Simplify Your Business Travel with DHPL Travels [2023]

For those who frequently travel for business, we understand the challenges that come with it. The good news is that DHPL Travels has you covered. We provide two travel expense report templates and an alternative solution, the digital travel expense report, to make your life easier.

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Introducing the Travel Expense Report Template

During a business trip, various costs are incurred, such as meals, accommodations, and transportation. To ensure that these expenses are properly accounted for and reimbursed, a travel expense report template is essential. This report is typically filled out by employees and submitted to the employer for reimbursement. Freelancers and self-employed individuals can also use this report to invoice their clients.

To give you a clear understanding of what a travel expense report is and why it’s crucial, let’s answer some common questions.

What is a Travel Expense Report?

A travel expense report, also known as an expense report, provides a comprehensive overview of all costs related to a business trip. It includes expenses that were incurred outside of the usual workplace, and it requires supporting receipts and documents.

Who Can Prepare a Travel Expense Report?

Anyone, regardless of employment status, can create a travel expense report for their business trip. The key requirement is to have proper documentation, such as receipts or other supporting documents, to prove the incurred expenses. It’s essential to discuss this with your employer before the trip to ensure you are aware of the reimbursement process.

Why Should You Create a Travel Expense Report?

Creating a travel expense report is beneficial for two reasons. Firstly, it allows you to claim your travel expenses as tax-free income. Secondly, employers can deduct these expenses for tax purposes. To ensure proper reimbursement and tax compliance, it’s crucial to keep track of all receipts and attach them to the travel expense report.

What Can Be Claimed as Travel Expenses?

Here’s a breakdown of the expenses that can be claimed in your travel expense report:

Accommodation costs
Meal expenses
Travel expenses
Additional travel expenses

Refer to the table below for a more detailed explanation of each expense category:

Travel expense table

Let’s dive deeper into one important aspect of travel expenses – the fixed meal allowance.

The Fixed Meal Allowance

The amount of the meal allowance depends on the duration of your business trip and the country you are traveling to. Longer business trips have different allowances compared to shorter trips. It’s essential to gather all the necessary information regarding meal allowances before your travel.

However, certain items are not eligible for reimbursement in your travel expense report.

What Cannot Be Claimed?

While claiming your travel expenses, it’s vital to include only necessary costs. Here are some expenses that cannot be included in your travel expense claim:

Fines, such as illegal driving, speed cameras, or parking tickets
Non-business-related expenses like massages, minibar charges, or PayTV
Unnecessary baggage fees
Tips not included in the hospitality receipt (if you wish to include them, request a separate receipt)

Next, let’s discuss the mandatory information that should be included in your travel expense report.

Mandatory Information for a Travel Expense Report

When completing your travel expense report template, ensure the inclusion of the following mandatory information:

Name of the traveler
Duration of the business trip
Travel dates with specific start and end times
Destination (city & country)
Purpose or reason for the trip
Settlement date
Traveler’s signature

Remember, attaching all receipts is mandatory for the tax office to acknowledge your travel expense claim.

Simplifying Travel Expense Reporting with DHPL Travels

At DHPL Travels, we aim to streamline your travel expense reporting process. That’s why we offer travel expense report templates for both Word and Excel, providing you with convenient options.

Travel Expense Report Template Word

Our Word template offers all the necessary entry fields discussed earlier. You’ll find spaces to add purchased products or services, as well as the date of purchase, cost description, and amount with and without VAT. The template also includes sections for total amounts and the employer’s signature.

Download your free travel expense report template here.

Travel Expense Report Template Excel

If you prefer using Excel, our Excel template is another excellent option. It also includes the mandatory fields and allows for the description of travel expenses, amounts with and without VAT, and an indication of attached receipts. Additionally, it provides a section for claiming a kilometer allowance.

Download your travel expense report template here.

The Advantages of Digital Travel Expense Reporting

While traditional manual reporting has its benefits, digital travel expense reporting offers several advantages. Here are some of them:

Time-saving: With user-friendly software, submitting expense reports becomes quick and easy. Simply upload a photo of the receipt, and the OCR software does the rest.
Automatic duplicate detection: Digital solutions can automatically detect duplicate invoices, avoiding fraud.
Simplified workflow: Digital expense reports offer an easy workflow setup, ensuring requests are routed to the appropriate managers.
Better overview: Real-time data allows you to track the status of reimbursement requests and maintain a clear overview.
Satisfied employees: The reimbursement process is faster with digital expense reporting, saving time and reducing frustration.
Fewer errors: Digital solutions reduce the risk of human error, ensuring accurate data entry and eliminating missing receipts.
Easy integration: Digital solutions can be seamlessly integrated into your accounting system, streamlining the process.
Real-time data: Cloud-based solutions provide up-to-date data accessible from anywhere.

DHPL Travels offers a range of digital solutions, including our proprietary SpendControl software. Our solutions automate your accounting processes, save you time, and provide a hassle-free experience.