The travel request process in SAP Travel Management includes the system-aided handling of the request and approval process for business trips. Paper forms are replaced by an electronic request that can be sent from the R/3 System to the respective manager for approval.

You can call up the travel request object at any time from the overview area of the Travel Manager. You can, therefore, always keep track of the approval status and the approved trip details, and view them at a later date (for example, to compare the facts with the corresponding travel expenses statement).

As you can enter the type and number of transportation and accommodation services required for the trip in the travel request, this can (if the travel does not have the authorization for booking) be used as a reference for booking a trip. The travel agency or area secretary with the necessary booking authorization, can arrange the necessary travel services using Travel Planning in SAP Travel Management based on the travel request.

The travel request can include the following information as required:

• Trip date and time
• Trip destination and reason
• Additional destinations during the trip (trip itinerary)
• Required trip advances
• A cost center that differs from the master cost center, to which the travel expenses are to be assigned.
• Any additional notes/comments for the trip
• The number of travel services required (flights, hotel room, car rental, rail trip)
• Estimated total cost of trip

Due to the integration with Travel Expenses, the travel request data is forwarded directly to Travel Expenses. The corresponding Travel Expense Statement then automatically contains, for example, the general trip data (such as date and reason), any stopovers or requested trip advances, and the assignment of the costs to a cost center if it differs with the master cost assignment.

The use of the travel request is, therefore, linked to the use of Travel Expenses. In addition to the travel request you can also use Travel Planning to determine available flights, hotels, rental cars and trains, and for the online booking of these services.