Work Reimbursement

[LivingAlmostLarge]

How do you get reimbursed from work for business expenses? Like travelling, etc? Do you have to go on the trip first, though you prepay it by a few months? Or can you submit immediately?

Do you have a business CC? Or does the company pay you upfront before you even charge or debit it?

I've only experienced paying for something, usually by CC, going and then getting reimbursed much later. But some person suggested asking for cash upfront, but it seems weird.

[disneysteve]

I always front the charges on my credit card (so I get the reward points) and get reimbursed later. I think that's the best way. Sometimes it takes weeks or a month or so, but that's fine with me. No matter what, it is free reward points for me.

[Snave]

I have a company credit card. How big is your company? If you are doing a lot of traveling or paying expenses on your own cc and then getting reimbursed, then I would suggest talking with someone about other options. Why couldn't they get a company card for you? If this isn't an option, do they have a secretary or someone like that that could book your tickets and hotel through the company? I think you are taking on the risk and they are not. What happens if you leave the company and are trying to get reimbursed and they try to stick you with the bill. Or if the company goes under or something and again, you are stuck with stuff on your cc. I'm not seeingf any risk on their part and 100% on your part.

[jIM_Ohio]

I used to travel for work for a living. It depends.

If the trip was long or expensive, it is possible to get a cash advance for the trip. Examples might include a trip to Hawaii where the per diem rates are quite high, or a 5 week trip with frequent stops.

I could spend cash or charge on a company credit card. Certain expenses needed to be charged (hotel, car, airline). Meals over $x (usually $25) needed to be charged as well.

In some cases people would file an expense report then get reimbursed within 7 days. Other times it took 2-3 weeks. The issue then becomes if you have to purchase airline tickets 3 weeks early (for cheap fares) then take trip and get reimbured 6 weeks later. That cc bill might be past due which might prevent the next trip from getting booked.

The first solution is to submit two expense reports for the one trip so the airline amount is paid before the bill makes it to the USPS.

For moderate expenses (group lunches) petty cash could be used if the organization had such a fund. This fund might also get used for computer equipment or similar if a short term problem came up.

Depends on the company, the expense, and a few other factors.

[skydivingchic]

My company does a combination. We are required to book air travel through the company's travel agent. When you call to book they ask for a billing code, so air travel gets billed directly to the project or overhead account the travel is for. Depending on the travel, the hotel may be booked and paid for directly through the company/travel agency as well.

Things that aren't booked directly through the travel agency are put onto an expense report and reimbursed in about 2-3 weeks.

A couple examples. I recently travelled back to company headquarters for some training. The airline was booked and paid through the travel agency. The hotel was booked for my by the company as part of the training seminar. I paid for a couple meals while in transit, parking at the airport, and a shuttle from the airport to the seminar site. Those expenses were submitted on an expense check and I'll receive reimbursement in 2-3 weeks, but all total they were less than $100.

Over the years I've done several training classes. I pay for the classes up front and then immediately fill out an expense statement for reimbursement. I've also had to drive to customer sites a lot. I log my milage on my personal vehicle and then fill out an expense statement for reimbursement of milage at the federal rate.

I've never heard of having to book and pay for a major expense but not get reimbursed until months later. I would find that to be an unacceptable arrangement.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

He is not a saleman. He will travel once a year for continuing education to a conference/course. Thus the charges. He is an entry level guy at a large company.

Like skydiving, he has to pay up front and then will get reimbursed later. The conference is in October so it's not months from now, it's about 8 weeks out.

So everyone going booked together to get same flight and staying together. This has happened before.

I do it as well for my travel. We get one free trip a year for work, for continuing education. Sorry it's not like he's a someone who has a secretary. And everyone booked individually.

Last company he was at there was a travel secretary. Turns out she didn't book his ticket, she "held" it and when he showed up at the airport there was a reservation but no ticket.

He ended up paying for the airline ticket anyway on our CC, first class no less, considering he was standing right there and his coworkers with him. They freaked out as well.

This new company has everyone take the risk on themselves. I'm not sure what would happen if he seperated within 8 weeks. Probably why people don't book more than 2 months advance for conferences, airlines tickets, etc.

[zakity]

With DH's company, they pay upfront for the airline. You pay for everything else and then put it on an expense report when you get home.

[atomicrc11]

My company requires airfare, hotel, and car be booked through the online tool we have. The airfare must go on the corporate card or it will not be reimbursed. Everything else can go on any card. Reports must be submitted weekly while traveling and as long as rules aren't broken, such as more than $50/day on food, then all cash is approved for payment immediately and direct deposited in 2-3 days. The other option is to use the corporate Amex for as much as possible and they send the payment directly to them. There is always something in cash or other cards since not everyone takes Amex.

Where I used to work, I could ask for a partial amount of money upfront and then submit my receipts when I was done traveling. Then I would be reimbursed for the difference.

[safari]

At my company I have to charge all travel expenses on my own credit card and then submit an expense report upon return. It usually takes from 2 weeks to 1 month to get reimbursed. Only directors and above have a corporate credit card, which they must use for all expenses, but I believe they still receive bills that they have to pay to the credit card company and then get reimbursed like everyone else.

[Tree0164]

My husband travels several times a year for business. His flight is paid for by using the company's travel agent. The hotel is paid for my husband on our own personal Credit card and then reimbursed. We figure we got some credit card rewards and his company pays pretty quickly.

[red92s]

Ahhhh....expense reports, a subject near and dear to my hear (I've expensed about $40k YTD).

We have a website where we can book air travel, hotels, and rental cars. All of those go straight to the company CC.

For "complicated" international travel we go through our secretary and an agent.

incidental expenses occurred while traveling (Food, etc) are all charged to the card as well, but can be paid personally and reimbursed.

Our expense reports are done online, and CC transactions are imported automatically. Much of the info is imported straight from the merchant (type, location, date, etc). Receipts are scanned/faxed for verification. Hardcopies of International receipts are then mailed to the main office for VAT reclaim processing. Any personally charged items are reimbursed via direct deposit on the pay cycle after the expense report is approved.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Wow wide variety of experiences.

[toboramai]

goes on company credit card which I have to pay off when the company reimburses me which is within 2 weeks.

[boosami]

The last two companies I have worked for had several options, and it was nice to have the flexibility.

I have a company credit card and each month they review the charges and pay them as long as they are valid work expenses (if not, I have to pay them and applicable interest). If you did not use your credit card because you forgot it, or otherwise had to use cash, they reimburse you within 2 weeks of turning in your receipts. Finally, you have the option to take out an advance for a month's worth of expenses. They cut you a check and at the end of the month if you haven't spent it all the remainder would be deducted from your next paycheck. You can combine using cash (either personal or through an advance) with use of the company credit card.

I almost exclusively used the credit card because I didn't have to deal as much with receipts. Though it was nice to know I'd be able to take out an advance if I had needed it and was going somewhere that only accepted cash.

Airfare has always been paid upfront by the company's travel departments.

[simpleyme]

my DH company books the hotels and flights from the office and uses the CEOs credit card as he wants all the CC reward points

if DH is traveling with his bosses they just pay for everything including meals and rental cars
if he is by himself he pays for meals then we have to wait about a month to be reimbursed, the company books the rental car but that rarely works and we have to put it on our card and be reimbursed, car rental companies are a pain

he was offered a company credit card but turned it down as he used to only travel about once a year but this past year they have made him travel out of state for weeks at a time

it takes about a month to get our money back, and getting cash up front would never be an option they would laugh ,the exects probably have not seen cash in decades ;-)