Why use a request form for business travel?
Until now, travel request forms have been a useful method for collating all the information needed to approve business trips. Rather than employees sending emails with various attachments, managers can read one document and approve or reject a business travelers' plans.While manually sending a business travel request form works, they aren’t the most efficient method for either employees or managers. Instead, more companies are turning towards travel management software like TravelPerk to streamline travel processes, seek approval, and book transport.Who works on a travel request form?
Typically, working through a travel request form requires three different employees at three distinct stages. The people involved include the employee intending to travel, a direct manager, and a senior manager or travel manager. While using forms for corporate travel approval is a more time-consuming approach, companies can speed up the process between stakeholders.For example, apps like Google Docs can help staff tag relevant parties and automatically send notifications when action is required.Let’s explore what each team member’s role is in working on a travel request form.The traveling employee fills out the form
When an employee has cause to make a business trip, they need to start the approval process by filling out a travel request form. Once the form has been received, managers will analyze the request and either approve or reject the suggested itinerary.If a form is approved, employees are ready to start booking and organizing their travel plans. If the request is rejected, the employee must make the changes outlined by their manager before submitting it again. It’s easier for the manager if the employee only flags the relevant changes, that way they won’t need to read the entire request form again.The first level of approval: the direct manager
Usually, the first level of approval is conducted by the employee's direct line manager. At this stage, the manager checks the request form to ensure the employee information is correct and the estimated expenses are reasonable. If the manager finds fault with any details, such as the purpose of travel or the suggested pricing for the trip, they will reject the request and include comments for improvement. If a request form is rejected, it doesn’t mean it can’t be resubmitted! The second level of approval: the senior manager or travel manager
The next step of the approval process is often conducted by a more senior staff member—typically a department head, C-level worker, or a travel manager. This largely depends on team size and business maturity.The request form goes through the same process, checking for any mistakes and ensuring the trip has a significant business purpose and ROI—which doesn’t always need to be financially oriented.If the trip request is approved, the employee has the green light to start booking their travel arrangements and scheduling their business-related meetings.At this point, administration teams will archive the travel authorization request form. However, management can still reject the request and ask employees to make further modifications at any time.
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