> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://knowledge.maica.com.au/maica-knowledge-base/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://knowledge.maica.com.au/maica-knowledge-base/maica-administration-guide/system-processes/travel-claiming-and-expenses.md).

# Travel Claiming and Expenses

Learn about how Maica automates the generation of travel claiming and expenses.

Maica offers the capability to automate the generation of travel billing records as well as expenses for Resources. This includes dealing with time-based and non time-based travel components as well as a number settings that determine how travel is managed within Maica.

<figure><img src="https://293583916-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9selzjEx6KX7RYEawAVr%2Fuploads%2Fp1Um5nbZyvXoLv2bfP9U%2FMaica%20Solution%20Architecture%20-%20Maica%20Travel%20Management%20Logic.png?alt=media&amp;token=d8e405c9-073b-45fe-ae09-67001234a596" alt=""><figcaption><p>Maica's Travel Mangement Process</p></figcaption></figure>

This diagram represents a workflow related to managing travel information and expenses, particularly in relation to invoicing.

1. **Start**: The process begins with either the **User** or **Google** providing input into the system (possibly related to travel data).
2. **Travel Information**: This step gathers the necessary travel information, which then splits into different possible paths:
   * **Time-Based Travel Settings**: These settings include rules or restrictions related to time, such as specific dates or durations of travel.
   * **Travel Caps**: There might be limits or caps in place, such as restrictions based on **Apprentice Program**, **Client Types**, **Virtual Staffing**, or **Service Agreements**. These caps ensure that travel expenses do not exceed certain thresholds.
3. **Invoice Line Item**: Once all the travel information and related settings are gathered, the next step is generating an **Invoice Line Item**. This represents the cost associated with the travel being recorded as a specific item for invoicing.
4. **Resource Expense**: Following the invoice creation, the expenses related to travel are assigned as **Resource Expenses** and captured against the Resource who delivered the service.
5. **Invoice**: The final step involves generating an **Invoice** that includes all the necessary travel line items, accounting for time-based travel settings and any caps applied. This invoice is the official document for charging the relevant party for the travel expenses.
6. **End**: The process completes with the expenses and invoices being finalized.

{% hint style="info" %}
The "Invoice Line Item" is generated based on all the travel-related settings, ensuring compliance with time-based travel rules, caps, and service agreements.
{% endhint %}

In summary, this diagram outlines a process of collecting travel-related data, applying any relevant restrictions or caps, and finally generating invoice line items that reflect travel expenses to be billed.

## How travel quantities are rounded

Travel is stored and billed in a fixed precision, so that the quantity on a travel Delivery Activity, the quantity on the Invoice Line Item and the amount charged all reconcile.

### Stored travel time and distance

| Value               | How it is stored                                |
| ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| **Travel time**     | Rounded to whole minutes, half up, for each leg |
| **Travel distance** | Rounded to two decimal places                   |

Each leg is rounded before the legs are added together, so a two-leg total can differ by one minute from rounding the true total. For example, a 27.88 minute trip is stored and charged as 28 minutes. Existing Appointment Resources are not changed.

Every screen that splits travel into a part before the Appointment and a part after it uses the same rule. The stored total is rounded first, the proportion is limited to between 0 and 100, and the "after" value is the total less the "before" value, so it is never below zero.

### Billed travel quantities

When the travel Delivery Activity is created for each Participant, its share is rounded to two decimal places. A value that falls exactly halfway rounds to the nearest even digit, so `0.125` becomes `0.12`.

| Example                                                                        | Quantity stored                          |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------- |
| A single 20 minute chargeable leg at 100 per cent                              | `0.33`                                   |
| A 30 minute leg                                                                | `0.50`                                   |
| 10 kilometres shared 33.34, 33.33 and 33.33 per cent across three Participants | `3.33` for each travel Delivery Activity |

{% hint style="warning" %}
A travel share that rounds to `0.00` creates no travel Delivery Activity, because a zero quantity cannot be invoiced.
{% endhint %}

An open Delivery Activity that carries a quantity with more than two decimal places is costed at two decimal places the next time it is costed. A Delivery Activity that has already been billed is read back as invoiced and is not changed.

Travel Delivery Activities keep the full unit price when the Ratio Calculation Base is **Unit Price**, and are left out of the quantity synchronisation checks on the Manage Appointment screens. When a Participant is added to an existing Appointment, the new Participant receives service rows only, not a copy of another Participant's travel row.

To learn how travel caps limit the billed quantity, see [Billing Invoice Generation](/maica-knowledge-base/maica-administration-guide/system-processes/billing-invoice-generation.md).