System and Method for Processing Travel Expense Vouchers

• US 20090265232A1
• Filed: 04/22/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Ramalingam, Periaswamy, Kumar, Sharat, Gopalakrishnan, Nitya
• Granted Patent: US 8,571,953 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.260
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

This invention relates to reimbursement of travel expenses. In a first embodiment of the present invention, a computer-implemented method processes a travel expense voucher. The method determines whether the travel expense voucher satisfies a condition. If the travel expense voucher satisfies the condition, the method allows a payment corresponding to the travel expense voucher. If the travel expense voucher does not satisfy the condition, the method provides an interface to perform an audit of the travel expense voucher.

Claims

1. A method for processing a travel expense voucher, comprising:

(a) determining whether the travel expense voucher satisfies a condition;

(b) allowing a payment corresponding to the travel expense voucher if the travel expense voucher satisfies the condition; and

(c) providing an interface to perform an audit of the travel expense voucher if the travel expense voucher does not satisfy the condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of (a) comprises:

determining whether a transactional account associated with the travel expense voucher has a recent late payment fee.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) notifying a customer that the travel expense voucher has been received.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the notifying of (d) comprises:

sending an email to a customer indicating that the travel expense voucher has been received.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing of (c) comprises:

providing an interface to ensure compliance with a travel expense policy.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) recording the travel expense voucher and a result of the audit in (c).

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

(e) providing a report corresponding to the travel expense voucher and the result of the audit.

8. A system for processing a travel expense voucher, comprising:

a pre-audit validation module that determines whether the travel expense voucher satisfies a condition and allows a payment corresponding to the travel expense voucher if the travel expense voucher satisfies the condition; and

an audit module that provides an interface to perform an audit of the travel expense voucher if the travel expense voucher does not satisfy the condition.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the pre-audit validation module determines whether a transactional account associated with the travel expense voucher has a recent late payment fee.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a notification module that notifies a customer that the travel expense voucher has been received.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the notification module may send an email to a customer indicating that the travel expense voucher has been received.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the interface ensures compliance with a travel expense policy.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising a tracking module that records the travel expense voucher and a result of the audit.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a reporting module that provides a report corresponding to the travel expense voucher and the result of the audit.

15. A computer program product comprising a tangible computer useable medium having computer control logic stored therein for processing a travel expense voucher, the computer control logic comprising:

a first computer readable program code means for determining whether the travel expense voucher satisfies a condition;

a second computer readable program code means for allowing a payment corresponding to the travel expense voucher if the travel expense voucher satisfies the condition; and

a third computer readable program code means for providing an interface to perform an audit of the travel expense voucher if the travel expense voucher does not satisfy the condition.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the condition is whether a transactional account associated with the travel expense voucher has a recent late payment fee.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

a fourth computer readable program code means for notifying a customer that the travel expense voucher has been received.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the fourth computer program product comprises:

a computer program logic for sending an email to a customer indicating that the travel expense voucher has been received.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the interface ensures compliance with a travel expense policy.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

a fourth computer readable program code means for recording the travel expense voucher and a result of the audit.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, further comprising:

a fifth computer readable program code means for providing a report corresponding to the travel expense voucher and the result of the audit.