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Documents

Part of Corporate travel booking software

Checking booking export data for expense reconciliation

Assess whether travel booking, payment, invoice and expense exports can be matched after changes, refunds and repeat downloads.

Desk Operations · · 3 min read

Take one sample trip through the booking export and the expense file. Check for named fields, record states, a booking-to-payment link and an identifier that stays the same on a repeat hand-off.

Specify the match before requesting files

Choose a trip with a flight, hotel or rental car and trace its component records. Corporate Traveller describes air, hotel and car options on one itinerary.

Infor’s TRAVEL_LINE_ITEM schema names EXT_BOOKING_KEY, BOOKING_SOURCE, AGENCY_NAME, TRIP_TYPE, FROM_DATE, TO_DATE, COST_AMOUNT, COST_AMOUNT_CURRENCY, TAX_AMOUNT and TAX_AMOUNT_CURRENCY. Check whether the sample export actually carries the fields you need; a schema name alone does not confirm an export column.

TAX_AMOUNT is a named tax field, but it is not identified as a GST amount. Check the exported value and its treatment rather than assuming the field confirms GST.

TravelBank’s expense CSV has configurable columns. Its defaults include amount, report status, distance driven, customer, department, merchant, expense category and corporate card; these are expense fields, not booking fields.

Booking Export vs Expense Export Field Comparison

Field Name
EXT_BOOKING_KEY
Field Source
Infor TRAVEL_LINE_ITEM schema
Purpose
Links booking to payment; must be consistent across exports
GST Handling
TAX_AMOUNT field exists but not explicitly identified as GST
Expense Export Default Columns
Amount, report status, distance driven, customer, department, merchant, expense category, corporate card

Distinguish the documented outputs

Capture the exact booking-state value shown for the sample, if the export has one. Do not infer a booking state from a payment or expense status; if there is no state field, the file cannot verify that state.

TravelBank’s expense export includes submitted report data whether or not it has been approved or reimbursed. Check the report status: submitted does not mean approved or reimbursed.

TravelBank recommends completing the approval workflow before uploading its expense export to accounting software. Check the state in the file before using an expense record for reconciliation.

Pre-Export Verification Checklist for Reconciliation

  • Confirm booking state field is present in exportDo not infer state from payment or expense status
  • Verify report status: submitted ≠ approved or reimbursedUse only approved or reimbursed records for reconciliation
  • Complete approval workflow before exportTravelBank recommends this step to ensure data accuracy

Reconcile the sample

Corporate Traveller describes auto-matched payments to bookings and cost-centre allocation. In the sample file, check that the booking and payment records are present and share an explicit link value, and that the cost-centre allocation is correct; the auto-match feature does not identify an export field to join on. Without a shared value, leave the booking-to-payment link unverified.

Infor’s TRAVEL_LINE_ITEM schema defines LINE_ITEM_ID as a primary key. Export the same sample trip and period twice and compare each LINE_ITEM_ID; use it to recognise previously received rows only if it is present and unchanged in both files. If it is absent or changes, do not append the repeat export automatically.

CT Pay provides one account for travel payments, one monthly statement and daily reports. Record which statement or report covers the period sent, then use the same hand-off route and period for the repeat.

Reconciling Booking and Payment Records

  1. Confirm booking and payment records existCheck for presence of both records in export files
  2. Verify explicit link value between booking and paymentAuto-match does not provide a joinable field; rely on shared identifier
  3. Validate cost-centre allocationEnsure correct cost centre is assigned to the trip
  4. Use LINE_ITEM_ID to detect repeat exportsIf ID changes or is absent, do not append automatically
  5. Match statement/report period with hand-off routeCT Pay uses monthly statements and daily reports; align periods

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