You can use the R/3 Travel Expenses application to carry out all the travel expense activities involved in a business trip. The aim of this process is the complete and integrated administration of travel expenses from the entry through to correct taxation in Payroll (HR), correct posting in Financial Accounting (FI), and clearing in Controlling (CO) or Funds Management (FI-FM) according to the allocation-by-cause principle.

The Travel Expenses process occurs once the trip has taken place and can be used either together with or separately from R/3 Travel Planning. When using Travel Expenses in combination with R/3 Travel Planning the Travel Planning data is prepared appropriately and transferred to Travel Expenses

2. The expenses department checks the travel expense report and the original documents and receipts. Now the travel expense report is sent to the superior for approval, who can then release it for settlement.

3. As soon as approval is granted, the trip is settled in the R/3 System: On the basis of the trip provisions set for the relevant traveler, the system determines the travel expense results, especially the amount for reimbursement. To determine the reimbursement amount, you can choose between per diem/flat rate reimbursement and reimbursement according to individual receipts for meals, accommodations and travel costs; for all other categories, reimbursement on the basis of individual receipts must be used.

4. The travel expense results are prepared to suit the method of payment chosen and made available to the corresponding components (Financial Accounting, Payroll, Controlling, Funds Management) with the appropriate additional information.

5. The payment of reimbursement amounts can now take place as follows:

• By check
• Via Payroll
• Via Financial Accounting
• By bank transfer to the employee's bank account (via DME)

The travel expense results are always, however, transferred for posting to Financial Accounting. Transfer of amounts to Controlling takes place via Financial Accounting.

6. The traveler receives a travel expense statement with the relevant trip data and the corresponding settlement results.

If a planned trip, for which an advance has been paid, does not take place, or if the travel expense report for a trip, for which an advance has been paid, is rejected, then the trip advance has to be canceled. The trip advance is reclaimed and the amount to be canceled is transferred to Financial Accounting.

If for a trip that has been taken and settled, for which a reimbursement was paid, the travel expense report is then subsequently rejected, the travel expense report has to be canceled. The reimbursement amount is reclaimed and the travel expenses to be canceled are transferred to Financial Accounting and the necessity for retroactive accounting transferred to Payroll.

The employee receives a statement containing the relevant facts and the corresponding settlement results for the canceled trip.

A single, complete record of the facts of a business trip has been made in the R/3 System. The R/3 System has settled the travel expenses incurred by the trip and forwarded them for further processing to Financial Accounting, Controlling, Funds Management and, if necessary, to Payroll.

For more information on the interactive process of Travel Management, see the relevant ASAP documentation.