Business Trip Report
Report what the trip was for and what came of it, then settle its costs: each cost in its own currency with the rate, converted and added up, minus any advance.
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Country versions
- International
- United States *
- Korea *
- Japan *
- Germany *
* check with local advice
A template, not advice.
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What it is
A business trip report does two jobs after you come back. It tells your employer what the trip was for and what came of it, and it settles what the trip cost. The report part is how the people who did not travel learn the outcome: who you met, what was agreed, what happens next and who is responsible. The settlement part is how accounting pays you back and closes any advance you received.
This form puts both on one sheet. In the report you write the purpose, the itinerary day by day, a short summary of the results, the decisions taken and a follow-up list with owners and dates. In the settlement you choose one settlement currency, then list each cost in the currency you actually paid, with the rate that turns it into the settlement currency. The form converts every line, adds the converted amounts, subtracts an advance and shows either what is payable to you or what you return. Nothing is looked up for you: the rates, the allowances and the amounts are the ones you type, taken from your employer's policy. The Korean and Japanese versions add approval boxes and seals, and the German version adds the times of departure and return and the meals that were provided. It is a general template, not tax or legal advice, and it never works out an allowance or a tax.
When to use it
- You came back from a trip and your employer wants a report and the costs settled.
- The trip included costs in more than one currency.
- You received an advance and have to settle it.
- Others need to know what was agreed and who does what next.
- You want one document for the file instead of an email plus a spreadsheet.
How to fill it in
- Fill in the destination, the dates and who you travelled with, and write the purpose of the trip.
- Add the itinerary: one line per day or meeting, with the place and the people you met.
- Write the results first, then the decisions, and list the follow-up with an owner and a due date for each.
- Choose the settlement currency and note the source of the rates, such as the company monthly rate or the card statement.
- List each cost in the currency you paid, with the kind of cost; add the rate for every line that is not in the settlement currency.
- Type any advance, read what is payable or to be returned, attach the receipts, then sign and send for approval.
Common mistakes
- Entering a rate the wrong way round, so a foreign cost comes out far too large or small.
- Converting the amount yourself and also entering a rate, which converts it twice.
- Using different rates for costs of the same day without saying why.
- Writing a report that lists activities but not the result.
- Leaving out the follow-up, so nobody knows who does what next.
- Forgetting the advance, so the same money is paid twice.
Steps at a glance
- Fill in
- Check the preview
- Save as PDF, Word or Excel
Country versions
Pick the country you need. Each version uses the wording and layout commonly found there; a version marked “check with local advice” should be read by someone who knows the local rules before it is used.
- International (XX): Written in English, Korean, Japanese, German
- United States (US): Written in English – check with local advice
- Korea (KR): Written in Korean, English – check with local advice
- Japan (JP): Written in Japanese, English – check with local advice
- Germany (DE): Written in German, English – check with local advice
Designs
The same form in several designs. The fields and the wording stay the same; only the look changes.
- Ledger
- Banner
- Executive
- Classic
- Modern
- Formal
- Minimal
- Side band
- Compact
- Boxed form
- Warm
- Plain (black and white)
Your details fill it in
Fields that ask for your name, address or company details are filled from My details, so you do not type them again; you can still change any field for one form. Signed in, your details stay in your account; otherwise they stay in this browser only. A passport, identity or social security number is never saved.
Questions
- How do I read the rate column?
- The rate says how much of the settlement currency one unit of the paid currency is worth. If a hotel bill is 1,150 Singapore dollars and one Singapore dollar is 0.78 US dollars, enter 0.78 and the line shows 897.00 US dollars. Leave the rate empty for costs already in the settlement currency.
- Which rate should I use?
- The one your employer prescribes, for example a company monthly rate, the rate on your card statement or a published reference rate on the day. The form does not look rates up, so write the source in the box above the table.
- Does the form work out daily allowances?
- No. Allowances depend on your employer's policy and, in some countries, on rules that change. Work the amount out with your policy or payroll team and enter it as a daily allowance. This is a general template, not tax advice.
- Do I have to write a report if nothing came of the trip?
- Yes, briefly. State what was tried and why it did not lead to a result; that is useful for the next person who travels there.
- Is this form legal, tax or accounting advice?
- No. It is a template: it gives you the usual structure and wording, not advice. Rules differ by country and case, so have someone qualified read anything that matters before you sign, send or file it.
- Which countries and designs does it come in?
- It comes in 5 country versions: International, United States, Korea, Japan, and Germany. 12 designs.
A form is a template, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Rules differ by country and case.