Travel expense automation

Abstract

A method of monitoring the expenses of a traveller during the progress of an itinerary utilises a mobile device equipped with NFC for carrying out the financial transactions associated with the itinerary and storing details of the financial transaction on a mobile device associated with the traveller, and updating a corporate ERP or similar financial database with the financial transactions to allow allocation to cost centres. The itinerary may be laid out in terms of itinerary events, each of which may be tracked by an NFC connection with an NFC device at an expected location and date for the itinerary event.

1 . A method of initiating a financial transaction with a first NFC equipped device using a second device associated with a traveller which device is NFC equipped and has internet access capability, the second device receiving from or supplying to the first NFC device an invoice or receipt relating to one or more items, authorising a payment to or receiving a payment authorisation from the first device, thereby initiating a financial transaction, and storing details of the financial transaction in the second device. 
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the second device connects to a remote ERP system and conveys from the second device to the remote ERP system information relating to the financial transaction, the remote ERP including the capability to allocate costs and payments against cost centres and having an itinerary for the traveller carrying the second device, the itinerary having one or more itinerary events in the itinerary, characterised in that at the remote ERP system the financial transaction is allocated against an itinerary event stored in the ERP system and the items of the financial transaction are allocated against cost centres in the ERP system. 
     
     
         3 . A method of carrying out a financial transaction as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the second device carries a replicate of the itinerary and itinerary events. 
     
     
         4 . A method of carrying out a financial transaction as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the itinerary events are identifiable events occurring during the progress of the itinerary and preferably at least some of the itinerary events are predicted to occur within a specific time frame. 
     
     
         5 . A method of carrying out a financial transaction as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the itinerary may be amended at the remote ERP system and replicated in the second device. 
     
     
         6 . A method of carrying out a financial transaction as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the second device has sufficient itinerary details to query expected item cost centres with the traveller. 
     
     
         7 . A method of carrying out a financial transaction as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the second device allocates items to cost centres. 
     
     
         8 . A method of carrying out a financial transaction as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the second device connects to the remote ERP system opportunistically. 
     
     
         9 . A system for the initiating of a financial transaction by a traveller travelling on an itinerary which itinerary has itinerary events,
 the traveller travelling with a first device which is NFC equipped and remote communication capable and capable of initiating financial transactions with a second NFC equipped device;   the first device interacting with a second NFC equipped device to carry out a financial transaction related to an itinerary event and to receive an invoice or receipt relating to items within that financial transaction;   a remote ERP system storing the traveller itinerary and the expected itinerary events;   the first device communicating with the remote ERP system upon completion of the transaction with information including details of the transaction and including the items within that transaction;   characterised in the remote ERP system allocating the financial transaction against an itinerary event and allocating the items against cost centres in the ERP system.