estimate.
For Direct Payment
Provide this number to your fiscal office if they are paying a vendor directly on your behalf.