By Brett Driscoll
Inlogik have long been well known for their workflow based Expense Management Solution; ProMaster. It is now an integral part of many clients internal processes, as it provides cost-effective and accurate processing of low-value, high-volume expenses through Corporate Card programmes, Travel Card programmes and Out of Pocket Expense Claims. Many Inlogik clients look to ProMaster to add other purchase to pay functions to their solution mix, this led to the development of the new Travel Planning Module.
Put simply, ProMaster Travel Planning works by creating a travel request (or plan) on-line using an existing ProMaster system, this replaces a manual paper-based form process. Travel requests are then directed to the relevant approver or reviewer for confirmation, and once the travel has commenced, these costs are simply aligned with what has already been approved. Multiple alerts and email reminders help by streamlining this process and avoiding delay in confirmations.
What else can ProMaster Travel Planning do?
- Profiles preferred suppliers and contract rates to encourage compliance. Preferred airline and car hire policy can be enforced, and average rates on common routes are profiled for budget estimation.
- Utilises ProMaster workflow to direct the Travel Request to the relevant approver or reviewer.
- Can separate cost approval and duty-of-care, domestic and international travel for different sign-off.
- Provides a template for calculating the full cost of travel and seeks a budget approval prior to commitment.
- Generates multiple alerts and emails to various parties as necessary.
- Includes a multi-night accommodation option at one or many profiled locations, or allows stay at a place of the traveller’s own choosing (like their mum’s).
- Provides for those organisations with allowances pre-paid for incidentals, per diems, or a meals package, this is calculated through a configured allowance feature. Miscellaneous costs are also considered.
- Company travel policy can be enforced by predetermined extras such as insurance and a contract agreement to policy.
- A Travel Diary provides detail of who travelled, when they travelled and where, in accordance with ATO policy. This recognises any personal travel while travelling.
- Costing is allocated to the sponsoring responsibility code, with provision for a personal contribution or calculation of FBT.
- An entire plan is presented to an Approver for review, who has the option of accepting, or rejecting portions of, or the entire plan.
Once the plan has been accepted and the travel has taken place the transactions on the corporate card and any personal expenses made that require reimbursement are displayed alongside the plan. The expenses can then be aligned with each receipt or transaction ready for payment. At this point the final figures will reveal the ‘actual’ versus ‘planned’ spend.
ProMaster Travel Planning holds many benefits for its users:
- An online form to plan and request travel.
- A configurable approval workflow that directs the plan to managers, reviewers and travel administrators.
- Provides clear and complete budget allocation for travel costs.
- Enables travel cost approval to be directed to the owner of the funds.
- Provides a simple reconciliation between actual expenses and the plan reducing personal administration.
Travel Planning is a great ‘add-on’ to a companies existing ProMaster System, however it must be stressed, that this is NOT a substitute for your booking system, and therefore may not suit all company structures. However, if your business currently has a paper based travel requisition process, struggles with reconciling expenses with travel, requires more than one level of approval or review or requires a pre-trip authorisation to travel prior to booking – then the ProMaster Travel Module may be a suitable solution.
Please contact us if you would like further information, or a personal demonstration of the ProMaster Travel Module.