Meet Buddy
A&F Buddy is the University of Massachusetts President's Office Administration & Finance virtual assistant, designed to help employees, suppliers, and campus stakeholders quickly find answers, access resources, and get support any time they need it. Available 24/7, Buddy makes it easier to locate information, understand processes, and connect with the right resources without having to search multiple websites or wait for business hours.
Whether you are preparing for a trip, submitting an expense report, checking the status of a payment, or looking for guidance on a policy, Buddy can help point you in the right direction. Think of Buddy as your first stop for Administration & Finance information: Ask Buddy First.
What’s New
As of August 2026, Travel & Expense support is now available through A&F Buddy. Users can receive guidance on travel authorizations, expense reports, Concur, business travel policies, Bank Card allocation, and more. As Buddy continues to expand, future enhancements and new service areas will be announced on this page.
How to Use A&F Buddy
When visiting a supported Administration & Finance webpage for the Access Team, Travel & Expense, and UPST needs, look for the Buddy owl icon in the lower-right corner of the screen. Click the icon to launch the chatbot and begin your conversation.
You can ask Buddy a question in plain language, just as you would ask a colleague. For example, “How do I submit an expense report?” or “Where can I find information about suppliers?” Buddy will provide answers, links to resources, and guidance to help you find what you need.
At the end of your interaction, Buddy will ask you to rate your experience. Your feedback helps improve the chatbot and identify opportunities for new content and enhancements.
What Can Buddy Help With?
Buddy can help users locate forms, job aids, policies, standards, and support resources. Currently, Buddy specializes in:
Procurement
- Navigating BuyWays
- Guidance on procurement processes
- Supplier-related questions
- Contract process-related questions
- Bank Card
- Invoices and payments
- Payment status inquiries
- Procurement policies and standards
- Training
Travel & Expense
- Navigating Concur
- Pre-Travel Authorizations
- Booking business travel
- Submitting Expense Reports
- Required supporting documentation
- Bank Card allocation questions
- Business Travel & Expense policies and standards
- Training
Buddy Tips
- Buddy works best when you ask complete questions. Instead of entering a keyword such as “Expense Report,” try asking “How do I correct an Expense Report after it has been submitted?” The more context you provide, the better Buddy can guide you to the right answer.
- When switching topics, it's a good idea to "Clear Conversation" to show you're moving to a different topic.
The Future of A&F Buddy
The success of Buddy has created opportunities to expand support across additional Administration & Finance services. Future enhancements will include:
- Expanded knowledge resources
- Additional department support
- Improved search capabilities
- New self-service guidance
Help Improve Buddy
Have ideas for new content, questions that Buddy could answer better, or suggestions for future enhancements? We want to hear from you.
Email A&FSupport@umassp.edu with your feedback. Your input helps us improve Buddy and expand its knowledge base to better serve the UMass community.
