Expense Processing - Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ Number

FAQ

Top Tip

1

How many Claims per month?

Whenever possible, submit one claim per month for your overhead expenses (such as broadband, mobile phones, and stationery).

2

How many Claims per business trip?

Whenever possible, submit one claim per business trip.

Do not submit multiple claims for a single trip unless there are extraordinary circumstances, such as having to book an expensive flight on your own credit card well in advance of a business trip.

3

How much detail should I supply on the Claim?

In the Settlement, describe the Meeting name well.

If you have multiple meetings on one trip, describe each expense in some detail.

For example, if you are traveling to Orlando to go to HIMSS and then traveling to Washington afterward, your taxi from the Orlando airport should be described as “Taxi from the airport, Orlando,” not just “Taxi.” Listing it as “Taxi” requires more work on the part of our Finance team. If you have dinner in Washington with three team members, try to be as descriptive as possible in the system notes or, if necessary, in the attachment. Which meeting? Who attended?

4

How are expense claims processed?

Each expense claim needs to have a single category (if it is overhead, such as stationery or attendance at the April conference) or a single dimension code (for Work Plan Costs).  For accounting purposes, each expense claim should have only one category or dimension, so for example, please do not mix your paper orders (stationery) with your April conference travel expense or your work on Clinical Engagement.

5

What is the general rule of thumb when deciding to allocate costs to Work Plan or Overheads?

The general rule of thumb for travel-related costs is that:

• Staff aligned to Work Plan: Travel costs should be charged to Work Plan

• Staff aligned to Overheads: Travel costs should be charged to Work Plan - Overheads

Teams are aligned as follows:

Exceptions to this Rule

For the following items all staff should charge costs to Overheads i.e. no need to add a dimension code:

1. Home internet – 11225 for non UK resident staff

2. Home Internet – 11241 – UK resident staff

3. Mobile – 11231 for non-UK resident staff

4. Mobile – 11240 for UK resident staff

5. April Conference - Travel - 11404

6. April Conference - Conference - 11619 (facilities-related costs)

7. October Conference - Travel - 11405

8. October Conference - Conference 11620 (facilities-related costs)

9. All Staff Meeting - Travel - 11406

10. Management Team - Conference - 11617 (facilities-related costs)

11. Management Board Meeting - Travel - 11401

12. Management Board - Conference - 11616 (facilities-related costs)

13. IT equipment (as far as possible this should be purchased by RDA)

14. Office stationery - 11220

15. Office printer toner - 11315

16. General postage/courier – 11320 

6

What are the dimension codes to be used for travel costs?

For lines of business attached to the Work Plan: the work items will be listed on zExpense and can be selected when creating a settlement in the section called Dimensions/Work Item

For Overhead lines of business: the same approach can be adopted, each team has its own dimension/work item code as follows:

Comms - Comms

FCS - FCS

Governance - Governance

HR - HR

Note: In some cases, staff members from another line of business may be invited to attend a meeting covered by another budget holder. Therefore, the related dimension code to that work item may be used instead (in doubt, please check with the staff member).

Overhead staff members are required to select the relevant Overhead Work Item Dimension when claiming expenses for travel related to your line of business budget, including for trips for team meetings, SMT meetings (if relevant) and other trips covered by your budget.

7

When does Per Diem apply?

1. Per diems may only be claimed by staff members traveling inside or outside the country of residence, except for UK staff members who are may only claim per diem for travel outside the country of residence.

2. Per diems may only be claimed for the duration of work travel. So, if holidays are attached to these travels, then only the days relating to working days should be claimed for.

3. Danish staff members must use Denmark2 for all related travels outside of Denmark.

4. German staff members must use <Country3> for all related travels outside of Germany. 

8

What are the rules for Mileage Claims?

All staff members have mileage defaulted to the country of residence rates.

9

Are there any special rules for Mobile Phone and Internet/Broadband costs?

UK STAFF ONLY

From 6th April 2017, there will be a change in the way we reimburse those eligible for mobile phone expenses and likewise internet/broadband costs.

They are to be reimbursed via payroll and therefore any tax and NI due on them will be deducted at the source. Please continue to use zExpense to submit any claim, but from 6^th April, please use the following codes

UK Employees Mobile Phone – Account Code 11240

UK Employees Broadband Charges – Account Code 11241

The Finance Team will then run a report from zExpense for these two accounts and add them to the payroll. The report will be run once a month - at the end of the month.

As long as you forward the expenses on zExpense by the end of each month then they will appear on the report and be added to the following month's payroll.

10

What do Finance review when checking claims?

The Finance Team will go through each line to make sure your expenses are documented, make sense and match up to the receipts/supporting paperwork, and are in the correct currency.

Our external auditors will at the interim and final audit select a random selection of claims to verify.

11

What should I check before submitting an expense claim on zExpense?

1. Did you submit a Travel Authorization request to your Line Manager prior to travel?

2. Ensure amounts claimed tie-up with the group or individual travel requests.

3. Did you prepare one expense claim for each trip or a bundled expense claim for overhead items?

4. Did you include a category (for overhead) or dimension code (if project-related)?

5. Did you write in the “Note” section of each expense enough information so that the Finance team will understand what the expense was? (e.g. “Taxi from the airport, Orlando,” not just “Taxi”).

6. If you are Denmark-based, did you use “Denmark 2” for your per diems, regardless of where in the world outside of Denmark you were? (The other “Denmark” is for other staff who travel to Denmark.)

7. Ensure all expenses have receipts attached and that the receipt amount matches what you are claiming.

8. Ensure IT-related expenses are pre-approved by Rory Davidson and your Line Manager ahead of the expense being incurred.

9. Ensure Training/Education expenses are pre-approved by HR and your Line Manager ahead of the expenses being incurred.

10. Ensure the currency claimed matches the currency of the actual expense incurred.

11. Ensure that the hotel rates are within the Travel Policy limits ie USD 200 per night (not including tax) or if in the UK, GBP 200 (not including VAT). Anything above these limits requires pre-approval by the Line Manager.