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 Overall Process of Travel Management

Purpose

The goal of this process is the complete, integrated management of all processes involved in a business trip and the travel expenses incurred. The process includes the entire procedure of requesting and planning a trip, accounting the travel expenses and the correct taxation in Payroll Accounting (HR), correct posting of the travel expenses in Financial Accounting (FI), and clearing in Controlling (CO) or Funds Management (FI-FM) according to the allocation-by-cause principle.

Process Flow

The overall process can last a relatively long time, with the actual trip representing the focal point in this process. The following gives an example of the process flow in decentralized organization in which the traveler represents the central figure. Other forms of organization are, of course, also conceivable. For more information, see also Roles in Travel Management .

Travel Request

  1. The traveler uses the SAP system to submit a travel request to his or her manager. The travel request supplies the superior with information such as the date, destination, and purpose of the trip, the transportation and accommodations required, the requested advance and the estimated costs for the trip.

    See also: Travel Request (Travel Manager) , Trip Status (other entry scenarios)

  2. The manager can approve the request, send it back for corrections, or reject it.

    See also: Approve Travel Request (Travel Manager) , Approval of Trips

  3. If an advance is requested and approved, there are the following options for payment :

    • Cash payment by cash office

    • Check

    • Bank transfer to the employee's bank account (via DME)

    • Forwarding of the amounts for payment to financial accounting

      The paid amounts in the first three cases are, however, also forwarded for posting to financial accounting.

      See also: Scenarios for Advance Entry

Travel Planning

  1. After a travel request has been approved, the traveler determines the available travel services (flight, hotel, car rental; in Germany also: train) in a travel plan and books them online in the SAP system. The reservation is made in an external reservation system that must be connected to the SAP system. When the services are selected and booked, the system checks to make sure they comply with the company's travel policies as defined in Customizing for Travel Management. It also applies any existing company-specific rates and rebate agreements.

    See also: Travel Planning , Entry Scenarios of Travel Planning

  2. When the traveler has recorded the travel plan, the booking code (PNR) is entered in the processing queue of the travel agency . The travel agency checks the correctness and consistency of the booking.

  3. If changes are made to the booking outside the SAP system, they are transferred to the SAP system in a synchronization process .

    See also: Synchronization Between SAP Travel Planning and the Reservation System

  4. The travel plan is also transferred to the appropriate manager for approval. As soon as the manager has approved the travel plan, the travel agency can issue the ticket and the trip documents and send them to the traveler.

    See also: Approval Process of Travel Planning

Travel Expense Report

  1. After the trip has been taken, the traveler completes his or her travel expense report , including all necessary data and documents. The system applies all statutory and company-specific specifications stored in Customizing and checks the consistency of the entries against these specifications.

    See also: Travel Expenses , Trip Data Entry (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 manager for approval , who can then release it for settlement.

    See also: Approval of Trips

  3. As soon as the trip is approved, it is settled in the SAP 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.

    See also: Settlement of Trips

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

    See also: Transfer to Accounting , Transfer to HR Payroll Accounting , Transfer to Data Medium Exchange (DME)

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

    • By check

    • Through payroll accounting

    • Through financial accounting

    • By bank transfer to the employee's bank account (via DME)

      The travel expense results are always transferred for posting to Financial Accounting. The amounts are transferred from Financial Accounting to Controlling.

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

    See also: Forms for Travel Expense Statements

Result

A single, complete record of the data of a business trip exists in the SAP system. The travel planning data was recorded in the system for approval or reservation purposes. The documents were issued on the basis of the reserved travel services. The SAP system has settled the travel expenses incurred by the trip and forwarded them for further processing in Financial Accounting, Controlling, Funds Management and (if necessary) Payroll Accounting.