Resources
Filing Expense Reports

Expense Reports

The expense report must be filed online through the NU Financial System (NUPortal), and you may reach out to me-purchasing@northwestern.edu for questions about entry.

How to File Your Expense Report

  • Log into the NUPortal
    • Problems logging in? Call Customer Service at 1-4357, Option 2
  • Log in to NU Financials (on the left side)

Once You Are in the NU Financials System

  • Click Employee Self-Service
  • Click Travel and Expense Center
  • Click Expense Report then click Create to create a new expense report

Expense Report Entry

Expense Report Training Guides

Create Expense Report Screen

General Information

When you are on the “Create Expense Report” screen, you must fill out the following information:

  • Description: Please fill out the details of your travel or reimbursement. If you have additional information to include, you can use the comment box for more space.
  • Business Purpose: Choose one from the drop-down menu that matches the purpose of your report.
  • Accounting Default: Click the link below “Default Location” to get to this screen. You must designate the chartstring to be charged by including the fund, department, PC Bus. Unit (type NWUNV), project, and activity codes.

Details Tabs

  • Overview: Include the expense type, expense date, and amount.
  • Detail: Fill out a description of the receipt.
  • Air/Hotel: Type in the ticket number of the flight, and show how many nights you spent in the hotel (only include room charges in the hotel tab, charges such as breakfast or long-distance must be listed separately).
  • Mileage: Fill this out if you are claiming mileage on a personal vehicle.
  • Currency: Fill in the exchange rates using Oanda or submit a credit card statement to prove the amount charged in U.S. Dollars.

You can click the “Save for Later” button at any time. Do not click "Submit." Once you are done, click “Save for Later” and “Check Budget.” Print out the form by clicking “Printable View” (located at the bottom right) and sign the form.

The form and original receipts must be filed in the ME office with Sujin Kim.

Only after you receive a follow-up email from Sujin, click the “Submit” button.