Almost every company is faced with the need to send employees on business trips. Labor laws are constantly changing, so it is important to keep up with new regulations and requirements, including in the field of work travel. For example, as of 2015, the official assignments and travel certificates that were previously required for official travel were abolished.
In this material we will look at the procedure for registering a business trip in 2021 and provide step-by-step instructions on how to do it.
Step 1 — Making a business trip order
Documentation of a business trip begins with the issuance of an order. It can be compiled in free form, or use the unified form T-9. The order must reflect the following information:
- Name of the employee, his position and department
- Destination
- Purpose of trip
- Dates of trip
- Procedure for compensation of expenses
After issuing the order, it is necessary to familiarize the employee with it and sign it.
You also need to make changes to the time sheet, marking the travel dates as a business trip.
Step 2 — Payment of advance payment and daily allowance
To receive an advance payment for tickets and accommodation, as well as daily allowance, the employee must submit a corresponding application. The application should indicate the requested amount and the period for which it is issued (dates of travel).
The advance amount is calculated based on the current cost of travel to the destination and back and the approximate price of hotel accommodation for the entire period of the business trip. This amount also includes daily allowance, the amount of which is set by each company independently.
The advance is paid to the employee in cash or transferred to a card. Within three days after returning from a business trip, he will have to report on the funds spent in an advance report.
Step 3 – Booking tickets and hotels
Different employees may be responsible for booking accommodation and tickets in different companies – both business travelers themselves and HR managers or travel coordinators.
If employees often go on business trips, then it makes sense to connect to a corporate booking system, for example, OneTwoTrip for Business. This will automate the process, as well as reduce costs thanks to discounts and corporate rates.
Step 4 – Preparation of expense report
After returning from a business trip, the employee must provide an advance report within three days. The report should indicate how much was paid in advance and how much of this amount was spent, as well as detail expense items (tickets, hotel, daily allowance). Supporting documents must be attached to the report – receipts, checks, etc.
If an employee spent less than what was issued, he will need to return the remaining funds (however, this does not apply to daily allowances, which the employee spends at his own discretion). If there was an overspending, the expenses were justified and documented, then the employer is obliged to pay the employee the missing amount.
