Can we configure different rates for different periods?

ITILITE Expense allows you to configure per diem rates with specific Effective Durations, meaning you can define different rates for various periods like weeks, months, or years. This guide will walk you through setting up per diem rates with their applicable validity periods.

Table of Contents

Interactive Guide
Pro-Tips & Guardrails
Verification & FAQs

Interactive Guide

Follow these steps to configure per diem rates with specific validity periods:

From the sidebar, navigate to Organization > Settings > Expense > Per Diem.

On the Per Diem page, click the Add Rate button to open the Per Diem Rate Configuration form.

Within the Per Diem Rate Configuration form, locate the Effective Start Date and Effective End Date fields. Here, you can define the specific period for which this per diem rate will be valid.

After entering all other necessary details and setting the Effective Duration, click Save to apply the new rate.

Pro-Tips & Guardrails

NOTE: Each per diem rate is applied based on the expense's travel dates falling within its configured Effective Duration. If an expense spans a period where different rates are active, the system automatically applies the appropriate rate for each day or portion of the trip.

PRO-TIP: Configuring different Effective Durations allows you to update rates annually or quarterly, set seasonal rates (e.g., higher rates during peak travel seasons), or phase in new rates without losing historical data or requiring manual adjustments for past expenses. If you leave the Effective End Date empty, the rate will be considered valid indefinitely from its Effective Start Date.

Verification & FAQs

After saving, verify the new rate appears in the Per Diem rates list with its configured Effective Duration. When filing a per diem expense, confirm the correct rate is applied based on the expense dates.

Q: What happens if a per diem expense spans a period where different rates are active?
A: The system automatically applies the appropriate rate for each day or portion of the trip, respecting the configured Effective Durations.

Q: Can I set a per diem rate that never expires?
A: Yes, if you leave the "Effective End Date" field empty, the rate will be considered valid indefinitely from its "Effective Start Date".

Q: How does ITILITE handle multiple rates for the same location and employee group?
A: ITILITE allows multiple rates as long as their Effective Durations do not overlap. If they do overlap, the system uses a configured priority order to determine which rate applies.

Q: Why would I configure different rates for different periods?
A: This allows you to update rates annually or quarterly, set seasonal rates (e.g., higher rates during peak travel seasons), or phase in new rates without losing historical data.

Q: Is there a record of changes made to per diem rates and their durations?
A: Yes, all changes to a rate's Effective Duration are recorded for audit purposes, ensuring a traceable history.