Introduction

Welcome to the comprehensive guide on configuring settings for the Expenses/Mileage module within your administrative platform. Managing mileage and expenses effectively is vital for maintaining budget control and ensuring compliance with internal policies. This step-by-step guide is designed to assist administrators in navigating the Site Settings and making precise adjustments to optimize the functionality of the Expenses/Mileage module. Whether you are enabling requisitions, setting up odometer readings, or customizing invoice generation, each setting within the module can be tailored to meet the specific needs of your organization, enhancing both operational efficiency and user experience. Follow along to ensure you make the most out of the system's capabilities.

A. Problem statement

The administration and customization of the Expenses/Mileage Module within the organizational system are currently cumbersome and not intuitive. Administrators struggle to efficiently manage and configure necessary settings due to a lack of centralized control and clear instructions. This leads to inefficiencies in handling mileage submissions, requisition processes, expense reporting, and overall financial documentation, impacting the timely and accurate management of organizational expenses and reimbursements.

B. Solution

To address these challenges, we propose the implementation of a comprehensive, step-by-step guide dedicated to configuring the Expenses/Mileage module settings. This guide will provide detailed instructions on accessing the Site Settings, adjusting individual features like mileage requisition, email preferences, and invoice automation, and will cover advanced options such as setting up expense type visibility and preferred routing. By adopting a structured approach to training and system configuration, administrators will be able to tailor the module to meet specific organizational needs more efficiently, thereby enhancing the functionality and user experience of managing mileage and expenses. This solution will streamline operations, reduce errors, and ensure consistency across all user interactions with the module.

Step-by-Step Guide for Configuring the Expenses/Mileage Module Settings

Accessing Site Settings

1. Navigate to Admin dropdown: Begin by logging into the system. From your dashboard, go to Admin > Site Settings.

2. Enter Expenses/Mileage Settings: On the Site Settings manager screen, click on the Expenses tab to open the Expenses/Mileage Site Settings manager.

Configuring Mileage Settings

Here is a detailed breakdown of each setting you can adjust within the Expenses/Mileage Site Settings manager:

1. Mileage Submission Create Requisition: Enable this option to allow Mileage Requests to enter the Requisition workflow for approval.

2. Show Odometers: Toggle this setting to enable users to enter odometer readings from their trips, which will auto-calculate the Total Miles field.

3. Require Comments for Expenses: Set this to require comments when users enter "other" expenses.

4. Copy Mileage Requestor Email to Vendor: Use this if you prefer to use the requestor's email instead of the vendor’s email pulled from the system.

5. Autofill Single Line Invoices: Enable this to auto-populate single line purchase orders when generating an invoice (remember to set the invoice line status manually).

6. Combine Mileage Lines on Req: Enable this to combine mileage lines when creating a requisition.

7. Prevent Future Date Entry: Activate this to disallow submissions for future-dated mileage requests, while still permitting past entries.

8. Home/Work Differential: Choose between None, Shortest, or Differential to dictate how mileage from Home/Work to destination is calculated.

9. Preferred Route: Select whether the fastest or shortest route is chosen automatically through the Google API.

10. Invoice Number Macro: Configure macros like {{Initials}}, {{CurDate}}, {{CurTime}}, {{SCID}} to generate custom invoice numbers.

11. Mileage Submission Create Invoice: Enable to allow form submissions that automatically create an invoice entering the AP Workflow once approved.

12. Show Submit with PO: Add a checkbox for submitting with a purchase order.

13. Require Submit for PO: Force a number to be entered, check the Submit with PO box by default, and disable it.

14. Require Comments for All Mileage: Ensure every mileage line has a comment before submission.

15. Merge Other Expenses w/ Mileage Total: Combine other expenses into the mileage total automatically.

Mileage Note: Add custom notes on the mileage form are visible to users when creating entries.

16. Setting Expense Types:

• Click New.
• Enter the relevant values.
• Utilize the Active checkbox to control the visibility of the expense; check it to ensure the expense is available for use or uncheck it to remove the expense from user view.
• Click Save, then Apply at the top left. 

17. Setting Rates: To add a new rate:

• Click on New.
• Enter the Effective Date and Rate.
• Click Save, then Apply at the top left corner of the Site Settings page.

18. Adding Destinations: To add a new destination:

• Click New.
• Enter the relevant values.
• Click Save, then Apply at the top left.

