Guest Author - Sacha Michelle Pilgrim

In a perfect world, a business trip wouldn’t cost you a dime. The truth is many of us have to pay for meals and other expenses with the promise of later reimbursement. For instance, my company books my flight, pays for my hotel and gives me an expense form to fill out with the rest of my travel costs. In situations like this, it is important to understand your companies travel expense policy and to learn how to maintain a good record of your expenses. Follow these tips for quick and easy reimbursement:


•Ensure you know your companies travel expense policy. Each company has restrictions on what they are willing to reimburse. Some companies have a daily meal allowance whereas other companies provide a maximum trip allowance. Make sure you know what the limits are to ensure you prevent spending from your own pocket. If you have any questions be sure to ask your supervisor before leaving.

•Find out when you will be reimbursed. Will your company reimburse you after each business trip? Or are expense forms only processed a few times a year? Knowing the answers to these questions will help you to better budget your trip and give you an idea as to when to submit your travel expense form.

• Make sure you get a receipt for everything. No matter how inexpensive the purchase, get a receipt because everything adds up. Get in the habit of asking for a receipt and placing it in a safe place.

•Store and organize your receipts. Designate a folder for your travel expense receipts. Organize them a way similar to the layout of your travel expense form. Personally, I divide my receipts into categories such as transportation, food and accommodations. If your travel expense form is divided into days, organize your receipts the same way.

•Fill out your travel expense form as soon as you get home. While your trip is still fresh in your mind, complete your expense form. This ensures you don’t forget anything and it also decreases the chance of you losing any receipts. Make sure you keep a photocopy of your receipts in case your company loses the originals.

By following these tips you will be able to quickly fill out your travel expense form and get reimbursed without any fuss.