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Smart Analytics
Implementation & Tool Selection Guide Travel Management
Step-by-step guide for the implementation of travel & expense systems — from requirements analysis to hypercare. Including weighted tool selection evaluation with a compliance focus (travel expense law, input tax deduction, duty of care).
Implementation guide
5 phases from requirements analysis to steady-state operations, including activities, best practices, and deliverables.
Inventory of today's travel process — from booking to billing — and definition of the target picture with all parties involved.
Activities
- Document actual process: travel request, booking, receipt entry, approval, billing, reimbursement
- Quantify travel volume, document quantities, and lead times per billing (costs per billing as baseline)
- Conduct stakeholder interviews (travelers, travel management, accounting, HR, works council, IT, management)
- Raising compliance requirements: travel expense regulations and allowances, input tax deduction, document retention, duty of care
- Prioritize mandatory/optional requirements in the requirements specification — including travel policy as a technical basis
Best practices
- Update the travel policy before selecting the system — the system should reflect the policy, not replace it
- Involve accounting and tax consulting early: flat rates, input tax, and account assignment determine acceptance
- Take travelers seriously as a user group — mobile receipt capture is the most important lever for acceptance
Deliverables
- Specification with prioritized requirements
- Process map current state (booking to refund)
- Compliance requirements catalog including current travel policy