19. Mass Upload of Destinations: Utilize the provided Excel document to perform mass uploads of destinations through the Import option.

Additional Note

• Vendor Management in USAS: If creating users as vendors, ensure they have an associated address in USAS.* If already a vendor, confirm their home address is listed.
• *If the user does not already have a vendor in USAS, please create one and ensure there is an address associated with it. If the user is already a vendor in USAS, ensure it has their home address as the address.

C. Best Practices

1. Regular Access Checks:

   - Always begin by accessing settings through the Admin dropdown to ensure that modifications are made under proper authorization.

2. Detailed Configuration Management:

   - For every setting changed, such as enabling odometer readings or configuring email copying, ensure clarity on its impact and necessity to avoid unintended consequences.

3. Required Comments Enforcement:

   - Enforce comment requirements systematically to maintain detailed logging and justifications for expenses, enhancing tracking and accountability.

4. Email Use Considerations:

   - When setting up email preferences, carefully decide whether to utilize the requestor's email or the vendor’s default to ensure communications are sent correctly.

5. Future Date Control:

   - Prevent future-dated entries where appropriate to avoid forecasting errors, while allowing past entries for accurate record-keeping.

6. Routing and Mileage Calculation:

   - Choose the most suitable routing options (fastest or shortest) and mileage differential settings based on organizational policy and typical journey characteristics.

7. Dynamic Rate and Destination Management:

    - Continuously update mileage rates and destinations to reflect the most current data. Utilize batch upload features for efficiency when handling multiple entries.

8. Vendor Management in USAS:

    - For user accounts associated with vendors, always verify and update address details to ensure alignment with USAS requirements, particularly when changes occur.

9. Use of Mass Upload Capabilities:

    - Leverage tools such as Excel documents for mass uploading of destinations to save time and reduce errors during data entry.

D. Troubleshooting

1. Access to Site Settings:

   - If you're unable to access the Admin dropdown or Site Settings, check that you have the necessary administrative permissions. Contact your system administrator if your access needs to be adjusted.

2. Changes Not Taking Effect:

   - Ensure you've clicked Save and then Apply after making changes to the settings. Changes will not be effective until they are properly saved and applied.

   - Refresh your browser or log out and log back into the system to ensure new settings are loaded correctly.

3. Issues with Mileage Requisition Workflow:

   - Verify that the Mileage Submission Create Requisition setting is enabled. If issues persist, check the workflow configuration to ensure it is set up correctly.

4. Autofill Functionality Errors:

   - If autofill for single line invoices is not working, confirm that the setting is enabled and check that the invoice line status is set manually, as required.

5. Submission of Future-Dated Mileage Requests:

   - If future-dated entries are still possible despite restrictions, recheck the Prevent Future Date Entry setting to make sure it's active.

6. Problems with Macros for Invoice Numbers:

   - Ensure that macros like {{Initials}}, {{CurDate}}, {{CurTime}}, {{SCID}} are correctly set up. If custom invoice numbers fail to generate, confirm that templated macros are accurately typed and formatted.

7. Vendor Management Discrepancies in USAS:

   - Ensure that users set up as vendors have an affiliated address listed correctly in USAS. If there are discrepancies, reenter the address information or create a new vendor profile if necessary.

9. Difficulties with Mass Uploading of Destinations:

    - Ensure correct usage of the provided Excel document for destination uploads. Check file formats and content layout against the specified template to prevent errors during the mass import process.

E. Related Articles

Expenses/Mileage: User Permissions 

Expenses/Mileage: Account Code Query

How to update the Mileage Rate

How do I use the Mileage Form?

Conclusion

Successfully configuring the Expenses/Mileage module through the outlined steps ensures that the settings are meticulously tailored to meet your organization's specific needs. By navigating through the Admin dropdown to access Site Settings and methodically adjusting each parameter from mileage requisition workflows to preferred routing options, administrators can significantly enhance operational efficiency and compliance. Additionally, setting up dynamic features such as autofill invoices, controlling future date entries, and managing expense visibility through the Active checkbox contribute to a more streamlined and intuitive user experience. It's crucial for administrators to periodically review these settings to keep up with evolving organizational needs and regulatory changes. Furthermore, ensuring proper vendor management in USAS solidifies the foundational data integrity required for accurate mileage and expense reporting. By embracing these practices, organizations can expect a robust, efficient, and compliant mileage and expense management system that aligns with their operational standards and goals.