SAP CO Travel Management (Part 2)

Creating a Travel Request

Let us see how to create a travel request. There are some steps which needs to be followed by creating a travel request. So first, we’ll go from the SAP easy access menu where we need to create a travel request. So we’ll choose Accounting, then Financial accounting, then Travel management, then Travel manager, and there we’ll click on Create a travel request. Once we click on that, we’ll get a screen where we have to enter the general trip data. Now here there are some areas of options that is when you can expand the data entry areas by choosing the expand button. So we have some options which needs to be selected that is which needs to be entered by clicking on the expand button. So first we’ll have to add the destinations. So here we’ll enter the destination of the trip segments that follow the first destination. So here we’ll have to enter the destination details. Then we have something called trip advance that is if you require a trip advance, we’ll have to enter that advance amount in that particular field. The advance amount is converted into the expense amount directly. The entry for the required advance is used as information for approval of the travel request at a later date and forms the basis for the payment. So this is the trip advance field, which is been converted into the expense amount directly, and then it has been calculated on the later date. That’s the latest stages during the travel expense report.

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After trip advance, we have something called cost assignment for the trip. So here, we can assign 100% of the cost for the entire trip to one account assignment object that is different to the one specified in the travel expense assignment guideline. So all these details are saved under a cost assignment number for that particular trip. Now the system adjusts the second field that is the account assignment object type field. So here we’ll have to enter that particular account assignment object type in that field, and in the second field, we’ll have to enter the account assignment object values. So these fields are only mentioned if necessary, that is, if it is required for that particular trip.  After this, we have something called as commands field. So this is a user defined text file. Here we can enter any additional commands for that trip. So it helps in providing additional information for the manager when he is approving that particular trip. Now after this, we’ll go to the request transportation accommodation area. So here we’ll provide these details in this request transportation slash accommodation area field, the details for that particular trip. So this is how we mention the details by clicking on the expand button.

After this, we’ll go to our overview table where the trip destinations specified in the previous section have been entered automatically. So there is a table where the destinations are saved automatically, which has been entered in the previous air destination field. And from here, you can request the required travel services by clicking the push button for the appropriate service. So since we have mentioned the destination in the previous field, the data is saved and copied into this overview table. And from there, we can automatically request for the required travel services. Now here we can select the line of the location, which we want to edit and expand the data area of the corresponding table service underneath the overview table directly. So in this overview table, we can directly enter the travel services by clicking the push button. And we can enter the location, which we want to edit and expand the data area. Then in the data area, we enter the required data and choose the copy button for quick copy info to request. So in the data area, we’ll have to enter the required data. And after this, we’ll save the complete travel request by choosing the save button. So this is how we create a travel request. After that, if you want to use the overview button with quick info overview of the tip, we’ll press the F5 key to go to an overview of the booking information or we can have the trip approved by choosing the approve with quick info approve button or we can press F8. So this is how we view the overview of that particular trip, and we can approve the trip by choosing the approve button. So this is the creation of a travel request.

Sending a Travel Request

After the creation of a travel request, next we send the travel request to the superior for the approvals. Now here, first, we’ll see what is the use of that particular travel request. Now once we have saved a travel request, we need to send it to the superior for approval via the SAP communication interface. Now if an approval of the business trip is not required at your enterprise, you can use the travel request as a travel plan model and send it to the person responsible for booking the requested flights, hotels, or car rentals. Now if it happens that the particular request has been approved and that is has been sent for an approval, and you are not the intended person for approving that particular request, then you can send it to the person who is responsible for booking that requested flights, hotel, or car rentals.

Now after the use, we see the process. That is a procedure for sending a travel request. Now in the travel management menu, we’ll choose the travel manager. Then we’ll select the travel request from the overview area and choose the change button. Then we’ll choose the send button, and an overview of the trip data appears. From there, we’ll choose that particular trip data, and we’ll enter the recipient, and then we’ll choose the send button again. So this is how we send a travel request to the travel manager. So this is the process of the sending a travel request.

Next, after sending the travel request, we’ll see the result of that particular request. The result is the travel request would be sent, and the recipient can then approve the travel request or book the travel services. This is the result which we get after sending a travel request for the approval, and the requester can then book the travel services for the traveller.

