Why Chrome River and Access

The university has outgrown our current, paper-based system that is very cumbersome.  Chrome River will help streamline our processes and make the travel and expense management process more intuitive.

The link will be provided in future announcements and on the Faculty & Staff page. Chrome River is a web-based system and users will use their myInfo credentials (NetID and password) to log in. You can also access Chrome River from your mobile device using web access or the mobile app.

The Chrome River app and Chrome River SNAP app are both available for Android and IOS.

We are currently operating the software in a testing environment which is why the app is not linking to your MSU profile. Once we go live and you still have this issue, please contact us at chromeriver-help@montana.edu 

Yes! Thank you.  Search for “Chrome River” and select the Chrome River app or the Chrome River SNAP app – or both!  The Chrome River app closely mirrors the desktop application, while Chrome River SNAP exclusively takes pictures of receipts or documentation and uploads them to your Receipt Gallery for later use on an expense report.  

No, Chrome River can be accessed from desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.  The screen will automatically adapt to your device's screen size.

Download Chrome River (not classic).

No. The Chrome River app is more “full-functional” and the Chrome River SNAP app only takes pictures of receipts/documentation and loads them into your eWallet receipt gallery.

When to Use Chrome River

Students cannot log into Chrome River unless they are also an employee of MSU and/or have a P-card.

No, if the expense is not on a P-card, you will continue to process the expense as you always have and outside Chrome River.  

Chrome River is for MSU Purchasing Cards. WEX fleet cards are managed outside Chrome River.  

That is correct.  At this time, Chrome River is only being used for employee travel.  Student travel will continue to use the current processes. 

Chrome River is being implemented to manage only employee travel at this time. If your grad students are employees, they will have their own Chrome River accounts.  For non-employee students, you will continue to use the current paper processes.  

Non P-card, Non-Travel expense reimbursements will be handled outside of Chrome River and through the current BPA process.  Non P-card travel reimbursements can be worked through Chrome River, but P-cards should always be used for MSU official travel expenses like airfare, hotel, rental car, etc.

General Questions

All P-card expenses incurred during a certain month should be worked by the end of that month. Exact timing and how you may group those expenses during the month is up to you (and perhaps your supervisor) to make the process as efficient as possible.

We recommend following the verbiage in the blue note associated with Business Purpose as closely as feasible in order to standardize what is fed into Banner. 

No. There is no longer a need for anyone to have two P-cards. If you have a grant index in a different department than your “home” department, it is okay to select that department from the drop-down menu, rather than your usual home department to ensure the best possible approval routing.  However, when in doubt, it is best to select your home department.  The financial review teams in the first stop of the approval process, can review and reassign reports if the funding is from a different area.

The HR Service Center or you HRBP can best answer this question for you and explain how supervisors were and are determined.

If you are currently receiving your travel reimbursements via ACH, you will continue to do so post-Chrome River implementation. You must have that service (separate from payroll ACH) set up and with the MSU University Business Services office. If you are interested, email accountspayable@montana.edu for the required paperwork.

If they do not have the travel reimbursement ACH request completed with UBS (see above), then reimbursement checks will be sent to the mailing address listed in MyInfo. In the very near future, all MSU employees will have the ability to login to MyInfo and update the address as necessary.