I go on a trip and get money back. If I fill everything in correctly
The form I just opened on my laptop and am supposed to fill out is a Word file. It begins with three pages of text explaining what types of travel expenses are reimbursed. Under what conditions a 1st class ticket is reimbursed and up to what cost hotel accommodation is covered. So that I do everything correctly when filling it out.
Sometimes people pay me to help them with something or explain something to them. I can then have the travel expenses reimbursed to me afterwards. I try to avoid this travel expense issue – it often works out that either the travel expenses are settled with a lump sum (which is much easier for me, but probably, if I have understood it correctly, is less good for the client for tax reasons), or the clients book the travel ticket and the hotel for me. But that doesn’t always work.
And so today I fill out another form for a travel reimbursement.
After the three pages of explanations, there are two pages where I have to enter the data: who am I, where do I live and what is the name of the project I am working on? What are my bank details – please IBAN and BIC/Swift. When did I travel from where to where, why did I travel, what means of transport did I use, how much did it cost? When did I eat, with whom (why not alone?), what did it cost? Where did I stay and room is provided for justification if the hotel cost was more than the regular reimbursement limit or I used a taxi. Please add up all the amounts, that’s how many euros?
I know that there have been services that automate expense reports through credit card statements for many years. Unfortunately, I cannot use this because I have to follow the processes for reimbursement of travel expenses from my clients. My employer also does not want to use these services for data protection reasons.
After filling out the form on my laptop (hopefully correctly), I print it out and sign it by hand. This is important, an electronic signature is often not accepted (I reported something similar in 2019, more than four years ago, for another client). I have to submit the original invoices together with the signed form. I booked the train journey with my cell phone, as I always do, so I have the train ticket in the app on my cell phone. I can also have the ticket sent to me as a pdf document by email. I do that and print it out as well.
Then it all goes in an envelope and I buy an electronic stamp via the Post&DHL app. It’s very easy: I’m already registered in the app and the app is connected to my Paypal account. So all I have to do in the app is tap through to the desired postage and then I get a code that I write by hand on the envelope with the note “#PORTO” at the top right.
Then tape the envelope shut and take it to a mailbox and the money should be in my account in a few days.
(Molinarius)