Now after sending the travel request, we’ll see how to approve a travel request. Now for approving the travel request, first, we’ll see the use of the approving. You can approve a travel request individually using the travel manager so that an automatic transfer of the requested trip advance can be made via financial accounting. The appropriate travel request must have been approved. This was the use of approving the travel request so that an automatic transfer of the requested trip can be made.

Now there are some prerequisites which needs to be taken care of while approving a request. Let us see what they are. In order to approve the travel request, you require a special authorization. The setting for this authorization is made in the authorization concept of the role assigned to you. In the standard delivery, the approving manager, that is, this particular role for that manager has this authorization. So you can edit the roles from the SAP easy access menu via tools administration user maintenance role. Here before we approve a travel request, we require some authorization, which is assigned to that particular user or that particular User ID. So this role is SAP_FI_TV_MANAGER_GENERIC role. So this is the authorization role which a particular approver, that is, a travel request approver, requires. So you can go to SAP easy access menu, there you can edit this role under the administration user maintenance rules. So via this role, you can approve a travel request. Now the process for approving a travel request is we’ll go to travel management menu, then we’ll click on the travel manager. Then we’ll choose the list of all the trips. From there, we’ll select the travel request, which is to be approved and we’ll choose a change button, and then we’ll click on the approve button. So this is how we approve a particular travel request. Now to approve the travel request using the approval program, we can proceed as in the menu, we’ll choose the travel management, travel expenses, periodical processing, and then approve request, or that is approve trips. Once the tab page status, that is, the status tab page opens, enter the approval status field. That is the value 1 is to be entered as a selection criteria, then they will choose the execute button to execute that program. Then they will select all the trips needs, which needs to be approved, and then they will choose the enter button. So this is how we approve a travel request via an SAP standard program.

Now what would be the result after approval? Once the object travel request from the travel manager has been approved, the status of the corresponding travel expense report for a trip also changes the request from approved to be settled. The person responsible for processing the request can see from the overview of the trip that the request has been approved and can then carry out the appropriate travel planning or travel expense statement. So once the request has been approved by the manager, the trip changes from request approved to be settled part. And then the person who is responsible, that is, a traveller, can then see the overview of that trip. That is, a request has been approved can be seen in that overview table and then can carry other appropriate travel planner. You can see or generate a travel expect statement, and if advances has been requested for the trip, the transfer via financial accounting can then be made after the approval. So this is the result, which we get once a request has been approved. Now here we have seen what is the process, that is, how do we create a travel request, how do we send a travel request for approval, and how the manager or the superior approves a travel request.

Now last we’ll see mass approval. Now here we can approve a large number of travel requests using the approval program for the trips. Now this type of travel request approval refers to the status request approved slash to be settled for the object travel expense report and not to the object travel request in the travel manager. So mass approval means we can approve large number of travel requests using a SAP standard program. And here it refers to the status that is request approved or to be settled for that particular travel expense report. So this is how we do a mass approval in travel management.

Summary

Let us summarize what we have learned from this session, which was on travel management. Now here we have seen the overall process of travel management. Further, we have seen the process flow of travel management, which includes, how to request a trip, how to plan a trip, what are the expense reports, then expense report statement. Then we have seen how to do the payment for financial accounting, cost accounting, and taxation via payroll. So these were the process which we have seen under travel management. After process flow, we have seen how to request a travel expense or we can say a travel trip. Then we have seen how to plan a travel trip and what is travel expense report. So these were the things which we have learned on the process of travel management.

After that, we have seen how to create a travel request. So there were some steps which we have followed for creating a travel request. Then we have seen how to send a travel request for the approver to the superior. So there were some steps which we have followed for sending a travel request to the approval. Here we have seen what is the use of that particular travel request, then the procedure, that is, the steps, and the result, which we get while we send a request for the approval. Then we have seen how to approve a travel request, that is, the manager will approve the travel request. So, here there were some steps which we have followed while approving a travel request. And last, we have seen mass approval, that is, multiple travel requests, or we can say trips can be approved at the same time via SAP system. So these were the things which we have learned under travel management.