Three years ago, the UMPO Administration & Finance (A&F) community introduced Buddy, a virtual assistant designed to make it easier for employees, suppliers, and other campus stakeholders to find answers, access resources, and get support for UPST/procurement-related questions when they need it. Since then, A&F Buddy has become a familiar destination for self-service assistance, helping users quickly find information and reducing the need to search multiple webpages or wait for support. Based on its success, we're excited to introduce a new chatbot dedicated specifically to Travel & Expense services.

A Faster Way to Get Travel & Expense Answers

Whether you're preparing for an upcoming trip, submitting an expense report, allocating a Bank Card transaction, or looking for policy guidance, the new A&F Buddy - Travel & Expense chatbot is designed to help you find answers quickly and easily.

The chatbot serves as a convenient self-service resource that provides immediate access to frequently requested information, process and policy guidance, and support resources. 

Why We Built It

UMPO Administration & Finance continues to expand self-service support options across its service areas. Following the success of the original A&F Buddy chatbot for UPST, Travel & Expense was a natural next step.

While the chatbot is not intended to replace personalized support, it provides quick access to information already available through Travel & Expense websites and resources, helping users find answers more efficiently.

Employees can use the chatbot for assistance with:

  • How to Submit Expense Reports Including Required Documentation
  • How to Request Pre-Travel Authorizations and Book Travel  
  • Concur Navigation
  • Bank Card Allocation Questions
  • Travel and Business and Travel (BTE) Policies and Standards

By providing a dedicated virtual assistant, we're making it easier for employees to access information on demand while allowing our team to focus more time on complex support requests and personalized assistance. 

Available Whenever You Need It

Available now, the A&F Buddy - Travel & Expense chatbot is available around the clock, giving employees access to support resources whenever questions arise. Whether you're working early in the morning, preparing for a trip after hours, or submitting expenses from the road, help is only a few clicks away.

Think of it as your first stop for Travel & Expense questions, delivering answers whenever and wherever you need them. 

The image shows the question asked, the generated answer and the chatbot going a step further to suggest additional responses for you to check out, videos if available and in fact taking you directly to the sources of its generated answer!
The image shows the question that was asked, along with the answer generated. Furthermore, the chatbot takes it a step further by suggesting additional responses for you to explore, providing videos when available, and directing you to the sources of its generated answer!

Try It Today

Some of your campus colleagues are already participating in the testing activities! We encourage everyone who uses UMPO A&F Travel & Expense services to explore the new chatbot and see how it can simplify everyday tasks. Ask a question, test a scenario, or use it as your first stop for guidance.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on your experience! Please take a moment to fill out the Campus T&E Buddy UAT Feedback Form. If you have any questions or just want to share your feedback directly, feel free to email us at A&FSupport@umassp.edu. Thanks for helping us improve!

 

Return to the Administration and Finance Newsletter homepage